Jaded • Harrison Osterfield • fwb!au

Chapter xiv

NOT EVEN THE LOUD CHATTER around him could make him take his mind off of the plans for the next day. Nervousness and hope wrestling inside him for control, fingers perpetually trembly holding his first and only pint of the night, now warm from the time he had kept it. The dimmed lights inside the pub didn't do much to hide his spaced-out expression that earned him a harsh slap on the middle of his back. Tom's heavy hand left an imprint of tingles on his skin under the black t-shirt he wore. "Argh! Tom!" The blonde boy moaned, throwing his shoulders back as he winced.

"Sorry-sorry." Tom was quick to apologise, rubbing his back a little roughly. "But you're gonna tell me what's in your mind or what?" The boy asked, eying Harrison with that knowing look. The blonde couldn't hide anything from Tom, they were best friends and he trusted him blindly, however he wasn't sure what Tom's reaction would be to what he was going to do.

"Definitely what." Harrison responded trying to inject some humour into the tone of his voice. 

"C'mon, man. You don't talk to me about anything anymore." The brunette insisted, making Harrison think for a bit. The blonde tapped the glass in front of him with his thumb a couple of times before he let out a heavy sigh.

"I've got nothing to talk about." He mumbled while holding Tom's gaze with difficulty. He so desperately wanted to look away, but he needed to be convincing otherwise his friend would keep nagging.

"Nothing? Really? Not even about that callback you got?" Tom's eyes shined under the orange lights of the establishment. Harrison couldn't help the smile that took over his features, he had landed a good role and he had been keeping the secret for a couple of days. Though, he was surprised it took Tom that long to point out, they lived together after all.

"Oh, that ole thing?" He chuckled shyly, his right hand coming to scratch the back of his neck.

"Yeah. Congrats, bro." Tom grinned widely, hand immediately lifting his pint. "Cheers to that, man." He said, waiting for Harrison to do the same. The blue-eyed boy grabbed his own glass and clunked it with Tom's before taking a sip, grimacing at the taste of the warm drink.

"Oh god," He groaned, his face contorting in disgust prompting Tom to laugh.

"Let me get you another one." The brunette offered, taking Harrison's glass as he got up. Not waiting for an answer the boy took off towards the bar, leaving Harrison on his own at the same time he felt the buzzing of his phone inside his pocket. Long fingers reaching for it the second it stopped. Will's name carried a message underneath it so he swiftly swiped it open and read it over a few times to make sure he read it correctly the first time. "You alright?" Tom's voice made him quickly look up and lock his phone.

"Yeah, all good," The blonde nodded and took the fresh pint his best mate had put down in front of him and took a big gulp.

"Y/n finally answered my texts." Tom blurted out drawing Harrison's attention away from the crowd. "Said she's doing great, um—" He paused, hesitating a little then carrying on. "She asked me about you." Harrison's breath hitched at the admission, eyes slightly widening, heart speeding up suddenly. The blonde boy shifted on his seat, hands wiping the sweat of his palms on his black jeans. He limited himself to only nod in response, waiting for Tom to keep on talking. "She might be over the whole thing, you know?"

"You think?" He answered with another question, it surprised him that Tom had brought up y/n. His friend had been actively avoiding mentioning anything to do with her, Harrison wasn't sure if it was just because he wanted to somehow not make it worse for Harrison or if he was annoyed at the whole thing, the last was Harrison's guess based on the way he acted.

"Maybe," Tom shrugged one shoulder. "Have you tried talking to her?" The boy was cautious with his words, Harrison could tell he was tiptoeing around it. The blue-eyed boy murmured a negative response eliciting an exasperated huff from his friend. "Alright, then." After that, Tom dropped the subject opting for making Harrison talk more about his newly obtained job with much more lightness on the air around them.