Lights (2013)

19

"Hi," I greet Liam as I walk into the bookstore, putting my stuff down.

"Hey, Blair," Liam says, smiling. "How are you?"

He's so nice I want to cry. "I'm great, actually. You?"

He shrugs. "Alright, same as always," he says.

"Busy today?" I ask.

"Not really," he says. "A few people here and there."

"Ugh," I groan. "Are you working the night shift again?"

Liam nods. "Unfortunately."

"Blairbear!" Shawn shouts from the back. I roll my eyes at his nickname for me and go to see what he wants.

"Yeah?" I ask, peeking into Shawn's office.

"Here's the thing," Shawn says. "My ex-wife is flying my kids in today."

"Okay." Where is he going with this?

"I don't want to see that bitch. Ever. So it would be great if you could go pick them up from the airport."

"What? Why can't you go?"

"Because my ex-wife is a nagging bitch that while whine at me!" He says. "Now, please. Here's the flight number and yadda yadda yadda." He pushes a printout toward me.

"Shawn--" I whine.

"Please please please please!" He counters.

"Ugh," I groan.

"Thanks, kid, you're the best!" He grins at me, tossing a rubberband ball from one hand to the other.

I grab the printout from his desk and walk back out to the front desk to grab my things.

"Where are you going?" Liam asks.

"Picking up Shawn's kids from the airport," I grumble, rolling my eyes.

Liam laughs. "I would come with you, but someone has to man the fort."

I laugh. "Thanks," I say. "I'd better get going...did you know Shawn has kids?"

"I would never have guessed," Liam says, shaking his head at me.

"See you later," I say to Liam before going out to my car.

All things considered, Shawn is a pretty easygoing boss. I guess picking up his kids from the airport is better than sitting in an empty bookstore playing tic-tac-toe with Liam, although Liam is good company.

I turn onto the highway and look at the time on the printout. Seven thirty. It's six thirty now, so their plane shouldn't be in for another hour. I slow down a bit, leaning back in my seat.

I'm about ten minutes into the drive when my car makes a sputtering sound and I look over to see I'm out of fuel.

"Shit!" I groan, throwing my hands in the air. I pull over to the shoulder of the road, shaking my head. How could I have not filled up when I was closer to town?

I pull out my phone and dial Liam.

"You'll never believe this," I say. "I'm out of fuel."

"No way!" Liam laughs.

"It's not funny!" I say. "I'm on the highway and it's getting dark!"

"Well, I wish I could help but a customer just walked in gottagobye!"

I roll my eyes at Liam and accidentally dial someone with the palm of my hand, not realizing who.

"Hello?"

Oh, shit! I widen my eyes at the caller ID and frantically look about for a ditch I can throw my phone into.

"Blair?"

I put the phone to my ear tentatively. I scramble for an excuse. Shit, shit, shit!

"Blair what the fuck is going on?"

"Oh, uh, nothing," I say. "Nothing--"

"Are you alright?" Harry asks.

"Yeah, I, uh, butt dialed you--"

"Where are you?"

"Um--" I bite the inside of my cheek. If I tell him, he'll come pick me up. If I don't, he'll get angry at me when he finds out I was alone on the side of the highway. Either way, I'm screwed.

"On the highway...my car's out of fuel."

"I'm on my way."

I sigh and put my phone away. "Stupid, stupid, stupid." I slap my palm to my forehead. Harry and I haven't spoken since last night when we had our small argument. Of course I dialed him, of all people. Karma, you fucking bitch.

Ten minutes later Harry's black car pulls up next to mine. He rolls down the window, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Don't say anything," I snap as I slide into the passenger seat of his car.

"Do you want me to take a look at it?"

"No, I'll just call the towtruck."

Harry starts to turn around but I stop him. "I have to go to the airport."

"Why?"

"I have to pick up Shawn's kids."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me."

"If you don't want to drive me I can call Louis--"

"Fuck, no, just...kids. Ugh." He shudders.

I snort. "You were one once."

"That doesn't mean I have to like them."

He turns around and sighs, speeding toward the airport. I chew on my lip. How will I recognize these kids? Do they look like him? I quickly dial Shawn's number.

"How will I know which kids they are?" I ask into the phone.

"There's two of them," he says. "And I told the bitch what you look like. They'll recognize you."

"The bitch?"

"My ex-wife."

I sigh. "Alright."

"Hey, thanks for doing this. You can have Friday off!"

"Thanks," I say flatly.

"Way to sound upbeat, Blairbear. Ciao."

I roll my eyes.

"Some boss," Harry says.

"Better than yours," I say. "Oh...wait." I smirk.

"Look, I have a job, okay," Harry says. "I got it a couple weeks ago."

"Oh, really. Where?"

"A...tattoo parlor."

I burst out laughing. "Oh, this is great," I say in fits of giggles. "A tattoo parlor. Comedy gold!"

"Hey, it's better than little miss bookstore over here," Harry says. "I, at least, get to make art."

"You call tattoos art? Oh, this is priceless. Please, continue to amuse me." I wipe tears from my eyes and gasp for air.

Harry cracks a smile. "It's a fun job, okay."

"Oh, I'm sure! I mean, what's not fun about sticking needles into people and adding ink that can only be removed by a laser?"

Harry's dimples show. "The designs are cool--"

"Of course they are! Fire breathing dragons and such!"

"Mock all you want," he says. "I enjoy it."

I put my hands up in surrender as we pull up to the airport. "Whatever gets you through the day," I laugh, starting to walk toward the terminal.

Harry grabs my wrists and slams me against the car, a smirk on his face. "You get me through the day," he breathes, his face inches from mine.

I swallow. "We're going to be late," I say, pushing him off of me and walking into the airport. Harry follows behind me as I navigate through the terminal to where pickup is.


(a/n: yay new cover! what do you think is going to happen? comment your theories, we love to hear them xx ❤)