In Sequence | H.S.

05.

Madelyn.

Sarah told me that they were going to pick me up around 5:30.

It is currently 5:35 and I'm watching them argue in the car from the window of my apartment. I've been standing in the same spot waiting for them to arrive because I don't want to be the cause of us running late. Harry must've lost whatever argument they were having because he got out of the backseat with a huff and made his way to the stairs.

By the time I'm able to turn around to grab my bag, he's at my door knocking.

My heart drops at the sound, not quite sure I'm ready to face him after he was getting hot and handsy with Ella this afternoon. Why did they have to send him up here? A text would have sufficed. I exhale slowly and make my way over to the door, putting my phone and wallet into their respective pockets.

He knocks again. "Okay, I'm coming! Can you wait two seconds?" I yell through the door, tugging my coat up my arms. He is so impatient.

I open the door to him leaning against the door frame on the outside. We make eye contact and both immediately look at the other's outfit.

"Absolutely not. Go change right now, Madelyn. I'm fucking not joking." I bite my lip trying to not say anything rude back to him. We're both wearing almost the same exact outfit. It's almost comedic, honestly.

Light wash jeans.

Band tee tucked in.

Vans; his being black and mine being white.

The only real difference is that I have a white turtleneck under my shirt so I don't freeze later tonight.

"No, I'm not changing." I stand my ground.  "We need to go. They're waiting for us down there." I walk back to the counter to grab my keys and when I turn around, he's inside. "Uh hello? I didn't welcome you in."

"Tough shit, Rosie." His eyes mindlessly wander my apartment, and for some reason, I start feeling vulnerable at the sudden invasion of my privacy. "Listen, we cannot be matching. This is couples central out there. It's a fucking pumpkin patch," He waves his pointer finger between us. "We cannot be matching."

"Tough shit, Harry." I mimic. "I finally put something on that I feel comfortable in and I'm not changing. Please don't make me try to find something else." I coerce him out the door by pushing on his arm trying to get him to budge. "Let's just go. It's not a good first impression if we're late."

"You've already met them," He finally gives in and moves his feet. "Why are you being so weird about punctuality?"

I turn the key in the lock and ignore his question. One of the main things that my father drilled into my head was being on time. If you were even a smidge of a second late then no one will take you seriously and having grown up in the industry that I did... That is not a good thing.

I remember one time being five minutes late to a business dinner when my father was on the fence about becoming a sponsor for the Bruins - and to this day he claims I almost ruined his chances because the Coach was asking about my whereabouts instead of discussing funds.

It's weird to think that the Boston Bruins coach was more worried about me than my own flesh and blood.

"Let's just go. I'm so hungry and I want a corn dog." I took the lead down the stairs and I was not prepared for what we were to be met with in the car.

Reaching my hand out for the handle I can already hear Sarah laughing. Considering Harry isn't getting in on the other side, I scoot over to the seat behind Mitch.

"I guess we didn't get the matching memo, Mitch." She turns over her left shoulder to look between Harry and I. "Should we go back home and change?"

Maybe I should have changed. I glance over at Harry and his eyebrows are up and his head is tilted as if telling me I told you so.