Anchor Grind (H.S. / A.U.)

Chapter 24

Alanis POV

Waking up in unfamiliar territory is so not cool. I felt wildly confused and stressed. That was until the ball of fur next to me gave a small meow and rearranged onto my chest. Gizmo. Harry's house. Oh yeah. The party. Oh shit!

I bolt up, catching the small cat in my arms and frantically trying to spy a clock. On the nightstand there was a digital clock reading a few minutes after noon. I slept way too late. This is bad. I slept over at Harry's. Why didn't Poppy or anyone get me!!!

I start to rip the blankets back but hesitate to get out of the bed when I see the floor. There he was, curled up just like the cat had been a few minutes prior. Harry was sleeping on the floor with a knitted army green blanket draped over him. He had a pillow that looked like it came from the downstairs couch and he was shirtless, as far as I could tell from his bare shoulders peeking out.

Do I wake him? Is that rude? I cannot step over him to sneak out very easily. Should I - the decision was made for me. Gizmo jumped out of my arms and thought he would land on the ground. Only the ground was currently occupied with a surly British jerk. Harry reacted almost exactly as I had, jolting up from his own position on the ground. He let out a groan while scolding Gizmo and picking him up to set off to the side.

"Fuck, that sucks." He says while stretching his arms out above his head. He looks over and notices me awake sitting up in the bed. "Hey creep. How long you been awake just staring?"

My jaw drops and I want to call Harry an egotistical jerk for thinking I was watching him sleep, but by all accounts that is exactly what this does look like right now. I start to rub my eyes but remember the heavy amount of glitter and make up I had on, regretting all my life choices in a nanosecond. "By any chance do you have some face wash?" I ask Harry.

He turns to look at me like that was a stupid question, "yes? I am not a caveman."

No. You aren't. Just a jerk. Harry slowly rolls his body in another stretch and I peak a better look, he was only in some orange and teal boxers that were pretty low, and with nothing else. His stomach was tight and toned, with a nice summer tan from living on the beach. I liked the contrast of his dark tattoos against his muscles.

Harry finally stands up and asks me if I was coming, which is when I finally noticed what I had on. Or lack of. Someone was nice enough to take off the wings I had on last night along with my necklace that were both now sitting on the nightstand, while my shoes were on the ground.

I pointed to the wings, "did you?" Harry nods. "Thanks." I curtly reply.

Harry shrugs, "looked uncomfortable. And I figured only one of us needs to be uncomfortable last night. Because honestly, that floor is a bitch to sleep on."

When Harry and I get to the bathroom, which he led me to as if I do not remember this is the exact place we first VERY rudely met at... he shows me around. "Here is some face wash. Here are clean wash clothes. I think I have a spare toothbrush right...." He digs around in a little storage container in a drawer, "here." He hands me a plastic unopened toothbrush package. "Oh, also, if you just wanna' shower you can. I know I always feel like I need to after being out on the boardwalk. There are towels there if you wanna'." Harry was rubbing the back of his neck, probably still feeling the sore ache of sleeping on the hardwood floor.

I nod, taking in all the information he was giving me. "Hey, Harry." I say as he starts to turn and walk away, he turns around and I hold up the toothbrush, "thanks." Harry rolls his lips into his mouth and nods back at me. "I'll leave you to it. If you wanna' shower I will grab some clothes for you to borrow. I promise they will be better than the ones you lent me." He smirks before walking away.