Keeper

Chapter 25

I bit down on my bottom lip and captured it mercilessly between my teeth, the dryness of my skin meeting my tongue.


"Does this have to do with Harry?" I hissed.


The other end was dead silence before I heard the light sound of sniffling,

"We're pulling up now." Layla mumbled, completely ignoring my question.


I could feel my pulse begin to quicken and my feet were furiously drumming to the glossy white wooden base of my bed.


Before I even had another chance to speak into the receiver Layla hung up, leaving me even more infuriated than I was before. I laid my back down on the bed, my head pleasantly landing on one of my many pillows as I closed my eyes, my ears picking up the faint sound of a door swinging open downstairs followed by my fathers deep voice. The marching of footsteps were heard making their way quickly up the staircase.

Everything went quiet and I shot my eyes opened, immediately darting them towards the door.

I watched as it slowly creaked open, in coming an unsure looking Anna and a pissed off Layla.


"Hi." Anna whispered, making her way over to the edge of my bed. I sat up and faked a smile,


"Hey."


Layla didn't look at me, instead she kept her eyes and full attention on the hard wood flooring of my room. I watched as she took in a deep breath, her chest rising as she did so.


"Do you really like him?" She asked. The sudden sound of her voice startled me, causing me to jump lightly.


"Excuse me?" I asked, making sure I had heard her words correctly.


"Do you really like him?" She repeated, her tone becoming rather testy.


"Yes, I suppose."


This time she finally looked up at me, but her one eyebrow was raised,

"You suppose?"


I just shrugged in response.


"Do you ever think...maybe your taking things a bit too fast?" She asked. Her voice was much softer and calmer and it put me more at ease.


"I don't know, honestly."



"It's been four days and you two are acting like a little old married couple." She laughed, but I didn't find it very funny. And apparently either did Anna.


"Why do you say that?" I asked, trying my best to keep my tempter at a neutral state.


"But do you ever think Harry's a bit obsessive, maybe?" She asked, full out dodging my question. She proceeded to crinkle up her nose with the seconds that I didn't answer and that's when I about had it.


"No." I spoke simply through gritted teeth.


"Really? Because whenever I see you he's always got his hands on you somehow. He's always got to he with you somehow, even if it means jeopardizing getting you in trouble. Sneaking into your room? He should know better. He's seen your dad, he knows how uptight he can be."



I shook my head,

"He doesn't know any better."


"Why are you lying?" Layla spat.


I narrowed my eyes at her,

"I'm not."


"Why doesn't he know better?" Layla asked, licking her lips.



"He's been through a lot, Layla."


Layla folded her arms over her chest and nodded her head back,

"Oh yeah?" Like what?"


"He just has, why does it matter?" I spat.


"'He's been through a lot?' What? Being in jail?"


"No, of course not, no."


"Then what?" She asked.


I wasn't planning on telling them anything that Harry had told me, but they just seemed to slipped out of my mouth in the moment,


"He doesn't have a mother, I don't know how or-or when she died, but he doesn't have her anymore. His father is in jail for life, he's never coming out, he'll never be there for his own son, as Harry is an old child which leaves him with absolutely no one. Except for me."


"I'm all he's got."


Layla glanced over at Anna but Anna was already staring at the floor, her lip between her teeth.


There was an almost deadly silence that consumed the entire room, I could practically hear the clock on the wall downstairs ticking as every second slipped by.


"Did you even know we were at lunch today?" She asked.


"We were waiting and waiting for you, but you never came. Instead we watched as you walked right past us to sit with Harry at some other table."


I didn't know how to respond to that because in all honesty yes, I didn't even acknowledge them. I knew that wasn't polite of me, but I didn't even realize it.

I shuffled off of my bed and ran my fingers through my hair,


"If you don't mind, I have to get ready to go bowling with Harry." I spoke, making my way over to my closet.


I heard Layla take in a breath from beind me,


"So you forgot about that too?" She asked in a whisper, her voice almost inaudible. I turned around and raised an eyebrow.


"We were supposed to go to the mall today." She spat.


My mouth fell agape against my will,


"I forgot, I-I'm sorry."


"No, no it's fine. It's not that big of a deal anyway." Layla waved me off before making her way towards the door.


"I'll cancel my plans with Harry, we can go." I insisted.


"No, it's fine." She nodded before opening the door and walking out.


I turned to Anna and she was already standing up.


"See you tomorrow?" She asked.


"Yeah, sure." I nodded. She nodded back before following in Layla's footsteps and walked out of my room. I listened as her footsteps became fainter and fainter until they were nonexistent, followed by the sound of the door slamming shut.


I let out a loud groan before returning to my closet and roughly raiding through my array of clothing, carelessly picking out a white lace top and dark blue jeans. I slowly brushed my hair as well as my teeth before slipping on my white Toms and adding a silver bracelet to my wrist that my Grandmom had given me. It was a birthday gift from a few years ago and I had hardly ever worn it. I figured...why not today?


I made my way downstairs just in time to see my mom walking in through the doorway,

"Hello sweetie. How was your day?" She asked, shrugging her coat off and hanging it on the rack.


"Good." I smiled.


I glanced over at my father who was slowly prying himself off of the couch,

"I was thinking we could go out to dinner tonight? Somewhere nice?" He asked, scratching the back of his somewhat balding head.


I looked up to my mom and she looked back over to me,


"That sounds good. We haven't been out to dinner in ages."


"It's settled then. We'll leave in twenty minutes, I'll take a quick shower. I can't believe it's already five." My father spoke, disappearing down the hallway to the bathroom.


I turned to my mom and cleared my throat,


"Me and Harry were going to go out tonight, bowling actually. Do you think he'll mind?" I asked, referring to my father.


My mom shifted on her feet before answering,

"Just tell him your going over one of the girls' houses, he'll understand." My mom whispered back, patting my shoulder before heading towards the kitchen.


Right when she reached the turn into the dining room she looked back at me,


"When are you going?" She asked.


"Soon. I'll call Harry."


I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and scrolled through my contacts before his name popped up. Only three rings went by before he picked up,


"Hey babe." He sang.


"Hey. When are we going?" I asked, suppressing my smile.


"Eager to see me again?" He laughed.


"Shut up." I jokingly whined back.


"Whenever you'd like, we can go now if you'd like?


"Yeah, yeah now's good."


"I'll be right over. Just meet me at the end of the street, yeah?"


"Mhm." I hummed.

I quickly hung up when I heard the sound of feet shuffling from the hallway.


"Harley, have you seen my shampoo?" My father asked, a towel folded in his hands.


I shook my head, my lips pursued together in their almost failed attempt at stifling a laugh,


"Nope."


My father gave me a nod before caughing into his sleeve.


There was a silence as he stood there and I decided I should tell him I wouldn't be attending our dinner out.


"Hey, I'm going over Anna's house, if that's alright?" I asked.


He brought his fingers to his lips as if in deep thought before he carefully proceeded to nod,


"If it's fine with your mom it's perfectly fine with me as well."


"Thank you." I gushed, heading towards the door.


"Wait a second." My father cut in sternly.


I solemnly turned back around to see a smile etched on his lips,


"Doesn't your old man get a hug?" He asked, stretching his arms out.


I rolled my eyes at him but gave in and stumbled back over to him, reaching my arms out and wrapping them around his waist.


"I love you Harley." He mumbled against my shoulder.


"I love you too."


Despite everything; despite his incredible distaste towards Harry; despite...his tendency to judge before getting to know some one, I still loved my father with all my heart. And I always will no matter what the circumstances may be.


I still didn't find the way he treated and labeled Harry right or acceptable in any way, shape, or form, but I honesty couldn't blame him entirely.


His only daughter, one who's always been 'daddy's little girl' since she was born, was finally starting to grow up, she was finally starting to get a taste of the real life, the big bad world, and I suppose he just wasn't ready to face that yet. And to top it off, his daughter bringing home a boy covered in tattoos and piercings didn't necessarily help.

He just wants me to be safe and for me to make the best decisions for myself. But most of all, he just wants me to be happy. He doesn't want his little girl's heart to be broken.


I pulled away and pecked his cheek,


"Goodbye!" I called, skipping towards the door.


"Bye sweetheart!" I heard my mom call from the kitchen.

I swung the door open and steeped out into the unexpectedly cold air, my eyes wondered the sky as I approached Harry's car, the sun already beginning to set behind the abundance of clouds. This is why I didn't tends to like Autumn. The days became shorter, much shorter than the beautiful and blissful days of Summer.


I strolled up to the side of the car and opened the door, an unfamiliar rock song blaring from the speakers.

I slid onto the leather seat with my nose crinkled up and almost immediately my ears were greeted with the sweet sound of Harry's laugh.


"What?" He laughed, shifting the gear into drive.


"Well hello to you too." I laughed back.


"No, it's just, don't like my taste in music?" He asked. I could see he was fighting back his smile.


"It's just a bit loud is all." I answered, reaching my hand out to turn the volume nob down.


"Ready to bowl?" Harry asked, an over exaggerated smile plastered on to his face, his eyes remaining glued to the road in front of him.


"I don't think I could be any more ready." I cheered back.



I watched as his one hand left the wheel and scratched at the corner of his mouth, his eyes darting to meet mine for no more than a second before returning to the incoming traffic.


"I was wondering if you um...well there's a party tonight at Mikey's house, do you think maybe you would want to go?"