a deadly storm, an unsolved disappearance, and a small town brimming with secrecy;
an outcast girl, a boy who only knows how to hide, and the world against them;
what could go wrong?
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The clock on the dashboard reads nearly ten at night by the time Boo arrives at Harry's house. She parks haphazardly in his driveway, practically falling out of her car in her rush to get to his door. The house is completely blanketed in darkness and the front curtains are drawn tightly, but then again that's nothing unusual. Harry's black car sits in the driveway, giving her hope that he's home and merely sleeping.
Boo jogs up the path and leaps up the stairs, her bare feet barely touching the ground. The pavement is still warm against her skin as she rings his doorbell; once, twice, and then a third time.
It's only when she hears muted shuffling behind the door that she realizes she probably could've just called him instead of showing up unannounced.
A sleepy-looking Harry opens the door halfway, rubbing one eye while stifling a yawn. "Boo?" he rasps. His voice is thick with sleep, sounding even deeper than normal, and Boo feels her heart start thundering faster than she thought was possible. "What are you doing here? Why are you dressed like that?"
His lean frame is clad in tattered black sweatpants and a faded gray shirt. His hair is bed-ridden and sticking up in some places, and on his cheek lingers a light red imprint from his pillow. He looks so cozy and adorable, Boo wants nothing more than to desperately hug him tight and not let go for a long time.
"Can I talk to you?" she asks, already walking inside his house. The familiar smell of pine and his spiced cologne engulfs her as she hovers in the middle of the living room, too nervous to sit down.
Harry doesn't say anything, and when she turns she can see his gaze traveling up her dress. His face flushes pink upon noticing her catching him staring.
"Sorry," he mumbles immediately. The front door finally swings shut and the living room falls dark. She hears him fumbling for the light switch before a nearby lamp turns on. "I just haven't seen you dressed like that since that night at the church."
"Don't get used to it," she grins. His face grows redder.
"Can I ask why you're here?" he asks, changing the subject. The blush on his face continues to linger, unabated.
"You just did." Boo flops onto the couch, decidedly doing her best to swallow her nerves. This is Harry, for God's sake, not just anyone. She tucks her dress carefully under her legs and crosses her ankles. "Twice."
"And yet here I am, still wondering," he simpers. He runs his hands through his ruffled hair, the hem of his shirt sliding up his toned stomach as he stretches. Boo swallows hard as her eyes graze his bare skin.
"I went and saw Ashton," she confesses bluntly, not seeing any sense in lying to him. "I had a favor to ask, so I wanted to make sure it would be impossible to say no."
Harry's sleepy smile falls. "I see," he says quietly. Boo feels her heart crack just a little upon seeing his wounded expression. "Did you have fun with him?"
