When Love Arrives (H.S.)

Chapter 34

I woke up the next morning alone, wrapped in a sweaty cocoon of comforters. I wriggled myself free, wondering how the hell I got tucked in like this. The steady beat of a treadmill coming from the other room reminded me that it must have been Harry.

I sighed, wriggling myself free and grabbing my phone from the night stand. I had missed calls from the last people I wanted to talk to— Gabriel and Zayn— and a text from my father that said "Meet at Gramps' at 9 am tomorrow. Please bring your best attitude. Thanks -R". Warm and fuzzy, as usual.

I also had a text from Erica, telling me she heard about what happened and to remind me that we have work tonight. "Tonight" meaning two hours from now, since my phone also told me it was already three in the afternoon.

I could have called out, I'm sure Joey would understand, but I was in desperate need of a distraction. I stripped myself of my sticky white t-shirt and walked around my room in just my underwear, collecting my clothes for work. I walked out into the living room, immediately being reminded of both Harry's presence and my topless-ness. Normally, I would be horrified, but I was too busy being distracted.

He was running on the treadmill, also shirtless, and glistening in a way that made me want to make him my distraction. He would never go for it, though, and I knew that. He was being so cautious. He smiled at me, completely disregarding my near naked body and asking me, "Are you okay? Did you sleep well? You were shivering."

I didn't even bother covering myself, glaring at him. "I'm not okay, I slept in a pool of my own seat, and also, if you didn't notice, I'm topless right now."

He kept on running, and shot me a silly face after a moment of thought "For your information, I did notice, but now is not the time to express my love for your perfect body."

I inhaled, wanting to gush but the word love made me remember the last thing he said as I fell asleep last night. "Alright,-well-I'm-going-in-the-shower-then-I-have-to-go-to-work-bye," I spit out all at once.

"Wait a second!" he shouted after me, but I was already in the bathroom, slamming the door and trying not to freak out.

I turned on the shower and looked at my reflection in the mirror— my expression was horrified. He loves me. I love him. We love each other. That was the issue I was blessed with pondering as I took a shower.

I immediately doubted the whole situation, trying to figure out how we ended up at this point. When I met Harry, I hated him. I didn't want to be set up with him, I didn't even want to be his friend. That was mere months ago, less than a year, and now all of a sudden we were in love with each other? I had always prided myself on being a realist— someone who is not easily fooled, tricked, or misled. My common sense had been hiding since I had fallen for Harry, but somewhere during my second shampooing I realized that there was no way this was possible.

Things like this just don't happen in every day of life. I loved Harry, sure, but that was my own irrationality. He probably only said he loved me because he knew I could hear him and feels bad for me, because of the whole Gramps thing... Shit. 

I put my head in my hands, "Gramps," I groaned to myself. A knock came on the door. "Mel?"

I sniffled. "Yeah?"

"Are you... Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm just getting dressed."

I couldn't make out what he said back, I took it as a muffled Okay then. I threw on my black dress and tights, tying my floral apron. I didn't bother with the whole make up thing because the stress that would cause me would be almost comparable to the stress I was avoiding. I tried brushing out my hair, but ended up throwing it up in a bun. A few curls fell out involuntarily, and I looked about a disheveled as I felt.