"When I'm all turned upside down
And I got that aching need
Boogeyman yea he'll come for me"
***
It's been over a week, over a week since I have seen or spoken Harry. It's been over a week of ignoring his calls and messages, a week of trying to pull the seed of him that that's been planted in my brain but only grown and weaved it's way through permanently like a weed.
That last night I saw him ended without any other incidents, I still can't believe the amount Harry handed me at the end of the night. Five hundred dollars seemed ridiculous for a few hours of photographs, but he insisted that's what the owner had agreed to pay.
I watched Harry leave that night with two women afterwards, the pit of my stomach dropping slightly as I watched. If I didn't need more reassurance that I should cut ties with him after what happened in that bathroom, that was certainly the nail in the coffin for me.
What he does is his business, it doesn't even concern me, but after the stunt he pulled in that toilet stall, to then leave with two women so casually, smirking at me as he left was further indication of his behaviours that I don't want to be a part of.
The owner seemed to like the photos I had emailed him, which was a surprise considering the heinous things that were happening in them, but I suppose that's the image they were going for.
I was surprised when I proceeded to get several emails trying to convince me to take more promotional photos for the club, but I politely declined, Andy would have started world war three if I had of mentioned even remotely going near that place - or Harry again.
I didn't hear the end about that night from him for three days, or how dissapointed he was in me that I had, had some kind of relationship with Harry at some point, I've still left the specific details out and only pointed out that it was years ago.
I don't think anything I said would have made a difference, he went on very long, colourful tangents about his exact thoughts on Harry and how people like him are everything that's wrong with the world.
I'm just relieved things have gone back to somewhat of a semblance of normal, and that I've managed to stick to my decision of staying away from him.
"Abby can you grab one of the milk crates from the cool room honey?" Maurine asks as she organises the various bags of coffee beans near the front counter.
Maurine is by far, one of the sweetest ladies I've met, and I feel blessed that I have her for a boss.
She's a lovely middle aged woman I met when I started coming to this little coffee shop everyday when I moved here, and she eventually offered me a job, she doesn't really need me here and I know that, I think she just keeps me around for the company.
She's mildly eccentric, and has a bit of an obsession with crystals, constantly lecturing me about their powers and meanings, but I find it endearing.
"Sure thing" I smile, wiping my hands down the front of my apron and walking out the back, getting the milk takes me longer than it needed too, this refrigerator often just has everything shoved into it and desperately needs to be organised.
I make my way inside from the refrigerated cool room out the back, and almost drop the crate in my hands when I see who is standing at the counter.
He's leant on his hands, talking to Maurine with a wide smile, charisma seeping off of every word and mannerism.
Why is the devil in my coffee shop?
Maurine catches me standing there with my mouth hung open, and smiles widely "Oh Abby dear, come here, I was just talking to your lovely friend Harry"
Excuse me? He is not my friend.
Harrys attention immediately snaps to me, his eyes glancing over my figure as a pleased smirk pulls over his lips.
How the fuck does he know where I work?
Maurine waves her hand, urging me to come over, and I feel like I'm about to vomit.
I take slow uneasy steps towards them, placing the crate down behind the counter, and stand next to Maurine, darting my eyes between her and the smug asshole stood on the other side, that won't take those infuriating eyes off of me.
Maurine smacks my shoulder playfully "How come you never mentioned this handsome young man to me before, I thought I knew all of your friends"
I glance to Harry, and he tilts his head with a look that says he's waiting for my answer, and I clench my teeth at how cocky his whole expression is.
"I only bumped into him again recently" I reply clipped, wanting to snap at Harry and ask why he's even here.
"I don't even get a hello? I'm hurt love" he pouts.
I turn my head to Harry, smiling and replying through my teeth "Hi Harry"
Harry raises and drops his brows "Hi again little mouse"
Maurine looks between us, as if she's trying to figure out why our interaction seems so tense, but she just shrugs it off, probably chalking it down to my awkward nature.
"Harry was just telling me you two had plans today" Maurine says, raising her brows accusingly towards me.
I snap my head so fast towards her I nearly pull a muscle as I gawk at her "What?"
"You could have told me dear, I would've been more than happy to give you the day off, you didn't have to cancel on the poor boy" she frowns, scolding me lightly.
Maurine acts like a mother figure towards me, she's taken me under wing since I met her and she honestly treats me better than my actual mother does.
I look to Harry, who has a satisfied shit eating grin on his face.
Every fibre in my body wants to slap it off of him.
"I can't, I had to work today" I narrow my eyes at Harry, trying to figure out what exactly he's told my boss.
Maurine shakes her head, creasing her forehead as she dismisses my excuse straight away "Oh don't start with that bloody nonsense, all you do is work, I already told him I'd give you the rest of the day off, he told me about the surprise he had for you"
What has this sly son of a bitch told her?
I press my lips together firmly as I glare daggers at Harry "Oh did he now?"
Who does he think he is? Just waltzing in here and lying through his teeth.
"Yes and this beautiful young lady was kind enough to do me the favour of letting you off work so we didn't have to cancel our plans" he says with a charming smile, looking to Maurine and I can tell she's already caught under his spell as she stares back at him with a bashful grin.
"Oh stop it" she waves off shyly "You're gonna give this old woman a big head"
"And what plans would they be?" I ask, still glaring at him, trying to hide the annoyed tone in my voice.
For once I'm not a frazzled bag of nerves around this man, all I feel is irritation bubbling in my chest.
"Uh uh" he tutts "I told you it was a surprise"
The only surprise here is you Harry.
Maurine looks between us with an amused expression, thinking that this interaction between us is just friendly banter.
If only she knew I'd spent all of this time trying to wipe this mans face from my memory.
Harry runs his fingers through his mess of curls, pushing them up off his forehead looking at me with that mischievous dimple anchored in his cheek.
It's making my blood boil.
Maurine pats my behind "Now off you go, everything will be fine here, you kids go have fun"
"Oh no, Maurine honestly, I can stay, it's such short notice..." I try to reason quickly, hoping she will agree so I don't have to spend any more time with this man.
Maurine scowls, shooing me with her hands "Nonsense, I don't want to hear another word about it, get going"
The fact that Maurine is so kind is coming back to royally bite me in the ass.
"Fine" I sigh and I throw my head back, staring at the ceiling as I turn to make my way around the counter, wishing the ground would open up and swallow me instead.
If he thinks for one second he's getting away with this, or that I'm going anywhere with him he is sorely mistaken.
I untie my apron, throwing it on the bench behind the counter and grabbing my handbag as I walk around it to meet Harry on the other side.
He's leant against the counter, twirling his rings around on his fingers, watching my movements intently.
He seems totally unfazed by my frustration, in fact as usual he seems to only find it entertaining.
I'm even more annoyed by how good he looks, it's infuriating how enchanting he is and that I can't help but still be in awe over it.
It's completely unfair.
When I reach him, Harry picks a cup off of the counter, nodding his head towards Maurine with another heart stopping smile "Thank you for the cup of ice, and letting me steal Abby away for a few hours, you're an angel"
I'm struck by his out of character politeness, but I'm not fooled by it, I can tell its a well executed act just to get what he wants, and I'll be damned if it didn't work.
"Any time, you're welcome here any time young man" Maurine smiles back, looking eagerly between the both of us.
Someone kill me.
Harry extends a bent elbow out to me "Shall we? "
I link my arm through his begrudgingly, giving Maurine a tight smile as Harry leads me towards the front door.
As soon as its closed behind us I rip my arm away from his, throwing my hands in the hair "Harry what the hell do you think you're doing!"
Harry's lips tug upwards, as he reaches into his back pocket, pulling out a silver flask, and unscrews the lid with his thumb "Taking you out for a surprise, weren't you listening to young Maurine in there?"
I stare at him like he has lost his mind, which I'm fairly sure he didn't have any sanity to begin with "How do you even know where I work? You can't just show up like this!"
Harry tips his flask into his cup, his amused expression only growing, the brown liquid splashing as pours he pours it and my face only grows more incredulous.
"It's 11am, are you seriously drinking right now?" I say, scrunching my nose in disbelief.
"You seem stressed" he smiles "Had a rough week love?"
I clench my fists at my side "I'm being serious Harry, you can't just show up at my work and pull a stunt like this"
Harry shrugs as he takes a long sip out of his drink "You didn't give me another option, I don't like being ignored Abby"
I throw my hands against my face, groaning in frustration "I told you I couldn't see you again, what part of that didn't you understand?"
Harrys hand wraps around my wrist, pulling me towards him "But you did want to see me again, you're just letting that boyfriend tell you what to do"
My stomach flutters at the close distance between us, and I try not to let it show "I can't be around you, and you know why"
"I'm afraid I don't, we're just two friends spending the day together" he says coyly.
My brows shoot up, and I scoff "I am not spending the day with you"
"We'll just see about that" he shoots back, lowering his eyes towards me.
I fold my arms over my chest, trying to stand my ground "Go home Harry, I'm not going anywhere with you"
Harry lifts his drink to his lips, throwing the rest of it down his throat and looks to me like my stubbornness is only encouraging him more "Wrong again love, if you want me to go home so badly you're going to have to take me"
"I'm not driving you home" I argue, getting more annoyed by his arrogance.
He holds up his empty cup, pouting "I've been drinking, I can't drive, so I guess you do have to drive me home"
My mouth drops "I can't fucking believe you, I'm not driving you home, get a taxi"
"Either you drive me, or I'm driving myself after I finish this whole thing" he taunts back, pulling the flask from his pocket and waving it in his hand.
"You can't blackmail me into spending time with you" I bite back, wanting to scream at how confident his expression is.
"It's not blackmail if it's what you want"
"It's not what I want"
"Are you trying to convince me or yourself Abby? Because I know that's a lie" he says leaning his face towards me, challenging me with a raise of his brows.
I blow out an annoyed breath, frowning at him - I hate that he's right, I hate it more that he knows it.
"Just spend today with me, if you don't want to see me again afterwards, I'll leave you alone" he proposes, wetting his lips as his haunting eyes focus on mine.
I chew on the inside of my lip, mulling his proposition around in my head. I know enough about Harry by now, to know that the more I try to push him away, the harder he's going to push back.
The feeling in my gut is screaming at me that this is a terrible idea, that I'm only weaving myself further into his web and soon I won't be able to find my way back out.
"You promise you'll leave me alone after this?" I press, ignoring every ounce of my better judgement.
Harry purses his lips, darting his eyes over my face "If its what you really want"
"Fine" I huff, pointing my finger towards him "Just this one time, and that's it"
I already feel sick about this, I know I can never tell Andy, and I don't think he'd ever forgive me if he found out I was within ten feet of Harry.
"Don't look so worried little mouse, what's the worst that could happen?" he grins innocently, taking a swig from his flask.
I know what the worst thing is, and that's the reason I've been so adamant about staying away from him, because it's already started to happen.
It's him, he's the worst thing, because he already posses every part of my mind, whether I'm awake or in my dreams and I know I'm playing with poison.
I roll my eyes at his question, trying to ignore the gnawing of my conscience "Don't make me regret this Harry"
Harry bites down on his lip, looking like his fighting something he knows that I don't through his own mind, and simply extends his hand out towards me "Let's go, I have somewhere I want to take you"
***