When Love Arrives (H.S.)

Chapter 38

The next few days were a mess, or, at least, I was a mess. For once, it was my friends that were taking care of me, instead of the other way around. It was weird, but necessary I suppose. I wasn't one for being vulnerable, but my mourning was involuntary.

There were only about three weeks left in the semester, so Zayn suggested I talk to my professors about handing in the remainder of my assignments online, and having my lectures taped for me so I could keep up. I had already missed a few classes this semester for bullshit reasons, but I was lucky enough to have such understanding professors and a spotless academic record.

Erica took my shifts at the diner, so that was no problem, and Harry had volunteered to babysit for me this morning, since I had already cancelled on them a few times in the past week.

It was the day of the memorial, and we were all at my house getting ready. All of us except Harry, who was going to meet us there once he was done babysitting.

I was sat at my desk, scribbling notes into my notebook as I listened to Professor Webb's lecture on Pride and Prejudice, which Zayn had taped for me. Erica was stood behind me, curling the ends of my hair with a curling iron.

She yawned, putting down the iron momentarily to wipe the tears of boredom that escaped from her eyes.

"I'm like," she yawned again, "half paying attention, and I'm bored out of my mind."

I hummed in agreement. "I know, Iago has the power of making the most epic love story of all time sound like a bedtime story told by Mr. Rogers. I could fall asleep right here."

"Well, don't, because then I'll burn your neck," she said with a giggle.

I smiled, shutting my laptop as I had just about given up on getting anything done today.

"There," Erica said, letting the last curl fall.

I looked at my hair in the mirror, and it didn't look half bad. With a little bit of makeup, I might actually look like a person.

She gathered the top portion of my brown curls into a black bow. Bows are never my first choice, but I would take what I could get from my beauty guru best firend. "Perfect," she commented.

"I don't know how you do it, E," I said.

She put her head next to mine in the mirror, her hair was pulled into a bow in the same way. "Hey, we almost look like sisters," I commented sarcastically.

She gave me a quick tight hug from behind. "We are sisters, Mel."

I laughed, turning my desk chair around so I could grab my makeup bag.

She sat on my bed beside me as I tried desperately to put on the minimal amount of makeup- which involved foundation, eye shadow and mascara... Although I don't think there's anymore makeup in this particular tube, so I was just fooling myself.

Erica was playing my stuffed pug that Harry got me for Valentine's Day. She looked a lot more put together than I did in her black peplum dress. Her hair was dyed a dark emerald green at the ends now, which I had only just noticed.

"Are you okay, Mel?"

I put my empty mascara tube down and sighed. Her hazel eyes were shining with concern.

"Yeah, I guess?" I asked more than told her. "As okay as I can be."

She nodded. "Okay... How are things with Harry?" she said, very obviously trying to make the subject light.

"He's been... really great. I guess our relationship has been at a sort of standstill right now with all that's been, um... happening," I swallowed, my throat still sore from all the crying.