Absolut Style

Chapter 10

Anne never came back to our room that night and to be honest I didn't expect her after I heard the giggles in the corridor. I just hoped she knew what she was doing which left us to the conversation I had with Harry. It was 2:30 am and I was still awake. I was still confused as to what he was so annoyed about. I wasn't feeding on rumors. It was a fact that both of them were taking full advantage of their looks and their positions behind the bar and I didn't blame them as long as they played with people who knew about it. Anne knew a bit but he was sending her the wrong signals and I felt that it was unfair because she was our friend. He would see her every day at work when this-whatever this was-ended. He would see her when he stuck his tongue in some other girl's throat or she could see him leaving with a different girl in his arms each dawn and that was not cool. By 3:30 I gave up. I got up, put on an oversized jumper over my pyjama shorts. My long pink socks with little hearts on them were warm enough.

I crept in the kitchen trying to be as quiet as possible when I noticed a figure in front of the fireplace adding wood to the weakened flames.

"Harry is that you?" I asked wondering why he was all by himself in the dark.

"Hey, why are you up?" he asked back.

"Why are you up?" I went closer and the faint flames dancing in the fireplace illuminated his handsome figures making him appear even more attractive.

"Always fighting me I see" he broke into a smile and pointed at the window. It was snowing. The light of the moon reflected on the snow and the scenery was simply magical. It was like Elsa would jump from behind the mountain any minute now. Damn Frozen and Disney's marketing department!

"Wow!" I managed to finally say after absorbing the sight.

"Beautiful!"

"Yes, indeed" he replied his eyes never leaving mine. I felt my cheeks heating at his proximity and the intense look he gave me. I moved a bit further with the pretence of needing to warm my hands by the fire.

"Cute socks" he smiles again and it suited him.

"Thanks!" I said showing them off to tease him.

"I'll buy you a pair next time I'm at Debenham's. What size are you wearing?"

"9.5...So why are you up?" he repeated.

"Couldn't sleep"

"Me either"

"Care for some tea?" I asked and headed to the kitchen again.

"Yeah sure" he replied and followed me.

We prepared steaming mugs of tea together in silence. I boiled the water, he found the mugs. I fetched the honey, he discovered the tea bags. I poured the steaming water into the mugs, he stirred. All in comfortable silence. Like it was something we had the habit of doing. I liked this. It was comforting and relaxing.

"So what do you say about that game El?" he said sitting down on the invintingly cosy armchair.

"You are on!" I exclaimed. "I have around 100 euros in winnings, sir...and I am about to raise that it seems" I grinned leaving the mug on the wooden table sitting opposite him on a cushion rubbing my hands in excitement.

"Care to make it more fun?" he raised his eyebrow again which was something he used to do often revealing a mischievous side of him.

"Meaning?"

"You seem so sure of yourself..." he picked one of the remaining cushions and placed it behind his back.

"I am sure of myself" I stated confidently.