A/N: Hello, if you didn't read the chapter titled "I think I just quit." You skipped a chapter! This was a double update!! Thank you for reading, ILY!!!
HARRY'S POV:
Scarlett's been in the bath for a while now, and I don't want to interrupt her, knowing she's finally calming down, but I feel like I have to check on her. Sierra said she's with friends but she'll be dropped off here after so I sent her my address, and instructions on how to get up here. I checked on Birdie, and she's doing alright, still at the office, and I partially wonder how I got lucky enough to have an intern who works more than I do... I walk into my bedroom, and knock on the bathroom door that's slightly cracked.
"Who is itttt." Scarlett sings out, and I smirk.
"It's me.. I was just checking on you." I tell her through the door.
"Who is me? I've never met anyone named me." She jokes.. She's a lot more calm than I thought she would be.
"It's Harry.. Are you okay?" I ask her.
"Oh, Harry.. Come in." She instructs me, and I stay on the other side of the door. I can hear the water, I know she's still in the bath.. Why in the world would she invite me to- "Hello, can you hear me out there? I asked you to come in.." She speaks out again, and I open the door only slightly so I can see the mirror, seeing as she's in the bath. She's completely covered, up to her neck in bubbles, and a glass of wine in her hands.. How the hell did she get that? I step in, and she eyes me, watching me as I make my way into the bathroom. "There you are.. I wondered when you'd come knocking." She jokes.
"Here I am.." I smile, and lean against the bathroom counter, crossing my arms over my chest. "Scarlett, are you okay?" I ask her, knowing she's only slightly intoxicated but still.
"I'm in a bathtub in an apartment I will never be able to afford, staring at my hot ex best friend, drawing in debt, swirling in emotional trauma... and I was assaulted today by my boss.. Well my ex boss.. Life is spicier than ever, don't you think?" She asks me, and I feel that deep hurt in my chest.. She's got so much to offer, so much going for her, and she's covering it all because she feels like she's drowning.
"You're going to be famous Scarlett... Your designs will be everywhere.. On every runway.. People are going to fight for them, and fight for spots to be able to model for you.. Writers are going to claw at a chance to interview you... Hopefully I'll get first dibs." I look down at her, and watch as she lays her head back, her eyes closed, and a wide smile appearing on her lips.
"That would be a dream... All of it, even the part about you." She makes another joke, and I smile even wider, feeling natural in this space with her.
"It's possible Scarlett.. Just let me help you.." I ask, and she laughs.
"That's the thing.. Do I even have a choice at this point? It feels like such a cheap shot to have someone help you. Someone who already has their footing in this world, everyone will think that I fucked my way to the top, which is the farthest thing from true.. Because we've never-"
"I'm aware." I cut her drunk ramble off, and shake my head. She really loses all sense of a filter when she's drinking, and I don't know if I love that or hate that. "Where's your bag?" I ask her, and she nods her head.
"In there." She tells me, and I walk out, going to grab the notebook I know she keeps in there. I grab her purse, and take out the sketch book, flipping past the first few pages of drawings that I've already seen.
"Here's something to give you motivation... You have an entire line, already thought out, and already planned without even meaning to." I tell her, looking at each new, and unique sweater. This would sell, I can see it now.
"Those are just silly drawings.. They were never meant to-"
"Scarlett, that's the point.. You didn't mean them to be this brilliant but they are, and this isn't me trying to make you feel better this is the truth.. Because I would write about this. I would write about you, even if I had no damn clue who you were.." I flip through each page, seeing how unique every single item is.. She's done some cardigans, some vests, each unique, giving off a vibe that this man is stylish, still cool, and still relevant.. I keep flipping, and my eyes don't fall on Jimothy, they fall on someone who looks a lot like me, and I find myself smirking..
"What?" She asks.
"Were you drawing me?" I ask her, and pull the chair out from under the vanity, bringing it towards the tub. She moves, the bubbles still covering her, but also exposing her more than before.
"What? No, I-" She stops when I turn the drawing to her. "Oh that... That was originally Jimothy, I really liked it too but that was the day I met you again at the shop.. I couldn't stop thinking about it, and it ended up looking like you.. I almost ripped it out, and threw it away to be fair." She tells me, sitting back in the tub. The drawing is simple.. It's jeans, and a plain tshirt, no corduroys this time. But the best aspect is this rainbow cardigan. It looks slouchy, and warm, it looks like the most comfortable thing in the world, and it's only a drawing.
"I'm glad you didn't do that... I want one of these." I tell her, looking at the cardigan.
"Shut the fuck up." She laughs, and I look at her with a serious expression.
"That was incredibly rude.. I'm being serious.. Obviously you could see me wearing one considering you were daydreaming about me in it." I joke, and she sits up again. I tilt the sketchbook to her once more, and she tilts her head in thought.
"I'd probably need about two balls of yarn for each color, and I'd need to plan the squares out.. I could do it though, easy money, probably five days." She gives me an estimate, and I smirk.
"I'll buy the yarn." I offer.
"I'll do the crocheting." She offers.
"It's a date." I tell her, closing the book.
"Farthest thing from that."
"Maybe to you." I sing out, and she laughs.
"You'll never stop, will you?" She asks, and I shake my head.
"Not until you tell me to.." I smile down at her, and she looks at me with such a hazy smile, her cheeks flushed from the warm water. She's glowing, not just from the heat, but from her smile, and I think I'm falling in love with her all over again right now.
"What would you give to get everything you want?" She asks me, and I tilt my head, keeping the same warm smile.
"What would I give to have you?" I ask, and she rolls her eyes, leaning her head
Back.
"That's not what I said, but sure.. What would you give?" She asks, and I barely think about it.
"Nothing is too much. There's a safe in the closet, you can have the code. Take the keys to my cars, all the money I've got. Spend my money, bleed me dry... Name it, it's yours. Nothing I would not give if I knew I could have you Scarlett." I tell her the truth, and I can't tell if she's blushing or not, but I think I am at this point... I hear a call from downstairs, and I snap my head in that direction.
"Who is that?" She asks.
"Sierra. I told her to come here after her plans were over." I tell her, and start walking towards the door. I look back at Scarlett, and she hasn't stopped looking at me, and I feel like it's a false feeling, but I can feel it. I feel the tension between us, and the hopeful part of me wants to believe there's something... Anything from her, but the realistic side of me tells me to suck it up, that she's not going to be interested in that way.. I'm not sure if she's even interested in relationships at all. I've never been a fan of hook ups. There's no judgment, it's just not my thing. Scarlett has never had a problem with them, and I can't understand why..
"Where are you two! Please tell me you're not fucking!" I hear Sierra yell as I leave my bedroom.
"Fully clothed, and not fucking." I speak as I walk down the stairs.
"Well dammit, now I wish you two were so you'd finally be together." She jokes, and I make my way to her, pulling her into a hug.
"Not happening, but we can wish right?" I joke, and she sighs.
"I wish my sister was smart." She speaks out, and I laugh, feeling her squeeze me back. "Speaking of, where is she? Is she okay now?" She asks me, and I nod, and then shrug.
"She's currently getting drunk in my bathtub.. I think she's okay for now."
"Wait, were you just in there? With her in the bathtub?" She asks, and I nod.
"She asked me in there, I couldn't see anything, I would have never done that."
"Oh my god I know that... I just.. I swear you guys are so dumb." She shakes her head, throwing herself down on my couch. "Nice place by the way." She looks around and I nod, sitting next to her.
"Thank you.. And I'm not dumb. I told your sister how I felt." I tell her the truth though she already knows it. "Not that Scarlett is dumb becasue she's not-"
"She's dumb."
"I don't think-"
"No, because she's literally an idiot.." She interrupts me again, and I just laugh, I'll take it as a compliment I guess.
"I don't think she likes relationships." I tell her, and she shakes her head.
"No. She doesn't like herself.. And if she doesn't like herself or deem herself worthy, she will avoid something at all costs, and you of all people should know that." Sierra explains, and I should know that.. I do know that but I didn't think that applied to me too.
"So she does have feelings for me?" I ask, and Sierra shakes her head.
"I know just as much as you do in that department.. I know nothing, but I do think you should keep trying because again... She's dumb, she needs like eighteen extra pushes in the right direction." Sierra tells me, and I laugh.
"What do you want for dinner? I thought take out would be fine for the three of us." I tell her, and she nods.
"Take out is perfect. I'm going to go check on Scar." She pushes herself up, and I do the same, taking my phone out once again so I can call for dinner. After another thirty minutes Sierra emerges from upstairs, and so does Scarlett, her hair thrown up in a towel, and her smile as prominent as ever.
"What's got you in a good mood?" I ask her, knowing that she's been so completely polar opposite all day long.
"This bottle of wine." She holds it up, and I shake my head. "It's not my fault you have an endless supply of bottles littering your pantry." She argues despite the fact that I wasn't even fighting her in the first place.
"Scarlett, come on." I watch as Scarlett follows behind her sister, dancing through the room in one of my sweatshirts, not really sure why she wore it considering Sierra brought them clothes to wear, but I don't say a word, I just watch her wear it well. My phone pings, and I think it's the food, but as soon as I pick it up and look I see my sister's name and photo come across the screen.
"Hey Gem." I speak up, and see out of the corner of my eye Scarlett's head whip around. I make eye contact with her and smile as she breaks into a smile, but then I let it fall, knowing that they barely know anything about what's going on right now between us.
"Mum told me you found her again, let me talk to her." She speaks out, and I don't know how she always knows but she does.
"She's not.. I mean we're not.. I mean-"
"GEMMA!!!!!" Scarlett yells, and she's now approaching me. Wonderful.
"I hear her! Give her the phone! I knew you two were seeing each other." She boasts, like she was right, and I shake my head. At least I know Scarlett will tell it to her straight. I hold the phone out, and Scarlett steals it from me, walking back towards the couch, and Sierra takes out bottles from her purse. I walk over to her, hearing Scarlett talk to my sister in the background, but trying to drown it out so I don't over think.
"What's this?" I ask, picking up one of the pill bottles.
"I grabbed Scarlett's meds. Last time she stayed here, and forgot about them she was fucked for like a week with her sleep so I didn't want that to happen again." She tells me, and I remember her telling me she didn't have her meds. I read the medications, and see four bottles as well as a packet.
"What.. I mean what is all of it?" I ask, knowing this is all new for me, and not so new for her.
"These two are for anxiety, this is depression, this is sleep, and this is birth control." She tells me. I nod, and turn back to Scarlett, focusing on her. She smiles wide as she talks to Gemma, and I feel my heart swell, they love her, I love her, she loves them... This can't be our story, it's not friendship... I know it's not. I walk over to her, and listen in as I sit down.
"Oh my god, he's gotten so much hotter over the past two years too." I hear her, and she shoves me as I sit down, moving herself over. "No, because his apartment is huge, Gemma. I'm moving in." I cringe, knowing I'll have to explain that to not only Gemma but my mum too.
"Yes way... Yeah, I didn't want to at first but while Harry got rich I got poor... Does he share his wealth with you? What about Anne?" I hear her talk, and I wish I could just hear Gemma too, but I can't. "Yeah he is eavesdropping." She tells her, and I roll my eyes, and cross my arms over my chest, listening to Scarlett talk.
"Oh my god no! Gemma, we're barely friends, how could I ever with- No.. No... I've told you this before.. Yes I did! Two years ago... It's a valid reason, and you know it is..Yes.. Yes.. My number is still the same.. Yes, we can.. If I don't give him his phone back now, he's going to pop a blood vessel I think. Okay.. Okay.. Here." She hands me my phone back, and I roll my eyes, taking it.
"Hello?" I ask my sister.
"I'm in love with your best friend." She's smiling on the other end I can tell.
"Yeah so am I, so get in line." I tell her, and Scarlett gets up again, moving away from the couch, and me.
"Are you coming back? Did you realize how much you hate it there, and love it here?" Gemma asks, and I laugh out loud.
"Not going back.. Now that I have Scarlett with me.. I .. I don't see myself coming back for a while, I'm sorry Gemma." I apologize, knowing it's the last thing she wants to hear.
"I know... But mum doesn't blame you.. You know that right?" She asks me, and I scoff.
"I'm sure you're right to some extent, but there's nothing left for me there, no future is there, no nothing.. Just family, and as much as I love you two... I.. I just can't Gem. I'm sorry." I apologize again, knowing she's truly the only reason I feel hurt over leaving once more.. I didn't necessarily dream of going back in the first place.. It was for them, not me.
"Just promise me when you do come back that you'll bring her with you?" She asks, and I nod to myself, and then look over my shoulder at Scarlett. She's laughing with her sister, her red hair waving up now that it's drying.
"I promise..." I tell her, knowing it might be a while before I can even make that happen. "I love you, I've got to go alright?" I ask her.
"I love you. I'll talk to you later." I hang up the phone, and the buzzer sounds, signaling there's someone here. It's dinner I assume. I pick up the remote, lowering the electric curtains, and turning on the overhead lights. I walk to the door, opening it, and taking the food, making sure to tip the delivery person well. Once I bring it back in, Scarlett, and Sierra dig in, and I get my food soon after, all three of us piling onto my couch, Scarlett in the middle of Sierra and I. Sierra takes the remote, and turns on the real housewives of whatever sad lonely city they're in and I groan.
"Oh come on, they're all the same.." I argue, and Scarlett puts her finger to my lips.
"Shut up, and enjoy the drama." She tells me.
"You could have at least turned on love island..." I whisper under my breath, and nip at Scarlett's finger. She pulls it away with a laugh, and Sierra turns up the volume. Scarlett's head is rested on my shoulder, the three of us have our feet propped up on the ottoman. My entire apartment smells like take out, and there's insane women screaming at each other on my TV... But for once... For once since moving back to LA I finally feel like I'm home...
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A/N: okay I must know.... How do y'all think Scarlett is feeling right now? Towards Harry and in general....
Do you guys think she's starting to open up?
Do you think she has feelings for him like he does for her?
I LOVE YOU ALL!! SEE YOU SO SOON!! *virtual hugs*