SHE (bk 1)

EIGHTEEN

The diner was empty when they arrived much to Clementine's relief, although it was still early and they opened in an hour. 

"So this is yours?," Harry asks in awe of his surroundings and Clementine hums as she turns on all the lights around the small diner. "When I first came in here I thought you were just an employee I had no idea it was your diner."

That was mostly because she didn't like the thought of inheriting the diner her mother had once called her baby. She was deathly afraid she would ruin it or put it out of business because she had no idea what she was doing. But she was learning as best she could.

"Would you like tea?," her voice was soft and he knew she was being extra nice because of last night, she had seen just how terribly broken he was. Harry was afraid she would treat him differently but Clementine was just kind all around so he couldn't tell if it was pity. "I'm not being nice just because you told me your deepest feelings Harry...you deserve kindness ya know? It doesn't have to be for a reason."

He wanted to say yes that he knew he deserved the kindness and love he received but he couldn't bring himself to say it. "You can read me like a book." he tells her instead and she sends him a smirk.

"It's easy to read you because I usually feel the same, your facial expressions tell me everything I need to know," her cheeks heat up pink and his lips form a smirk as they stare at each other. She was so pretty it hurt and he knew looking at her with the light from outside shining on all her features he wanted more than a friendship from her. 

He wanted to be every reason for her happiness and every reason for her growth, he wanted to be the person to lift her up when she needed it and let her shine when she caught her footing. Harry didn't want to outshine her, he wanted to see her flourish as she got older and he was hoping she felt the same.

As he opened his mouth to speak someone interrupted him, "Is this guy bothering you Clem?," her happy smile was wiped from her lips and the blush nowhere to be seen, a paleness taking over her complexion. She looked...terrified.

Harry turned to locate the voice and saw the guy who started a fight the last time he was at the diner, the one who gave him a dirty look since he walked in. He immediately didn't like him.

"No Max this is my friend Harry...you aren't needed for another hour so you can leave and come back," her posture was stern and confident but the look of panic in her eyes didn't go unnoticed by Harry. What had he done to her?

The shorter man steps up to Harry and he almost laughs, he's basically the height of Clementine and had a whole lot of confidence to look up at Harry. It was almost comical, "Nah I think I'll stick around in case he gets any funny ideas."

He hits his shoulder with Harry's...well he tries to but only hits his upper arm, strolling confidently past a shaking Clementine. It was almost a toxic energy had entered the room as soon as he appeared, like it put her on edge.

"What's his problem?," Harry wonders and Clementine clears her throat sending him a smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "Did you guys um..."

Harry's jealousy peaked as her eyes wouldn't meet his, it was obvious they had dated just from the way he looked at her. Like he had seen everything, it made Harry sick.

"We dated but it didn't end all too well...it's fine we just don't get along," she tells him and he immediately feels a slight relief at the fact she didn't like him in the slightest. He had a bad case of short mans syndrome that was very obvious. "Let's make you that breakfast."

Moving toward the kitchen she tried to avoid speaking about Max or speaking to Max but it was hard when he was lingering around them. He listened to every word and commented on everything they said to each other, eventually making them resume in silence. She didn't want him to win but it seems he always on ups her. 

"So are you guys fucking?," Clementine chokes on her coffee and Harry sends the man standing across from him a dirty look, "Not that I care, ya know been there done that."

The words send a shock wave of heat through her body but she tries to quickly recover by not giving him the response he wanted. Knowing the silence would kill him that's exactly what she gave him.

"Are you deaf I asked you a question," He speaks again loudly but she continues to stir her coffee with the wooden stick, Harry looking between the two in confusion. Max looked as if he was getting more aggressive with each second the silence pursued. "You're a bitch just like you're fucking mother was and I am so glad she di-," his words were cut off by glass breaking.

The cup in Clementine's hand had launched across the room at the disgusting man's head, not an ounce of regret on her features as she finally faced him. Harry was standing in shock and so was Max as he looked at the shattered cup, the reality of how close it came to hitting him sinking in. 

"You would be lucky to be half the person my mother was and I thought I would feel bad throwing that cup at you but then I remember what you did to me," her words are low and her eyes guarded as she turns into someone Harry doesn't recognize, "You can bruise and batter me, throw me down the steps...rape me when I didn't want to be intimate with you but I will not let you speak of my mother like that. She gave you a job and helped you get off drugs, she allowed you in her home and all you did was prove everyone was right about you."

"You are an insufferable, egotistical, uncaring piece of garbage who does not deserve an ounce of anyone's kindness. And I truly hope you find some peace in your life because all you have done is burn any bridges of happiness you could have had, so with that being said," Clementine stands up straighter and points a shaking finger at him, "You are fired Max and I don't mean come back in a week I mean do not step foot in here again. If you do I will call the cops so fast your head will spin."

Max looks angrily between the two people staring at him, moving a step forward. Harry immediately steps beside her in case he needs to prevent what inevitably would happen if he wasn't here. It broke his heart. 

"You might be brave because he's here to protect you but he won't always be around...remember that."