Redemption [h.s]

seventy-seven

Grace

"Should we go directly home?" I asked when we were about ten minutes away from our building.

Harry hadn't felt like driving since it was dark outside, given that we had left my parents' house in the evening. For this reason, I had taken the place behind the wheel, leaving him to sit on the passenger seat.

He intertwined our fingers, bringing my hand to rest against his thigh. "Gemma asked if we could pass by her house to say hi" he murmured in reply, letting my hand go and starting to play with the ring on his index, twisting it around.

"We can do that" I replied taking the turn that would've brought us to his sister's house. "Are you thinking of something? You're quite silent tonight" I asked him after a while, side-glancing at him, and he nodded.

"Just thinking of all the tests I still have to grade" he said, and I let out a little laugh.

"Are they that many?"

"Every single one of my classes" he replied, making me frown.

"Didn't know you were that kind of teacher" I mumbled. "The one to give a shit load of tests, I mean."

"I have to understand what their level is, considering that I last saw them in September, and it's April now" he defended himself, "That's an awful lot of time, you know."

I nodded in understanding. "And what is their level? If I can ask, of course."

He settled back against the seat more comfortably. "Not that bad at all, actually. I was expecting way worse, considering all the things I have been told about the substitute teacher."

I smiled. "Yeah, I do remember something about that" I told him, remembering our encounter with one of his at the time ex students of some months before.

"That was unfortunate" he replied as I parked the car in front of Gemma's house. "Let's leave the bags in here, it won't be long anyway."

I nodded and exited the car as he did the same. As we were walking to the door, I noticed an unknown car in the driveway.

"Did they buy a new car?" I asked Harry, making him stop in his tracks and glance at the mysterious car as well.

"Not that I'm aware of..." he said lowly, a frown on his face, before reaching the door and ringing the doorbell.

I rushed to his side, a weird feeling settling in my chest.

After a few seconds the door opened to show Gemma. Her eyes widened as she saw us, and she gave a nervous glance to the inside of the house.

"Harry, hey" she whispered worriedly, before looking inside again. "Listen, you have to leave."

He frowned in confusion. "I don't understand."

"Be quiet!" She hissed. "I know I asked you to come and I'm so glad you did, and I hope you had a lovely time, but you really need to leave. Something came up, uh, you need to go away right now."

"Is something wrong?" He asked her, making no move to go away.

She sighed. "I'll explain everything to you later, but you need to leave now. You can't stay here."

"Why?" He asked, even more confused than before.

"Gemma? What's going on?" I asked her as well, and her eyes darted between the both of us as she searched for something to say.

However, that wasn't necessary, because the problem presented itself to us.

"What's taking so long?" A feminine voice said as a woman with dark hair came out of the living room, stopping right behind Gemma.