lovestruck † hs

Chapter 52

Rachel's POV

"It was just lunch," I state simply, shrugging slightly in hopes it will make the situation any better.

Harry and I are on the road, just exiting the campus to go home I assume. It's quiet, except for the car accelerating so much so that if we were in traffic we'd be in a wreck. In minutes were on the main road to home. I can tell he's thinking hard, repeating probably Matthew and I's conversation he overheard in his mind or trying not to snap. I don't want him to snap. I glance at his hands, the skin white from the pressure he's holding the steering wheel with. I know he is not taking this well.

I turn my head and face out the window, awaiting him to start speaking. His silence is throwing me for a loop, and I'll have to take whatever is coming as it goes.

"Why didn't you call me for lunch? Or to pick you up? Or to tell me what the hell was going on?"

The smoothness of Harry's voice makes me open my eyes. I look straight out the window and figure I must have dozed off for a while because we are parked at his flat.

I sit up straight and look back at him, then down to my lap. "I just didn't think much of this."

Harry opens his mouth to speak but shuts it immediately. After a moment he says, "We should finish this inside." I nod slowly, wondering what this is going to get into.

The two of us go inside his building and Harry, regardless of his mood, politely carries my bags and books. The second we make it inside his flat, Harry stops his silence.

"I wish you'd tell me what you do, especially with who. Matthew? It had to be him? So many other people there and he just had to take you out?" My bag gets placed on the couch, his anger causing it to fall a bit hard. He turns at me, looking sternly into my eyes.

"And...what's wrong with Matthew? My boss and fellow student?" I cross my arms, meeting him in the living room.

His head starts to shake and he smiles out of frustration, "You do not want to get me started on him. Don't open that door, love."

"No, I do, because I'd genuinely like to know what's wrong with my only real friend in the city, and in college."

"You don't know if those are his intentions, I see how he looks at you. Right fucking in front of me too." Harry's hands make it to his hair, pulling hard. Someone can only hold back so much before they can't anymore.

Taking a few steps at a time, I draw closer to him. "You don't either! Harry, he is my friend. You seriously don't get that? He gave me a job when I didn't have one, he helped me get into that college, and he helped me feel comfortable today!"

"But, why did you have to eat with him? Why couldn't you tell me? It's simple! You tell me what's happening, I tell you I don't fucking like it, and we go eat together instead!" Harry is paces right in front of me. "I would have gladly left to get you."

He is at his breaking point, he wants to pop, and if I need to get to a reasonable discussion here, I need to speak softly.

I take a final step and make it in front of him, taking his hands in mine to stop his pacing. "I haven't eaten lunch with a friend, in months. In fact, I can't even remember how long. I haven't had a friend in months. I thought I deserved to experience something nice like that again."