Under This Roof

Chapter 12

*Author's note:

Dear readers,
Please note that this chapter has been written in 2022 while everything before it has been written in 2014, when I was about fourteen years old. This will be noticed from the writing. I will be editing the story's vocab and grammar as soon as it is complete. Thank you for understanding.*

1 August 2014.

It was finally Friday.

I could not wait to spend the weekend away. I was catching a train that night from London to Manchester, meeting a cousin who lives there, and watching the football game on Saturday together. I asked Claire to accompany me, but she was busy. Liam had finally called her and asked her out. They are supposed to go to a musical on Sunday. It was a pretty exciting weekend to both of us. And it makes me feel good that we are both taking a break and feeling happy.

I wonder what Harry has planned for the weekend. Lately, our relationship has been slowly becoming better. Despite everything that annoys me, I admit I also applied some prejudice on him, and that I need to be open to the idea that he might not be as bad as I think he is. 'I told you so', Claire would have said if she listened to these thoughts.

"So what time do you get to your hotel tonight?" Steph asks me at the end of the day, right before I take off.

"Around 11pm."

"Well have fun because the coming weeks will be much tougher you know."

"Oh, I know."

****

I open the door to the house, get into my room and directly start packing.

Harry comes in the house after a short while. As he is entering his room, he glances at me and notices the bag I am packing. He knocks on the door and stands beside it.

"Is my dream coming true? Are you leaving?"

Again with that tone, it is sarcastic. But it is also true.

"Ha-ha. Only for the weekend."

"Nice."

He steps back and leaves shaking his head happily. Yes, as I said. He is not as annoying lately.

Ever since the last dinner at Conall's, things have been going smoother. I now think of both of them as people who I do not mind spending some of my time with, especially that Claire likes their company.

"Hey Lauren."

"Yes?"

"If you get lost on your way back to London, just know that I will miss you."

This was totally sarcastic. I smile.

****

2 August 2014.

"So how comes you are into both fashion and football?' my cousin Thomas asks.

"You know Thomas, the football is like a family thing. I was raised that way."

"We all were."

We made our way to our seats in the bleachers, had a very fun time, and left to have dinner afterwards.

"So how has it been with your roommate? Better?"

"Yes, in fact. A little better."

"You always exaggerate."

"No, I don't."

There was a silence for a minute.

"Okay maybe I do. But he barely says anything, he is always sarcastic, he has tattoos, he smokes, I mean what else can you do to drive people away."

"Oooh, he smo-okes." Thomas ironically says while gesturing with his hands.

"Shut up."

Smoking is a big deal. It shows a lot about a person. Doesn't it?

****

3 August 2014.

I open the door gently, it is 2 in the morning when I get back home from my weekend with Thomas. I do not want to be the annoying roommate. Especially after the burning of the potatoes. Now it is his turn to mess up. Not mine.

I am tiptoeing as I get in when I notice Harry sitting in the living room. The lights are out. The TV is not on. His head looks heavy. He does not look my way. It takes me a while to figure out if he's fallen asleep while still sitting on the couch or if he is awake.

But he is awake.

I put down my bag and step towards him.

"What's up Harry?"

He looks up. His eyes are red and I suddenly feel afraid and concerned. What is it Harry?