Invisible String || H.S

Chapter 25

It feels like someone has sprinkled sand on my eyelids as I struggle to keep them open while trying to memorize facts about a historical event that happened hundreds of years ago. I'm nearing the end of my study guide but have read over this page in my book nearly five times and have yet to retain what it says. 

Picking up my phone, I check the time and see that it's nearing eight in the morning, and I have been up since six thirty working on these study guides. I decide to pack my stuff up and study in a new environment, preferably one with caffeine. 

Glancing out the window, I see grey clouds scattered around the sky and decide that my sweatpants and a sweatshirt will do just fine in the weather. I grab my supplies off my desk, and half haphazardly stuff them into my backpack before swinging it over my shoulder and heading for the front door. Bella is gone when I leave my room, and I assume she too is either with Chris or studying literally any place else. 

The walk over to the coffee shop isn't a long one, but by the time I get there and order my matcha, my hands and nose still haven't regained warmth, and the regret of not bringing a jacket has very much sunk in. I manage to find a table towards the back of the coffee shop and start unloading all my stuff. I'm an hour into one of my study guides when I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket multiple times. Half of my brain is telling me to keep studying, but the other half is screaming at me to check if it's Harry that's texted me. I end up doing the latter and pull my phone from my pocket. 

Mind if I stop by and say goodbye? My flight is leaving this afternoon, so I'm headed to the airport in two hours. It can be a quick goodbye since I know you have to study for finals. 

I read the text from Harry twice before responding. The words don't go being typed out before I delete them and actually respond, even though I would rather have sent the first one. I send him the location of the coffee shop I'm at, and five minutes later says he's on his way. A slight panic fills me, and I turn on my camera to see the current state of how I look. I have some extra stay curls escaping from my bun, but other than that, I look the same as when I checked in the side mirror in the hall when I left for the coffee shop. 

Fifteen minutes go by, and I pretend to study even though my mind has been hyper-fixating on the door opening, waiting for familiar footsteps. I only look up when I see familiar boots standing by the side of the table. 

"Studying hard or hardly studying?" Harry says with a slight smile on his face. A smile spreads across mine, but a blush quickly accompanies it when he leans down and kisses me before sitting in the chair across from mine. He takes off his coat and drapes it on the back of his chair before reaching for the top of his head and pulling off his beanie. I'm in a slight trance as I watch him rake his hands through his hair and shake out his curls. I bookmark the page I'm on in my textbook and shove it slightly to the side. 

"Did you order anything?" I ask as I realize that he didn't come over holding anything when he sat down. He shakes his head no before stretching slightly and looking around the coffee shop. 

"That's new," he says as he points to the matcha next to my books. I push it towards him and he brings it to his lips as he tries it. 

"I decided to venture out and try something other than just getting hot chocolate. Are you proud of me?" I say jokingly as I take my drink back and take a sip of it myself. He lets out a soft laugh that brings butterflies to my stomach. 

"So proud of you. How long have you been here?"

"Since around nine, the walls in my room felt like they were closing in on me so I had to get away." 

He laughs before letting me know he's going to get a coffee or else he will pass out before he even gets on the plane. I can't help but watch him as he waits in line for his drink. A wave of mixed emotions comes over me as I think about our conversation from the night before. Part of me wants to tell Harry that I don't want to just keep this casual and that I want us to label what we have, but part of me realizes I need to be rational. I'm not going to see this man for two months. I can't expect him to want that when we're going to be on completely different sides of the country. 

My thoughts quickly clear as I see him walking back to the table, with not only coffee but cookies in his hands too. I smile as I reach for them and the first bite is savory as the warm chocolate melts on my tongue. He smiles as he sits down and takes a bite from his own. 

"Figured this would help a bit with the studying."

"You were right," I say in response before taking another bite. He slides his coffee over for me to taste, claiming that the barista said it was their drink of the month and that he had to get it. Peppermint and another flavor I can't quite think of collide as I swallow the drink down. I nod in approval as I slide it back over to him. 

"Hey, I just wanted to check and make sure we're good after our conversation yesterday. If I'm being honest, I wish things were different and I wasn't about to leave to go across the country. Because I really like you, Evelyn. I really really like you. I just... there's just a lot happening right now, and I don't want you to feel like you're not a priority to me... if we were dating, I would want you to feel like my number one priority, and I just... I just can't do that right now." 

I can feel my heart breaking as I force a smile to stay on my face. Looking down at my drink, I try and collect my thoughts before I blurt out something that ruins everything. 

"It's fine, Harry, really...I understand. I wish things were different too. Would I love to be in a relationship with you? Absolutely. Do I realize that the timing of all of this is terrible? Absolutely. Let's just see how things go in the two months that we're apart, and then when we see each other in February, we can decide what we want to do then." I surprisingly manage to get out without my voice wavering, even though my heart feels like a deflated balloon. 

He smiles, and I know I've said the right thing. Taking another sip of my drink, I reach for the last bit of my cookie. Harry starts to talk about the upcoming tour again before the conversation falls back onto the topic of my finals during the upcoming week. He checks his watch, and I watch his eyebrows raise in alarm. 

"Shit, I have to be at the airport in thirty minutes. I got here two hours ago, but I could've sworn I've only been here for like thirty." He says as he shoots up from his chair and reaches for his coat and hat. I watch him put them on, wishing I was able to leave with him. Getting up from my seat, I put on my best sad face. 

"None of that; it's already hard to leave as is," he says as he pulls me into him. He's warm, and his embrace is one that I don't want to have end. I lean back in his hold and bring my lips to his, hoping that through it, I can say everything I wish I had said instead of what I actually did. Our kiss breaks and he quickly comes in for another. It feels so right and a whimper almost leaves my lips when this one breaks and I remember we're in a coffee shop. 

"Goodbye Evie, I'll be in touch." He says before leaning in and stealing another kiss. 

"Goodbye Harry, have a safe flight." 

He gives me a small smile before turning and heading for the door, his hands in his pockets and his head slightly down. I fall back into my seat, and watch him all the way to the door, not knowing how I'm going to be able to calm my thoughts enough to study the rest of the day. I get up and order another drink so that I'm not just sitting, staring down at my books. After thirty minutes of scrolling through his Instagram, I decide to hide my phone in my backpack and try studying again. Harry's only been gone for thirty minutes and I'm already a mess, this is going to be a long week. 

HI! Sorry for going MIA. The past couple of months have been a whirlwind. I am back though and will be doing a three-chapter update this week (this one being the first). Thank you for being so patient with me and thank you so so much for reading. I love you all, let me know what you thought of this chapter.