Unforeseen | H.S.

Chapter 5

Elise never had a dog but she knew how it felt to be a dog's favorite person, and for some reason that feeling had come back over her in the past couple of days.

Ricky was a brown dachshund with wide eyes and adorable legs. Elise got to pet him once when he was wandering around the streets of the hotel his owner, Mr. Beck, was staying at. The second time she saw Ricky, she blessed him with a small treat and a big smile. Those gestures were all it took for the poor thing to dedicate all of his affection to Elise. He would rub his face on any part of her he could reach and cuddled with her as she took her afternoon nap. She'd thought Ricky simply liked to make friends; but after seeing how harsh Mr. Beck was towards him she realized that the dog was only desperate for a sliver of kindness.

It had been a week since the memorable moment Harry and Elise shared on the roof of his car. A week of Harry replaying the scene over and over in his head and biting the inside of his cheek to keep himself from smiling. A week of Harry being comfortable enough to text Elise and tell her the most random things and receiving witty replies. She even called him once, in the middle of the night, and said she wasn't sorry about waking him as his hoarse, sleepy voice sounded sexy. Needless to say, Harry didn't fall back asleep before spending ten minutes in the bathroom, with his back against cold tiles and palm muffling his grunts.

Having done great in the third year final exams, Harry was happy to spend his free time ticking off names from the list of the books he wanted to read before he turned thirty. He had put all the boring textbooks in a big cartoon box, knowing he wouldn't need them in at least three months. The constant visits he paid the gym had made him look almost as buffed up as when he was back in Manchester. It actually made him happy seeing how productive his days were. The only thing he remembered doing the past summers was waiting for the school to start again. This year, though, he had even managed to take Granny out for a walk. Harry wasn't sure where the motivation to spring out of the bed the way he did every morning that summer came from, but he welcomed the feeling.

It was a Wednesday. Harry's day off from work. He was walking to where his car was parked. His gray t-shirt was sticking to his shoulder blades and stomach because of how sweaty he was. Eyes down to watch his feet carry his exhausted body to his red Ford. He was experiencing the kind of exhaustion that felt good, so he was listening to the playlist hed made for when he was feeling good. He frowned when the instrumental bridge was suddenly muted, looking down at the bright screen to see who was calling him.

"Hello."

"I can't believe I never told you about Tuesday Taco!" The enthusiasm in Elise's voice tugged up the corners of his lips. "Where are you? You should come over and- oh hi."

"Whats Tuesday Taco?" Harry asked after letting out a soft chuckle.

"The most momentous event known to mankind. A holy ritual where we gather to celebrate the ineffable taste of steak and soy sauce. And cheese of course."

Harry scrunched up his face in confusion as he sat in the car, throwing his duffle bag in the backseat. "You're so dramatic."

"I know, right? So every Tuesday we crash at Miguel's place to chat and eat taco. Come over. I'll text you his address. You're not gonna regret it." Elise said the last part in a sing-song voice, playing with the end of her hair.

"But it's not Tuesday?"

"I know. We came up with the name but then our Tuesdays got hella busy so we changed the day but not the name cause it sounds cool. So are you coming or what?"

"I uh" Considering the time and the state he was in, going home to shower and look after his grandmother seemed like the right thing to do, but he decided to do the wrong thing. "Alright. I'll be there."