XANNY ▹ Harry Bingham

GO TO TOWN

mention of alcohol, mental illness, drugs, and abuse. this is a trigger warning. please do not read ahead if you'll be negatively affected.

chapter nine

"all i have to offer you is everything in me"

_

After the game, everyone settled at Harry's house for the promised party. They surrounded the backyard pool both inside and out, with music blaring out of the Bose speakers. Eden's hands gripped the beer bottle intensely, her eyes squeezing shut as she took another long swig of the dark liquid. The floor swayed steadily back and forth if she stood while under the influence, so she had no choice but to sit next to Harry by the edge of the pool. Her breath was the underlying cause of the alcohol scent that entered her nose, her throat sore from the amount of alcohol that'd been poured down it.

"Slow down there, tiger." Harry reached out and slipped the bottle away from Eden's hands.

"Okay, mom."

Harry laughed and leaned back to take a better look at her face. His mind took a catalog of every feature starting with her light freckles, ending with the deep passion of her eyes. "What's your middle name?"

"What?" Eden giggled and brushed away a strand of hair.

"Eden Blanchard. That's all I know about you, the intense girl sitting right next to me." He childishly put his head in his hand, as if learning about something mind-bending.

"Jo. It's Eden Jo."

"Eden Jo." He smiled as the name lingered on his tongue. They locked eyes for a second, and Eden noticed a desire in his eyes she'd never seen before. For a few seconds, the two stared at each other in an odd way, as if it were a silent argument.

Finally, he leaned forward, and his lips brushed against hers. It wasn't innocently, but fiery and demanding. She wanted to pull away before losing herself in the seduction, but couldn't bring herself to do it. "Eden... Jo," he repeated it in a whisper, prolonging each letter as if for savoring. She hid a gentle smile, and he pulled back, looking at her in a new way.

A low rumble of thunder interrupted the two, and their eyes were drawn away from each other, to the sky. A slight patter of rain began to fall, kissing their cheeks with each cold droplet. "We should go."

Eden held in a snarky response and instead leaned back, admiring the cluelessness present in Harry. "Let's go inside."

•

Harry sat on the kitchen counter downstairs watching everyone from the party conversing, as the rain continued to pour outside. A sly grin stuck on his face, appreciating the secrecy of what'd gone on in the bedroom right above where everyone stood now. Eden later appeared behind him, still not fully sober, but dressed in one of his button-downs with her torn up jeans. No one seemed to notice. He did, however, when he caught sight of her presence beside him. His smile immediately grew bigger and he reached his arm out to pull her close, his hand resting on her waist.

The overhead lights flickered with every thunderclap, and Eden felt herself tense up. She turned to Harry and nudged his shoulder, "What happens when they go out for good?"

Before he could answer, another guy interjected, "Do you have any flashlights?"

"Dunno, maybe somewhere."

"What about our phone flashlights?" Eden held up her iPhone and pointed to the corner where the light centered from.

"The battery would never last."

Clark stepped forward with a solution, "I'll lead an expedition to the hardware store for flashlights. You're welcome to come with."

A few patrons stepped forward in agreement, the rest headed out for home. Harry turned to Eden with a little flicker in his eyes "You can stay here if you want."

"Don't mind if I do."