SHE (bk 1)

EIGHT

HARRY~CLEMENTINE

Harry's chest had never been so heavily weighted until he saw Clementine speed walking back to him with a pissed off expression. They had told her who he was and she was coming over here to ream him out for keeping such a big detail of his life from her. 

But as she got closer Clementine walked right past her, "I am going to strangle her," she mutters out as she grabs another glass from under the counter before appearing again. "My friends girlfriend over there hates me, makes my life a living hell every time I see her."

Harry breathes all his anxiety out and throws his head back trying to gather himself before replying, "Well maybe she's jealous," he offers and she snorts before filling the glass with sprite looking at the fizzing drink before nodding.

"He's like my brother and she knows that so I don't think that's it," she tells Harry and for some reason he feels as if a weight had been lifted off of him. He did feel jealous when her hand was planted so comfortably on his shoulder but it wasn't because he liked her...he just didn't want them to tell her who he was right?

He takes a sip of his tea and shrugs, "Sometimes it doesn't need to be sexual, she could be jealous of your connection or closeness...something she thinks she'll never be able to have with him while you're around," Clementine's face screws up into a thoughtful expression before she tells him she'll be right back. 

Harry watches as she quickly drops off the soda at their table, a wide fake smile on both of the girls lips, his chest rumbling with a laugh. "You are not good at hiding your distaste for her," he admits and Clementine shrugs. 

"I don't have the energy to give kindness to people who don't deserve it," her words are shocking but all at the same time true for him as well. He found it harder and harder to be nice to people who constantly tore him down or spoke behind his back. "I think everyone should be treated with kindness ya know that used to be my moms motto...treat people with kindness. And I try to live by it but some people are just so horrible," she admits and Harry immediately has thousands of questions. 

He liked the motto her mother had instilled in her from a child, and he could see it in the way she interacted with people. Even when dealing with someone she wasn't too fond of she tried her hardest to treat them with a kindness they didn't necessarily deserve. "Your mother is very wise."

Her face falls but she easily nods, "Yes she is," the simple answer made even more questions appear in his head but he stayed silent as he took a sip of tea. "Do you want something to eat?," she tries to fill the silence and he takes the menu from her outstretched hands. 

"Thank you-," a loud sound at the back of the diner causes them both to peer over, the man from earlier yelling at another male who stood up to get in his face. Harry immediately stuck his arm out in front of Clementine who tried to rush over to defuse the whole situation, "You could get hurt," he speaks lowly when she looks up at him in shock.

Clementine watches in horror as Jonathan appears a second later grabbing onto Max who blindly swings to hit him. Jonathan flings backward in surprise and hits another table causing some plates to shatter, "Hey that's enough," her voice was shrill and her body language was stoic as Clementine slipped under Harry's outstretched arm. 

Harry stood in case he needed to intervene watching as Clementine talked to 'Max', her short body still looking up at him even if he wasn't a tall guy. "Go outside and get a hold of yourself I am so sick of babysitting you," she scolds and he rolls his eyes at her easily. 

As the customer is shown out as well Harry watches as Max pushes past Clementine roughly, her body being pushed without care into Jonathan who catches her with ease. Her eyes shooting daggers at the man who storms past Harry, anger pulsing through him at the sight he just witnessed, his fists twitching. He was incredibly rough with little regard for Clementine.

"I am so sorry everyone, please try and enjoy the rest of your meal with a dessert on me," she smiles sweetly but Harry could see through her facade. Her eyes were glossy and she was muttering things to herself as she walked right past him and into the backroom where she disappeared. 

He sat in his seat not wanting to impose, he didn't know her that well and if she was in there crying she might not want him to see her. Fidgeting in his seat he waits patiently for the blonde to make another appearance, perking up with each passing body, until he realizes it's not her. 

While taking a sip of his tea Clementine appears again, her maroon coat on with a black purse strapped around her body. "You want to come back to my place with me?," she asks confidently. 

Harry catches tea in his throat and chokes, the innuendo becoming aware to her as he tries to get a hold of himself. "Not like that Harry...Claire is closing up for me and I promised you a meal but I need to get out of here right now," she admits and he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand before nodding.

"Yes of course love, let me go to the lou first," she nods and plops down in his empty stool before looking at her phone. 

Harry closes the bathroom door and takes a deep breath, looking at himself in the mirror  slapping his cheeks. "She doesn't know you...you are safe and you are still just some guy to her," he mutters before splashing some water on his face. 

He wanted to let her into his real life and show her who he was but he was afraid she'd crumble under the pressure. Afraid he would crush her with his needs and wants, terrified she would leave him because he was too much work. 

Harry was unbelievably ashamed that he was lying to her but so unbelievably relieved he was just some guy to her. He wasn't Harry Styles, he was just normal.