Wish I Knew You Sooner

chapter twenty

"Oak, I don't know about you... but Harry sounds perfect for you." she stated the obvious.

"I know, B. I don't know what to do. I can't bring myself to even think of leaving him in seven days." I sighed.

One week. One full week left, and it seemed that no amount of time could ever be enough for me to be okay with being without him.

"A forbidden love." Byerly whispered under her breath.

"Not love." I corrected her.

"Whatever you say..."

She ended up leaving my room to go back to sleep for a bit, and I did also. I laid my head on the pillow, drifting off to sleep while thinking back to my adventure this morning. How Harry could just pull me from my bed and bring me out into the middle of the ocean still blows my mind. He knows every way to make me content and carefree. He makes me a happier person.

After waking up a few hours later, I sat up and grabbed my phone off the nightstand, clicking it on for the first time since yesterday evening. I widened my eyes at the screen, seeing a million texts from my best friend back home, Aspyn.

I opened them, seeing so many words written in all caps.

Aspyn: WHO IS THIS?

She sent me a screenshot of my instagram post of Harry.

Aspyn: HE IS SO HOT!

Stating the obvious.

Aspyn: ANSWER ME! DOES HE HAVE A FRIEND? BRING HIM HOME WITH YOU!

I wish I could.

Aspyn: PEOPLE FROM SCHOOL ARE ASKING ME ABOUT YOU!!

School? Why are people from school caring about me? I'm not popular, and hide in the background of reality, passing by without saying hello.

I haven't spoken to her since I got here, but she was like my soulmate in friend form. We are the same person, but in every way we are opposite. She has black curly hair, while mine is fine and blonde. She is a cheerleader, while I dance.

I called her to explain instead of just responding over text. The phone rang a total of two times before I heard a squeal from the other side of the call.

"Oak! What is happening there?" she rushed out her words. I could tell she was out of breath.

"A, calm down. His name is Harry." I told her.

"Oh trust me. I know. I already found his instagram, twitter, and snapchat." she confessed.

Not surprised, I swear that girl needs to be in the FBI with how good she is at finding people on social media.

"He's british, Oakland." she whispered into the phone, once again stating the obvious.

"Aspyn, I know."

"Tell. me. Everything." she protested.

I let out a sigh, starting from the beginning of what felt like a story in a book, when in reality, it was just my life. I told her about the plane ride, the club, how I never expected to see him again. The whole nine.

"Okay, Oak. you better bring him home with you. Stuff him in your suitcase if you must." she said after I finished telling her about last night.

"A, I wish I could." I said to her, but also to myself. I wish I didn't have to inevitably leave, but at least I know that it is happening, so I can prepare myself for the worst.