Effortless (h.s.)

Chapter NINE - reconsider

Harry and I hadn't spoke in two days, ever since our deal he hadn't been making his daily rounds to my apartment. I thought I would enjoy the alone time, but I missed him like crazy.

Dylan came over for the past two nights, but all we do is sit around and watch movies or youtube videos though. We never did anything significant or actually fun. I had been waiting for Harry to come knock on my door and tell me to come over and help, he didn't.

It was Thursday night too, and since Harry had told me he had Friday morning meetings, I figured he wasn't going to be needing any of my help anytime soon.

I laid on my blush pink couch and stared at the ceiling, thinking about all of the possible things I could be doing right now instead of staring at the ceiling.

My mind was running around in circles, wondering what brought me to this apartment instead of any other, and what the chances were that Harry would be my neighbor. I didn't quite get it, none of it felt real anymore.

I brushed it off and sat up, walking over to my kitchen to make a cup of coffee.

Coffee had always been one of my favorite beverages, and it didn't effect me in anyway. I could drink a cup an hour before bed and still sleep like a rock. So I made a cup and sat back down on the couch.

I jumped when my phone started to vibrate on the table next to me, without thinking I grabbed it and put it to my ear, "Hello?"

"Hi! Is this Miss Lennon?" My face contorted, I hadn't ever heard this voice before.

"Yes, and who is this?"

"Oh, this is Claire from Tarte's Coffee. You had a training day the other day and never came back for your second day... I know this might seem super strange that we're calling but we need more help, we are willing to accept you into our family if we do a more-" she paused, thinking for the correct word, "professional interview, would you be willing to do that?"

My voice got caught in my throat. Would Harry care if I accepted this job? I mean... he hasn't asked for any help for two full days. I don't know whether or not he is sticking to this.

"Can I call you back in a few minutes? I need to talk with someone to see if I can make it work, is that alright?" I checked, biting my nails nervously.

"That's perfectly fine! Yeah, give me a call in a few. I'll be here," Claire cheerfully spoke, it was weird how desperately needy this place was.

"Thanks, bye," I whispered and set the phone down back on the table.

I picked up a hoodie I had on one of the bar stools in the kitchen, slid it on, and headed out to confront Harry about this whole work thing. The blue carpet beneath my feet was familiar to me but also made me extremely nervous, it meant that I was no longer in the walls of my safe apartment.

I boldly knocked on his door, squeezing my eyes shut and opening them to get myself to think straight. Wait, I don't even know what I'm going to say. Just when my stomach started to sink, Harry pulled the door open to reveal himself.

"There you are, I haven't seen you in a bit," he smiled, opening the door wider for me and allowing me to step in, "I was just about to start making dinner, care to join?"

I opened my mouth but nothing came out. Harry halted, he knew within a single second I had something to tell him that he wasn't going to be very fond of. He squinted his eyes and shut the door behind me, locking it.

My eyebrows lowered and I breathed in, "Don't act like that, it's nothing bad."

He pursed his lips and and gave me a sassy look while walking around me to his kitchen, I followed him slowly as he pulled out a head of lettuce and some cucumbers. I felt his tension radiating around the room. I didn't know why he was so upset, though.

"That girl from the coffee shop called," I tried to speak with a perky tone, but when he looked up at me with a glare my shoulders and confidence fell through the floor.

"What did she say?" Harry set the knife he just had picked up down on the counter and leaned forward, I walked closer and sat across from where he was standing.

"She said that, well, they need all the help they can get. So I can go work there if I do an actual interview, it's kind of like a fresh start I think," I didn't look up at Harry when I explained, "I don't know if I'm going to take it, that's why I'm here."

I bit my lip hard and my shoulders were stiff, I finally looked up to see an unamused Harry. He picked the knife back up and started to cut up cucumbers, ignoring everything I had said.

"Say something," I tried to brighten the mood with a slight laugh, wrong move.

His neck snapped up and his eyes hit me like daggers, "Why do you act like I'm unbearable to be around?" He finally gushed, giving me a wild stare, "Why won't you take me up on my offer? Am I really that bad?"

I listened intently, his tone of voice was anxious and I hadn't ever heard him speak in such urgency before. I understood where he was coming from until he asked if he was really that bad. My eyes softened as guilt built up.

Harry whipped his arms in the air in defense, "You won't even admit you like me, you act like I'm hard to be around."

I placed my hands in my face and pulled down, rubbing my eyes.

"Where is all of this coming from," I spoke, avoiding his previous comment, "I feel bad coming in here and taking your money, plus I don't want to be a nu-"

"I just want a friend," He lowered his voice, he stopped cutting his cucumbers and watched me closely, "Take my offer, I don't want you at some random coffee shop, I want you around here."

"Why are you so... so-" I began, taken aback at how sincere he was becoming. I remembered a few days ago when I got sick and he refused to let me call the coffee place back, he got so worked up over it.

He blinked a few times and cut me off, "I'm not," he walked around the counter to stand in front of me. He was slightly taller but not by much, the bar stool I was sitting on was pretty high, "I just don't think you understand, you don't need that job. I will help you if you help me. It's that simple."

I itched the back of my head, trying to process the deal I was being presented with.

"I-I... Yeah, okay I'll call her back and let her know I can't. Something else has already come up and I don't need the job anymore," I hesitated. I hadn't seen Harry in a day or two and he was nothing like this then.

I watched Harry practically de-tense right in front of me, it started at his neck and went all the way down to his feet. He batted his eyes a few times, looking around the room before making eye contact once more.

"Okay, you do that. Come over tomorrow at noon."

I stood up from the bar stool and shuffled away from him, uncomfortably moving at a quick pace to get out of this situation.

"Harry?" I turned around to see him standing, hunched over the bar stool where he stood before, not moving. He peered up at me and I gave him a slight smile, "I do enjoy being around you, I'm sorry I made you feel otherwise."

It was so hard for me to say that, I hated expressing my feelings to other people.

"Lennon-"

"I-If you want I can stay?" I whispered lightly while shifting in my shoes, avoiding his gaze.

"Please do," he spoke at the same volume, immediately following my question.

I walked back over to the stool where he stood and sat down, we both shared a small glance before he walked over to the food once more, resuming his prep work.

It only then occurred to me that this job was surely going to be a hell of a lot harder than some coffee joint.