Under This Roof

Chapter 21

24 August 2014.

Sunday night, when I come from my bedroom to the living room to chill and watch some TV, I find Harry and Conall in the living room playing cards.

"Hi."

"Hello." Conall answers me. Harry has his back towards me and does not turn around.

"Do you guys mind if I watch TV here?"

"No of course not. Please do." Conall answers, again.

"Does anyone want some popcorn?' I say after I turn the TV on and right before I sit down. 

I will make myself some popcorn. I feel good after last night's bowling games. Claire and I kept playing again and again until the place was about to close and they had to ask us to leave after that last round. Both of us felt much better afterwards.

I saw her again today for breakfast. She was a little bit better. She said she thinks she will continue seeing Liam and give it a chance. Which I personally thought was a good decision. The two of them have something, I insist.

"Sure. Why not." Conall answers me.

I make us popcorn and go to the living room, give each one of the guys a bowl and sit down with mine. Harry takes his bowl without looking at me, fully concentrated on the game, and knowing that he did not say he wants any.

Harry and Conall exclaim or shout every now and then. But not in a very annoying manner. In fact, sometimes I would turn around and watch them for few minutes.

"Are you going to finish those?" Harry asks, pointing his finger at what is left from my bowl.

I hand him the bowl. You did not ask for any, Harry.

"Do you want to play?" Conall asks me.

"Sure." I turn off the TV and join them. We make a little circle on the ground that reminds me of when we used to play as kids. It makes me feel joy and content. 

All three of us play for a while and talk to each other at the same time. Later in the night, we stop playing and keep talking. 

At around 11pm, Conall leaves.

Harry asks me if I am sleepy, and keeps still next to me on the ground when I say I am not. The two of us pursue the discussion we were having with Conall, both of us unwilling to let our point of view go without convincing the other.

"I give up." I say at last. "Whatever. It is not like speaking to you is so easy anyway."

"What?" he looks genuinely surprised. 

What, Harry? Did you not know that you are hard to be around? Really?

"You know what Harry."

"No, what is it?"

"It's hard to talk to you."

"Why would you say that? We spent the whole evening talking."

"Yeah, because Conall was around. Once Conall is no longer here, it becomes different, much tougher."

"I didn't know you think so."

"Come on."

"What is it that bothers you?"

I roll my eyes. Except for the way you dress Harry, and your tall figure, everything else bothers me.

Maybe not everything. But many things.

"Tell me. What?" He insists.

You never share anything about you. You are so blunt and straight forward that sometimes it hurts. You can be so rude. You don't have rules. You are so random. You are irresponsible sometimes. Some days, nothing I say will make you answer me with other than a nod or a forced smile. Other days, you speak to me like you are so close and dear. You enjoy the food I make and you are concerned with me sometimes. You invite my brother to play a football match with you and act all nice with my friends. And God, you know how to dress. 

The way that you are, Harry. The way that you make me go from mentioning how much you bother me to feeling overwhelmed by the unbelievably pleasurable gestures you have made here and there in the little time we spent together. 

The way that I cannot define my emotions towards you and all the mess inside me that you make.

The way that you are, Harry.

"Maybe some other time." I say.

"Okay."

I get up to leave and go to my room. But Harry takes my arm and swings me back to the ground.

"What the hell Harry?"

"You said you weren't sleepy."

"I changed my mind." I am getting up one more time. He takes my arm, again, and pushes me to the ground.

"No you didn't." Harry says smiling. I am pissed and he is smiling. I feel like slapping his face.

"Lauren, please." he pledges. "I genuinely have some questions for you."

"I told you: some other time."

"No not about that. About you, in general."

I let out a sigh. 

"Go ahead Harry. Ask."

"Why were you dancing the other day when you spilled tea on yourself?" he asks and the atmosphere directly lightens. I let out a smile and answer him.

Harry and I talk for about an hour before each one of us goes back to their bedroom to sleep. I learn a lot about Harry that night. 

It turns out that Harry is studying computer science at university. I, personally would not have guessed. He participates in many competitions and have a great idea for a mobile application that he is desperate to implement. The business dinner he had the last night was to try and convince this company to invest in his project, which turned out to be a failure. They were not convinced. Nevertheless, Harry insists that his idea is so innovative and that one of these companies he is contacting will believe in it. 

He spent a great deal of time explaining this project of his, but you know, I am into fashion. So we live in opposite worlds and there is a lot that I did not comprehend. Even so, I was enjoying his enthusiasm.

Harry is also in his college's football team. That is why if he is not practicing, he is playing matches with his friends all the time. He really loves it and enjoys the summer because he takes a break from his studies and focuses on this sport instead.

I fall asleep peacefully that night knowing it is not necessary for Harry and I to hate each other. And although more than a couple of months late, this whole roommate thing might finally be working out.