The Artist

Chapter Twenty Five

I just realized, I miscounted how many chapters I'd written and titled the last one as 23 when it was 24 and whatever so yeah, 25TH CHAPTER AND 4.43K?? WICKED!!! Cheers very much to all of you! All the love.

I hear the door shut and a loud sigh escaping Harry's lungs. Whoever that was must be gone. I step out of his room, confronted with him, leaning against the kitchen counter, tugging on his hair.

"Is it... safe. For me to leave?" I ask, emotionless. He looks up, an odd look in his eyes. Surprise?

"Leave?" He asks. He can't be serious.

"You expect me to stay? After that? You're deluded." I snap at him.

"That...he's my friend and I owe him some money for a bet. Don't be scared, he's jus-"

"Stop lying. Jesus Christ, I heard the entire conversation! Whatever that was, it wasn't friendly." I shout and he gulps. "Not that the skank, would know much anyway." I narrow my eyes at him.

"Ellen I only said that to-

"I don't care."

"Let me finish god damn it!" he shouts over me, effectively silencing me. "I only said that to get him off your case."

"So he's a friend that you're afraid of? That you try and convince to leave me be? You're a terrible liar Harry."

He's quiet for a moment, and in that moment, I don't move. My hearts telling me to try and give him time to explain, but I know I'm as deluded as he is by this stage.

"He'd end up staying and.. and I-"

"Harry you have a hand gun stashed behind your toilet." That got his attention. His eyes widen. "You have names circled in the damn obituaries. Are you a hit-man or something?" I feel stupid asking but, it adds up. My heart sinks in anticipation of his answer.

"God no! Ellen, no." He shakes his head. For some reason, I know he's telling the truth.

"What are you then?" I know there's more to him than he's letting on. He doesn't speak up. "I tried to ignore the odd meeting you were at during the conference. I tried to ignore the burglary. I did because you told me to and I trusted you. I convinced myself the two weren't linked, I barely thought about them because you said it was nothing. But I can't ignore that. Now, tell me what you are or so help me God..." I spit. I can't threaten him with anything, I have nothing over him. The ball's in his court, and it has been since the day we met.

"I'm an Artist, Ellen you know that." He sounds convincing, but his eyes tell a different story all together. I bite my lip. Whatever he does, whatever he's involved with... outside of the gallery, he's not telling me. Then why would he? He strung a few nice words together and suddenly he's an honest, open and good person? Well, I've been playing the idiot card for too long, and reality has certainly set in.

I shake my head and walk out the door of his apartment. I promise myself that that will be the last time I ever walk in or out that door...

It's Monday, I haven't seen Harry at work all day, and I'm on my way with Zayn to pick my momma up from the airport. Her flight should be in now. Thankfully, Zayn offered to drive me there and leave us home after seeing as I don't have a car, and what's more I never learned to drive.

"Thanks again for driving Zayn, it would've been so awkward taking a cab here and back.

"Don't mention it." Zayn smiles, pulling up to the airport door. We both hop out and I immediately spot my mother, standing with her phone in her hand and a bright orange suitcase resting against the wall beside her.

"Momma!" I smile, jogging up to her. Her eyes light up and she pulls me in for a very tight hug.

"Oh my baby girl! Look at you!" She cups my face. "You've gotten even more beautiful!" She cries, kissing my forehead.

"Come on, we'll get your bag in the car and head to my place!" I smile.

Zayn emerges from the other side of the car and I begin to introduce him, "Momma, this is-"

"You must be Harry!" She exclaims and I blush as red as a tomato.

Zayns eyes widen and he looks to me to rectify the situation. "Uhm, no momma. This is Zayn, he's my friend and co-worker... he offered to drive us here and back." I explain and she begins to blush herself.

"Oh... sorry." she says in embarrassment.

"Not a problem. It's nice to meet you Mrs Darke!" Zayn smiles, outstretching his hand to shake my mothers. Thank God for Zayns manners. I give him an appreciative smile which he returns with a wink. "How was your flight?"

The car journey home is kept pleasant by Zayns easy-to-get-along-with mannerisms and small talk. When we reach our stop, he hops out to grab my mommas bag for her, which she beams at him for doing.

"Thanks so much Zayn." I sigh, giving him a quick hug. "Tell Perrie I said hi!" I smile as he gets back into his car and drives away.

"This is nice Ellen, really nice." she compliments, looking around the lobby of the block.

Just as we are about to get into the elevator, Harry is about to step out of it. Our eyes widen when we see each other. I look away as quickly as I can peel my eyes off him, and he puts his head down to walk away.

"Who's that?" My momma asks when we get inside the elevator.

"Harry." I say quietly. How typical is it that I'd run into him with my mother. Just my luck.

"Why didn't you talk to him?!" she exclaims, "I would've loved to have met him-"

"We're not... a thing anymore." I say cooly.

"Oh, I see. We can talk about it later." She smiles sympathetically. "So, that Zayn... how old did you say he was?" She raises her arched eye brow and I almost choke.

"Not old enough!!" I laugh at her humor. She smiles as we exit the elevator. "This is it." I sigh, turning the key in the door and opening it.

A small envelope falls to the ground as I open the door, it simply reads;

Ellen.

I pick it up and toss it on the counter, I'll open it later. "So, what do you think?" I smile, dropping my arms by my sides.

My momma studies it carefully, with a large bright smile on her face. "It's so lovely!" she giggles, patting the sofa. "Is this my new bed?"

"Of course not, you can take my bed, I don't mind sleeping on the couch."

"Oh, well, we can swap around half way through my stay!" She suggests and I nod eagerly. It's not that my little couch isn't comfy, it's just that my bed is so much more so. I take her bags into my room and show her around, although my apartment doesn't exactly have the space to get lost in.

"I'm gonna take a nap, ok?" she yawns.

"Go for it, just call me if you need anything." I smile and she nods, peeping her head round the door as she closes it.

"Ok. I'm very proud of you Ellen."

"Alright momma, please don't cry again." I laugh and she finally closes the door.

I suppose I better open that letter now, it's odd that it has no full address on it. And why isn't it in my mailbox downstairs?

A thought crosses my mind as to who may have sent... or delivered this but I think the chances rather impossible.

Ellen, I'm taking the next week off work so you're on your own. If you have any problems ask Zayn. See you in a week.

-H.

Looks like impossible is after all, possible.