Sensation (h.s)

Chapter Twenty

✺ Kate's point of view ✺

The holidays are upon us all too quickly, and I'm left scrambling trying to find things to purchase for my family to send them for Christmas. I was originally told I wasn't allowed to send anything to them in the mail due to the return address, but I drew the last straw when I was rejected on my proposal to go on Harry's trip with him. I'll be damned if they're going to rule my life entirely and force me to spend the holiday alone, as well as not be able to give any gifts to my family.

I spend almost a majority of my Saturday at the mall. I walk from shop to shop, trying to find something related to fishing for my dad, cooking for my mom, and something for Charlie. Nothing comes to mind that he would like since I haven't talked to him in so many months. He could be a completely different person for all I know.

Instead of finding him something personalized, I end up buying some little keychain that looks like a piano, and a gift card to his favorite store. It's not what I wanted to get him, but it's better than nothing.

At some point during the mall trip I end up in a lingerie shop. I only look around for a few minutes while trying to decide if I want to get something or not. I don't think Harry would care whether I was dressing up for him or not-- it wouldn't slow things down, but it also wouldn't speed them up. We'll probably still wind up in bed no matter what I wear for him.

Eventually I leave the mall and end up back on the busy streets of the city. Snow is flying around in the air and making my walk unpleasantly cold as I head back towards home.

At some point I convince myself to hail a cab. The driver is an older man that smirks at me too many times for comfort, but I ignore him and ride in silence. Eventually I grasp my phone in my purse and light up the screen to find a text from Harry asking what I'm doing. Instead of responding, I quickly dial his number and lift the device to my ear.

"Hello?" He answers on the third ring, his voice low despite the loud background in the call.

"Hey! What are you doing?" I keep my voice chipper and stare out the window as the snow continues to whiz by the car.

"Hey, Kate, give me a second to step out. It's really loud in here." He answers back. I wait patiently, then less than a moment later, his melodic voice is flooding the speaker again.

"Okay, sorry about that. What's up, babe?"

"Nothing, I'm just on my way home from the mall. Where are you that's so loud?" I hum back. I haven't seen him in nearly two days and I'm itching to be close to him again.

"I'm actually out having a drink with a friend. Is something wrong?" His voice is slightly off, but I'm not worried about it. If he's out with friends then I can imagine he made had a glass or two of whiskey.

"No, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to maybe see you tonight if it's not too late when you're done with your friends. Who are you out with anyways? Do I know them?" I tap my fingers against the worn leather from the door of the cab. The driver is humming some tune that I don't recognize and seeming to ignore my presence now that I'm on the phone.

"No." He answers shortly. I furrow my brows and wait to see if he's going to say something else, but nothing comes.

"Okay, well..." I continue to wait and eventually give up. "Do you want to get together later? I can come over for a little bit and we can..." I trail off while biting my lip and immediately notice the change in his tone on the other end.

"Yeah, we should do that. We haven't done that in a few days. Come over around eight." He's slightly perkier, but it doesn't last long.

"I've got to go. See you then." He adds only seconds later. I open my mouth to answer him, but the call is ended as soon as the words leave his mouth. My brows furrow in clear confusion and I'm left stunned as I pull my phone from my ear and set it back into my purse.