Carolina [h.s]

chapter twenty

"Yeah, because when would he ever admit he needed help?" I murmur looking down at my nails again.

Harry slept at the motel last night. I saw his white car parked in its usual spot from my window. But I haven't really seen him since Juliet's party two days ago.

"Don't be stubborn, Vada." Grams calls, picking up her paperwork before eyeing me. But I still don't move. "Towels, shampoo, now." she then says and I sigh out.

"But it's raining-" I say looking out the window.

"You love the rain, bring an umbrella." she says as she moves towards her private office, stacks of paper work in hand and glasses hanging off her nose.

I look out the window again, eyes traveling towards where the many empty rooms were, but land on a specific door that just so happens to be right in my view.

He wasn't here. I had no idea when and if he would return. But I could probably make it there and back without running into him.

After grabbing four clean towels and two bottles of shampoo, I don't care about an umbrella protecting me as I move across the lot and towards room four.

Rain soaks my clothes, and by the time I make it in front of the familiar door, I'm drenched.
I knock just in case but it doesn't surprise me when no one answers.

When I get the door unlocked, I seem to stand in the doorway. Like I'm waiting for him to be there in front of me, with dazed eyes and tired smiles. Curls a mess, and a cigarette placed behind his ear with another one dangling from his mouth as smoke clouds around him.

I wash the image away and every other memory I have in this room, as I finally step in and move quickly towards the bathroom.

Putting the items on the sink, I avoid my surroundings and move back out into the room where scents of him linger in the air. But then I can't ignore everything for too long because he's everywhere without being here at all.

Before I can make it out of the opened door I look towards the unmade bed and stop again.

The images of us wrapped in the white sheets with blacked out eyes and whiskey between our breaths come to me. Us sharing secrets while the sun rose over us and before the regret of anything could settle in completely.

He's in the doorway when I look up, and I'm not imagining it this time. I almost jumped out of my skin.

Standing tall the rain pours behind him, and the lighting is dark around us. I can barely meet his eyes because of how bad this looked.

"Are you done avoiding me?" he speaks first.

I clear my throat, stepping forward, still not meeting his eyes as I go to step past him. "There's fresh towels, and more shampoo in the bathroom." I explain but he blocks my way out the door.

I finally look at him as he stands there in front of me. His clothes damp from the rain, while I drip from it. "Is that all?" he asks, tilting his head.

Water drips from his forehead, his curls held back off his face with a bandanna. He's clear of bruises around his eyes or cheekbones, but the cut on his eyebrow hasn't healed yet. Still, he's the most clean of black-and purple I've seen him in weeks.

I then notice his clear eyes. "Did you need something else?" I keep my voice even.

Green eyes flash and his smile is careful. He continues to stand in my way. "For you to answer my question." then he steps forward so I have to step back.