Sensation (h.s)

Chapter Twenty Three

✺ Kate's point of view ✺

The days of Harry's absence are long and lonely. For the first three days I alternate between eating, sleeping, and reading random books hoping to pass the time. I spend what feels like hours cooped up in my bed watching the snow fall outside. The large white flakes silently blanket the city in a layer of twinkling white that looks even more beautiful at night.

On Christmas Day, I spend the entire day in bed. I eat leftover Chinese food and watch the Twilight series on my laptop even though I've seen the pre-teen age movies probably a dozen times. I skype my parents in the afternoon and they only talk to me for a few minutes before saying they're running late to go to my grandparents house for dinner. I try to hide my frown when they hang up without even saying anything about the gifts I sent them. I know they received them since I've been tracking the shipping number online. I try not to let the odd day phase me and go to sleep smiling still, thinking about the fact that every day is one day closer to Harry coming home.

On the day after Christmas, I take a stroll to the cafe down the street from my dorm. I'm feeling slightly stir crazy and find that it eases my mind simply to drink a latte and see other people being social.

I end up walking aimlessly for nearly an hour around the busy city. I end up at some Thai restaurant eating lunch by myself and attempting to text Harry. His read receipts are on on his text messages and I wait patiently for him to answer me after he clearly read my message, but by the time I'm paying for my lunch and leaving, he still hasn't answered.

On my way home from the Thai restaurant, I have an odd feeling that something is lingering behind me. It's an eerie feeling that creeps up from the base of my spine until it's prickling the hairs on the back of my neck and leaving me feeling even more chilly than I already was from the cold weather.

"Kate!" An unfamiliar voice calls just as I turn onto the street where my dorm is. I whip around worriedly and prepare myself for the worst.

When I see Brandon standing behind me instead, relief floods my body.

"Hey stranger." He greets jokingly as he walks up to where I'm standing. I shield my face from the snow whipping around us from the subtle wind in the air.

"Hey. What are you doing here? I didn't think there were any students in town besides me." I joke as I fall into step beside him. We rush inside and I'm thankful when he holds the door for me to step in away from the snow.

"I just got back to town this morning. I couldn't stand one more day with my family." He jokes back. I watch him shake the snow from his beanie and repeat the action seconds later.

"I've been here all break." I say in response as we begin walking again. I don't want to laugh at him downtalking his family since I'm still sensitive about the subject of not being able to see my family-- even though I know he meant it merely as a joke.

"Why didn't you go home?" Brandon eventually asks. I rack my brain for a valid answer, but nothing seems to come.

"We didn't have the money for me to fly home." I blurt out. It probably sounds like an unnecessary sob story about my family being poor, or something along the lines of it, but I choose to leave it at that.

"Oh, that's too bad. Did you enjoy your Christmas anyways?" He presses on.

"Yeah, it was nice. Very relaxing." I answer. We don't speak of it anymore as we approach my dorm and I grab for my keys in my purse.

"Do you want to come inside?" I ask politely, noticing him slightly lingering as I unlock my door. It wouldn't kill me to have one more friend besides Harry.