Stay [h.s.] | short story

Chapter 5

A week later, everything is the same.
Harry is the same.
Jasmine is the same,
broken,
tired,
waiting after midnight.

Her outburst didn't seem to faze Harry.
That night, when she broke down in front of him, Harry didn't leave,
surprising her.
It made her think  that things would  be different now,
She thought that would be his wake up call, seeing that she needed him
so much.

She thought she'd have all of him again,
She thought wrong,
only having half
like always.

He's back to his old cycle.

Jasmin and Harry never spoke about that night.
She didn't want to.

Styles Auto Repair

She read the sign above her,
the sign of Harry's business.
Also known as, Harry's excuse for his secret phone calls.

The bell on top of the door rings when she steps in.
On the front desk sits Zayn, Harry's friend he hired. His dark brows are narrowed as he filled up a few paperworks Harry told him to do.
"If you could take a seat, I'll get back to..." His voice trails when he finally looks up, diverting his hazel eyes from the paper. "Jasmin."

"Hi, Zayn," she said softly and she didn't mean for her voice to come out so weak. "How are you?"

"I'm alright, thanks," his response almost came out as a question. "Is Harry with you?" He looks behind her.

Jasmin shakes her head and takes a seat on one of the chairs against the window walls of the shop.

Zayn sits beside her, concerned. The bags under her eyes are apparent and she looked pale. He notices she's in her uniform. "You just got out of the diner?"

"Yeah," she smiled slyly. "I just-I just wanted to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Who is Harry sleeping with?"

The question was abrupt. Zayn is taken aback and at first goes silent, wondering if he's hearing Jasmin right.

He did hear her right. She's finally giving direct contact, looking hopeful, preparing herself if Zayn knew the answer to the question.

"He's sleeping with someone?"

"Every night for 3 months."

Zayn's eyes goes wide for a second. It doesn't sound like his friend he's known for years. It couldn't be.

"You don't know," Jasmin says, then gets up. "I'm going to go home. I'm sorry—"

Zayn quickly stands and blocks the doorway. "I'm concerned, Jasmin. What can I do?"

"I've been waiting for him to stop the cycle himself," her voice cracked and her eyes are getting cloudy. "You can't do anything."

This is what Harry has done to her,
she's easy to break all the time.

Jasmin takes a deep breath and looks away or else she'd cry in front a family friend who didn't need to get involved.

"I will talk to him or I can go with you to talk to him. It isn't right that he—"

Jasmin shakes her head. "I'm afraid, Zayn."

"Afraid of what?"

"I'm afraid he'll leave me."