The Pessimist

~Chapter 9~

Olive Gail

I sat in bed that night just thinking of my lunch I had with Harry. Was it date? Did I really just have my first date? Was this really happening? I couldn't sleep with all these thoughts bouncing around my head. Surely he was going to back out of this whole thing. A man like him wouldn't seriously want to be with me. He was all proper and fancy while I was no one. Besides, once he knew more about me I was certain he wouldn't stay. I was sure he wouldn't want to.

I sighed in frustration and picked up my phone. I clicked on his contact and bit the skin around my fingernails.
"Hello?" I heard his clear voice through the phone.
"I can't sleep" I said and I heard a little laugh come from his end.
"Why can't you sleep?"
"There's so many things going through my head and well, I thought I could talk to you about it?" I asked and I heard a rustling. He was obviously in bed too.
"Of course you can" he said endearingly. I smiled.
I had never really had anyone who wanted to listen to me and what I was thinking about. Melanie listened but she had to. Harry didn't have to listen to me but he wanted to, and that meant the world to me after so long of being silenced.
"What's going on?" He asked and I took a deep breath.
"I just gave a lot going through my head at the moment and I can't seem to sort it all out" I told him, nervous that he might ask me why.
"I'll come and see you" he said and I felt my eyes get twice as big.
"What? No it's like eleven at night" I gasped.
"You need someone to talk to and I'm coming to talk to you" he said before hanging up the phone.

I sat there shocked for a moment before throwing the covers off me. He wouldn't care if I had pyjama shorts and a jumper on. Would he?
I bounded down the stairs to where mum sat in the living room watching NCIS.
"He's coming over I said standing in front of the TV"
"Who is?"
"Harry."
"It's eleven o'clock at night! Why is he coming over now?" She asked and I bit my lip.
"I told him I couldn't sleep because I had too much on my mind and then he just said he was coming over to talk to me" I said and mum smiled.
"You love him yet?" She smiled.
"He's still a stranger and I still believe that he can't make me love him" I smiled. "But he's nice enough"
"You're so infuriating Olive" she sighed. "This stranger is offering to change your life. Just let him" she said before standing up and walking out of the room.

I didn't think she understood how big of a deal this was for me. I didn't want to be changed my someone I met on a park bench but I knew I had to.
I shuffled uncomfortably as I waited for the inevitable knock on the door. Just as I was about to sit down my phone rang scaring the life out of me.
"Hi"
"Pretty embarrassing, but I've forgotten which house is yours" he said and I laughed to myself as I walked to the door and went to stand out on the steps. I saw him dressed in a casual tracksuit and bit my lip as he walked towards me.  I closed the door and sat down on the steps, Harry sitting close beside me.

"So, what's going on?" He asked and I sighed.
"Can I tell you something?" I said and he nodded, "I have this thing where I can't see positively. I have therapy for it a lot and for my anxiety. I also have to take pills for it" I sighed looking down at my feet. I felt his hand brush mine and I felt something strange in my stomach.
"It's ok you know. I wouldn't judge you for something like that" he said and I could barely speak as he gave my hand a squeeze, before releasing it slowly.
"Thank you. It just makes it a lot harder to really comprehend this whole situation" I said and Harry nodded, his brown curls nodding with him.
"It's crazy I know."
"Why did you offer to do it in the first place?" I asked and it was his turn to share.
"I'm not ashamed to say that I feel alone most days. I live alone so it makes it hard when everyone's asleep and I'm just awake, thinking about everything. I'm not really one for being single. I won't lie I've tried to cure lonely through one night stands and business in bars but it doesn't cut it" he explained and I nodded, feeling sorry for the man sat beside me.
"Well, were both pretty sad cases" I said and he smiled.
"But maybe we can fix each other"