NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM
Revolutions and wars, war crimes and crimes against humanity, my mind was starting to throb every time I looked down to read a word. "Come on Beau," I chimed pulling out another flash card. We'd been studying for six hours straight for our last midterm and I knew I was just about to drain every last bit of strength from him. "We've got like six more topics to get through."
He groaned in response.
"We can take a break when we finish."
"I'll be dead when we finish Harry" he shot back through his teeth. "I'm tired, I need sunlight I think I've lost all semblance of time in here. What year is it?"
I pursed my lips as a sarcastic laugh dripped from my lips. "What year was Carson versus Lancaster and what was the defendants m.o.?"
"Twenty-twenty," he groaned. "And his m.o. was a lack of sleep."
"Beau!"
"Harriet!" he snipped back.
Exhaling and set down my cards and breathed. "Fine, we're done for the day I guess," I said looking over at all the material we'd gone over. At this point it wasn't so much as understanding the content, but relearning everything Professor Todd had taught us at the beginning of the semester and trying to get a hand of his exam style. This was a man that like to write essays for the fifty multiple choice questions and demand a four page essay all to be done in an hour and thirty minute class time frame. "We might be able to squeeze in a short little power study on our way to class tomorrow, if you like." Not wasting anytime, Beau had already started haphazardly shoving his things into his backpack and was finished before I completed my last thought.
"I'll agree to anything as long as you let me leave," he said half-jokingly.
Waiting for me to pack up my things, we walked out of the library together. The softening sun making me look at the time. "Seven fifty-three already," I said. "Seems like we just got here."
"Really, that felt like an eternity to me," Beau teased and I softly nudged him in his side promising he'd eat his words when he passed his midterm with flying colors. "How was your big debate with Harvard's very own Regina George."
I huffed. "It was fine."
"Just fine."
"It just got a bit personal in the end," I said recalling Ana's veiled comments about my mother. "I don't know. If I'm being honest I could've just been paranoid about it all. I've kinda had a lot on my plate this semester, then with this whole sorority thing. I think I'm losing my mind."
Beau nodded as we turned into Harvard Yard, our slow pace easing my restless mind. "I get that, hey rushing is hard especially when you're a legacy. It kinda feels like there's added pressure on your shoulders."
"Yeah, but look how good it turned out for you," I joked only for him to shed me a half-hearted smile.
"The point is, don't go doing things you don't feel comfortable doing just to be apart of some organization."
"But it's not just an organization," I said. "It's my mother's organization, plus do you know how many connections into the legal work Kappa has... Getting into this isn't about being popular or cool, it's literally my future Beau."
"I know," he sighed. "Just be careful."
I smiled and threw my arm around his shoulder. "Have you ever known me to do something I regret?" I ask only for him to roll his eyes.
"I'm not feeling I should advise you to be less careful," he said. "Maybe then we could lower that ego of yours."
We laughed and walked to my dorm as I tried to slip in a few questions for our midterm and he tried to evade each one with one frivolous topic to the next. "Stop asking me questions Harriet or I swear I'll never talk to you again!"
I pouted. "Last one for the night I promise, beside you're the only person I can study with and—"
I froze when Beau suddenly stopped in the middle of my hallway.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, but my question is for the six foot pink-faced guy standing outside my dorm room holding a bouquet of flowers.
"We have a date remember," Alexander smiled, his eyes glancing over to Beau who turned to me with a shocked expression.
I groaned and rolled my eyes, having completely forgot about this. "It's not a date," I quickly said to Beau before turning back to Alexander. "It's not a date."
Beau shed me a smile that told me he believed not one word coming out of my mouth. Bidding me a farewell, he promised to be up early to squeeze in one last study session before leaving me alone with Alexander.
He raised his hands in surrender as I unlocked my door. "So, what are you two doing together?" Alexander asked as I pushed inside my dorm.
Not only did I have no plans on answering, but I was mildly enjoying that fact that it piqued his interest. Going into my room, I set my things on my bed as Alexander leaned against my door frame. "Where are you taking me?"
"That's a surprise."
"What should I wear?"
"Something comfortable."
"Are you always this glib?"
"When the situations calls for it, I like to deliver."
Shaking my head I shoved him out of my room and closed my door to change, ignoring his comment about how he wouldn't be a bother. Taking lead on Alexander's business casual attire, I knew we weren't going to any place that was out of my budget, so my own wardrobe would be good enough.
Quickly changing, I didn't bother much with my hair other than unbraiding the two braids then running my fingers through it before shoving my necessities into my satchel. "Wow," Alexander breathing jumping up from his place on our couch he occupied while waiting. "You clean up nice."
"Tell anybody and I'll have to kill you," I joked as we stood before each other. "Okay, so... should we go?"
"Yeah..." he said still slightly dazed until he shook his head and chuckled. "Yes, erm... these are for you."
Handing me the bouquet of roses, then scent blossomed memories I didn't want to resurface. I watched them wearily, the pitter-patter of rain against wood haunting me as Alexander holds them out expectantly. I have to will my hand upwards and my fingers to clasp around the stems and when he releases his grip, it feels like a twenty pound weight had been left in my hands instead of a bouquet of white roses. "Thank you," I say tensely. "I'm gonna put these in some water, why I meet you outside."
Nodding, he treaded lightly over the the door before looking back at me in playful suspicion. "This isn't some trick to get rid of me is it?"
I huffed. "Well, not anymore," I teased as he closed the door behind him and I let go of a breath.
Walking over to our kitchenette, I set the flowers on the counter my hands now unable to release them. "You're fine. You're fine. You're fine," I breathed as the pitter-patter grew into a storm. The presence of the faceless man stood behind me as we watched the casket being lowered into the ground. Folded flag clutched in my hand at the time I hadn't known the difference between the rain and the tears, or death and work. My mother was always gone for months on tours, so what was the difference between this and that. I recalled asking everybody who would pay attention how long my mother was going to be dead for until my grandfather pulled me onto his lap and explained that was wasn't.
The pressure building in my chest tightened before releasing and I quickly slid the flowers into the trash can before pushing myself away from the counter. "You're okay," I said again with shut eyes.
Mentally locking that memory again as the scent of roses disappeared I adjusted myself and met Alexander standing outside my building. "Okay, so before we start the best night of your life," he grinned as we walked to the gates of Harvard. "I do have one question." When we reached the premier of campus my eyebrows furrowed as Elliot's BMW sat waiting and I half expected the blond to jump out. "How well do you know how to drive?" Alexander asked holding out Elliot's keys for me.
It wasn't that I couldn't drive. I'd gotten my license when I turned sixteen and even bought my own car, a small little Honda that guzzled gas like a first-time teenager at a party. It was that for the past three years Elliot wouldn't let me or Tatiana, or anyone else for that matter come within a one inch radius of the driver's seat of his car and now Alexander was holding out the keys for me. Now, my foot was heavy on the accelerator as the car swam through other vehicles on the street. The buildings turning into blurs as my fingers gripped the steering wheel. My car never moved like this.
"Bloody hell!" Alexander yelped followed by a string of nervous laughs as he held onto the handle bar as I cut across the Charles River Bridge. "Maybe you should slow down a bit."
I laughed merging onto the highway and easing off the pedal. "Where are we going anyway?"
"It's a surprise."
I rolled my eyes as I followed his instructions he told me wearily from his phone. There weren't many things in life that were good surprises and as we drove my mind couldn't help, but come up with all kinds of scenarios he was taking me to. From circus shows to night time water diving. My stomach swirled at the thought of being on a boat. "Turn right here," he pointed and from a distance I watched as the lights of the Museum of Fine Art came into view.
Parking in the front, I took the key out of the ignition as Alexander got out of his car. It took me a second to figure out what exactly was wrong with what was happening. "You ready?" I turned to see Alexander holding my door open, hand outstretched for me to take.
I scoffed and ignored his hand stepping from the car myself and closing the door. "This isn't a date," I reminded him as he lowered his hand and we walked inside together.
Everything inside looked so carefully sculpted. As if a single man had spent a mallinea carving out every designed for the ceilings, walls and accents. My eyes took in everything from the lights to the portraits hung up. "Welcome Your— Mister Windsor," I watched the aging man in front of us. His eyes watched me as if he were scrutinizing every inch of me before turning back to Alexander.
"Is everything set up Al?" Alexander asked as the aged man nodded.
"Exactly as you requested."
Patting him on the shoulder we walked inside and I couldn't help, but let go a soft. "Wow." Every painting, sculpture and piece of art was lit up by the soft glow of lights and I couldn't help, but imagine Tatiana's expression the first time she'd walked inside here. "This is—"
I stopped suddenly as my voice echoed throughout the building. Then, my eyes scanned the large, empty space we stood in before I realized what had looked so odd outside: There were no cars parked excepted for ours.
"Where is everybody?"
Alexander smiled. "They're not here."
"I can see that," I said trying to hush the bit of edge crawling out of my voice. "Where are they?"
He shrugged. "I rented the place for the night so nobody could bother us." What caught me was just how easy he said it. As if renting out and entire museum with probably over a billion dollars worth of art inside of it was as easy as going to the grocery store and picking up a liter of milk. "Everything is available to us except for the Egyptian exhibit... I think they're still doing renovations on that."
I wanted to be annoyed. I mean how inconvenient would with be to have a whole day planned and then it suddenly be ruined because so rich guy rented the entire building for the night. Though, the little girl in me who spent ages looking over water-stained encyclopedias and incomplete books in loo of museum trips felt giddy. And despite how much I had set out on not making this enjoyable, a smile snuck across my face. "You know Tatiana is the one that's really into art," I said as I started off into the first exhibitions with Alexander trailing behind. "She's knows so much more about it that I do. Paints a bit too, she's absolutely amazing at it."
The paintings and sculptures were all over the golden era of Chinese culture. Beautiful scrolls with delicate calligraphy and fading paintings depicting love and war. My hands skimmed over the glass casings as if I could actually feel the weathered treasures beneath my fingertips. "I always thought it was odd."
"What?" Alexander asked. "Art?"
"No, museums," I stated moving on to the next things that grabbed my attention. "I mean they're marvelous and all, but all the art come from these places and most of the time the countries are even profiting off of their history being taken from them." The monochrome painting took up the entire wall. The plaque beneath it reading The Scenery of Yixing by Zhou Zhi. "Like this... I mean imagine all the good that would come out of first world countries renting artwork, instead stealing it. It would be a pain, but beautiful work like this shouldn't just be taken. It's not fair." I could feel his eyes on me, watching carefully as I took in the peaks and pits of the fountaining portrait. Delicate and beautiful I imagined a single man pouring his entire life into making this the best he could possibly do.
Slowly we slithered in and out of exhibits as I awed as all the portraits. "You know, they all look so much bigger in person than the books you read them in," I said as he laughed a bit before pointing off to another portrait.
"This is King Edward the Eighth," he said as I joined him in front of the painting of what looked like a boy no older than Alexander himself. With sleek blond hair and adorned in black and red royal capes, gold and white jewel encrusted clothes.
I picked my brain for the little knowledge of British history I had. "Didn't he abdicate."
"Almost," Alexander said. "They said he was a man of too much passion, his reign almost brought down the entire British monarchy on multiple occasions, most notably when he fell in love with an American woman named Wallis Simpson." My eyes glanced up at him as he stared at the man trapped inside a still life photo. For a moment, I felt like I should look away. As if he were having a very private moment with himself, caught in prayer. "But he gave her up for the crown married a woman he didn't love instead and had a proper heir and spare. The former who is now the current monarch of England."
"Victoria the... Second?" I questioned as he nodded his head in approval. "You know, they say you can't have happiness and enact change in the world. You have to choose one."
Since the first time we saw the portrait, Alexander's green eyes fell to me. "Do you believe that?"
I found myself stuttering over an answer. "I think that it's a pattern. You need power to change the world and sometimes the person you love can't handle the pressure of that. If there's one universal thing history teaches us it's that the greatest people have also been the unhappiest."
"Would you ever marry someone with power?"
"Of course," I said. "Because I'm going to be the one with power." He laughed and I nudged him in his side. "What's so funny."
"Nothing," he excused. "It's just Elliot said you were kind of different."
I feigned puking. "Please don't feed me that tired line of your different than other girls," I said. "It's actually disgusting and designed feed into people's insecurities and desire to be singled out."
Alexander raised his hands in surrender. "I'm just saying not many people I've met would say that."
"That's probably because you surround yourself with ego boosters and sycophants."
"And your neither of those things."
"I didn't want to be here in the first place remember," I chided playfully as we wandered from the British exhibition.
"Then why did you come?"
This had been the question I had no real answer to. Why had I came with him. Alexander still annoyed me there was no doubt about that, but it was more of a annoyance I could live with for the time being. Still how many times had Elliot tried to ask you out and you never went with him?
That's different, the other side of me fought. It's different and you know it.
I shrugged my shoulders. "I just needed a break from all the studying."
Alexander raised an non-believing eyebrow as we continued throughout the museum. He followed me through all my wonder gazing at seemingly impossible sculptures, sometimes I would point something out I'd learned from reading, or he would go off in his excitement about what a painting reminded him off. Whether it was a funny looking aunt or someone in the past. Each time, I found however, he got less and less annoying and soon, as we walked deeper into the night, I started to question said annoyance all together.
I mean, obviously the first impression I got from him wasn't good and that was all his fault, but maybe underneath he was just a good guy.
"You know I never thanked you," I said as we started to the second floor. He watched me with raised brows questioning what I was talking about. "For helping me get my job back."
"Oh, I don't kno—"
"Frank is very stubborn," I explained. "Trust me when I say there's nobody who's worked The Maroon for as long as we have who could've gotten through to him. So, thank you."
"It was pretty stupid the reason he sacked you in the first place." I laughed. "Are you hungry?"
Not even getting a word out before Alexander took my hand, he pulled me up the rest of the stairs and suddenly my heart was in my throat.
In the center of the second level was a single table and two chair, though all around it was bouquets and bouquets of what looked like over a thousand white roses. The pungent scent almost knocking me off my feet and back down the staircase. The side of my head throbbed and I took a measured step back. "I know you said this wasn't a date, but I don't know I wanted it to be nice."
I took a heavy breath through my mouth and slid on a tense grin. I wasn't going to share my demons, nor did I want to make a scene, so I allow Alexander to take me to the table and hold out my chair.
Sitting down across from me, with a wave of his hand the man from in front of the museum appeared with two silver platters. He set them down in front of us as another man came with two glasses and a bottle of red wine."Will that be all for you Mister Windsor," the man said as the other waiter finished pouring our glasses.
"Yes Albert thank you," Alexander said dismissing the men as they did a small bow before leaving. "I didn't know if you ate meat or not, so we do have a few options."
I felt myself getting a bit lightheaded as I took a deep breath with my mouth. "Thank you." I watched as Alexander piled food on his plate. "Are you alright?"
I nodded.
"Do you not want anything?"
I shook my head. "No," I said in a steady breath. "Everything looks... great." I didn't know how to say that if I ate then I wouldn't be able to breathe.
"I can make them bring us something else," he said quickly. "Or better yet we can pick something up. I'll tell Albert—"
"No, it's fine," I said reaching out so my hand touched his, though as soon as I made contact I pulled myself away. "It's just... my mother died when I was five, my dad the following year and my grandparents three years after that," I explained. "I went to four funerals before I turned ten and the one thing I always remembered was these elaborate and very fragrant floral displays."
Alexander shut his eyes and exhaled in foolish understanding. "So, you don't like flowers."
"I do not like flowers," I smiled. "But thank you for the sentiment."
Alexander's lips pursed before he shot out of his seat and held his hand out for me again.
"What are you doing?"
"Come on, we're not going to spend another minute here," he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.. Taking my hand, Alexander pulled me out of my seat and dragged me away from everything he'd set up.
I looked back wistfully, trying to engrain the moment in my mind before it disappeared from my sight as we descended the staircase and out the building.
Alexander got behind the steering wheel this time and with steady hands and unsure glances at me to make sure he was driving on the right side of the street we took off. The city of Boston was illuminated at night and from the passenger seat, I couldn't help but look out my window in awe.
If there was one thing Alexander was right about it was the fact that I hadn't taken time out for myself to explore Boston. The minute I had reached Harvard I hit the ground running with extra classes and working and clubs. My schedule had been full every single semester there was barely anytime for me to breathe much less go out further than Harvard Square. "Do you know where you're going?" I asked as we passed the same bookstore for the third time. "Because if you don't it's totally fine, you can tell me and I'll drive us there."
Alexander's green eyes shifted over to me as a knowing grin spread across his face. "Not after the last time I let you drive," he said. "Next thing you know we're being chased by police because you watched Need For Speed too many times."
I rolled my eyes and feigned upset as we took another turn around the blocked.
"I know it's somewhere around..." Alexander mumbled to himself before his eyes lit up. "Here."
Pulling the car up to the curb, I looked out the window to a small coffee shop. The words in neon reading: THINKING CUP.
"Coffee?" I smiled as we got out of the car.
Alexander pulling me to the door and trying to push it open. After a few attempts of it not budging a women in a black apron appeared from inside and pointed to a sign: Closed at 10pm. Though, Alexander continued to try and push the door. "Come on please."
"We should just go," I said tugging on his arm. "They're closed."
"No, just... give me a minute." Pulling out his phone, I stood back at Alexander dialed a number, then rose his phone to the glass window.
I could tell the woman looked irritated, just like I would be if somebody showed up while I was in the process of closing. Marching over to us, she unlocked the door and glared at Alexander. "I'm sorry sir, but we're closed."
"I see that, but as you can see I'm with someone," Alexander said gesturing to me. "If you could just take this call they'll explain everything and I'll be more than happy to compensate for your time."
The woman looked from Alexander, to me, to the phone and back to Alexander before taking the phone and putting it to her ear. "Hello?" she asked walking inside and Alexander following after her.
I took a few steps to go in after him, but was stopped. "Just give us a moment love," he said and right as I was about to object closed the door.
I watched quietly as Alexander and the waitress spoke. He face went from annoyed to shock, hand clutching her chest and she looked around phone away from her ears as she did a small bow which made me furrow my eyes. He smiled, and rest his hand on her shoulder as he spoke pointing back to me occasionally before she nodded in understanding. As Alexander came to the door and opened it for me, the waitress was frantically opening the store for us.
"I am so sorry again," she said as we sat down at a table by the window over looking the Charles River. "If I would've known, or-or recognized you. Honestly we don't get many—"
Alexander raised his hand and smiled. "It's fine, if you could just get us Blue Flower Earl Grey—"
"Actually," I interrupted him. "Could I get a Café au Lait with two shots and Coconut milk."
I could feel his eyes on me, but there was no way I was drinking tea. "One Earl Grey and one coffee and two grilled cheeses." Smiling at him in approval, the waitress nodded feverishly before disappearing into the kitchens.
"So are you going to explain to me what that was all about?" I asked.
"What?"
I rolled my eyes as the insult to my observation skills. "The waitress all, but dropped to her knees, called you your highness and kissed your feet," I laughed. "What does your family own the place or something." Honestly, at this point I wouldn't be surprised. The lives some of these kids in Harvard lived was insurmountable to anything I'd experienced. Heiresses of billion dollar companies, political legacies and acting infantas. There was nothing that could really shock me anymore.
Alexander shook his head a smiled crack on his lips. "Nothing like that," he said. "I just know the right people."
"Is that code for somebody I know owns this shop."
"What was your favorite piece in the museum?" I could tell he didn't want to further this conversation and I didn't push him. Falling into conversation of art and the tidbits of history I could recall which hadn't been excavated by legal jargon and crime documentaries.
When our order came, I noticed how the waitress didn't even make eye contact with us before slinking back into the kitchens. "I think you've petrified her." Alexander shook his head.
"So, Harriet," he said taking a huge bit from his grilled cheese. "What are you planning to do after you graduate, no doubt top of your class from Harvard University?"
I chuckled. "Law school. Yale is my number one choice, but Georgetown and Princeton are up there as well."
"So you want to become a barrister?"
"A what?"
"A... lawyer," he corrected. "You Americans."
Playfully, I tossed a napkin at his face. "Yes, I want to be a lawyer. I think it's the only thing I want to be," I said pulling apart my sandwich before more truth came out. "I want to for kids who can't represent themselves in court. Especially in foster care, being in the system is kind of like being thrown in the middle of the ocean. You're struggling to keep your head above water and hoping somebody good comes to save you because there's nothing you can really do to save yourself."
Alexander's face softened. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."
I shook my head, the last thing I needed was anyone's pity. "It's fine, I mean Walter and Danielle aren't so bad."
"Your adopted parents."
I nodded. "But what about you, what are your grand plans after you graduate and release yourself back into the world?"
"I'm kind of in limbo right now," he said and I waited for him to explain more. "My grandmother is the head of the family company right now and she has to choose between my cousin and I who's going to take over when she's gone."
"And you don't want it."
"It's not that I don't want it, but it just comes with a lot of restrictions," he said.
I mauled over his problem only narrowing it down the one question. "If you were the head of the company could you do good."
"A lot."
"So what's the problem."
Alexander laughed. "My mother went through a lot of scrutiny before and after my father died. I would potentially be bringing someone into that. I could ruin someone mentally, by how much pressure it would be to be with my while I'm running this company."
Sipping my coffee I said, "Well it's like I said, you can't be great and be happy."
"But who said running the company would bring me greatness."
"It's not about your greatness, but the greatness of others," I said. "If you can help at least one person in trouble maybe the unhappiness and the struggle is worth it."
Alexander's green eyes were unwavering from my brown. He seemed almost awed by my response, but I had meant every word. If there was one thing I had learned was that life in general was difficult and complicated and there were so many people who wanted to do good, but couldn't because they didn't have power. Those who had access to it, but chose otherwise, in my book at least were selfish.
From there we moved on to lighter topics: Hobbies, food and home. His eyes lit up when I told him about the county fair Greatwood had every year and he tried to explain to me the joys and rugby and why it was so much better than football. "All I'm saying it that it's very American to have all that padding when your playing sports." As we talked and the sun rose, Alexander unlayered himself to me and I found myself doing the same and slowly found myself thinking that this friendship thing, might be able to work.
"I think we should go," I chuckled head looking out the window and for the first time seeing the sun just about to break through the horizon. I looked at the time and saw it was already five o'clock in the morning.
Tossing a few hundred dollar bills on the table, Alexander held the door open for me as we headed back to campus.
The car ride was slow and for some reason I found myself hoping that it wouldn't end.
When he parked outside the campus, I lingered in the car for a minute as thunder cracked in the sky. Swallowing, I looked over at Alexander, my breathing slightly uneasy. "Thank you for—"
"I'll walk you inside," he rushed out.
He turned the ignition off as we both left the confinements of the car and began a slow silent stroll back to my dorm. As we started crossing Harvard Yard the drizzle of rain had become and onslaught and with my dorm building in view, Alexander ran for cover as I stopped. Heading looking up at the sky as I allowed the rain to soak into my skin.
For the first time in years I remembered the girl with the red string tied around her finger. The red string which was now partially tied around my wrist and hopefully hers to. A promise to each other that no matter the distance we'd find each other again. Years ago we had stood in the rain together allowing it to confirm our existence which had seemingly been taken away from our lives filled with orphanages, foster families and government interference.
When I opened my eyes Alexander watched me, the edge of his lips curled upwards and I felt the chagrin creep into my cheeks as I joined him within the walls of my building. "What?" I asked softly as I pushed the key inside my door and twisted the knob.
"Nothing, I just never seen somebody enjoy the rain so much."
I shrugged. "Some people like to feel the rain while others just get wet." I chuckled a bit as I took in his soaking appearance. "Do you want to come inside to get dry?"
"Please," he laughed his breath is warm and erratic on my lips and my heart started to race in my chest. Suddenly, it's a million degrees in the corridor and I feel my cheeks flush.
He looks so damn good, I think swallowing the lump in my throat as I eye his perfect cupid's bow. Way too good and his low sexy voice paired with that deep stare is making me feel all hot and bothered even though i know i'm not allowed to feel this way.
I lean in, bit my lips and dip my head a little before pulling away from his sharply and pushing my door open. That was way too close.
Alexander followed me to my room when I settled my things. "I can throw your clothes in our dryer if you want."
"Sure," he said looking around. "Do you have anything in that closet of yours I can change into in the meantime?"
"Let me find you a towel," I said turning towards the bathroom and pulling out one a large plushy towel and one of Tatiana's large plushy robes. "The only robes we have are pink ones," I laughed. "But I figure it'll be good enough just until your clothes finish drying."
Making my way back inside my room, I turned the corner to see Alexander. His wet clothes a pile on my floor and he stood in nothing but his boxers and his fingers were in the midst of buttoning up the baby blue men's dress shirt from inside my closet. "I hope you don't mind, I found this inside your closet," he said lifting his head up, but all I saw was the faceless man from my dreams. Ettie, his voice cooed in my head.
"Take that off," I tried to speak these words with as much force as they needed to be said, yet they came out barely a whisper.
"What?"
"I said," I cleared my throat trying to stop the stinging in my eyes. "Take that shirt off. Take it off!"
"Is it a ex-boyfriends or—"
"Just take it off... Now!"
Without hesitation and a million apologies Alexander unbuttoned the shirt and laid it on my bed. "I didn't mean to—"
He started, but I didn't want to hear anything else. "You need to leave," I hissed picking up his wet clothes and thrust it into his chest.
"Harriet, I'm sorry."
"No, I just—You need to go," I said on the brink of a break down. "Leave me alone Alex! Go!"
Jaw tense and eyes lingering on me, Alexander took a tighter grip on his belongings and left.
Taking the shirt in my hands, I sank to the floor with it buried in my nose. Inhaling the nonexistent cologne which had disappeared fourteen years ago, I pulled it away from my face to see my tear stains soaking into the fabric, finger running across the AC embroidered in the right chest pocket.
As my breathing steadied, so did the initial shock and waning of my anger and when the sound a knock on my door came I realized how much I had over reacted. "I'm coming," I called knowing that I not only owed Alexander and apology, but an explanation of sorts.
Pushing myself from the ground, I opened my front door ready to explain when I saw the two people I least expected on my doorstep.
"What are you guys doing here?" I asked as my adopted-parents exchanged a nervous smile at each other.