A Crazy Thing Called Love (Harry Sytles Fanfic.)

52

"Do you want to watch Batman?"

Carmen

After I've showered and taken my time getting settled in my room I find myself almost aching with how much I miss Harry already. It hasn't even been a day. It hasn't even been twelve hours and I'm ready to cry. Well, most things about this situation make me want to cry. I've been hiding in this bedroom ever since I heard the boys come home. Nineteen years old and I'm hiding from children.

When I got out of the shower all I put on was some leggings and a crewneck sweater of Harry's. It's dark green and giant and it smells like him. He doesn't even know that I have it, I stole it from him last night when he wasn't in the room and stuffed it in my bag. He texted me back some profanities that expressed how impressed he was. This time I take a picture of myself in his sweater and send it to him. His response only takes seconds.

Harry: is that mine? thief.

I smile a little and text back a maybe. He sends back a giant text of emojis and then says he wishes he was here with me. I really wish he was, too. The sweater smells good, but he smells way better. Plus he always wants to cuddle and I could really use some of that right now.

A knock on my door startles me out of my daydreaming about Harry. "Yeah?" I call out.

"We're having dinner," Gale says through the doors.

"Oh. Okay, I'll be right out."

After a few calming breaths I force myself to leave the protection of the bedroom. My bare feet pad against the cool hardwood and when I reach the end of the hallway I feel completely underdressed. Dinner isn't usually a formal occasion for me, what with the takeout or eating alone. But they're all dressed...nice. Too nice. Todd is even wearing a tie. Thank goodness Gale is still wearing what she was before, but now she's wearing heels. And I feel like a homeless person.

"Sorry, umm...I should change."

"No!" Gale says. She shakes her head and walks over, placing her hand on my arm. "No, don't be silly. Todd is still dressed from work and the boys are in their school uniforms still."

"Are you sure?" I look like a fucking homeless person compared to these people. She nods and gives me an encouraging smile, ushering me towards the massive dining room table. One of the boys, the older of the two, is already sitting on the opposite side and my place setting seems to be next to the younger one, who is peering up at me with curious, big brown eyes.

"Hi," he says.

"Hi."

"Carmen, this is Jayden," Gale says, standing behind him with her hands on both his shoulders. "And over there, that's Evan. He's eight and Jayden is four."

"I'm almost five," he says, looking up at his mother. She smiles and taps his nose.

"That's right."

"Carmen." I turn towards the man and he extends his hand for me to shake. "I'm Todd, Gale's husband. It's great to meet you after all this time."

I shake his hand and we all stand there for a few minutes in silence. My fingers twiddle nervously in front of me and then Evan breaks the silence.

"Who are you?" he asks loudly. He doesn't seem too pleased with my presence, to be honest.

"Carmen," I tell him simply. He makes an angry face at me.

"Evan, I told you Carmen was a friend of mine and would be staying with us for a while," Gale says. She smiles apologetically at me. I was actually hoping she wouldn't tell the boys about them being my half-brothers. I didn't think it would happen.