Undercover | H.S.

7.

"But in all seriousness, I'd love to see you again" our eyes meet as I say this and his are full of hope. I only hope that mine reflect the same. "Next time though, I get to do the planning." This whole thing has been crazy. I've got no clue what the future holds, but for once in my life I feel like I'm the one in it instead of just watching it pass by.  

The car arrives to take me home and Harry squeezes my hand before planting a kiss on my forehead and helping me into the back seat. He shuts the door and I wave slightly. My eyes stay on him until we pull away and he's no longer in sight.

It's not far back to my house though when we arrive I wish it would've taken longer. The high I've been on all evening with Harry disappears as I spot not only Kambrie's car in my driveway, but my mother's as well. Great.

I exit the car and thank my driver before scrambling up the drive. I slide my key in the lock and head inside. I'm met with hard stares from my mother and former best friend.

"Where have you been?" My mother asks me.

"Just out with a friend" I say with a shrug of my shoulders.

"I can see that" she spits as she throws a tabloid magazine on the kitchen counter.

"He's a singer, people take pictures of him it's no big deal," I mumble.

She lets out and exasperated sigh. "I just don't want you to get hurt Ellie. People like him....they don't have good intentions."

"You don't even know him" I spit back.

She shakes her head and exits the room leaving me with just Kambrie.

"Why are you here?"

"Ellie we need to talk. We're best friends—"

"Are we?" I say my voice laced with anger and growing louder. "Because you haven't exactly been knocking down my door since graduation. Yet my life gets interesting and suddenly here you are wanting to be besties. So tell me Kam, when were you planning to tell me about you and Caleb?"

"I didn't want you to be angry with me" she says quietly.

"And yet here I am, angry"

"I know and I'm sorry! I saw you in the magazine and I couldn't believe it. This is huge Ellie this is like your dream come true and I didn't even know it was going on."

"It's hardly going on. We met by accident he was at the playground. We've only really hung out once, I don't know what's going on honestly." I don't know why I even tell her that. She hasn't been a friend she doesn't deserve to know about my life, but she's the only friend I have really.

I sigh.

"I wish you'd have just told me about Caleb. You know I'm over it. You guys didn't do anything while he and I were together right?"

"God, no! No, El, I promise."

"Ok, then. Just stop leaving me out of stuff. It sucks." I say honestly.

"You just never seemed to like the parties, I thought I was doing you a favor."

I consider her reply. Maybe all this time I thought no one wanted me around, I just didn't want to be around. Was that true? Had I excluded myself all along?

"I guess I share some of the blame. Can we just get back to us?"

"Yeah, El. I think I'd like that." She says with a smirk and heads to the freezer. Glancing in she asks, "Chocolate or cookie dough,"

I grab the spoons from the drawer simultaneously and reply with my choice. We each take a stool at the kitchen island with our pint of ice cream. Over the next few hours we share all of our stories from the past few weeks, all of mine revolving around a certain boy who had recently consumed all my thoughts.

Kambrie leaves a little after midnight and I finally get around to checking my phone.

I have numerous social media notifications, including several from Emma that I'll return in the morning.

I have a text from Harry

I hope you got home safe, tonight was amazing. Have sweet dreams, El x

Hope you made it back safe as well.
Tonight was magic. Looking forward to my turn at surprising you. Goodnight Harry!

I send the text and then scroll through Instagram. I stop at a post from Harry. It's the sunset picture he took earlier. The picture is beautiful but doesn't do it justice. The caption catches me off guard.

"Second most beautiful thing I saw today"

Surely that couldn't be about me, could it?