It was raining.
And not the pounding, pouring, window shaking drops that made you want to curl up in front of the television or fire and read a book or watch a crappy movie, either.
The raindrops were light, hesitant, the drizzle coming down in little showers as if it wasn't sure if raining was the right choice or not.
And I was so fucking irritated with it.
Sophie was still upstairs asleep because she'd made me stay up late last night and explain to her how the date went, and ended up making herself so tired she had almost fallen asleep sitting upright. She was one of those I-need-ten-hours-plus sleepers, whereas I could make do on five.
But that wasn't the best party trick, was it?
Marley walked into the kitchen just as I had put two pieces of toast in the toaster. He was looking better, but considering he had looked like hell had sat on his face, that wasn't saying much.
"Morning," He muttered, walking over to stand next to me as he stared out the kitchen window, squinting out into the drizzling weather. "Damn, it's raining."
"How are you feeling?" I asked him, moving around him to pull the vegemite out of the pantry. "Is your kidney still sore?"
"No, I'm good. I'm a little confused, though." Marley said, a little grin on his face.
"Why?"
"Well, you're here. I thought you would have stayed the night with Flynn last night."
I didn't want Marley to see the slight wince that I had let slip, so I covered it up with a smile and replied with, "And since when have you been interested in my sex life, Marley?"
He visibly cringed. "Don't go there, please. Now tell me why you're so upset."
"Upset?" I scoffed, smiling. "I'm not upset."
"Harlow, your using vegemite. You only ever eat that when you're upset."
"And how would you know that?"
"Because you say that the taste is so bad, it makes you forget about whatever you're thinking of and wonder who would invent such a disgusting spread."
I wrinkled my nose up, hating how tuned in to emotions and feelings Marley was. He could hide his own like that one kid during hide and seek who never gets found, but he could spot other peoples a mile off.
"Did something happen last night? Because he may be a cop, Harls, but I'm pretty sure I could take him on-"
"Marley," I half laughed, shaking my head. "Nothing happened. It was perfect. The perfect date."
"Then why are you about to put yourself through eating vegemite?"
"Because," I pulled out my toast and threw it onto a plate, "his ex girlfriend was waiting for him at his apartment when we got back there."
"Wait, what?" Frown appearing, arms folding, Marley leaned back on the kitchen bench and stared down hard at me. I hate how much taller he was.
"Are you really going to make me say it again?" I muttered, aggressively packing on the butter. "She turned up, and I decided to leave because can you just imagine how awkward that situation was for me?" The vegemite was next, and I thought, the hell with it, if I was going to abuse my tastebuds then I might as well do it well, so I slapped on a thick coat of vegemite.
"Jesus, Harls. That's rough." Marley shook his head slowly, his arms still folded over his chest. "Are you okay?"
I nodded, thinking about it. Although the thought of Flynn getting back together with his ex made me almost sick to my stomach, it really was none of my business. So was I okay?
I had to be.
Besides, they didn't look like they were carrying any lingering emotions when they saw each other last night, unless that was a cover up and as soon as I left they had wild, passionate-
Stop. I shook my head and bit down on one piece of toast, sadistically savouring the tangy disgustingness that vegemite was.
"What are you doing today?" Marley asked again suddenly, one hand wrapped around the fridge handle, the other clutching his bicep.
"Nothing, why?"
"Well, my old school uniform doesn't fit so I was hoping that you could help me go shopping for a new one." Marley asked, sending me a little smile.
My heart warmed at Marley's little idea to cheer me up. Shopping and spending time with him would help, alright. It would almost feel like old times again.
I needed a dose of old times right now.
"Of course I'll help! Let me go get ready and wake up Sophie." I said, trying to finish the piece of toast that I had so aggressively bit into. I eyed up the other piece and frowned at it, trying to decide whether my self-pitying attitude had reached the stage where it would take two pieces to snap me out of it.
Then I realised that it would take jars of vegemite to get my mind thinking about something other than Flynn, so I ditched the toast and jogged up the stairs, about to wake up a very grumpy Sophie.
* * * *
"You've seriously grown two sizes?" I gaped at Marley in one of the mens stores as we shopped for him. I hadn't really believed him when he had said that his school uniform was far too small, but now I see he was kind of understating things.
He'd grown up and out, into a broad shouldered guy, so I really shouldn't have been surprised.
"What are they feeding you at that gym?" I muttered, earning a chuckle from Marley. He shook his head and moved along obediently behind me, glancing around the shop in an almost bored fashion.
"Life lessons. You really should come and join."
I sent him a glare and continued in my search for white button up shirts that was a part of his school uniform. We'd already got the royal blue and yellow tie and his dark grey pants, so the only two things left was the shirts and a black blazer with the schools logo on it.
And finding them was becoming a little difficult, especially when none of the shop assistants would come and help because, well, Marley's infamous reputation. Or at least that's what I was pinning it down to, just from the sarky looks we got when we entered the stores.
"Do you want to have a lunch break?" Marley asked, thinking of his stomach yet again. "I could really do with a BLT right now."
I rolled my eyes but agreed with him anyway. "Alright, I'm getting over this anyway." The shop assistant in this shop was hovering a few feet behind us, like she was afraid we were going to stash something in our bags and take off.
Sorry lady, Marley was just a sorely misjudged guy, not a thief.
We headed back to my car and I stuffed the bags of our purchases into the boot before climbing into the front seat. The drizzle was still persisting, but I wasn't nearly as pissed off at it as I was before, even though I was pretty sure my hair had frizzed from the weather when we'd been walking around outside.
Just as I was pulling off the curb, my phone beeped with a message, and Marley looked at me as I ignored it.
"Are you going to check that?"
"It's illegal to text and drive, Marley."
He shrugged, and then suddenly my phone was in his hand and he as unlocking it to read the message.
"Marley-" I started to yell, but he cut me off quickly.
"It's from Flynn."
My heart sped up at the mention of his name. I glanced over at my brother and fought the urge to snatch my phone back because texting while driving actually was illegal, and I had been arrested enough times now, thank you very much.
"What does it say?" I asked, my heart quickening the pounding of my pulse as I waited nervously for Marley to read me the text.
"I'm so sorry about last night. Can we talk?" Marley read out loud, looking up at me paitently.
I bit my lip as I processed Flynn's text. I really wanted to see him, more than I was happy to admit, but I was also a little scared. What if he'd decided that he wanted to be with Spencer again? What if-
Oh, stop it, I scolded myself mentally. If he had, then I couldn't change things. Might as well face the music now.
"Tell him okay, I'll meet him later." I said, my voice sounding a little breathy.
"Why don't you go now? Just drop me off at a cafe somewhere, I'll walk home."
"No, I'm spending time with you-"
My cellphone beeped again, and Marley's face split into a quirky grin. "He said he'll see you in ten."
"What?" I shrieked, staring at Marley in shock. "What did you say-"
Marley laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. "God, Harls. This guy wants to meet you and you're freaking out over it. Where's my cool, composed sister gone now?"
I glowered out the windscreen. But Marley was right, wasn't he? I huffed as I thought about it more, and soon I was pulling into an empty car park outside one of the towns little cafes. "Okay, fine. You're going to get it when we get home." I glared at him, but Marley waved me off and got out of my car.
He leant down before he shut the door and looked me in the eye with his identical orbs. "Harls, don't be too closed off, alright? Ever since you met Flynn, you've been happier then I've seen you in years. He's good for you, so don't ruin it."
"You're crushing on him too, aren't you?" I muttered sarcastically, but Marley caught it.
He just smirked. "Maybe. Now go."
"Alright, alright, idiot." I said under my breath as Marley slammed the passenger door and stuck his hands in his jeans pockets, walking with his head down towards the cafe.
Would he be okay by himself? I hoped so.
I glanced over at my phone he had left sitting on the seat he'd just been occupying, and swallowed my nervousness. Time to be cool.
Time to be the old, unaffected Harlow.
* * * *
I know it's not much, and I know it's not very exciting and there's no Flynn :(((((( but hey it's an update! Next chapter's gonna be bigger, pinky swear.
Let me know what you think!
:)