Between the Lines

Chapter 5

Harry grunts as he sits up, his king sized bed completely destroyed as his sheets are hanging off the side, and the duvet is pulled up to accommodate his large figure. He rolls out of bed, literally, and throws the blankets that gathered on the floor in a pile on his bed. 

He trudges down the lengthy steps, in only a pair of black boxers, and makes his way to the hallway downstairs. He opens a cabinet, retrieving an Advil for his headache which he seemed to have every morning, due to previous nights of endless drinking.

Once he swallows the pills with no water, he enters the kitchen and searches his fridge for something to fill his grumbling stomach. Harry hears his phone sound from his bed room, so he jogs back up the stairs, retrieving his phone and sliding the screen to answer the call. 

"'Ey mate." He answers.

"Hey, what are you doing?" James asks on the other line.

"Nothing, I just woke up." Harry responds. 

 "Well, listen, about tonight..." He starts, and Harry rolls his eyes. 

"I'm going James, I can control myself around them now, I just have to learn to ignore it." He says, knowing the exact reason James called. "They probably won't even be there tonight, Hugh is in Spain or something, so it's just Jacob." He says.

"Alright, alright, I just wanted to check in. You can't be mad if they do show, you know they might." He warns, and Harry sighs again, deciding on a simple batch of eggs and some toast.

All of his friends think he can't handle the publicity anymore, or the paps for that matter. He appreciates their concerns, but in reality, there is nothing he can do. 

"I know, I know." He mumbles. 

"What time is it?" James asks aloud. "Dammit, course Sutton is late on the one day I need to leave." He mumbles under his breath, but Harry cann't help but stand straight up when he hears the familiar name.

"What did you just say?" He asks.

"Nothing, just one of my employees is late for her shift on the one day I need to-" He begins to explain, but Harry wasn't concerned about that. 

"No, no, you said Sutton? I've met her before." He says.

"Oh yeah! Forgot, she told me you came for a visit piss drunk in the middle of the night one time. You're going to scare my new employees away if your not careful!" He says with a tone of humor, and Harry rolls his eyes. 

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. She's actually quite nice, drove me home last week." He tells James, as he begins making his breakfast. 

"Oh really? From the library? She didn't mention that to me." He says. "But yeah, super nice girl." He goes on.

"Yeah, yeah. You know, maybe you should invite her tonight?" Harry says cautiously, smiling at the idea because he had a feeling she would decline. 

"You think?" He asks.

"Yeah, she is cool." Harry says, closing his eyes in embarrassment. 

"Ah, I see. Cool." James jokes.

"Oh sod off, I'm just trying to be nice. I don't think she has loads of friends, I'm sure she would appreciate it." He replies. 

"Alright, well I'll ask what she's doing tonight when she gets here, yeah?" He asks, and Harry agrees. 

"Yeah yeah, sounds good mate!" Harry says.

"Okay yye mate, I'll see ya later." James says and ends the call.