roses so red [harry lewis]

rosebuds

CHAPTER 7: rosebuds

Okay, listen, I know Cal and Cal are both named... Cal. But I'm going to refer to Callum Airey as Cal/Callum and his roommate as Callux (his youtube name). Please forgive me okay I'm sorry

"Rosalie is coming by to get her things in a few, I'm going out." Cal said, entering the living room with his camera bag and a backpack slung over his shoulders.

Callux and Harry exchanged a look before looking to the taller boy, Callux's eyebrows raised. "What do you mean?"

Cal shrugged his bag higher on his shoulders. "I broke up with her, so she's fetching her things. Will either of you be home for a bit?"

"I'm off to Sarah's." Callux informed, shoving his phone and his keys into his pockets.

"I'll be here." Harry offered, turning the TV volume down slightly and glancing over at Cal. "You okay?"

Callum shrugged, "Having a girlfriend is too much hard work that I'm just not ready for." He said simply, grabbing his own car keys. "I can't be tied down."

"Glad you figured that out." Callux patted him on the shoulder, leading the way to the door. Although his tone was understanding, Callux shot a look at Harry that he responded to with a shrug and a short shake of the head. "I'll see you later, boys."

"Hold the lift, I'm coming." Callum called, scanning the living room to be sure he had everything before he nodded at Harry, looking at him quickly. "Sorry for all the trouble I gave you, Harry."

"All's forgotten." Harry obliged, raising his hands as if he was dropping any hard feelings. "Have a good day, mate."

"You too." Cal nodded, slamming the door in his wake before Harry could hear him jogging off down the hall.

Harry turned down the volume even more, all of the voices on the TV overwhelming when paired with the thoughts in his head. "What do you even say?" He asked himself, shrugging as he leaned forward, elbows on his knees and hands raking his hair.

"I'm sorry Callum cheated on you and I didn't tell you because I never saved your phone number." Harry recited helplessly, smacking his hands on either side of his head at the idiocy of the sentence. "Hey, sorry Callum dumped you and that I thought you were the shitty one the whole time!"

The door swung open and Harry jumped, whipping around to see Rosalie entering with an empty box in her hands, again dressed down in some leggings, a hoodie from her university, and a pair of Nikes with her hair hanging around her shoulders, face bare. "Am I interrupting something?" Rosalie asked, glancing around at Harry in his state of shock.

"Nope, nothing!" He answered quickly, giving her a smile and a wave before realizing that might not be the greeting she was in the mood for at the moment. "Uh, let me know if you need help with anything." Harry offered, turning to face the TV and upping the volume again.

Rosalie walked to Callum's room, picking up bits and bobs like her hair pins, some clothes that had gotten lost in the laundry, and her toothbrush in his cup by the sink. Shampoo, conditioner... all of the things she left because she expected to be back, now packed away in the box. 

She collected up every trace of her existence in Callum's life, loading it into a box like it was clutter and not a part of a person. Her fingers trembled as she plucked a photo of herself off his pinboard, dropping it in the box and looking away from it quickly.

"Do you want some tea?" Harry asked her, his head poking into the living room where she was searching the couch cushions for any of her things she'd lost.

Rosalie straightened up, shaking her head with a small appreciative smile. "No, thanks. Better head out before Cal gets back."

"He's filming, he'll be out all day." Harry reasoned, lifting an empty mug in her direction.

Rose shook her head, smiling smaller this time. "Thanks, but I think I need to head off." She grabbed up the box and made sure she had her phone and car keys before heading towards the door.

Harry stepped around the bench opening and closing his mouth for what to say before he finally landed on: "Can I get your number? I realize I never saved it, and what kind of mate would I be if I never saw you again?"

Rosalie paused, turning to face him and arching an eyebrow at the boy. "Mate?"

"That's what I said," Harry nodded, digging his nails into his palms anxiously. Rosalie paused, and then nodded, reciting her phone number so quickly that Harry barely got it down on his phone. 

"I'll see you around, I guess." Rosalie said, pulling the door open and looking over her shoulder at Harry.

"I guess so." He responded, pursing his lips so he didn't blab about what he'd seen. It'd hurt her worse, but part of him felt she deserved to know.

Rose nodded, giving him a smile. "Bye, Harry."

"Bye, Rosalie."