When?

2. "I just love you".

I start reading my favorite book, one that Judith had recommended; "Dear John". Well, to be honest, the only reason why it is my favorite was because it was Judith's. It was too girly for my taste, but I wouldn't dare confess that to her. A smile forms on my lips, as I pass by her favorite lines that she had highlighted for me.

" Nicholas Sparks is the man, man." She'd always tell me, before she would start her full on ramble about the guy who I had little interest in, but I'd still hear closely, because how can I not? Judith's voice has that dominance to it, that captivating power that you can never escape nor ignore. She could be reciting her shopping list and I would still know it by heart simply because it was spoken by that voice. That voice that could make me feel each and every emotion known to human nature all at once. The voice that I could recognize no matter how altered, lowered, or sickened. There was no mistaking Judith's voice. There was no mistaking Judith. Judith with her long, wavy, blonde hair framing her face like a picture that no man would ever be capable of drawing, Judith with her relatively narrow hazel eyes holding a sparkle that outshined the sun on the hottest summer day, Judith with her naturally pink cheeks, with her perfectly created lips, with her sculptured body, and her tiny nose. She was like nothing I had ever seen. When I'm with her, I am a man I never knew I was capable of being. She is an open book, yet, there is a certain depth to her, a depth that she had only revealed on very few occassions. A depth that I'd do anything to be able to explore, because all I want from this life, is to fully know Judith, with all her flaws, her secrets, her mysteries, her past, her present. Just Judith. A sigh goes past my lips, as I lay the book down, unable to rid my head of thoughts of Judith. I shake my head in defeat, rising to make myself some coffee, a habit that I picked up from a stressed Judith back in the days. Sometimes, I despise how everything brings me back to her. Almost as if without Judith, there is no Harry, which is kind of true. Surrendering to the thoughts driving me insane, I grab my phone, texting Judith to check on her.

" Do I need to call the cops yet?"

I send, knowing she'd take it as a joke, the way she always does whenever I make a harsh comment about her so called boyfriend.

" well if you want them to find me naked in the backseat of his car, banging him so hard that he is the one screaming then sure ;)"

I know she's teasing. She has to be, right? She wouldn't allow him to be her first, because he is in no way deserving of her, let alone her first time having sex. I attempt to slow my pacing heart, as I dial her number in sheer panic. And the first sound that welcomes me at the third ring, is her laughter, as a wave of relief settled in.

" You are pure evil, Judith, I swear to God, I almost had a heart attack." I half yell, half laugh, as her laughter grows more intense.

" You are so easy to prank I swear, every day is April Fool with you, Harry." She says through her fit of laughter, which I find myself absolutely mesmerized by. Focus, Harry, focus, I remind myself.

" Glad someone finds this entertaining because I sure don't." I huff, sitting on the chair in front of the kitchen table, pulling my hand out to grab my now cold coffee. She only continues to laugh harder.

" I am so wasted, that everything is funny to me." She says, and that's when I take notice to her stuttering.

" Wait, what, where are you? Is he still there?" I question, feeling the blood boiling beneath my skin.

" Nope, he baled." She says, her laughter subsiding, revealing the disappointment lingering in her tone. I barely manage to muffle the curses going past my lips, as I head to my keys, taking off my reading glasses, before heading out of the house, Judith's calm breathing on the other end of the phone. 

" Okay, where are you so I can come pick you up? And then I'll give that son of a bitch a piece of my mind." I noticed that when I'm angry, I tend to use Judith's dirty language, which causes her to laugh again at the foreign tongue she's not used to.

_____________________________________________________________

" You're one hell of a friend, Harry, I just love you." And even though I know she means it in the most friendly of all ways, I can't help how my hand begins to sweat, and the butterflies errupt in my stomache. I swallow the lump in my throat before I turn right.

" Where exactly is that bar again?" I ignore her previous comment, convincing myself not to think too much about it.

" You're always there to my rescue, and I have no idea why you put up with my shit. If I were you, I would have run for the hills by now." Her laughter fills my ears, but it isn't nearly as joyful as it always is.

" I care about you, Jude, and I'm your friend, and that's what friends are for." I attempt to reason with her.

" My friends are never like that though, only you. Are you gay, Harry?" Her question almost causes all color to leave my skin, blowing the air right out of my lungs.

" Is that why you and I never gave it a shot? I mean, any other two, would have been married by now, but nope, we haven't even dated." Ouch. She again reminds me of my too late- when. The lump in my throat only grows bigger, as the bar which she is supposedly in, comes into view.

" Alright, I see the bar now, Jude, I'll be there in a minute." I only hear her hiccuping, before the line goes dead. I put my phone away, running a nervous hand through my hair.

" This is going to be one long night." I hiss, before leaving the car.

__________________________________________________________________________

A/N: No comments or votes yet, but I still updated because I love this story dearly, so I hope you interact with me and share your thoughts :)