The Pursuit

~ CHAPTER 7 ~

When we enter the restaurant, there are half of the people inside than outside, which makes me feel slightly better. I'm not really nervous, but I'm just not ready for having to deal with being "more than friends" with anyone at the moment, especially after seeing Ricky again. I just hope we can have a pleasant and tranquil evening without any surprises to make up for the last couple of hectic weeks.

Evidently, I am terribly wrong.

As one of the many refined waitors take us to our table, I catch and glimpse of a pair of olive green eyes and curly brown hair sitting on a table across from ours.

It's Harry.

I look at him, guessing he hasn't spotted me yet, and contemplate how different he looks today. His curls are combed backwards, and the stubble he had on his chin is shaved. He is wearing a black button-up shirt instead of his ordinary dirty black t-shirt, although he is wearing the same black jeans he always does. Still, I'm surprised; he does look really sharp.

However, I suddenly distinguish Brooke's annoyingly perfect blonde hair grazing Harry's shoulder. One of her long, bare legs is lying on top of Harry's, and she smiles as he gently caresses her thigh. The sight of this almost makes me wanna vomit right here, right now.

"Jess," I whisper under my breath, grabbing her arm as we arrive at our table. Thank god Patrick and Mark aren't here yet. "Harry's here."

Jessica's head shoots towards Harry's table, as I nod towards their direction.

"Wow. Is that him? He looks really hot. Still, I thought said you weren't going to see him again, Nikky." She whispers back, shaking her head in disapproval.

"I didn't know they were coming." I reply, turning around so neither Harry or Brooke can see me. "Just make sure we're facing the opposite direction so they don't recognize us." I add, as I sit down on the bench and give my back to the couple.

Even if the Western district is extremely quaint, I swear I have no idea where Harry always comes from; one way or another we always end up in the same place, at the same time. Don't get me wrong, it's annoying as fuck. Plus, what the hell is he doing with Brooke? I thought he was sleeping with Casey. To be honest, who am I kidding, Harry never looked like the kind of guy that settles for one person only.

"Nikky." Jessica mutters as she sits beside me, snapping me out of my convoluted thoughts. "Try and be nice to Patrick. Just... don't be weird by allowing Harry's presence get to you."

"Are you kidding?" I quickly respond, widening my eyes. "I don't care about Harry being here, Jess. Just stop making a big deal out of it, and I'll forget he's even there."

"Okay." Jessica simply replies with a grimace.

"You look gorgeous, by the way." I exclaim, attempting to lighten up the mood.

"Thank you. I have a boyfriend to impress." She giggles, winking at me. "Although you have someone to impress too, last time I checked."

I laugh and roll my eyes, raising my hand to ask for a bottle of wine. "I'm ordering some wine, to celebrate your birthday next week."

"Wait, Nikky. They're going to ask for our ID's. It's pretty obvious we're not twenty-one yet." Jess warns.

"Don't worry, I stole Sasha's ID card this morning, just for the occasion. She's half my father's age anyway, so if they ask I'll just cover her picture and flash it in front the waitor's face." I proudly reply, waving the card in front of Jessica.

"Mhm." Jessica whines, clearly unconvinced.

"I got this." I mouth, as a waitor starts to come over. He's pretty young and robust for working at such a sophisticated restaurant. "Um, a bottle of red wine, please."