Cliché || H.S.

Chapter 50

I lay on the floor of Celeste's room, my legs in the air resting against the wall while I throw Celeste's stuffed bee pillow in the air over and over again. Celeste and Safia sit on the bed, both on their phones.

"I really don't see why you can't just gift him sex," Safia says for the fourth time. I toss the bee once more, catching it on the way down.

"Because sex isn't that special, it's nothing he hasn't seen before," I remark. Safia rolls her eyes, setting her phone down next to her.

"I don't know... is there a kink he wants to try but you've said no? That could be a fun time to try it," Safia suggests, "Ooh maybe buy a new toy and have him use it on you."

I sit up on my elbows, looking over to where my two friends sit, "Buying a toy goes against the whole 'no money' concept. And if there's anything he wants to try that we haven't already he hasn't told me. So stop with the sex idea."

Celeste speaks up for the first time, her eyes not leaving her phone, "This is kind of fun... watching rich people figure out what it's like to be poor."

I sit up all the way now, reaching over to knock her phone out of her hands. "And what the hell do you know about being poor? You make six figures and I don't charge you rent to live in a fifteen million dollar house."

I really don't mind letting Celeste live here for free, but come on. The girl has never had to pay a bill in her life. Celeste snatches up her phone and nudges me back onto the floor. I grab the bee and place it in my lap, toying with its crochet wings.

"Someone needs to get Lilian a drink," Safia jokes from her spot on the bed. I stick my tongue out at her and throw the bee, aiming for her head. She catches it easily, sticking her tongue out mockingly before launching it back to me as hard as she can.

Celeste shakes her head at head disapprovingly, leaning back so her shoulders rest against the headboard. "If either of you rip up that bee you're never coming back into my room again. But really, just do something sentimental. Like do you have something that's special just to you two? Something that represents a date or like is there something that you've saved?"

I mull over her words. What's sentimental to us? I mean I have the box of stuff from him that I've saved, but there's nothing in there that he hasn't already seen... Harry wasn't kidding when he said this would be a challenge.

****

Harry and I decided that we'd cook dinner and exchange gifts before Mitch and Sarah's Christmas party, which means I'm scrambling to get ready and get his gift together at the last minute. I had wanted us to make a day out of it, to watch Christmas movies all day, bake, and exchange gifts but neither of our schedules allowed it. This was the next best thing.

I quickly pull on a leather jacket over my red silk dress and shove the gift into my small purse, double checking that my curling iron is off before I head out of the house. Normally I walk to Harry's but due to the whole party outfit in December thing, I throw my heels into the passenger seat of my car and drive the three minutes.

"Smells amazing," I compliment as I head into the kitchen. Harry is wearing a cheesy Christmas sweater with his linen pants, a collard shirt underneath. I'm pretty sure he's the only guy who can pull off what he does.

Harry sets down the wooden spoon and grabs my hand, spinning me around. "Holy shit you clean up nice," he compliments. I let out a girlish giggle, reaching up to kiss him.

"Better than the hedgehog socks?" I ask against his lips.

"Mmmm... I'm going to say they're a close second," He hums, giving me one more kiss. He leaves me standing in place while he goes back to the kitchen, pulling food off the stove. "You're right on time."