VALERIE

Chapter 6: Cat and Mouse

I walk out of the room the next morning, still groggy. I haven’t got enough sleep. I woke up without Harry on the bed. He probably took a jog early in the morning. I am so pissed at him. I was freezing to death the whole night but I woke up today with the blanket covering me. He must have observed out of his conscience what I’m suffering from because of him.

Unfortunately, as I enter the kitchen, he is already seated at one of the bar stools, eating his favourite cereals and some fruits. I walk slowly ahead to the counter opposite him. I grab a plate and a spoon.

“Morning.” He greets and I just smirk at him.

I put on the plate a cup of rice from last night’s meal, and flatten it using the spoon. I place the plate on the counter, grab the jar of powdered milk and sprinkle them on the rice using the spoon. The rice is now coated with powdered milk. A smile of satisfaction rose on my face.Meanwhile, I feel Harry’s grimace at me while he’s eating his cereals.

His sight becomes more intense when I blithely shove a spoonful of the treat in my mouth.

“You know, Valerie? You’re so weird. You read book and blast music to your ears at the same time. You have strange appetite. You use catsup as a sandwich spread, and now?” He remarks while looking disgusted.

“I am not the one who has four nipples here.” I retorted, roll my eyes at him and walk out of him. I decided to eat at the lounge, leaving Harry alone in the kitchen.

**********

One boring afternoon, I decided to grab my sketchpad. I step out to the back porch; sit my feet up on the wooden bench. I bend my knees to provide support to the pad while I am doodling. Sometimes, when I don’t know what to draw, I just let my fingers take the lead.

I started with a big circle. Draw a cross inside the circle, dividing the circle into four compartments, as base for drawing the face. In the first two compartments up, is where I should draw the eyes; two perfect dreamy eyes with thick eyebrows. At the intersection, I started with the nose, pointed with small nostrils. Below is a pair of lips curling up to a sweet smile. I brush my pencil to accentuate the small hairs forming above his lips and in his chin, all the way to his jaws. Then I started with his hair. I brushed the dorsal part of his head with an inch of hair gelled up, the sides are shaved. Then I draw the ears on either side of his head; and then the neck and his broad shoulders. I erased all the unnecessary lines and begin with the finishing touches. And I’m satisfied with the result. He’s so beautiful.

But wait, I think I forgot one small important detail. I forgot to draw the mole on his cheek.

“Who’s this?” Harry suddenly snatches the sketchpad from behind even before I could draw the mole. I stand up quickly as he tries to pry on the sketch. I attempt to grab it back and so he hides it behind him.

“Give it back, psycho!” I demand.

“Why would I do that?” He cocks an eye at me.

I scoot to his side and attempt to take it but he hastily dodges it up above his head.

“Give it back!” I yell as I am trying to pull his arms down. He scampers swiftly inside and into the kitchen, I quickly follow.

I spotted him between the sink and the counter and I’m at the opposite side. The counter is the only thing blocking my way over to him.

“Oh, who could this be?” He gibes, attempting to look at the drawing.

“Harry, don’t you dare!” I yell, “Give it back, dumb ass!”

I run to the left side of the counter but he escapes to the other side and I chase him all the way to the lounge.

“Harry, give it back please!” I yell while running after him and gasping for air.

“I won’t until I get a closer look at it.” He provokes playfully.

Then I cornered him beside the couch, passing the sketchpad on either of his hands quickly as I attempt to grab it back. He clutches it in his back, then I try to reach it, almost hugging him.

“Give it back this instance!” I scream. He raises the sketchpad up, then I jump for it. Harry trips on the arm of the couch and he tugs me along with him accidentally. All of a sudden, I am already on top of him. I shrilled and struggle to get back up but we end up shoving each other. The force between us caused us to roll over and fall to the floor. Now, he’s the one on top of me.

“Freak! Get off of me!” I order angrily.

“Harry, what’s…?” Liam appears inside the lounge, panting and gasping for air. Looking a bit shocked, he didn’t manage to finish his sentence.

“Get off, get off.” I whisper-yell at Harry. He immediately complies and stands up.

“I’m sorry. I’m totally out of countenance. I…” Liam apologizes and attempts to exit.

I quickly get up, grab the sketchpad from the floor and clutch it behind me.

“No, no, no, Liam. It was nothing.” I grumble. “We were just…”

“Playing around.” Harry interrupted. “It wasn’t too serious.”

“Yeah.Exactly.” I seconded, trying to convince Liam.

“I see. ‘cause I heard shoutings so I thought...” Liam explains but he got cut off by Harry.

“Don’t worry about a thing, mate. You need anything?” Harry offers. I scoot beside Harry, still hiding the drawing behind me, pulling out a smile in front of Liam.

“None at all. Okay, you two carry on. Sorry for the interruption.” Liam chuckles.

“No problem, mate.” Harry states while patting Liam on the shoulder. He ushers him to the door, leaving me standing alone by the lounge.

Harry goes back with a meek smile. I walk towards him with a dreadful look and angrily hit his left bicep twice with the sketchpad.

“Ouch!” He flinches his shoulder.

“You almost screw me.” I chide him. I walk straight to lock myself inside the bedroom. I am so pissed off.

I hide the sketchpad under the mattress, leaving the guy in my drawing without mole in his left cheek.

I plop down angrily on the bed, grab a book and plug my earphones in.

**********

This might be the shortest chapter I’ve ever written in this book. Hahaha!

Sorry for that.

Anyhow, who do you think did Valerie sketch?

To anyone who will first get the right answer gets a dedication and a shoutout in the proceeding chapters. Hahaha

Well, I think you already know who.

So just type it in the comment box and please don’t forget to vote. Thank you!

Love,

Glyz<3