Midnight Cherry | H.S.

Chapter 6 🍒

My eyes slowly peel open when I hear the sound of a kettle boiling. I reach for my phone, where's my phone? I sit up and it takes me a few seconds to recollect the previous night before I realise I'm in a room I don't recognise. I remember, I came back with Harry.

"Morning" he's stood in the doorway, leaning against the door frame, pulling me away from my thoughts trying to orientate themselves. "Morning" I respond, my early voice raspy and dry. He hands me a glass of water. "Thanks, where's my phone?" I assume he'd have a better idea than me. He points to my bag next to the bed, "in there would be my guess". He was right. When I pull it out, I check the time.

10:58 am. Shit.

"Fuck, I'm going to be late for work" I panic, getting up quickly, almost falling over. My shift didn't start until twelve. As I rush to grab my bag, I remember the phone call with my mother and slump back onto the bed. "That went from zero to one hundred back to zero real quick" he smirks.

"I can't go home, my work clothes..."

"Call in sick" he cuts in. "Take a day off, you need it" he sits next to me and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. I actually contemplate it for a second, but I couldn't do that. "No I'll just have to go home and suck it up, I'll ignore my mum as best I can" I try to reason.

"Well I may or may not have already called in for you" he announces with that same smirk. "YOU DID WHAT?" Why would he do that? It's not his place to call in to my work and get me a day off. I can't say I'm fully disappointed by it but he shouldn't have done that.

"So don't worry about it, you can chill here" he doesn't seem to sense my tone. "I can't" I argue. "Well you are" he says before standing up and exiting the room when the kettle pops.

I have no words. The audacity of this man. I suppose a day off wouldn't hurt. I need to start looking for somewhere anyway, a small apartment or something; very small to be able to fit my budget. There was no way I'm staying at home - no it's not my home anymore, there's no way I'm staying at my mother's house after that call.

"Coffee?" I hear him call from the kitchen. "Gross!" I call back, I hear him chuckle. "Tea?" He responds. "If you have any mint tea?" I request, I'm not a huge fan of hot drinks but minty teas are heavenly. I hear heavy steps rush through the hall and Harry bursts in, "Who the fuck drinks mint tea?" he laughs, like a real, genuine, head back cackle; tears in his eyes.

What was so funny about drinking mint tea?

"I'll take that as a no then" I giggle a little, I couldn't help it after hearing his gorgeous laugh and watching the way his dimples pop. He doesn't say anything else, he just makes his way back to the kitchen laughing - it's not even that funny, it's just mint tea.

I decide to actually get up, I stretch, causing Harry's shirt to rise and reveal my underwear, good thing Harry was in the kitchen. "Cute panties love" he smirks, stood in the doorway again, this time with a cup of coffee to his lips. I flush red and rush into the bathroom, locking the door behind me and hearing his low chuckle - I could hear the smirk plastered on his face. I can't believe that just happened. Looking in the mirror, I see my bright red face. I splash cold water on my face and wait a couple minutes before exiting the bathroom, Harry no longer here. Good.

I go out to the living room where Harry is sat on the sofa. "Erm can I have my clothes? You said you'd wash them for today?" I ask, feeing awkward from what's just happened. "They're in the drier, plus you should stay in that because one, we're having a lazy day and two, you look amazing" he smirks, of course.

To be honest, I liked wearing Harry's shirt, it's comfortable and smells really good; it smells like whatever cologne he uses with a slight minty trace. It was a bit weird though, I mean, I'm wearing his clothes but what exactly are we? Friends? With benefits? More? I'm too awkward to ask, I think even if I wasn't awkward that would be too awkward to ask.