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"I know that look!" My mother dropped what she was doing in the kitchen when I walked in from the cold. Giving her a puzzled expression she pointed at me and wagged her finger.

"I haven't got an expression!" I laughed as my cheeks were painted a rosy pink.

"Oh you've got an expression darling. You've met a boy haven't you!" My mother accused by a single smile I have my phone looking at Harry's number in my contact.

"What are you talking about?" My blushing became more and more as heat rose in my cheeks. I was a terrible liar and everyone could see right through them.

"I'm talking about you met a boy! So tell me, where did you meet him?" My mother dove in going back to cutting up carrots for her soup, she plopped various vegetable into the pot stirring it.

"I didn't meet a boy so I haven't met him anywhere." I continued with my lie that no one believed. I don't know why I was trying to keep it up when everyone already knew it was a lie.

"You know your mothers not going to leave you alone if you don't just tell her, right?" My dad came down the stairs running a hand though his lengthy hair.

"Hey dad." I embraced him upon his entry.

"Hey princess!" He greeted letting go of the embrace and finding a seat in the couch.

"At least give me a name, you don't have to give me anything but a name." My mother changed wanting to get any drip of information she could get from my apparently obvious look. I swear she detect anything in anyone, she missed her detective calling in life.

I shifted on the bar stool that I sat on not even wanting to say his name out loud. All he was to me was a shop boy that happened to keep my company while my coffee was being made. There was nothing but pointless conversations about whether I had good taste in coffee or not. Parting my lips I mumbled out his name quietly barely in a whisper.

"Harry." I mumbled causing my mother to lean forward.
"What was that?" She asked leaning in to hear my voice that could barely be heard.

Again I repeated trying to be even more quiet than the last time I said his name. "Harry."

"I'm not getting any younger darling! I'm hard of hearing." My mother pushed me making me roll my eyes and finally whisper his name once again.

"Harry!" I finally said in a normal volume of voice.

"That's better!" My mother gave a satisfying smirk as she went back to slicing bread for the soup.

"So where did you meet Harry?" She followed up just like I knew she would.

"Mom, no more questions. You said if I told you his name you would give it a rest." I reiterated to her remembering the only thing she said she wanted was a name.

"You should know your mother better than that!" My father shouted from the couch.

"I'm just curious is all, at any rate you shouldn't be so embarrassed doll." My mother reassured pulling out bowls and spoons from the various drawers in the kitchen.

I began setting the table for three. It was still weird looking at that empty spot at the table where Kait used to sit, It never became less painful to see the dusty unused chair. Taking in a deep breath I sat in my spot while my father followed with the bread and butter my mother handed him to take to the table. Within a few minutes we all sat in silence at the table sipping our soup and spreading butter across our bread.

"So how are your sessions with Dr. Hill going?" My mother asked interested in my mental health situation.

"It's going fine." I answered simply not wanting to bring up the topic of Kait and Dr. Hill since they all seemed to go hand in hand. You couldn't talk of Dr. Hill without mentioning or leading up to Kait.

"Look I'm sorry I pressured you about Harry, I just wanna know what's going on with you. Your very... closed off these days and I just want to make sure you're okay." My mom pushed her chocolate brown hair that fell to her shoulders back out of her face.

"I don't mean to be distant it's just..." I sat dropping my spoon into my soup and tried to come up with an explanation.

"It's okay, I know things are hard for you right now, just remember that your mother and I are always here for you. Whatever you need." My father put his hand over mine as the heat rose on it from the skin to skin contact.

"Thanks." I gave a weak smile hoping it would satisfy whatever reaction they were seeking.

As the night moved forward I said my goodbyes to my parents and began on my walk home. I didn't live far from the places I needed to get to, that was the perk of living in a city where everything is so close knit. My boots clicked against the pavement as I then pulled my phone from my pocket scrolling through to find Harry's contact once again.

Although our conversations seemed pointless I loved the lightheartedness of it all. It was a breath a fresh air being able to talk out of our asses and not worry about the heavy topics I was usually pushed into.

My past made it hard for others to look past that. They often would try to comfort me and offer their condolences to which I would nod and thank them for their concern. All of it was so routine that others didn't know how to approach me with a normal conversation anymore as if they were incapable of carrying on a regular conversation.

24 September 2014

-Kait

I went over to mom and dad's for dinner tonight. I know you have been gone for a year now but it's never not weird when I set the table for three instead of four. I can't get over seeing the empty spot at the dinner table where you used to sit, maybe with time it will get easier to go over more often. Everytime I go over to the house all I can see is the faded memories of us and our family.

I met someone, he works in a coffee shop a few minutes away from Dr. Hill's office. I really enjoy his company, I think you would like him if you met him. Maybe I can use him as a distraction from everything else.

-Rowan

Dropping my empty tea mug into the kitchen sink found my way into my own bedroom. Pulling the covers over my body snuggling into the comfort quickly as I closed my eyes feeling the sleep come over me like an ocean wave.

Song/ A Little Too Much: Shawn Mendes