DEFENDER [hs]

Chapter 40

Warmth. 

I woke up this morning feeling composed and relaxed. The fear fit I went through last night was now long gone. It was like a warm blanket shield covering my cold shaking body. And that blanket was him. 

Harry. 

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We got out of the Audi he drove us here with and made our way to the doorstep. I heard shuffling before the door swung open and there stood a girl who I assumed was Cara. She wore a black mini skirt with a long-sleeve shirt. 

I glanced towards her face and saw weird yet cool eyeliner that was perfectly drawn which made her glistering brown eyes more visible. She had short dark brown hair with red highlights that was in a messy wolf cut that shaped her face. 

"Hey Cara, this is Athena," Harry said and I waved hello to her. 

"Ahh yes, I've heard about you. You're beautiful." She said as she pulled me into a hug. A small blush appeared on my face as I listened to her compliment. Cara seemed like a baddie and an introvert on the outside but she's a social butterfly on the inside for sure. 

"Me? No way. You're gorgeous." I replied back and she playfully scoffed while pushing my shoulder. I laughed and looked back at the doorway where I saw Harry and his friend, Niall. 

"Athena, nice to meet you." He greeted and I replied back with a warm smile. Niall and Cara seemed like the nice neighbors that is so hard to find. They just seem like they radiate positiveness and joy.

"Kay, we gotta go. Athena, I'll be back before seven." Harry said as he urged Niall into the car. 

"H let her live a little, get that stick out of your ass," shouted Cara. I let out a little giggle as I saw her flipping him off. "Ya bro, don't be such a stuck-up," Niall said. 

"Whatever, Niall get the fuck in the car and Cara watch it," Harry said as he pointed his finger at her. He placed his Ray Banz of his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair. He turned around and went into the car, driving off with Niall. 

"Ugh, fucker." Cara said as she sighed. "Come on in." She said as she welcomed me in. It didn't take me long to identify that they were Irish. The designs on the wall and religious Irish manuscripts were decorated beautifully. The whole house in general looked like a whole castle. 

"Hungry? Coffee? Anything?" Cara asked me as she motioned me to sit on the couch. "Uh, water is fine. Thanks." I said giving her a soft smile. Cara walked into the kitchen humming to something. 

I grabbed my phone from my bag and checked a message I had received. Who else could it be?

"I'll be there by seven x."

I rolled my eyes and sent a middle finger emoji back in response. 

"Watch it,"  Harry replied within seconds. I giggled to myself. 

"Ouh, who are you giggling for?" Cara said as she came in shaking her body while wiggling her eyebrows as she brought in cups of orange juice. I mentally slapped myself in embarrassment. "No one," I said as I put on a poker face.

"It's Harry, isn't it?" She asked with a smirk as she plopped down on the sofa next to me. Cara grabbed the television remote and started flipping through the channels. "I- How did you k-know?" I asked confused as I just met her.

"They don't call me the love guru for nothing, darling. So tell me." She said as she picked on the movie Mean Girls. I was surprised with myself when I began spilling out everything from how we met and how we ended in our current situation as Cara was still a stranger to me.