Just Friends || h.s.

25

***Song: Stayin' Alive by Bee Gees

• • •
Harry

"Good morning, Harry. Sleep well?" Faith asked enthusiastically as she flipped pancakes on a pan.

I flashed her a smile and sat down on a chair at the island. "I did. Thank you. Do you want any help with anything?"

"I'm okay, honey. Thanks. Is Maddie still asleep?" She asked, plating the pancakes that were done and pouring more on the pan.

Resting my chin in my palm, I lean forward and place my elbow on the counter. "I think so."

"She should be up soon, anyway. She usually wakes up around nine." She said, taking a pause on pancakes and moving to the coffee machine. "Would you like some coffee?"

Usually I would say no when someone offers me something, especially if I don't know the person that well because I just feel nervous about it, but the atmosphere in this house and with this family was extremely comforting. "Yes, please."

"Good Mornin', son." Dean greeted me as he stepped into the kitchen, kissing Faith on the cheek and setting his coffee mug in the sink.

"Good morning, it is." I say, not an ounce of anxiety in my body when I spoke. Our conversation yesterday really helped ease my nerves around him. After Dean washed his cup, he walked
out of the kitchen and back into the living room to watch the hockey game playing on the tv.

"So what did you and Dean talk about? He seems to like you. He even called you son." She talked as she put in a little coffee pod into the machine, waiting for the mug to fill up.

"I'm still in shock, honestly. I see where Maddie gets her personality from." I let out a chuckle. "At first, he asked me if I was the same guy from England that Maddie dated. When I told him I was, he just told me if Maddie forgave me, he did too. Then he told me all these stories about Maddie when she was little." A smile grew on my face. I can't wait to bring that up around her and see how annoyed she would get. She's cute when she's annoyed.

"Any sugar or creamer?" She asked. Feeling bad enough for her making me coffee, I politely decline.

"No, that's good. Thank you." I smiled as she handed me the warm red mug.

I stared into the mug as the coffee cooled down, frowning at my faint reflection in the black liquid. I don't usually wake up this early if I don't have much of a reason, but I had a dream that woke me up an hour ago, and it felt wrong to go back to sleep, knowing the dream would continue.

Ever since that night the power went out and we stayed at Maddie's apartment, I would think about her a lot more than usual, and at least once a week, I would have a dream about her. No. Not about her. We were both there. Some would be memories, but there were two dreams that I felt so wrong for having.

The one the night the power went out, I had dreamt a continuation of what could have happened between us right before the power went out. We were close to each other. I felt her breath on mine, and her lips were so close yet so far from my own. When I fell asleep that night, that was the first thing on my mind, and the kiss we shared in that dream was so euphoric, I nearly cried when I woke up knowing it wasn't real.

Then there was the one last night. I had her pinned down on the bed with my hand on her body, allowing my lips to explore every inch of her skin. I never knew a dream could feel so wrong and right at the same time, despite it not even being a real event. I don't remember most of it, but I remember enough to know that I shouldn't be having dreams like that if I wanted to continue being friends with her.