"Drink, fall, spew
telephone you
If you're alone in your room
What's that boy doing?"
•
"Hey this is Quinn, sorry I'm not available right now. Please leave a message or call back later." Harry sighed as he reached her voicemail once again. He wasn't sure where the small blonde girl was and it was filling him to the brim with apprehension.
Quinn hadn't called Harry back in two days. He didn't think she was cheating, she wasn't like that. At least he hoped.
Harry ran his hands through his hair, leaving his phone on the bench. It was now up to Quinn to call him back. He decided it would be better to leave the enclosure of his house than stay locked up and worried.
Harry climbed the stairs and walked into his bedroom, Quinn's shirt still tucked in his wardrobe. He pulled on a pair of clean jeans and a button down shirt - on which he only buttoned the final two.
The stairs creaked as Harry made his way down them, grabbing his phone, keys and strapping his watch onto his wrist. The drive into town didn't take long and without much thought, Harry pulled into the parking lot of a bar.
He didn't come here often: only really ever if he was invited. The lights were dim and the air was constricting. Televisions hung on the wall in the bar area and they played horse races. The place wasn't crowded as such, but it certainly wasn't empty.
Harry made his way towards the counter, grabbing a stool and sitting on it. He ordered a beer and turned his attention to the television.
Three beers later, a young man opened the pub doors. He was with a girl that Harry couldn't see. The man sat next to Harry on a stool, the girl quickly disappearing. He ordered two drinks and tapped his fingers while the glasses were being filled.
Harry watched intently, wondering why the man he had never met before seemed so familiar. Suddenly, the mans phone rang. He answered it sharply and heaved a sigh when he heard what the person on the other end of the line was saying. With a slight glance to Harry, he got off the stool and left the bar.
Harry put his head in his hands, heaving a sigh. He decided he didn't want to be drunk and alone, he'd probably end up calling Quinn more than once. He paid for his drinks and left the bar, making his way back to the comfort of his own home.
He found it hard to sleep that night. Sleeping in a bed that you're used to sharing alone takes some time to accustom to. As he began to think back, Harry's phone lit up.
Caller ID: Quinn.
Harry wasn't quick to answer it, almost missing the call altogether.
"Hey Harry, sorry I missed your calls." Quinn's voice is light but contains an underlying gloom.
"Oh um." Harry pauses running his hand through his hair. "You just sort of left and didn't come back?" He isn't really sure what to say to her now that she's listening.
"Yeah.." Quinn trails off. "I had to get out of town for a little bit. I didn't think I'd need to tell you because I planned to be home that night but then we had that storm and my phone cracked and I couldn't get hold of you."
"Are you coming home now?" Harry's voice is apprehensive.
"How mad are you?" Quinn asks.
"Um, only slightly. Quinn it's almost two in the morning." Something is wrong.
Quinn takes her time responding, thinking of something to say. There's shuffling in the background on Quinn's end of the receiver. Harry beats her to it.
"You've been seeing someone else, haven't you?" Harry's calmer than he thought he'd be. Quinn's answer is highly anticipated.
"It's not really like that.." she begins, leaving Harry with the answer he concluded for himself. She's been cheating on you.
"Okay." Is all he says. Quinn's breathing becomes more shallow. She doesn't cry and neither does Harry. "I hope it was worth it, good luck with him."
"That's it?" Quinn is slightly taken aback. She expected Harry to at least yell at her, maybe then she could get in a few solid punches. This just feels like pure rejection.
"Yes." Harry says, "I'm not sure where you'll be staying but you can come and get the things from my house whenever I'm home, I'm sure you know my schedule." With that he ends the call and places his phone on his bedside table.
Harry finds the closure comforting and has no trouble sleeping after the call.
•
This has been one of my favourite songs lately. A brief inquiry into online relationships comes out in about two days and It's really the only thing keeping me going.
Thanks for reading!!
- A x
