Torn // H.S.

Chapter 4

I roll over in bed forcing my eyes open. My head a dull ache as I look at the light shining through my curtains. I am assuming it is well past noon based on the amount of times I snoozed my alarm but I am too scared to look at my phone to check the time as the memories from last night come back to me. I climb out of bed and head for the kitchen leaving my phone on my nightstand.

I settle on a peanut butter sandwich after spending fifteen minutes going through the fridge then the cabinets then the fridge again. I really need to go grocery shopping this weekend. I wander into the living room finding a comfortable spot on the couch as I start scrolling through Netflix when I hear Julie's bedroom door open. She enters the living room looking better than I honestly expected her to. There is a huge smile plastered on her face as she takes a seat facing me on the opposite end of the couch. I know exactly where the conversation is going to go and as much as I want to know what is happening with her and Harry, I also don't.

"So how late did you end up getting back home last night?" I try to say as casually as possible avoiding the inevitable topic.

"Actually not that late. Harry wasn't feeling well so he left like thirty minutes after you did and then I came home soon after that." She says matching my casual tone.

Julie has always been this way. She likes to bring up a topic she wants to talk about but makes the other person ask her all the questions. She makes you pry the information out of her even though she wants to give it to you anyway. It always felt like a power move but I never cared and rarely noticed, until now I guess. I try not to read into her mention of Harry leaving early as I continue our conversation.

"So who is Harry exactly? And why have you never mentioned him to me before?" I question her playfully.

"He's no one really. I mean not yet. I met him a few weeks ago and we have hung out a few times when I have been out with friends." Julie responds like it's not important. But she forgets that I have known her since we were eight years old and I can read her from a mile away. It's important.

"Oh well, he seems nice." I say not very convincingly.

I know she was expecting more from me. A comment on how gorgeous he is or his British accent but she lets the topic go and we continue gossiping and laughing for a bit about last night and our drunk friends. But I feel uncomfortable around her like I did something wrong or I am hiding something. I keep telling myself I didn't really do anything wrong. But I feel guilty anyway.

I am slightly relieved that Julie and Harry barely know each other. But less relieved because of the smile on her face when she mentioned his name.

"Dang, what time is it? I really should go work on this essay for a bit." I lie to her so I have an excuse to leave the apartment for a few hours hoping it will help clear my head.

I leave Julie on the couch and rush into my room to change into a hoodie and a pair of yoga pants. Then I quickly throw my laptop, books, and phone into my backpack. I head back into the living room but the couch is empty. I make my way towards the kitchen and still no sight of her so I assume she went back to her room.

"Bye Jules! I'm headed to the coffee shop! I'll be back in a few hours! Call if you need anything!" I yell as I grab my keys off the counter and rush out the door before I hear a response.

There is almost no traffic out to my surprise since it is the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday and I make it to the coffee shop where I work in under ten minutes. I go inside happy when I notice my favorite table in the corner near the window is empty and drop my stuff. After ordering my usual iced coffee I sit back down at the table and start unloading my backpack. I reach for my phone and realize I haven't checked it all day. The screen lights up revealing a few unread messages one from Julie responding to my message from last night. And two from Harry.