How It's Going To Be [h.s.]

Chapter 20

It was evening and I was still trying to recreate Harry's perfect cup of tea. I frowned as I watched the golden honey drizzle into the dark lemon tea. I tried to remember how much honey I had seen Harry use. When I finally took a sip of the tea, it tasted wrong. I poured the tea down the drain bitterly.

A knock sounded at my front door and I already knew it was him. It was like I had the ability to sense his presence. I went into the living room to the door and opened it. My guess was validated with Harry leaning against the doorframe. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his coat.

"Hi," he smiled.

"Hi," I felt my lips betray my anger and smile back at him.

"You look really pretty." Harry's eyes swept up and down my body with a certain softness. He didn't have the offensive look of lust many boys did as they looked me over. He was admiring me.

"Thank you."

"How are you?" He followed me into my flat and unbuttoned his coat.

"I'm alright. Did you have fun last night going out?"

"It was nice seeing friends, but I really missed you."

I turned away so he couldn't see the blush on my face. Staying mad at him was the most difficult thing I had ever done. I started to wash the teacup I had just used to distract myself. I moved the cup under the tap and watch steam swirl around the steady stream of water.

"Let me," Harry took the teacup from my hands and began washing it himself. I moved to the side and watched him work the cup in the soapy water. He finally rinsed it and dried the cup with a towel and placed it back in the cabinet.

"Thanks," I muttered.

"So," Harry reached into his back pocket and pulled out two tickets. "Weeks ago we talked about going to the aquarium and I was hoping we could go today. I picked up tickets this morning."

I was still upset about the phone call. I was still unsure of how I should be reacting. But something in the way Harry kept putting up an effort to fix things, despite the fact the fact that he didn't know what was wrong, was sweet. It would have been easy for him to leave me alone and stay at his townhouse, but he was actually trying. If he could try, I could try as well.

"Yeah, let's go." I smiled.

"Yeah?" He looked surprised.

"I'll get my coat."

Harry waited in the kitchen while I found a coat to wear. Admittedly, I was excited to go to the aquarium with Harry. I also felt a sense of safety in going to the aquarium because we wouldn't be required to talk the entire time. I could always pretend to be lost in the beauty of the exhibits and avoid any real conversation. Before I left my bedroom where I had found my coat, I glanced to the bedside table where the gold bracelet Harry had given me on Valentine's Day glinted menacingly at me. I took it from the table and slipped it onto my wrist. Despite whatever feelings I had toward Harry, I felt more comfortable with the bracelet on since he gave it to me on the carousel.

"Ready?" he asked as I reentered the kitchen.

"Yeah," I nodded.

We walked into the living room and Harry gripped the doorknob. He tucked the tickets into the interior pocket of his coat and proceeded to open the door.

"Harry?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"What would you have done if I said no to going to the aquarium with you?"