HOME THIS CHRISTMAS

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There's just way too much hurt in you after what happened, lots of questions and even more anger towards him that you've kept bottled up all these years and you fear you might snap if you have to face him again.

"Are you gonna hide in the back today as well?"

Willa, your student cashier gives you a look as you walk past her when you finally arrive in the afternoon. She's been working for you for almost a year, she's trust-worthy and very hard-working, but she also has a tendency to speak her mind quite openly. She is never afraid to call you out when you're acting ridiculously.

"I'm not hiding," you hiss at her. "I have... some billing... stuff to do," you mumble and you wonder how you got to the point where a seventeen years old girl is telling you off when you were supposed to be her boss.

"Whatever you say, boss," she shrugs as an elderly woman walks in and she busies herself with serving her.

"Kids these days..." you mutter under your breath before locking yourself up in your office.

Running your own business luckily usually has your hands full when you're at the bakery, so you forget about Harry's existence as you dive right into work. Unfortunately, it seems like today won't be the day when you can escape through work.

"Boss?" Willa appears at the backdoor right after you finished a call with one of your suppliers.

"What's up?" you smile at her, but then see the worried look on her face and you just know already what this is about. "Don't say—"

"He's here. Asking for you."

"Damn it," you groan, burying your face in your hands. "Tell him I'm not here."

"That's not gonna work."

"Why not?"

"Because I already told him you're here."

"Fuck," you whisper. "Okay, then tell him—"

"Or maybe you could just talk to him."

Harry's voice startles you. You both look at him, he's standing a few feet away from you and you feel heat rushing through your veins, which is kind of useful since you're not wearing a coat and it's quite freezing out here.

"I'll be... in my spot," you hear Willa say before rushing back inside, leaving you alone.

"I'm sorry, but I'm really busy and whatever you want—"

"I want to talk, Y/N. You can't just avoid me forever, I live here now."

"The town is not that small, we can just live next to each other without crossing paths." You turn to head back inside, but he grabs your hand and pulls you back, the sudden touch of his hand on your skin sending jolts of electricity through your whole body. You yank it back as you turn to face him.

"Y/N, don't you think we should at least just talk it over?"

"You wanna talk? You wanna talk about how you fucked me over? How you broke my heart and left me when I needed you the most? How you said you'd love me forever, but you didn't even love me enough to stay when I put all my money into starting a business and a life here?"

"Y/N—"

"I never wanted to do it alone! I explicitly told you that I don't want to go into it on my own and you said you'd be here and that we could do it together. And then you lost your mind, said you can't handle being tied down here and that you needed freedom. You threw me away like you didn't promise me forever a million times before. So you want to talk about that?"

Your sudden outburst is a surprise to the both of you, but it also feels liberating to unload it all.

"I think we are way past the talking phase, Harry. You wanted to leave, me and the town, whatever! You can do whatever you want even if it destroys other people. But don't be surprised when said people don't want you in their life."

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