The next few days went by strangely. Uma and Harry had barely seen each other. Uma was busy working with Ben trying to save people from the Isle. She was telling him that is was the little things that counted , like better food and helping them break their 20 year garbage strike. Uma told him about the people who didn't deserve to be on the Isle. They talked about what their next move would be. Practically all of Uma's free time went to helping Ben help the kids of the Isle. She did go to Harry's practices but she didn't stay long enough to speak with him so she could go to her dorm and keep up with her homework.
What Uma didn't know was that she was using Ben and homework as an excuse not to face how close Harry and Melody were getting. Every spare moment she had to speak with Harry, Melody was there. Uma may have been in Auradon for almost two moments but she still hasn't mastered being civil with someone she didn't like. Meaning that every time she spotted Harry with Melody she either excused herself or walked/ ran the other way.
Harry had no idea what was wrong with Uma. He did know that she was avoiding him and that they haven't really spoken in four days. His patience was wearing thin, he was also not very happy with Melody following him everywhere. But he needed to be on her good side, so he said nothing and just played along. He needed to speak with Uma, but everytime he tried she ran away. Even the crew was asking him what was going on between them and he couldn't answer because he didn't know either.
Harry was looking around the garden for Uma when he heard, "Hey Harry, looking for me?"
He sighed as he recognized the voice, turning around while pasting a fake smile on his face he said, "Actually I was looking for Uma? Have you seen her?"
Melody's smile dropped a little before she said, "No, but I can help you find her."
"You don't have to," he said willing for her to go away.
"I know, but I want to, come one," Melody said as she linked her arm through his and dragged him around the garden in search of Uma. Harry let her, too busy trying to find Uma to care what Melody was doing.
"So, Harry are you dating anyone?" Melody asked as she glanced at his profile.
"No," he sighed sadly as he wished the answer wasn't true. The one girl he wanted was avoiding him at the moment. The one girl he wanted didn't believe in relationships.
"Really?" Melody asked with hope in her voice.
"Yeah, really," He asked. He didn't see his captain anywhere. He began to twirl the ring on his finger as he sighed. Where is she, he thought.
"Well I was wondering if you wanted to be my date to my friend's birthday party?" Melody asked as she pulled Harry to a stop and waited for him to face her.
Harry looked at her, she was pretty, but she wasn't the one or as pretty as the one he wanted to be with. But then again the one he wanted to be with didn't want to be with him in that way. He looked at her again and thought, maybe, I can move on, this way. Maybe he needed to find an out for the acception-rejection game Uma and him had played for so long. Maybe that's all they'll be. Just friends.
"Harry?" Melody asked, the longer he took to reply the more nervous she got. She started biting the bottom of her lip.
She was a nice girl and most of the time he did have fun with her. Harry tilted his head as he said, "Sounds fun," this time he smiled genuinely. Melody smiled back and they both jumped when they heard a gasp. Both turning in the direction of the sound they saw Uma with her hand over her mouth.
"Uma! I've been looking for you everywhere!" Harry said as he took a step toward her. Uma shook her head, took a step back, and ran.
"What?" Harry asked as he looked at Melody and then at Manny and then broke into a run as well.
"Harry!" He heard Melody shout but he didn't turn back, he was too focused on catching up with Uma.
"Uma. Stop!" Harry said.
"Go away, Hook" Uma shouted back as she continued to run. Having been in Auradon longer than Harry and having a particular fondness of the garden she knew exactly how to lose him. Taking a series of turns and pushing herself to run faster she was able to lose him. But she did hear him continuously shouting her name.
Breathing deeply to catch her breath, she stopped running and put her hands above her head and looked up.
Jake remained silent as he tried to catch his breath to. He watched Uma with a raised eyebrow and waited for her to tell him what just happened.
As soon as Uma caught her breath she walked to one of the trees in the garden and sank to the ground. She put her head on her hands and thought about what she overheard. Harry had just agreed to be Melody's date, how could he? Why would he? Uma didn't think that they were that close. That he actually liked her and wanted to be with her. She lifted her head from her hands and leaned it against the tree.
She jumped and her eyes opened when she heard, "Why did you run from me?"
When she looked up she saw a very angry Harry.
"Uhh..." Uma began trying to think of a lie but Harry's eyes narrowed and he replied, "Don't even think about lying to me."
Uma annoyed with his tone, stood up and said, "You don't get to talk to me that way."
"I think I deserve to because, really, Uma? I haven't seen or spoken to you in four days, four DAYS, Uma. You've been avoiding me and don't even think about denying it. I know you better than anyone and I've never seen you tuck tail and run from anyone. So why are you doing it to me?"
"You and Melody," Uma replied as she glared at him.
Harry looked at her in disbelief and said, "You are avoiding me...because of Melody? Melody?" He asked as he pulled his hair.
"Yeah, I wanted to give you two lovebirds some space," Uma rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms.
"Lovebirds?" He asked, "Why would you think that?"
"Ohh I don't know, maybe because you guys have been spending so much time together."
"She's been helping me with my math, you know I'm not good at it," Harry voice lowered near the end of his sentence.
"I could have helped you," Uma stated.
"I barely see you now! You always end up disappearing! I would've asked if you had been there!" Harry said.
Uma winced, okay maybe this is partially her fault, she thought. What she actually said was, "I've been busy with Ben."
"Busy with Ben?" Harry asked as his anger rose and some other feeling he couldn't label joined it, "Doing what?"
"Helping him help the Isle," Uma answered.
"I thought that was something we were supposed to do?" Harry crossed his arm to hide his hurt.
"Well you've been too busy with Melody," she retorted as she turned her head to look at a tree she suddenly found very interesting.
"Why do you keep bringing her up? I told you what we were doing together," Harry stepped closer but Uma stepped back. Harry stopped as hurt crossed his features momentarily but was quickly replaced with anger.
"Because you didn't tell me about the fact that you agreed to be her date to someone's birthday party!" Uma turned to him and shoved him further back, "How can you agree to go on a date with my enemy?!" She screamed as she pushed him again.
Harry grabbed Uma's shoulders to stop her from shoving him again but dropped them when stepped away from him. "She's your mother's enemies daughter, not your enemy," he threw her works back at her.
"That doesn't make it okay," Uma turned her back on him. She couldn't bare to face him anymore. She knew that she said the same thing about Jake, but this situation was completely different from hers.
"And why not? It's not like we're together," Harry replied as his heart broke at what he said.
Uma nodded as she felt an unfamiliar pang in her heart at the words, "We aren't. But we are best friends Harry," she turned back to him, "Friends don't do this to their friends."
Harry gripped his hook and closed his eyes, when he opened them a fury unknown to Uma took over them, "You don't get to talk to me about what friends don't do to other friends. Do friends avoid other friends Uma? Do friends get mad when another friend sets up a date? A date that will most certainly lead to nothing?"
"Then why go on the date?" Uma asked confused, completely ignoring what Harry was asking her.
"Really, Uma? That's what you decide to focus on?" Harry asked, his anger reaching his max. He tried to work on breathing like Fairy Godmother advised him in his Remedial Goodness classes, but it wasn't working. He walked past Uma, took out his sword that he only got to have during lunch, and swung it at the trunk of the tree. He smiled at the sound it made and turned back to Uma. He let out a breath and signaled to Manny he was fine. Manny stayed where he was. He looked back at Uma and tilted his head with a wicked smile on his face. The insanity he hadn't felt for weeks was making it's appearance. For some of his sanity to stay intact he chose to ignore her question and instead said, "I know how to be a friend Uma. Do you?" Harry stepped forward and Uma stepped back.
She rolled her eyes as she said, "Of course I do."
"Are you sure?" His smile reached scary proportions when he said, "Because I don't think you do." As Uma opened her mouth to protest he said, "Friends don't treat their friends the way you are treating me right now." He crept towards her and with his hook he moved hair off her face, "And I've done nothing wrong but get along with your enemy," Harry winked at her and said, "She's the one who asked me on a date and it would have been rude to say no."
Uma laughed, "It would have been rude to say yes," She grabbed Harry's hooked hand and shoved it away from her.
"How so, Uma?" He tilted his head innocently, "I thought you said you weren't threatened by her."
"I'm not."
"Are you sure, my love? Because it sure seems like it," he laughed maniacally, "If you wanted me, all you had to do was say so." He blew a kiss towards her.
Uma glared at him. "I'm sure."
"Then tell me what's wrong Uma, so I can fix it. You are my best friend Uma, and I don't like how things are between us," Harry pleaded with her. His anger was slowly fading and hurt was replacing it. They haven't argued like this in years and each time they did, it only ended with them going their separate ways and that worried him.
"I don't know, Harry," Uma admitted with defeat, "I don't know what's wrong." And she didn't. She didn't understand that just the thought of seeing Harry go on a date with Melody was hurting her in ways she couldn't understand because of the way she was raised. On the Isle there was no question that Uma was his and Harry was hers, but in Auradon things were different. If there wasn't a label, there wasn't a claim. The rules that applied in the Isle of the Lost didn't apply in Auradon.
"Well think harder, Uma!" Harry said as he put his hand on her shoulders, stared into her eyes and said, "You'll always be my number one, no matter what. But I need you to help me understand what's wrong so we can fix it."
Uma sighed as she realized she was acting unfair. She was letting what she assumed was jealousy, get the best of her. She was the one who wasn't being a friend not Harry. What she wouldn't admit is that it was hard for her to think that Harry would have another person he might
admire as much as her. She stared into his eyes and searched for his honesty. When she saw it she said, "You sure?"
"Always, Uma, always," he moved a hand from her shoulder and put it on her face. "No one will ever replace my Captain," He smiled.
"Promise me," She demanded.
"I promise," Harry said and he meant it. Uma would always have his heart and loyalty. She save him more times than he can count and he knew he would never be able to hurt her.
Uma raised and eyebrow and fought a smile, "Actions are what speak to me, Hook."
Harry seeing Uma's small smile formed a smile of his own as he dropped to one knee and grabbed her hand and said, "I'm yours, Uma Darling," He kissed her hand and said, "And you'll always be my number one. Am I yours?" He asked as he looked up at her with uncertainty in his eyes. The last four days could have changed what she felt for him.
Uma nodded as her smile grew, "You'll always be my number one."
"And nothing will change that. Deal?" Harry asked as he let go of Uma's hand and stuck it out for Uma to shake.
"Deal," Uma said as she shook his hand and then helped him back to his feet with the same hand.
Harry pulled her into a tight hug and whispered into her ear, "I missed you," he squeezed her tighter.
Wrapping her arms around him she said, "I missed you too," She lifted an arm to his hair and smiled when he melted further into his arms as she ran her hand through it.
They pulled back from each other and just stared into each other's eyes. Smiling they grabbed the other's hand and both decided to walk back to the tree Uma was sitting under earlier and that Harry hit and sit together.
After a few moments of silence Harry said, "We have to make a schedule so we can be together more."
"Well," Uma laughed awkwardly, "I have more free-time than I let you believe."
"So you were avoiding me?" Harry said as he turned to look at her.
"Maybe," Uma looked down at the ground as she chewed her bottom lip.
Harry put his hand under her chin and lifted to make her look into his eyes as he said, "You promise you won't do that again?"
Uma nodded and said, "Promise."
But Harry just looked at her with a raised eyebrow and said, "Words mean nothing."
Uma smiled and stuck out her hand, "Deal?"
Harry shook her hand and said, "Deal."
Uma laughed, "We sure make a lot of deals. How are we to keep track of them?"
Harry shrugged, "You'll just know."
Uma looked at Harry and said, "Okay."
Falling into a peaceful silence again, Uma broke it by asking, "Do you really have to go on that date with Melody?"
"Uma..." Harry warned.
"Fine, fine, I'll try to get along with her," Uma replied as she already regretted saying what she did.
"Actually," Harry began, "She never said I couldn't bring friends." Harry's smile grew as Uma's smile grew, "I mean, who doesn't love a good party?"
Hey loves! Here's another chapter for you. Gosh damnit, when will Uma admit these feelings and Melody needs to back up. And I'm sorry in advance if certain characters just disappear. It's hard to keep track of so many. But don't worry they're there and they'll be back. I just have to find out when.
Thanks for reading!
-TheOnly