Karma ||H.S||

Chapter 33

Harry called me this afternoon and asked if he could take me on a date tonight, and after the morning I had with those girls I can't believe I used to call my friends, a date with Harry is exactly what I need. Those few minutes I had wasted with them, made me realize just how fake people can be, and it just made me see how real Harry is to me.

"I don't understand if he is taking you on a date, why he can't ring the doorbell like a proper gentleman," Dad argues. We've been standing in the front foyer of the house for the last ten minutes discussing this, and he's already asked this same question four times, apparently unable to process any of the answers I've given him so far. His arms have flown through the air one too many times in disbelief, he's rubbed circles over his temples and crossed his arms at everything I've said in the last few minutes, clearly unhappy with me—and Harry— right now.

"Maybe because you're standing in the doorway waiting to pounce on him," I laugh. "I told you already, he isn't ready for the whole meeting the parents thing. And with the way you're acting the crazy dad role right now, can you really blame him? I wouldn't want to meet you either."

"Can you blame me for wanting to meet a guy who's taking my daughter on a date?" he asks, raising his eyebrows at me. "Do I need to remind you what happened to you? I need to make sure you're going to be safe."

My eyebrows pinch together at his reminder, as I glare at him, knowing for sure I never need reminding of this. "As if you have to bring that up right now! I've known Harry for months, Dad. We've been on dates before. He's not a bad guy, I promise. I trust him. And I really don't want you to scare him off. Because if I'm being honest, if I was Harry, I'd be scared of you right now."

Dad sighs as he hears a car drive into the driveway and the sound of a car honking soon following. We had discussed that to be our plan when he arrived to pick me up, and watching Dad sigh his disapproving sigh, just makes me roll my eyes at him. "I want you home by eleven."

"You can't be serious?" I ask, my mouth dropping to the floor.

"I want to make sure you get home safe before I go to bed," he says. The humorless look on his face tells me he isn't joking, although I wish that he was more than anything. "I can't trust this guy if he doesn't even have the decency to meet me before taking the only girl in the world that matters to me, out on a date."

"I trust him though, and that should tell you everything."

"Eleven, Paisley."

I guess I can understand where he's coming from. To him, this is the first time he's really seen me go out with anyone, since everything with Ryan ended. He's heard plenty about Harry, but it's all been from afar, making it not seem real to him because he hasn't gotten to see it with his own eyes. And with having to watch me go through what I went through for so long, it makes sense he'd be over protective about this. But it still seems a bit ridiculous, and I hate to think of how embarrassing it's going to be, to tell Harry I have a curfew.

I decide it's not really the time to argue about this. The last thing I want to do, is fight with my Dad about a guy. I suppose coming home at eleven to keep him happy, isn't the end of the world. When we get back to school, things will go back to normal and Harry will be back sleeping in my bed again. I'm sure if Dad knew that, he'd probably have a heart attack. And so tonight, eleven it is.

I give Dad a kiss on the cheek and smile up at him before opening the front door. "I'll see you at eleven."

"Be safe, kiddo," he calls out to me, as he watches me walk down the cobblestone driveway. I send him a small wave as I get into Harry's car.

"Your dad looks scary," Harry says, watching as I pull the strap of the seat belt over my body to buckle it up. I laugh when I notice the look on his face, as he resembles a scared child. "It's probably a good thing I waited in the car for you."