Yellow || hs au

| 7 |

—

  Coras apartment is a mess when I step inside, my eyes widening slightly at the clothes thrown across her couch, along with what looks like her makeup spilled all over and a bunch of other things.

  Cora herself comes rushing out of her bedroom with another hamper of clothes, stopping in the middle of the hall and pulling open the sliding door to reveal her laundry machines.

  "I'm stressed out." She speaks, huffing as she throws more laundry in and pulls more out, switching over her load all while mumbling to herself.

"I can see why." I say with a small grin. Cora rolls her eyes as she closes the two doors of her machines and starts them both, sliding the door closed and walking fully into her living room.

"My mom is on my ass about being there on time to help cook." She rolls her eyes as she begins to sort through the large pile of clothing on her couch, folding the pieces different ways every time. "Are you going home at all?" She questions, glancing up at me.

  "I think you already know the answer to that." I say lowly, watching as she frowns, her lips pressing into a thin line as she continues to fold the clothing. "And I already know what you're going to say." I add on.

  "Clover, they're your family." She breathes, her hands falling into her lap in a defeated way as she stares up at me.

  "I don't feel like getting bullied all week, that's what Christmas is for." I shrug.

  Cora and I grew up together in Nantucket, our families have always been very close and our parents graduated high school together. So she knows my family just as well as I do, except she doesn't see the way they treat me.

  Her mom ended up moving them to Boston halfway through our junior year because she got a better teaching position and that's when my family really started cracking down on me and art. Cora wasn't there all the time to save me so it was constantly brought up how, art isn't a job and I can't survive off of a hobby as my full time job.

  My parents have always compared me to Cora, ever since we were little. Cora had always wanted to be a nurse and she's always worked incredibly hard in everything she does, my parents wished I'd been like her and went to college for a 'real' job. But I've never told this to Cora, it doesn't really concern her. It's not her fault and I don't want her to feel guilty.

  "They don't bully you, stop saying that." She shakes her head at me. "You seriously aren't going home?" She asks again, beginning to gather up her spilled makeup products and shoving them back into the small bag.

  "No." I answer easily, moving to sit on her couch. She sighs and stands from her sitting position on the floor, pulling her suitcase onto the couch and filling it with her things.

  "Do your parents know you aren't going?" I sigh, closing my eyes as I lean my head back against the cushion.

  "I haven't talked to them so I'm sure they won't miss me." I shrug, glancing over at her. She frowns but doesn't say anything else.

  Cora has always had a better relationship with her family, they have always supported her and loved her no matter what. College was never something they forced on her either, unlike my parents. Coras family always treated me like their own so I guess that made up for the lack of 'parents' in my life.

  I don't exactly like to talk about it either. My family issues are something I like to keep to myself and not exploit to the world for everyone to know. I'm an open book other than that.

  "Do you want to come back with me? You know you're always welcome." Cora says after a minute. I grin over at her but shake my head.

  "Really it's fine, I've got some things to work on here anyways, I need the time to myself." I tell her. She doesn't seem convinced by my words but she lets it go, straightening her posture as she zips her suitcase up and pulls it to stand on the floor. "When are you leaving?"

  "Tomorrow morning." She replies, glancing over her shoulder and out the window. I do the same, not even realizing it's almost three. I didn't go to the café. "Did you drive?" Cora asks. I nod and hold up my keys for her.

  Usually I don't like to drive in the city, and there isn't ever a need to drive on a daily basis seeing as everywhere I go is walking distance. But usually I drive to Coras because the train would take way too long.

  "I should go, have a good thanksgiving, call me when you can." I say, standing from her couch, Cora wrapping her arms around me and tightly hugging me.

  "Same to you."

—

I slowly make my way through the crowd of people, trying to avoid colliding with anyone with my eyes trained on the café. I'm hoping Harry is still there seeing as I have to properly thank him for letting me use the sketch of him for my class.

I finally reach the small door that is decorated with a large wreath and the name of the café written in cursive writing. I don't get a chance to even reach for the handle when it's pushed open, my eyes flickering up to meet his.

"You're still here." I breathe, he stares down at me for a fast moment before he walks passed me causing me to furrow my eyebrows, walking off after him. "I kind of wanted to talk to you."

"We're talking right now." He replies coldly. I frown at his behavior and shit mood but I shouldn't be surprised.

"I wanted to thank you for letting me use the drawing of you. It really does mean a lot to me, Harry." I explain, ignoring his bitterness towards me. I glance up at him but he doesn't say anything. "Are you not going to say anything?"

"What the fuck do you want me to say, Clover?" He snaps. My eyes widen at his hostility and his sudden raise of voice. His jaw is clenched and he continues to mutter under his breath causing me to frown.

"Is everything okay?" I ask him. He shakes his head, a sarcastic laugh escaping his lips as he abruptly stops walking, turning to face me with squinted eyes.

"Stop pretending like you give a shit about me, you're wasting your fucking time." He snaps harshly in my face, gaining the eye of a few people passing us but they don't stop.

"Why are you being so mean to me?" I ask, furrowing my brows at him as I cross my arms over my chest. "I've been nothing but nice to you, Harry." I reply shakily.

"That's the problem!" He barks. "Stop being nice to me because I know you don't mean it!" He almost shouts. I swallow hard as I stare up at him, completely baffled at his actions and unsure of what I did.

"Why would I fake being nice to you?" I ask, watching as he rolls his eyes and begins to walk off again. And again, I follow. "I wouldn't go to the café everyday just to sit by myself and do nothing." I call after him.

He doesn't even glance back at me, nor say another word which only infuriates me more as I walk after him. I finally catch up to him, my hand grasping his wrist causing him to stop and spin around to look at me with a clenched jaw and a hard face.

"Clover." He snaps

"Harry." I raise my eyebrows at him, his eyes flickering down to my small hand that is still wrapped around his right wrist before back to my eyes, letting out a long sigh.

"You don't give up easily." He mutters lowly. I drop my hand from his wrist, watching as he sucks in a sharp breath, his eyes examining above me before they return to my gaze as I shake my head.

"I just wanted to say thank you." I mumble to him lowly. "And goodbye." He furrows his brows at me for a moment.

"Are you going home for break?" He asks causing me to shake my head.

"No, but just in case you are." I shrug, watching as the tiniest grin tugs the corner of his mouth before it falls again and his face returns to its usual hardness.

"I'm not either, but I don't want to talk about it." He tells me and at this I simply just nod my head, which obviously takes him a bit by surprise.

"I don't either."

—

Happy update lovies! I hope this was okay! I'm really liking this story and I know updates are kind of slow but I'm trying to make this story the best it can be!

Much love
~C