SHE (bk 1)

ELEVEN

HARRY

He wondered if she liked sunflowers. 

As Harry stood in front of a flower display on the streets of New York he longed to know what Clementine's favorite flower was. He grabbed the bundle of the bright yellow flower and handed the man money as he made his way to her apartment. 

He wasn't even sure if she was home or why he bought her flowers but he felt genuinely happy that Friday night. A bottle of wine in his hands accompanied by the flowers as he knocked on her apartment door, anxiously waiting to see the small blonde. 

When the door opened he was met by someone he hadn't expected to see, Jonathan? He wondered if that was the man's name who was looking oddly at him, his girlfriend peeking out from behind him with wide eyes. 

He sized Harry up before reaching a hand out, "Jonathan," he asserts and Harry stumbles trying to put the wine bottle under his arm to shake the mans hand. A small giggle coming from the girl beside him at the anxious behavior, "Uh Clementine is still getting ready...here come in."

He wondered what she was getting ready for but suddenly he felt out of place and like a bother to the three people in the apartment. Harry had showed up unannounced and made a complete fool of himself, stomach twisting as he thought about what Clementine's reaction would be. 

"Clem hurry up you have a guest," Jonathan smirks at his girlfriend who seems a little less uptight tonight, the empty bottle of wine on the end table might be the culprit. 

A door suddenly opens and the blonde comes stumbling through the living room with confusion, "A guest? Who-," her eyes land on Harry and she lets a smile light up her features. 

He wants to smile back at her but he is completely stunned by her appearance, something he had never seen. A bright red dress was sitting perfectly on her body, cutting off at her mid thigh and hanging low to show her cleavage off nicely. He glanced up at her hair held tightly in a low bun with light makeup covering her defined facial features, a bold red lip accompanying it. 

She looked like everything he thought she wasn't. It wasn't a bad thing but the boldness of her outfit had simply caught him off guard, "Harry?," he snaps out of his trance and looks over at Jonathan who was smirking at him. 

Clementine had red cheeks and a soft smile, "Hi...what are you doing here?," she asks curiously, eyeing the wine and sunflowers hanging hopelessly in his large hands. He looked confused and slightly deflated, "Are those for me?"

He nods not being able to form words due to the awkwardness he felt in this situation, feeling out of place in the environment he wasn't invited to. "Uh sorry i'm interupting I just wanted to drink wine and talk again...also I saw some sunflowers and thought of you on the way over," he almost whispers, aware both Jonathan and Maya were eyeing him. 

Clementine reached out and grabbed onto the flowers smiling up at the man who looked like he wanted to disappear. She sensed his uncomfortable feelings and nudged her head for him to follow her into the kitchen, "I'll be right back guys have another glass of wine."

The couple happily oblige and Harry follows her quickly with wide eyes, "I am so sorry I am so rude I shouldn't have showed up without even telling you," he gushes pushing a hand through his hair without looking at the blonde still holding his flowers. 

"These are my favorite flowers," she tells him hoping to take his attention away from the intense anxiety he was feeling. Clementine knew exactly what it felt like to feel unwanted and she desired him to feel anything but, she wanted him to be comfortable. At ease. 

Harry immediately looks up at her through his lashes, the yellow of the sunflowers pairing perfectly with the grayish blue of her eyes. She looked beautiful holding them and if he had his sketch book he would be outlining her shapely body by now. "They are?"

She gives him a small nod before grabbing the wine from his sweating hands, "Thank you. I'm really glad you popped up without asking, it is a really nice surprise," she eases his nerves and she could visibly see some of the weight lifting off of him. He was so worrisome. 

"Where are you guys going?," he asks and she rolls her eyes before bending down to look for something in her cabinets, a glass vase being brought up to put her flowers in. A smile lit up her features as she put them in the middle of her table, matching the light yellow place mats she had. 

"They wanted to go out to a couple clubs tonight and Jonathan made me agree since I haven't been out in a while," she explains while wiping some red lipstick from her bottom lip, trying to even it out so she didn't look like a clown. 

He nods gently and gives her a small smile, "You look amazing Clementine," his voice is small and timid but he tries to keep his posture confident and assertive. She saw right through it. It was cute.

Her cheeks heat up and her gaze falls to the black heels she scuffed on the kitchen tile, "Thank you Harry," she smiles up at him and his knees shake at the sweetness behind it, kindness he thought he didn't deserve. "Would you like to come with us?"

His eyes immediately shoot up and she raises an eyebrow, "To the clubs?," he asks and she easily nods smiling. 

"You're here now so why not? You already have a lovely leopard print suit on so you're set to go, I'm sure Jonathan and Maya won't mind since i'm the third wheel anyway," her posture straightens and he easily wonders if he's invited because he just showed up. "It'll be a better night if you're there believe me."

Her words unraveled him and made his heart beat faster, she actually wanted him around?