Chasing After You | 18+ | ✓

27: mirabelle

I've been stress cleaning the house all morning waiting for Henry to get back. We're supposed to go on our date tonight and I made sure that I had all my work done before he got back so I can't get called away by Stacey.

I haven't felt the need to tell her that things are real between Henry and I; I guess she hasn't figured it out either because she told me yesterday that we were doing a great job of being believable.

It's none of their business whether it's real or not.

I fix one of the throw pillows that have slumped crooked since the last time I fluffed them twenty minutes ago. I just want everything to be perfect.

It's been a long weekend. I've been on edge the entire time since I thought I saw a flash in the backyard which is ridiculous because we're in a gated neighborhood. No one was in Henry's backyard, but that didn't stop me from changing only in the master bathroom where there aren't any windows. The thought that they never caught the arsonist crossed my mind more than a few times.

It wasn't until I was lying awake in the middle of the night and couldn't sleep that I realized it was my first night alone by myself since the fire.

The sound of the lock shifting catches my attention and I hold my breath waiting for Henry to walk through the door. It swings open and Henry's dark head of hair is visible for a moment before his eyes meet mine.

I can't help that my feet rush forward on their own accord and then I'm wrapping my arms around his torso. Henry's strong arms close around me and I feel him chuckle. "Well hi there." He says, his voice low enough for only me to hear.

I think I'm growing a bit of an attachment issue to Henry.

"Hi," I squeak out, holding tightly to him.

"You guys are gross," I hear Wilson say and my laughter mingles with Henry's. "Get a room."

"This is my house." Henry retorts as I pull away to let him move further into the house since we're still in the doorway.

"How was the rest of your weekend?" I ask, hugging Wilson who slipped in past Henry while I was distracted.

"So so, the team is never much fun after a loss, especially out of town." He says with a nonchalant shrug.

"You played well?" I offer hesitantly and all I get is a faint smile.

"Thanks Mira, but it doesn't count much at the end of the day. Team effort."

The sound of another pair of footsteps in the front hallway catches my attention and I'm genuinely surprised to see Quinn there with his bag. His hood is pulled up over his dark hair and his headphones are very obviously in as he walks past all of us in the living room to head up the stairs without saying a single word.

I can't help but look questioningly at Henry who has a tense expression his face. "Pipe broke in his apartment and flooded it. He'll be here for a few days but I talked to him so don't worry about it being weird." He tugs me down to sit with him on the couch, his thumb stroking up and down the side of my thigh as I curl into his side.

This has quickly become the way we sit and I'm certainly not complaining.

If only fifteen-year-old me could see me now.

"So do I get to know the plan for today?"

"Nope." He answers simply, and I twist to see his face. Henry has a nice amount of scruff on his face that tells me he hasn't shaved the last couple days. His eyes have a golden tinge around his irises and they flicker down to look at me. I bat my eyelashes sweetly at him and Henry resists the urge to smile. "I'm not telling you."