Under This Roof

Chapter 19

17 August 2014.

"When is your train?"

"At night. 10pm exactly."

"Do you like football?"

"Of course I do."

"Do you like to watch football or play football?"

"Both!"

"How would you like to join our match today? Our team is short on a player."

"Really? Yes. I mean, it would be great. What time is it? I hope I can make it."

"In an hour."

"Nice! I can definitely make it."

The reason why Harry is inviting my brother to play a match with him is unclear to me. But whatever makes Louis happy.

"Lauren" Harry turns to me. "You should come too."

"Oh yes Lauren. That way I won't feel guilty for spending some time away from you on our last day together." Louis urges.

"We'll go out to lunch right afterwards." Louis adds, trying to get me to say yes at once.

"Why not I guess. I'll see if Claire can accompany me."

****

After Claire says hi to Harry and meets Louis, and I say Hi to Conall who's there today as well, Claire and I take a seat on the small bleachers surrounding the field. Besides from Claire and me, there is a couple sitting on the opposite end, a group of teenage boys on our left, and a man next to them. 

"So when I brought Louis home after he checked out from the hotel at around noon, Harry was there. They met and got to talking, a few minutes later Harry was inviting him to this match. He says they are short on a player. Isn't that weird now."

"No Lauren. It is not. What is so weird about it?"

"You know, Harry. Acting all, normal. It is weird. Whenever there is someone else around Harry is like a different and nicer person."

"I don't know Lauren. Maybe you make him feel uncomfortable. Or maybe he just does not like you."

"No that's not it. He does not avoid me. If he doesn't like me he would have tried his best to stay away. But he's been lately instead so... near."

****

Claire and I enjoy the match and cheer every now and then for the team. When the match is done, Harry, Conall and Louis all take a shower and we go out for lunch.

We sit on the tables outside the small restaurant because the weather today is so nice and order different platters. When the waiter looks at Harry, who is last to order, he points at me and says "I'll take whatever she's having too." Then he looks at me as the waiter is leaving and says "I've been liking your taste in food."

"So Conall, how has it been with the girl you were dating" I ask.

"Zina. Very good actually. She left for a couple of weeks though, went back to Greece."

"Oh she's Greek. Interesting." Harry exclaims.

"Aren't you two best friends? Aren't you supposed to know that?" Claire asks and I nod, I was about to say the same thing.

"Harry doesn't really care who I'm dating. He doesn't ask." Conall replies. 

Yes, that sounds like Harry.

****

I drive Louis to the airport and hug him goodbye.

"That's one more weekend done for you." he says.

"You know, it might have been my last weekend."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, the closer we are getting to the competition, the tougher my days are going to be. I am not sure if the weekdays will be enough for me to finish my work anymore."

"You can do it. Stay strong."

"Yeah yeah. Take care."

****

"Do I really look like an ex-girlfriend of yours?" I ask Harry when he comes home. I am trying to understand his behaviour. Conall once mentioned that I might be reminding Harry of an old girlfriend. And I think Harry and I have discussed all kinds of matters here and there now. So I think I can ask him that.

Harry smirks and even laughs for a second, "No you don't! Why would you think so?".

He looks genuinely surprised that I think so. He is probably telling the truth.

"Because."

"Yes..."

"Because Conall once told me that I do."

"What? Why would he do that?" Harry asks with a confused smile and crossed eyebrows. I do not answer. What would I tell him? He was trying to explain how rude you were. You are. No, you were. I am not sure.

 "Why Lauren?" Harry insists.

"Because of the way you act. You know, Harry."

He shakes his head. 

"I act how I feel. I do not need someone explaining anything. Because truly, there is nothing to explain. There is no reason because there is simply nothing unordinary. I can't believe Conall would make this up."

I feel bad for putting Conall in this situation. But how could I have known that he was making up excuses for Harry. 

And Harry. Harry does not feel like he is doing anything unordinary?

I guess my search for an explanation ends here. Harry made it clear. There is nothing underneath this behaviour, no reason to the way he acts.

I don't believe that a bit.