harlow groaned as her phone rang for the fourth time within five minutes. she had been trying to avoid the call from her friends, but it wasn't working as well as she thought. they were, after all, very persistent people.
giving in, harlow grabbed her phone from carter's pillow and answered the facetime call. "can't a girl just take a nap in peace around here?" harlow half-joked once the call connected.
"harls it's like three in the afternoon," devyn replied with a laugh.
harlow raised an eyebrow as if to challenge her friend. "yeah, and? i had a long night."
tara muffled her laugh behind her hand while kat just smirked at her. "yeah, sam mentioned you had a long night," kat trailed off, obviously wanting to share whatever it was that he had told her.
"babysitter harlow to the rescue!" tara added in, this time with no laugh but lots of fake enthusiasm, "sounded like fun."
harlow paused, thinking back to the night before. she and colby had won five games of beer pong in a row, and even though they rarely had to drink because their opponents kept missing the shot, colby did anyway. it was like a role reversal from the after-party at devyn's. this time, colby was the drunk one with the word vomit. and the actual vomit.
they were halfway through their sixth game of the night when colby turned to harlow with a single finger held in the air, then turned and ran towards the house. they were playing two of ginger's bridesmaids at the time, and neither of them knew colby well enough to check on him. and while she was sure sam, jake, or even corey would eventually go and check on their friend, she wanted to be the one beside him. not because of some lovey-dovey shit, but more as a thank-you to colby for doing the same things for her.
after excusing herself from the game, she made her way up to the house and towards the bathroom. the door was shut but she could hear a faint, "shits gross," from inside.
"colbs? it's me. can i come in?"
his answer was neither a yes nor a no. instead, she received a long, low, "eughhhhhh" sound, which was enough of a yes for her, as she immediately opened the door to assess the situation.
colby was sitting across from the toilet with his knees crunched up to his chest, arms around them in an attempt to hold them there. his face was flushed, and his fringe was plastered to his forehead with sweat. he looked awful, which was rare for colby.
"hi bubs," harlow greeted him quietly, "can i help clean you up?"
colby lifted his head at lightning speed at that. "don't call me that. i know you call that dickhead that. i'm not him." his words were slurred together, but the hurt in his voice was still evident. with an exaggerated pout, he whispered, "you called me baby."
the emotion in his words was so strong, so palpable. his anger hung around her in dark clouds, his pain as clear as day on his face. in all truth, she wanted to leave the bathroom that moment and go back to the party outside. but colby had once helped harlow in a time like this, and harlow knew she had to do the same.
so she swallowed her words and grabbed a facecloth from the basket on the vanity instead. while running the cloth under cold water, she glanced back at colby through the mirror. he was still in his knees-to-chest position but was no longer looking at her with the hurt look in his eyes.
"you know, you can still call me that. i won't tell anyone."
the comment made harlow laugh loudly. "i know you wouldn't."
she wrung the water out of the cloth and then folded it in half. in a few short steps, she was crouching in front of colby and holding the washcloth to his face. "looks like you don't know your limit, brock," harlow teased as she blotted the boy's face with the cool cloth.
"what would you say if i told you i knew my limit and just drank more anyway?"
harlow chuckled, "i wouldn't be surprised, that's for sure." with a gentle hand, she pushed colby's hair away from his forehead, holding the cloth there for a moment. "not much you say surprises me anymore."
colby furrowed his eyebrows together at that. "did you know that koalas get chlamydia?"
harlow giggled as she removed the cloth from colby's forehead, setting it on the vanity. she sat on the ground, her back against the cabinet doors. "that's very colby of you to know that," colby smiled proudly at that. "very on-brand of you. but no, it didn't surprise me."
"i mixed my drinks really strong tonight."
harlow faked surprise at that, getting colby riled up. then, just like that, dropped her expression. "jokes. i could've told you that for free, brock."
colby pouted at her words. he was silent for a moment, chin resting on his knees. "i miss you a lot," he whispered quietly.
harlow's eyes softened immediately. letting out a sigh, harlow just replied, "i know."
"i love you."
that's when harlow knew she should have just gotten up and left. colby was clearly done his retching the moment she walked in the door. she cleaned him up with the cloth, made sure he was okay. she had done her good deed for the night. there was nothing keeping her on the bathroom floor with a very drunk, sad colby. yet, she couldn't get up. she felt as though there was something keeping her tethered to her spot on the ground. reliving the same conversation once again.
"i know," she said softly while looking at her clasped hands in her lap.
"say it back." he murmured.
harlow swallowed visibly, "can't," she shrugged. before colby could say anything else, harlow spoke up, "let's find sam, hey? he can take you back home."
"please, harlow," colby begged.
harlow just ignored the boy's request, lifting herself off the floor. "or you can wait here, that's fine too. i'll find sam and tell him to come and get you."
"just stop fucking lying to yourself, harlow!" he shouted, voice cracking halfway through. "i know you love me too. you never stopped."
harlow didn't bother turning around to answer him. "colby, please just stop. you're drunk." she replied brokenly.
"i can see it, harls. i can see it in the way you look at me. i can feel it when you're around me. you love me." he insisted. "please, baby, just tell me you love me."
suddenly frustrated, harlow spun around only to be facing colby. he was a little unsteady on his feet, swaying just slightly. "colby, you need to fucking stop this shit. we keep talking in circles because you can't let this go. you can't let us go no matter how much i ask you to. i don't know what else to tell you. i've moved on."
"you fucking stop your shit! you're fucking lying to everyone! me, that fucking dickhead, even yourself.
harlow scoffed, "and how would you know? last i checked you can't read my fucking mind."
colby rolled his eyes, "i know you better than i know myself. that's how i know."
"you knew me colby. past tense." harlow placed her hand on the doorknob, ready to find sam. "this is hard for me too, colby. i'm trying so hard to be understanding and to make things not weird between us for elton and ginger's sake. but when you keep bringing this up, even after i've asked you countless times to let it go, it's fucking frustrating. there's only so much more shit i can take before i'm gone again. and this time i won't be back again."
harlow opened the door, hesitating. "i know you're drunk and you probably won't even remember half the shit i just said. but if you love me like you say you do, you'll let me live my life, colby. you'll let me be happy with carter. because loving someone is just wanting them to be happy." she paused for a final time that night. "stay here. i'll get sam for you."
and with that, she left colby alone in the bathroom.
so yeah, harlow was a bit of a babysitter. at least according to what she told sam. obviously, she left out some key details.
"he did the same thing for me once. it's just payback, y'know?" she replied while pulling the blankets up to her chin.
"all is fair in-" tara started before getting cut off by harlow groaning a "shut up".
"anyway," devyn sang, "it's our favourite night of the week!"
harlow pretended to check a calendar, "oh is big brother on tonight?"
"i hate you and i love you all at once," kat laughed.
"it's pizza night, duh," devyn informed harlow, ignoring kat's comment entirely.
"absolutely not."
"pleeeaaaaaseeee," kat begged, her lip jutting out in a semi-convincing pout.
harlow sighed loudly as she propped her phone up on the nightstand next to her bed so the girls would be able to see her still.
"it's literally pizza, h," devyn reasoned, "how do you say no to pizza?"
"easy, no."
tara's laugh rang through the speakers of the phone. "she got ya there, dev,"
"i'm ninety-eight percent sure it's not the pizza part she's saying no to, though."
harlow rolled her eyes, "dev, 'm right here dude."
before devyn could reply, kat spoke up. "look, i get it harlow. but it's family pizza night. and you're part of that family."
devyn nodded in agreement. "exactly! it just sucks that you felt like you couldn't come after you started dating carter,"
"he's your family, so he's our family." tara smiles, warmth radiating through the phone.
the thing is, harlow has never once doubted that her friends didn't see carter as part of their friend-family. the girls took him in right away, and while the boys took a bit longer, eventually, they not only got along with him but wanted to hang out with him on their own.
so it wasn't that harlow was worried about carter not fitting in or feeling welcomed. the only reason he wouldn't feel comfortable going to their weekly family pizza nights is because of colby.
"i know that, i do, it's just," harlow trailed off, huffing out a breath of air. "let's not forget that colby apparently still has feelings for me, and taking my current boyfriend to a friend function where my ex-boyfriend will also be is the most chaotic thing i could do."
kat chuckled, "trust me, we didn't forget, harls."
"it just sucks that you feel like he's holding you back from being part of the group. it's not fair that he's stopping you from hanging out with all of us." tara chimed in.
three quiet knocks on the door interrupted harlow's thoughts. carter's politeness of not wanting to interrupt their conversation was almost funny to her.
"you can come in, carter," harlow said with a smile on her face.
carter popped his head through the door, "sorry, harls and friends of harls," he apologized, waving at the girls on facetime.
"friends of harlow? really, you dick?" tara replied, sarcasm thick in her voice.
"hi girlies," he corrected teasingly.
"okay, now it's too relaxed. there's no happy medium."
carter cleared his throat in the most dramatic way before coming into the frame of the camera. "okay, here. good day, lady tara, lady katrina, and lady devyn."
kat and devyn immediately burst out in laughter while tara just rolled her eyes. "i literally hate you, carter."
carter smirked, "i reciprocate those feelings of resentment towards you, lady tara."
harlow watched carter with a sparkle in her eyes. it always warmed her heart how easily he could get along with the girls.
"harlow, fix him. i literally beg you."
carter looked at harlow expectantly, an eyebrow raised. "the act of fixing my vernacular will be a large feat, lady harlow. i wish you the best of luck on this mission of yours."
harlow rolled her eyes jokingly. "i kind of like him like this, you guys,"
"please, no," tara replied, "save us. save me."
harlow laughed before sitting up and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. from her seated position on the bed, she peered up at carter through her eyelashes sweetly. "hi, baby. i missed you. kiss?"
carter was never one to turn down a kiss. his hand found its place on the side of harlow's face, his fingers tangling in her hair. lowering himself to her height, his lips met hers in a sweet kiss. after a moment he pulled away but kept his face near hers.
"missed you. you've been in here for ages," he stated, punctuating each word with a kiss on her cheeks, forehead, nose, and all the places in between.
harlow snorted, "you're the neediest, i swear,"
carter pouted, "'m not just needy. i'm also hungry. we should go to the store to find something to make for dinner."
and as soon as he spoke those words, harlow knew what would happen next.
"hungry, you say?" devyn asked in a mischievous tone. "well, you're in luck!"
carter crawled over harlow on the bed, leaning against the headboard as he grabbed harlow's phone that was propped up. all harlow could do was snuggle beside carter, nuzzling her face in the space where his neck meets his shoulders.
"you had me at hungry," carter joked, his arms snaking around harlow's body to bring her impossibly closer to him.
"do you want to come over for family pizza night? the whole group is coming over."
carter perked up at the mention of pizza. "fuck yeah!" harlow sighed internally, squirming in carter's grasp. he could obviously sense her hesitation, so he placed a quick kiss on her temple. "if that's okay with you, baby."
harlow squirmed again, seeking more attention from carter. he came through instantly, the arm wrapped around her body rubbing her in a comforting way. "i dunno, kinda wanted chicken parm for dinner.." she mumbled into his skin.
"bull!" kat said matter-of-factly.
"please come, you guys," tara interjected, trying to bring carter's attention away from kat's statement. "you never come to family pizza night."
carter frowned at this. "i never knew we were invited."
"ope," devyn said, knowing they said too much. "well, maybe we'll see you tonight! pizza is at tara and jake's tonight at seven."
"yeah, okay," carter replied, still thrown off by tara's comment. or maybe it was kat's comment.
all three girls chimed in with their goodbyes before hanging up the call. once they were gone, carter gently placed the phone back on the nightstand.
"alright, h, why're you hiding?"
harlow shrugged half-heartedly. "just tired. do you need me to come to the store with you for the chicken?"
"don't you wanna go to the pizza family thing with your friends?" carter asked curiously, eyebrows knit together.
"not really,"
it was silent for a few moments between them, save for the sounds of their breathing syncing up with each other. "what's wrong, bub? you never want to pass up seeing your friends."
harlow huffed, rolling over onto her back, her eyes closed. "i just don't think you'd want to go there,"
"...because?"
"it's the whole family."
harlow swore she could hear the gears turning in carter's head, and finally a ding, "oh! oh,"
"yeah,"
carter shrugged, "i'm not bothered by it, harls. i don't want to be the reason you stop hanging out with your friends."
harlow blinked her eyes open slowly, glancing over at carter who was watching her intently. "i still see them,"
"but obviously you miss out on things like the pizza family thing,"
he wasn't wrong, but it had never really bothered her, missing out on some of the larger friend group hangouts. only the odd time was she upset that they weren't there, and that was usually because one of the girls spammed her with texts begging her to come. then she was a little bit bothered.
"meh, sometimes," harlow replied honestly, "but i never wanted to make you feel like you had to go. or like, uncomfortable about the whole thing."
carter rolled onto his side, propping his head up with his hand. "i'd go. for you, but also cause they're my friends, too." harlow smiled warmly at carter. "plus, it shows how unbothered we are by the whole thing. how strong we are together, right?"
harlow considered it for a moment, "yeah, i guess you're right," she paused, "i hadn't thought about it like that."
carter grinned, "so, pizza night, then?"
harlow rubbed her face with her hands, "fuck it. let's go."
carter whooped, pumping one first in the air in excitement. "sick! do you want me to let them know?"
harlow shook her head, grabbing her phone. "i'll text 'em."
BITCHES AND HOES
HARLEY 🧚🏼♀️, KITKAT,
DEV LUNDY 🍭, TARA 👅
HARLEY 🧚🏼♀️
order an extra pizza
no fuckin' olives
DEV LUNDY 🍭
STFU
TARA 👅
i love u. fuck yes.
KITKAT
the fam will be all back
together !!!!!
i'm cryin
DEV LUNDY 🍭
no ur not
HARLEY 🧚🏼♀️
on this week's editions of
trap girls: exposed
TARA 👅
i'd read it
DEV LUNDY 🍭
rt
KITKAT
why are we all glossing
over the fact that harlow
is coming to pizza night
so fast ??? huh????
HARLEY 🧚🏼♀️
yeah bring the spotlight back
to me plz
i am gracing y'all with my
presence tonight after all
DEV LUNDY 🍭
no 💙
TARA 👅
harls in the spotlight
HARLEY 🧚🏼♀️
it's a yes from me
DEV LUNDY 🍭
yes
KITKAT
no
TARA 👅
yes
HARLEY 🧚🏼♀️
three yeses!!!!! i'm moving
on!!!!!
omg !!!! i'm calling my mom
rn
DEV LUNDY 🍭
wow i'm crying
that was so moving
KITKAT
wtf is wrong with u guys
TARA 👅
KITKAT
TARA
I HATE U
TARA 👅 removed KITKAT from the conversation.
HARLEY 🧚🏼♀️
TARA SKDSGSDIG
TARA 👅
it's what she deserves 🇨🇦
DEV LUNDY 🍭
STOP
NOT THE CANADIAN SLANDER
DEV LUNDY 🍭 added KITKAT to the conversation.
KITKAT
murder u. murder u all so hard.
HARLEY 🧚🏼♀️
i love it here
THOUGHTS
omg hi! so it's been a lil' while
since i've updated this.
here's a lil life update for u
(scroll if u don't care):
i graduated from college!!!
big brain moves ONLY.
then i went on a two month
holiday back to my super small,
super isolated town this summer.
after all my concerts cancelling
this year, it was actually a good
distraction!
also!!! i got a full-time job. so
i'm putting my degree to great use!
(bonus points if you can guess
what my degree is in or what i'm
doing for work).
anyway, i'm gonna try to be
better about updating this story
more often! i didn't forget about it,
but i definitely haven't been
prioritizing it, either.
hopefully, this chap makes up for
my absence!
feels good to be writing again.
love u all!!! -d