Strong • W2S

IX

Chapter Nine

MONDAY

I was back at work, over the weekend the house was finally finished. Every wall had been painted, the living room had been wallpapered, the hall and bathroom were finished and so were the bedrooms. The only thing missing was the furniture so for the time being we were still living with the boys, they didn't mind though especially Cal. Emma liked the company too, she'd spent so long living with just boys that she felt she was beginning to forget what it was like living with girls.
Emma and Lux had been together for years, they were proper high school sweethearts and they were so adorable. She'd moved in with him after finishing university a few years ago and found herself being the 'mum' of the group, even though she was one of the youngest. She was definitely the most sensible one out of all of us and that's including Tobi who doesn't even drink alcohol.

Harry didn't drive me to work this morning, he was up the majority of the night with his sister who was going through a breakup. Rosie and Harry were really close, she hopped on the next flight from Guernsey and came straight to London and the flat after her boyfriend ended things. She pounded on the door and I opened it to her, I'd never met her before and I didn't even know Harry had a sister until he walked up behind me.
"Rosie! What's going on? Are you okay?" He asked her in a panic, she shook her head no and walked straight in the door pushing past me. "My sister" Harry mouthed, I nodded my head in reply feeling relieved that she wasn't his secret girlfriend or something like that.
Harry took her straight to his bedroom and I went back to the living room. They were in the bedroom all night so for the first night in days I didn't sleep beside Harry, instead I slept on the couch. I woke up with my alarm going off and found Harry fast asleep on the other couch with a blanket covering his body. I stood up, grabbed my blanket and put it over him to make sure he was warm enough and then I got ready for work.

Layla and I left earlier than usual so we could grab a coffee and some breakfast and that pretty much takes us up to now. I was walking into the building and over to the lifts, I pressed my floor and Layla pressed hers.
"So what's actually going on with you and Harry?" She turned and asked me.
"Nothing, we're just friends." I shrugged it off.
"Yeah because friends sleep in the same bed together, spend every second of the day together and are clearly in love with each other."
"I am not in love with Harry, that's ridiculous."
"You like him though."
"Well yeah, no... that's not the point. We're friends and nothing else."
"For now." The lift pinged and Layla got out laughing, as she walked over to her office the doors closed and I was left alone with my thoughts.

I made my way to my office, sat down in the chair and logged on to the computer. I spent the first half of my morning replying to emails and setting up future appointments with clients. In the afternoon I had a viewing on the other side of London, another house to value with Rodney and a meeting with Mitch.

It was such a long fucking day, after that time off I had I found it hard to get back into the swing of things but I knew that by tomorrow I'd be fine and everything would be back to normal. My diary for this week was literally filled to the brim like usual. I sold the house to a lovely couple who were just starting out and managed to make just over £5000 so I really couldn't complain. Speaking of money, when I checked my bank account at the end of the day the commission for the sidemen house had reached my account along with my wages.
Harry picked me up as usual, I didn't actually expect him to considering I hadn't spoken to him since last night when Rosie came.

"Oh hiya, I didn't expect you here." I saw him standing in the car park, he was leaning against his car like he usually was.
"Of course I'd be here, why did you think I wouldn't?"
"Well yeah, I was going to get the train back. How's Rosie?" I asked pulling away from the hug and picking my handbag up of the concrete.
"She's fine, her boyfriend broke up with her last night" We got into the car, me in the passenger seat and him in the driver's seat of course and began driving out of the car park.
"Are you busy tonight?" I asked him and he shook his head no.
"I was thinking of going to IKEA to grab a few bits for the house, do you want to come? We can get some food as well, I'll pay obviously."
"No if we're going for food then I'm paying."
"But..."
"No buts, do you want to get changed first?"
"Yeah, I'd rather not go in a dress." Harry continued driving back to the flats, we reached the carpark and he stayed put while I ran up to my flat and got changed into more comfortable clothes.