etc. // hs

four*

"That oak in the park?"

"Done it," I sighed.

"The abandoned treehouse?"

"Boring."

"They just foreclosed an old warehouse downtown. We could go mess around there?"

"What if there are drug addicts or something?" I laughed, my cheeks immediately warming up as Harry laced his fingers with mine.

"I'll protect you, princess," he answered with a cheeky smile. "Come on, it'll be fun."

"Fine," I relented. "But I need to change first."

"Why? You look fine," he frowned. "Really adorable actually."

I gaped at him, gesturing to my crude outfit of (his) flannel and my thick leggings, topped off with a messy ponytail and no makeup.

"I look like a crack addict!"

"But a cute one," he said seriously. I shook my head and sighed as we climbed into his (ridiculously new and expensive) black Range Rover.

"Isn't that Gretchen?" he frowned, slowing down as we approached a young girl. I recognized the purse and hair and nodded.

"Where are you going?" was the first thing she asked when we offered her a ride. How rude.

"Some abandoned warehouse," I answered with an overly sweet smile. Gretchen hated anything adventurous, actually she preferred things that didn't even require her to leave the house. So when Harry and I dragged her along, she wasn't the best sport about it.

"What did mom say about this?"

"What she doesn't know won't kill her," I sighed. "And remind me again why we brought you?"

"Be nice, Nor," Harry chuckled.

"You don't have to live with her," I rolled my eyes.

"I'm right here," she huffed. "I can hear you."

"Good."

"I hate you."

"I don't give a f.uck."

"I'm telling mom you said that."

"You can't tell her if you don't get home."

Silence answered me and I knew I had won that one.

"Here we are," Harry grinned. "Watch out for crazy druggies Gretchen, the place is crawling with them."

"Really?" she asked quietly, her eyes widening to the size of saucers.

He nodded gravely and now it was my turn to scold him.

"Be nice, Harry."

He slung his arm around my shoulders and I couldn't help but lean into him as we approached the scary-looking building. All the windows were boarded up and there were broken beer bottles scattered around the overgrown yard, even a stray cat wandered out to greet us.

"Holy shit, this is sketchy," I whispered as Harry's arm drifted down to my waist. "I really think there are ghosts here, Harry."

"Aw, I'll protect you baby girl," he cooed, pinching my side gently. I rolled my eyes as we got to the door, looking at Harry pointedly and nudging his side with my elbow.

"Hell no," he laughed loudly. "I'm not going in there first."

"I'm not," I shook my head. We both looked at Gretchen, who was currently holding her cell phone up as she searched for service.

"Hey, Gretch," I smiled sweetly. "Wanna go in first?"

"Whatever," she muttered. She pushed the door open and a cloud of dust hit us in the face, making us all cough and sputter as we followed her in.

"I can't see anything," she whispered, her arm lopping through mine. It was pitch black and completely silent as we crept through the old building, the smell of paint thick in the air. "Why does it smell so bad?"

"This was a paint factory," I whispered back. "It went out of business like a month ago I think."

"It's scary."

"I know."

Suddenly I felt two large hands wrap around my waist and I screamed, jolting forward as Harry's loud laughter echoed around the warehouse.

"Harry!" I yelled indignantly. "You are such a dick!"

"I couldn't resist," he managed through his laughter. "Goddamn, you should've seen your faces."

"That's not funny," Gretchen complained. "Take me home, Norah."

"We just got here," I rolled my eyes. "Calm down."

"I nearly peed myself!"

"I did too, Gretchen! And quit yelling, you're going to get us in trouble."

"Let's go to the roof," Harry cut in. "I don't want to have to break up some sort of cat-fight."

I let out a deep breath and ruffled Gretchen's hair, following Harry to the old stairs through the darkness.

"I would love to fuck you on this roof, Nor," Harry muttered huskily, only so I could hear. "Fuck, that would be so hot."

"Shut up," I blushed. "You're making me blush."

"Blush? That's all I'm making you?"

"Harry," I said sharply. "Cut it out."

"I'm just fucking with you baby girl," he laughed, his soft lips pressing against my temple. "Don't freak out and kill me, please."

"No guarantees," I muttered.