It was two more days before I heard a word from Harry. By the third day I was successfully done caring.
I hoped.
I still used the dark room. I had to. If I was going to get through this interview with Margot Barnes I had to put my best foot forward and that involved the best pictures I could take. So far I had done well. Dori was blown away and she was by far an even worse critic of my stuff than I was.
My calm was the dark room. It didn't matter it's location or that Harry could walk in at any moment. I barely thought about him at all when I was in there. I was solely focused on the images I had captured coming to life on photo paper.
Would I ever be as good as Imogen Cunningham? Dare to dream. The bar she set would always be something I would strive to reach. But I was satisfied with what I'd created. In awe of myself, even. I guess I worked well under pressure.
I saw my phone light up as one of my pictures came to life. I wiped my hands clean of any wayward chemicals before I grabbed it.
Harry's name stared back at me with a three word text.
I've missed you
I felt anger bubble up from my toes.
Douchebag.
I set my phone down without answering.
My phone lit up again a few moments later. Harry again.
My place tomorrow night? Dinner? 7:30? I have so much to tell you
I snorted. I'm sure he did.
I shook my head. I couldn't abide his arrogance. Did he really think he'd pulled the wool over my eyes? How stupid did he think I was?
And then it dawned on me. He did think I was stupid. How on earth would he have ever expected me to be in this room without Sandy realizing someone else was here was beyond me. Did he expect us to live with him together? Some plural relationship? That may work for some but it didn't for me.
I grabbed my phone. It was time to teach Mr. Styles a lesson.
Sounds great. Can't wait. I replied
I shoved my phone back into my bag. I couldn't wait.
---------------------
Friday came quickly. I decided to head to the dark room early. Harry wasn't there which was probably better. It would help me to calm down before tonight's performance. I needed to keep my wits and not let his stupid attractive face get in the way of my goal.
What was my goal? I wasn't sure yet.
I wasn't really a drinker but if I was going to do this without stumbling all over my words tonight I would need some liquid courage. The cheap bottle of wine I'd picked up on the way to Harry's house was now almost half gone.
I definitely needed to slow down.
And eat.
The knock at the door sent my heart into my throat.
Well, here we go.
Harry opened the door a few moments later. The smile that stretched over his face made my heart hurt. He really was happy to see me.
He came towards me, his hands taking mine,
"I saw the light on." It seemed like he was out of breath, "I'm so happy you're here."
I smiled in response, the best fake smile ever. Wow, maybe I should've tried acting myself,
"Just getting some pictures developed."
I slipped my hands from his. I thought I'd done it rather smoothly but the look on Harry's face told me otherwise. He noticed the shift between us.
He cleared his throat as he looked around,
"These look great. You've been busy."
I nodded as I focused on the picture developing in front of me,
"I need to put my best foot forward with Margot next week."
"I saw that. I'm so proud of you."
I quirked my eyebrows but kept my eyes on the photo.
He took a step to stand next to me,
"I'm sorry I was MIA...the shoot was...hard."
"Sounded like it."
"Are you angry with me?"
I looked up at him with a shake of my head and a smile,
"No. It's not like I'm your girlfriend or anything right?"
Harry went to say something, it looked as though he was going to protest. He glanced over his shoulder,
"I invited some friends over for a dinner party...is that alright?"
"Sure. It's your house."
He looked slightly confused. He leaned down to kiss me. I turned my head just in time for his lips to land on my cheek. He pulled back, the confusion on his face even deeper. I could tell he wanted to say something.
He glanced down at the half empty bottle of wine and then back at me,
"You ready?"
I nodded,
"Sure." I grabbed the bottle and the wine glass, taking the last sip in one gulp, "Let's get the show on the road." I said as I followed him out of the room.
---------------------
Harry had set out the vegetables he was using for the meal as if I was going to chop them. I couldn't blame him, it's what I'd done every other time. However I'd been totally sober those other times. I was decidedly not now.
Oh well. What's the worst that could happen? I could take pictures with nine fingers. I set to chopping.
Harry seemed to notice the silence. He leaned against the counter where I was chopping, having no idea just how much he was taking his life into his own hands by doing so.
"I can't wait for you to see what I was shooting. It was really special."
I reached forward to pour myself another glass of wine,
"I bet it was." I shot him a look, "Isn't everything you do special?"
He stared back at me, no doubt noticing the bite in my words,
"Well...I mean...I just-"
"What are we making?" I interrupted.
"Thought we could try enchiladas again? It was really good the first time."
"Fabulous." I said as I tossed a few peppers I'd chopped into the mix.
Harry squinted his eyes at me,
"Are you alright?"
I lifted my glass in response,
"I'm amazing."
He was about to respond when the front door closed,
"Harry?!" I heard the same voice I'd heard a few days ago.
Sandy.
She came into view, a bright smile on her face. She reached forward to hug Harry, her mouth landing on his in a quick kiss,
"Thank God you're back...I missed you so much." He hugged..and kissed...her back.
What the hell kind of people had I gotten myself involved with? Harry didn't seem taken back by her kissing him in front of me at all.
Ugh. Douchebag.
I was about to reach over for my wine glass when Sandy approached me,
"It's so nice to see you again!" She exclaimed as she pulled me into her arms.
Harry smiled,
"Oh, so you've met then?"
Sandy nodded,
"You'd know that if you ever answered your damn phone."
I don't know why but it made me feel good to know he'd dodged her the last few days as well. She shook her head,
"Always so secretive."
I snorted out a laugh causing both of them to look at me.
---------------------
I wish I could say that my awkward silence at dinner caused them any kind of issue but it didn't. They yammered away as if I wasn't even there. So I drank my wine.
Yeah, I was drunk.
So what?
If you had been in this shit show of a dinner you'd have had to have been drunk too. Sandy glanced in my direction when I smacked my lips together after my last sip,
"Harry, we're being incredibly rude."
I snorted out a laugh,
"Nah...please continue speaking as if I'm not in the room."
Harry and Sandy both glanced at each other, no doubt realizing I was drunk. And belligerent.
Sandy cleared her throat,
"So uh...what was this big secret about? New video?"
He shrugged,
"Kind of. I can't give too many hints. It's so hard for me to keep secrets, I like to keep them as long as I can."
This time the laugh wasn't a snort at all. It was loud though. I quickly sank back into my chair with my wine glass,
"Sorry." I apologized in a small voice.
"Well," Sandy began, "I sure hope I'm one of the first who gets to see it." She added as she glanced in my direction.
I stared back at her. I felt like I was going to explode. Was this chick serious? It was clear now she was in on this scam. I did my best to sit forward but oh my God I was so drunk. I could barely feel my limbs. I must have looked like a limp fish.
I finally made it into the foreboding position I desired...well, close enough anyway. I glared at her,
"You think I'll be first in on this secret?"
She laughed,
"Of course you will. You are his new girlfriend."
Harry's eyes widened. He put his hand over his eyes and shook his head,
"Sand..." He breathed her name.
I watched him for a moment and then I looked back at her,
"Oh I'm his new girlfriend huh? Lucky me." I said as I reached forward for my empty wine glass. I frowned when I saw its void staring back at me. I looked back up at Sandy. My anger was now not in my control any longer. I launched up out of my chair, swaying a bit as the inebriation hit me full force. I closed my eyes to steady myself and then opened them again to glare at her.
Both of them were looking at me like I was nuts. I didn't blame them.
I shook my head,
"This place is a fucking circus." I exclaimed, slurring every word with an "s" or a "c" in it. I shook my head, "I don't care if I am the first to see shit..." I turned to walk out of the room, "I'm outta here."
My feet were far heavier than I expected and I went toppling onto the floor, face first. I heard both Sandy and Harry gasp. Harry charged over to me,
"Sylvie..." He said as he knelt down.
My tooth had hit my lip, causing so much blood you'd have thought I'd stabbed myself. Sandy gasped again as she walked towards me just as the doorbell rang. Harry ripped his shirt off, holding it to my busted lip as he led me into the kitchen,
"Get the door." He breathed as we walked away.
He propped me up against the kitchen sink, sitting me on a stool,
"Stay here...I'll get some ice."
I shook my bowed head over the sink, watching as blood dripped onto he copper,
"I'm injured..." I whined.
Harry nodded,
"I know. What the hell is going on Sylvie? What was that display out there?"
I lifted my head, my hair hanging in my face. I was sure I Iooked sexy as hell,
"Sandy is your girlfriend."
"What?" He asked as he frantically filled a dish towel with ice, "Where the hell did you get that idea?"
"From her!" I yelled, stopping when blood sprayed everywhere, "She said she was your girlfriend."
Harry walked towards me, pressing the ice to my face gently,
"There's more than one definition for girlfriend than the one you're using, Sylvie." He shot back, a slight tone of annoyance in his voice.
"What?" I asked, slurring my words a bit as my lip started to blow up.
Harry sighed,
"Hold that to your face ok? I'll be right back."
I couldn't help but feel the impending dread as I sat in the kitchen, my head swimming...literally. Harry returned a few moments later, pulling a shirt over his head,
"Can you walk? There's someone you should meet."
I pulled the ice away from my mouth, looking at him like he was nuts,
"Someone you want me to meet? Are you crazy?"
Harry frowned as he pulled me up off my seat,
"Yes. Someone you need to meet."
I refused to walk any further than the doorway of the kitchen, stopping when I saw Sandy pull away from what looked to be a pretty heated kiss with a very tall, brunette gentlemen standing in Harry's foyer.
He turned to me, his smile faltering just slightly when he saw the blood,
"Hello." He said as he held his hand out to me, "I'm Charles..." When I did nothing but stare down at his hand he continued, "Sandy's fiancee..."
The full weight of my mistake hit me in a split second,
"Oh...nooooo..." I whined as I turned to walk down Harry's hallway, speeding up with each step, "I'm gonna throw up." I announced before slamming the door behind me.