Meet Me in the Hallway (HS AU)

thirty three.

The sound of knives and forks scraping on the plates was the only real noise in the house since we arrived home. Clem hadn't spoken to me since we had screamed at the lake, her silence was making me really nervous. She didn't seem quite right after she lost her shit but I knew Harry was taking care of her in private.

"I'm gonna go to bed, I've gotta drive back to Uni in the morning." Clem spoke in a low voice, her words directed towards Harry. She glanced at me quickly and nodded in a form of acknowledgement before disappearing from the kitchen.

The silence was awkward. It wasn't a pleasant silence that hinted we were just enjoying the presence of one another, it was a silence that indicated neither of us knew what to say to the other. I didn't want to ask him if Clem was ok because I didn't want to intrude on the obvious coping and support strategies they have in place for one another. Harry didn't want to ask if I was ok after going to Will's after his sister literally vandalised his property.

We both, though silent, mutually agreed to move to the living room and into the warmth. Harry sat on one side of the couch, wrapped in a blanket while he read a book from his shelf. I sat on the opposite side of the couch, also wrapped in a blanket while I scrolled through my phone.

As much as I tried to mind my own business, my eyes continued to work on their own and glance at him every couple of minutes. His hair was messy and his cheeks were red.

He had no idea just how much he has helped me the last six days.

"You've really helped me out, Harry. The last few days have been so hard but you have done so much and I am very appreciative. So, thank you."

He was looking so deep into my eyes, I feared he would see right to my soul. Although his eyes showed how exhausted he was, he still gave me an empathetic smile.

"It's ok. I just want for you what I wanted for Clem." His voice was so gentle, as if I was a fine china that harsh words would shatter.

"You two are so close, I wish I had siblings to feel that connection with."

"We actually used to hate each other. You probably wouldn't think that by looking at us now, but we didn't get along as kids." His eyes closed as he reminisced and he leant the side of his face on the couch, facing me.

"When did it change?" I was nosy and I couldn't help but ask.

"I don't think there was ever a real defining moment. I mean, for as long as I can remember -whether we were mad at each other or not- anytime there was a storm, she would come and hop into bed with me until I calmed down. I can't remember a time she hasn't come to comfort me when I was struggling.
Progressively, she started checking in with me in the morning after. Then she would check on me before bed during winter to see if I was ok. Then the middle part of the day sort of just became more pleasant, we realised that as much as we hate to admit it, we loved each other so much." His eyes opened contently and met mine.

I mimicked his position, leaning the side of my face on the back of the couch so we were looking directly at one another. "Tell me more." I whispered.

"My mum, May, used to love gardening. She still does, but she used to do it with me. Every time I'm feeling down or I just need my mum near, I buy a plant." He chuckled lightheartedly, but I could see the quick flash of sadness in his eyes at the mention of his mother.

"That explains the millions of pot plants you have inside, I haven't even had a chance to explore the back yard yet so god knows just how many you have." Harry rolled his eyes at my teasing. "What about your family? I now know you have a mother and didn't just appear on the face of the earth with Clem in tow."

"There's May, my mum. She looks exactly like Clem, the same face and height. It's uncanny really. Mum used to be a flight attendant but quit when she got pregnant with me and never went back. Said she had everything she needed, she didn't want to work and miss a second.
That being said; my Dad, Robert, has been a stock broker since forever. So she never really needed to work, Dad had it under control. Dad was usually the loud one, cracked all the shitty jokes and stuff. Mum was so gentle, she never spoke above a quiet tone. It just wasn't her nature.

You already know Clem and her story isn't mine to tell, other than the fact she's been a right pain in my arse for 23 years. My Grandpa on my mum's side is still in the UK, Mum helps to look after him. Gran passed away when I was little so I didn't really know her all that well. Apparently she and I were incredibly similar though, so it makes me a little upset that I never got to know her but there's nothing I can really do about it. Dad's parent's actually retired from their jobs in England and fucked off to the Gold Coast. They didn't really have any reason to pick Australia, they just liked the warm weather and well, the Gold Coast is warm.

Them being there though sort of influenced me to come here. I always wanted to move away and start fresh but I think they acted as my security blanket. You know, I'll go to Australia and if I hate being alone, they're just a few days drive away."

I was quite taken back by how much he had willingly shared with me. He was so closed off just this morning and for him to do a full 180 and open up to me about his family was really heart warming. He trusted me enough to tell me about those he cared so deeply about, and he didn't seem angry at himself for telling me.

"Did you end up feeling alone at all? I moved away from my home town too, not to the other side of the world but the way being by myself made me feel, it may as well have been." I shuffled closer, like being closer would mean getting the answer quicker.

"Absolutely I did. I hated being alone, it was one thing that I couldn't handle. I needed people to survive but I really loved this town. I didn't want to disappear to Queensland to my grandparents after a few weeks, it would have felt like giving up to me. So I found people. A few have come and gone but three have really stayed. We catch up every three to four weeks for drinks and chat in between. They're great, you'd love Ella. She's so kind but she's also the funniest bitch I know."

Harry rambled for hours, he told me about some of his friends' wildest nights out. One included bailing Michael out of police hold for spraying fire extinguishers at them and yelling "Fuck the Po-Po". As much as I wanted to sit up for hours and listen to Harry just talk, I could hardly keep my eyes open.

A hand brushed my hair away from my face and my eyes fluttered open. Harry rested his hand on my cheek and stroked my cheekbone with his thumb.
"C'mon, you're exhausted. Go to bed and I'll see you in the morning for work. I have a substitute on standby if you don't want to go or if you only want to do a half day."

His hand was so warm that I found myself involuntarily pressing my cheek harder against his palm. Nodding in compliance, I slowly stood and began making my way down the hallway to my bedroom which was a mess now that my things were scattered everywhere.

"Goodnight, Josephine." The whisper echoed down the hallway and I whispered one back before falling asleep on top of the blankets on my bed.