Paper Birds

Chapter Thirty ; Trapped Inside Your Own Skin

There was a whole lot of laughter before things finally quieted down a bit. Harry came out of the bedroom, rubbing his eyes.

"Thanks, guys, you just woke up my roommate." I threw him an apologetic glance, leaning up against the fridge.

"Who's your roommate?" Robbie asked, rather suspiciously. 

"Obviously it's Harry-Dumpling, Rob, how thick could you get?" Max said, pausing before he asked, "Hey, you still a virgin?"

"Why does everybody care about my virginity all of a sudden?"

"He asked you a question, Claire," Robbie said. I could practically hear him clenching his fists.

"Yes. Yes, I am still a virgin."

Max made a loud noise of disapproval. "C'mon, Claire, you're a Coligan!"

Jonah and Luke laughed in the background. I rolled my eyes. "Get back to your party, you goons."

I hung up and tossed my phone across the kitchen counter. I heard Harry snicker, my eyes snapping up from my phone. I had forgotten he was there for a moment.

"What was that about?"

"My brothers. They wanted to wish me happy birthday." 

"Today's your birthday?"

I shrugged. "Yeah."

He walked over and placed his hands on the small of my back. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's not big deal, Haz, don't worry about it." 

"It's a big deal to me," he whispered, looking a little hurt. "It's the only day we'll be the same age."

"Huh?"

"My birthday is tomorrow."

I raised my eyebrows. February 1st, I remember Abby telling me something about that a while ago. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I just did," he murmured, pressing me closer to him. "I'm going to do something really special for you today."

I hoped it didn't have anything to do with my virginity status. 

Before I knew it, he lifted me off of the ground and threw me over his shoulder.

"Harry! Put me down!" I shouted, but I couldn't help but laugh. He laid me down on his bed and crawled on his hands and knees next to me, digging his hands in through my hair. 

"You really are beautiful," he whispered, grazing his lips across my cheek. I wrapped my arms and legs around him, feeling his hand make its way up my back. I got my fingers tangled in his curls at the back of his head. "You too, Curly."

He chuckled, his mouth not leaving my cheek. 

"You did good talking to Whoopi at lunch."

I rolled my eyes. Yeah, right. I stumbled over my words and hesitated answering every question she threw at me. Oh, and then there was that moment where Harry put his hand on my thigh under the table and made me jump. I lamely blamed it on a chill, and thankfully Whoopi waved it off. Really, Harry had sent electric shocks through my whole body like a freaking lightning bolt. He really seemed to be getting to me lately..

"Yeah, thanks for that hand-on-leg incident."

He laughed softly, his fingers creeping up my leg. "You mean- this?" He squeezed the inside of my leg, once again making me flinch. Pulling away, he couldn't help but giggle uncontrollably at me.

"Yes, Harry, that." I dug my forhead into his chest and exhaled in involuntary laughter. He shuddered at my breath, pulling my mouth up to his. I felt his tongue make its way into my mouth, his grip around my waist tightening.