Palas 3

18 - "He's texting a girl. Who has a boyfriend."

"You have been quiet," Harry says and I realize it is the first time he's addressing me in over an hour. 

The place is full with people I don't know and don't want to know either. Pascal seems okay but he only spoke to me for about a minute. The only one I seem to be able to tolerate is Nina. So does Liam and I had to remind him of her boyfriend numerous of times. In the end I just gave up and found a nice quiet corner where Harry eventually found me. 

"I don't really know these people," I tell him. 

"You could just socialize."

"I'm not good at that. Also, this is weird," I admit and he frowns a bit. 

"What is weird?"

"This," I say flapping my hand around. "Your life here. Your bedroom. It is strange to see the place you ran off to. Where you live."

"It is not Palas you mean," he says and he smiles a bit weird. "You are experiencing exaclty what I did when I came back to Palas and saw how different you were and that Thomas. Have you heard from him actually?"

"Is Thomas the new James? You know, the guy you keep asking about just to be sure we're no longer in touch?"

"No," he says pouting a bit. "Well, yes."

"We talk from time to time. He's in Bali."

"Of course. Bali. And James?"

"Somewhere here in England, I figure."

"Good," he says, shifting his eyes back and forth between me and the group of people behind us. "So, do you want to check out my bedroom?"

"What is there to check out?"

"When you lie down it is quite beautiful." He wiggles his eyebrows and walks towards his room where he lays himself down. "Come," he says patting the little space left of him. 

Obeying, I squeeze myself on the mattress. "Well, what's there to-

I stop talking altogether when I see what he means. On the ceiling he plastered all the drawings and paintings he made. It looks just like his old room in Palas. I remember the night I first saw them like it was yesterday. The rocks of the cliff, the sea always as wild and then far in a corner, but visible is my face. I never knew he kept it all these years. 

"That's me," I say feeling very dumb for the way I sound. 

"It is. Nice, right?"

"I really like it. If I were you I'd just stay here."

"You hate this place. That much is obvious."

"I don't hate it. I actually love this part. I just don't get how you can to live like this with no privacy. I mean, you can't even close the door."

"You get used to it."

"I guess. Nina stroling around in her underware must be easy to get used to."

"Not bad either. Liam seems to like her."

"For his sake I hope they are in some open relationship."

"Not that I know off." We keep quiet and watch the ceiling some more. "So, how are you?"

I know when he asks he doesn't mean a general 'how are you' but a real 'how are you'. "Haven't had a panic attack. Honestly, I feel good."

"Great, that's great to hear."

"And you?"

"Good too, but I missed you."