the new year

seventy-five

S E V E N T Y - F I V E :

He didn't declare it. He was glad about it because if he had God knows what would've happened. As an alternative, he said a simple okay and then they eventually both fell asleep, him before her. She had been ensuring he looked peaceful before she drifted off, which he sooner or later did, the crease between his eyebrows had eventually faded.

In the morning, Harrison had found himself waking up with Oak by his side, still holding onto her like his life depended on it. He hoped he hadn't suffocated her. He was holding on that tightly. He'd as slowly and gently as he could slipped out of his bed to go and make the pair of them some breakfast. He didn't have much for a fancy first meal but this gesture was the first to thank her for the comfort she gave him last night.

Sizzling and boiling were the only things occupying his ears. He hadn't even heard the shuffle of feet behind him. Her blue eyes watched him sweetly, his toned back flexing every time he stirred the silver spoon in his polka dot mugs, even that simple action was just so overwhelmingly attractive, it was quite concerning.

"Morning," She eventually voiced her first word of the light day, her arms crossed behind her back as she arched it, instantly releasing all of the tension that had built up from her sleep.

An affectionate smile was plastered on his face the second he heard her hoarse voice, he turned around to face her messy hair and slightly squinted eyes, she appeared to still be adjusting the bright light of the kitchen. "Morning," He replied back and then swung the cup of tea, that he had perfected, off of the marble effect counter then handed her it. "Go and sit down, it'll be ready soon," He smiled once more as she held onto the mug with both hands, despite it scorching her a little bit, he gestured to the pan on the stove.

"Okay," She nodded with her eyebrows raised curiously "What're you making?" She examined him and tried to look at the pan to figure out what was sizzling away but he hid it with his tall frame, she shouldn't be so alarmed by that plain action, she'd done a lot more with him than eat so her worry shouldn't even be a fragment in her mind.

"Don't look so worried, it's just bacon," He reaffirmed at the look that flashed on the woman's face, he did let out a little chuckle because she genuinely looked petrified. Oak smiled and nodded a quick okay thank you and then sat at his pine dining table, that was neatly arrayed with different sauces and a china pot, assuming for the tea.

Sadly, Oak didn't have the heart to tell him she was vegetarian and didn't eat bacon so kept quiet; he'd put so much effort in that she didn't have it in her to break it to him. Alternatively, she stayed silent, taking sips from her perfectly brewed tea and listening to the small sound of background music that he'd kept down so he didn't wake her.

He had thought of popping down to the Tesco's Express to get a better volition of foods but he didn't want to leave her on her own. With a knife full of butter, he gently spread it across the fresh bread and then added the bacon, sandwiched them together and cut them as neatly as possible in half.

Like usual he maintained a small smile on his face as he walked around the small island towards the dining table that the girl was sat at patiently, still properly waking up. He sat in front of her after placing her plate down in front of her, she looked up at him, smiled and thanked him gratefully but she didn't dig in straight away she merely stared at her plate, she hadn't eaten meat in about four years and she knew she could just outright tell him that she didn't but he'd made such an effort she'd feel bad.

Harrison was observing her engrossed by her facial expressions that were barely visible, he knew what she was thinking and he couldn't help the splurt of laughter that left his mouth after he'd taken a gulp of tea. "You can eat it, I promise its vegetarian bacon, you can even check it," He convulsed delicately, she snapped her head up at him and was surprised he recalled that fact.

He'd be pretty shitty if he forgot his girlfriend was a vegetarian, wouldn't he?--Wait, he had definitely gotten ahead of himself then, they weren't official. Why did he say that?

"I trust you," She said narrowing her eyes at him with a smile as she reached forward to seize the bottle of ketchup, he just chuckled again then resumed eating his sandwich. He didn't specifically buy the bacon for her. He was vegetarian too the majority of the time, he'd been trying it out since the start of the year to see what it was like and overall he'd done pretty well.

Shaking the bottle up and down so it didn't come out too watery, Oak opened the sandwich and squeezed a little blob into each half and spread it with the knife Harrison had given her. She'd hated admitting it to herself and aloud but Harrison being placed across from her in nothing but some shorts was making her skin very warm, she was literally on fire. His light tanned skin was glowing in the natural beacon and he was just effortlessly perfect even when his stomach was slightly crinkled from the slouch he had. He was gorgeous and was rather tantalising.

Of course, he noticed her glancing at him in an affectionate way, but he didn't call her out on it because he didn't want to embarrass her, he'd rather she kept doing it, which probably sounded very odd, he just liked to know he wasn't the only one in utter admiration. She didn't stop. This time, he'd brought his mug to his perfect plump lips and took a small sip with a raised eyebrow. She noticed he'd noticed and then instantly diverted her eyes back to the table.

All he could do was smile and shake his head. He wished she didn't feel embarrassed by being caught because he looked at her all the time, there was nothing wrong with it. It was a way people showed affection without it being known to the recipient, it was natural to admire someone you had romantic connections with.

"Have you got any plans for today?" He asked her, changing the subject, so she didn't feel bad about what he'd caught her doing, he found it pretty adorable more than anything.

Chewing the last bite of her sandwich, she held up one finger, not wanting to be rude and talk with her mouthful, even that was the most captivating thing in the world. Everything she did, her mannerisms had him on a leash.

"We have our first photoshoot today," She told him, it was something she wasn't looking forward to at all, it was something that filled her from the toe to tip with absolute unease she was by far the least photogenic person on this entire, seven billion populated planet. "Which I'm dreading, what about you, you doing anything?" She added with a silent sigh, not wanting to add any more sadness to his life right now.

"Why're you dreading it?" He questioned her, he thought it was exciting for them, they'd come on leaps and bounds this year, he was thrilled for his friends because they were finally getting the recognition they so rightfully deserved. "And I'm just going out for a drink with some friends," He explained her question. He hadn't been out with Arthur, Ezra and Zuri for a while. They too had careers that required all of their attention for every waking hour, that they simply, and unfortunately didn't have time to hang out like the old times.

"That's great, are they friends from school?" She smiled ecstatically, she didn't know why but it made his stomach swarm. She said it so happily partly because she was glad he was going to be having fun, she knew how hard he had to work and how hard it was being in the public eye and having, in a sense, no freedom to be himself.

"Yeah," He smiled back with a nod "Why are you dreading the photoshoot?" He asked again. Maybe she didn't want to talk about it, which would be fine, he just hopes she was dreading it because of nerves and nothing else.

"What're their names?" She asked instead of answering. Truth is, she didn't want to put a downer on his mood because she knew he was overly caring and uplifting, he didn't need her moping about something when he had enough problems of his own.

He corrugated his eyebrows. She was avoiding his question but why? "Arthur, Ezra and Zuri," He answered nevertheless but still kept his eyebrows in the firm position he placed them in, she captured the expression but chose to ignore it, his happiness was important to her.

"They sound cool, have fun!" She gushed again, the smile never leaving her face, she was genuine about it, he deserved it after what happened last night, he needed to be eased by friends, they'd undoubtedly put a smile on his face. Normality was what he craved, she knew that.

"I will," He bared, his head now cocked to the side, she was withholding something, it wasn't anything major but he wanted her to get it off her chest if she needed to."Oak. . ." He hummed out, looking in her eyes as she poured herself another mug of warm liquid. In response, she just nodded for him to proceed; she didn't want to spill the tea all over his sheen table and ruin it.

"Why are you dreading the photoshoot?" He asked for the last time, he wasn't going to interrogate her about it, he couldn't force her to tell him, he just hopes she does so she doesn't have whatever it is snacking away at her all day.

She swallowed and gave a half-smile "I'm just a bit nervous, we've never done anything like this before, I don't want to mess it up," She conclusively explained after the third time, it was the truth, everything she had said but there was more to it than just that.

She hated the fact that someone was going to be up close to her snapping shots at all various angles, in high definition, may she add. She thought she had nothing worth being photographed for, she didn't have Alex's incredible, deep eyes that everyone got lost in, she didn't have Charlie's beautifully sculpted face and she didn't have Joe's award-winning smile, she had nothing aesthetically appealing. That was the reason she was dreading it because simply put, she despised herself.

Harrison nodded and then scrunched his lips from left to right. It wasn't that he didn't believe her; he did, he just thinks it's more deep-rooted than she's letting on and he bets anything on that the cause of it has to do with her father. "You won't mess it up," He told her firmly, standing from his seat to take the plates to the silver sink that was thankfully empty.

"I mess everything up," Oak mumbled back, so he didn't hear. It was unfortunate for her because he did, it saddened him, she shouldn't feel that way; in his eyes and many others, she was beyond seamless.

"No, you don't." He tried piercing it into her brain by stating it as firm as he could but she still didn't seem to believe him, it was on her face.

"You're beautiful, the camera will love you," He finalised. He wasn't allowing her to say anymore because to him there was no argument, his mind was set. The camera would love her, not as much as he did, though. Did he love her? Really?