Chasing the Sun (COMPLETE)

chapter sixteen

Harry

"Pepperoni pizza with green olives?" I gave Blue a strange look as soon as the waitress had left the table. She gave me a shrug before searching through her purse for something.

"It's been a favorite of mine since I was little." I watched as she pulled her phone from her purse, a smile breaking out on her face when she clicked on the screen.

After the watermelon farm, we'd gone to a few of my favorite shops including an old record store and a thrift shop I frequented. Blue's sour mood had seemed to dissipate with each stop and she couldn't get rid of the smile on her face the moment I pulled up to the small pizza joint.

"How'd you know pizza was on my birthday list?" She'd asked. I noticed a sparkle in her eyes that I hadn't ever seen. I wasn't joking when I said that she gave off a blue vibe, that her aura was most definitely the deepest of blues, but in this moment, the blue seemed to lighten, almost like a clear sky on a summer day.

"I'm actually a mind reader." I shrugged, watching her eyes roll. I just smirked at her before shutting the car off and walking inside.

"Who's got you smiling like that?" I asked, lifting my chin at her phone. Her fingers were tapping away at the screen, her fading as she looked up at me.

"Josie's been texting me nonstop I guess. I haven't checked my phone since you came by the house and she's freaking out. The first thousand texts were memes but she got more worried the more I didn't answer. She messaged you apparently too." I sighed, pulling my phone from my pocket to see multiple texts from both Josie and Kennedy.

"Why would she be so worried? In case the two of you didn't know, you are a grown woman." I joked, giving her a small smile. I watched Blue swallow before locking her phone and sliding it back in her purse. She folded her hands together, rolling her thumbs around each other, her bottom lip caught between her teeth.

"Today is my first birthday....alone. Obviously not completely alone because you're here which I appreciate, but uhm...as I said before, I usually spend my birthday with my brother." She sighed, not looking up at me once as she spoke. My brows knitted together as I tried to comprehend just why one birthday without her brother would be so difficult.

"Can't you call or FaceTime him? I know it's not technically the same but it still counts." I shrugged as a conversation from last night ran through my brain.

    "Skye was my twin brother and I never thought he'd miss a birthday. I miss him, a lot."

     "Uhm, no, I can't." I wanted to press for more information but our waitress came back with our drinks and pizza. She asked if everything looked okay and both Blue and I told her yes before she walked away, "Alright, dig in and let me know what you think."

     I narrowed my eyes at Blue, watching a smile play at the corners of her lips as she placed her hands under her chin, her eyes on me. I took one of the pieces off the pan slowly, adding to the dramatic effect. I felt Blue getting impatient as her shoes tapped the floor anxiously. Her eyes grew wider as I inches the pizza slice towards me, taking a bite.

     I took my time chewing, amused by the fact that Blue was staring at me with the widest eyes, waiting for an answer. I was surprised that I actually liked the odd pizza combination.

     "So?" She asked as I swallowed, her eyes going back and forth between mine, looking for an answer.

     "I'm actually surprised I like it." She raised her arms in victory, falling back against the booth. I laughed at her reaction before taking another bite, "You've got good taste my friend."

     "Oh that's nothing, wait until you try my homemade pickle pizza." Her eyebrows wiggled at my disgusted expression. She rolled her eyes before crossing her arms over her chest, "Don't knock it until you try it."

     We spent the next hour just eating the pizza and joking with each other. I felt so at ease with Blue, a feeling I hadn't been familiar with in a long time. I could be myself around her without judgement. She never failed to surprise me with how smart and thoughtful her answers were to all my questions. Yet, I couldn't get the conversation about her brother out of my head.

     Once we were finished, I paid the bill and we headed out. I could tell that Blue was getting tired by the lack of conversation. She decided on driving home as she was going to drop me off at mine first.

     "Can I ask you a personal question?" She looked uncertain as she asked this, her eyes focused solely on the road ahead of her, "You don't have to answer it if you don't want to."

     "Ask me anything." I said, resting my arm on along the open car window. I watched her take a deep breath before speaking.

     "Why are you with Kennedy if she makes you miserable?" This was not the question I had been anticipating although I wasn't completely sure what she'd ask in the first place. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to come up with a good answer. It didn't surprise me that I couldn't find one.

     "She wasn't always evil. I met her at the start of her career, when she hadn't yet been corrupted by fame. It started off with a one night stand and then we kind of made it a two night stand and so on. We used to be happy but I think that once the fame got to her head, she thought more of herself and less of me. I don't know why I stay...I guess I just thought maybe one day we could get back to where we were to start with." I shrugged, thinking I should feel sad that things had gotten to this point between Kennedy and I but I wasn't. I was mostly just frustrated with myself at this point.

     "You deserve happiness, Harry, whether that's with Kennedy or not." Blue still wouldn't look at me as we pulled up to the house. I knew she was right but I didn't know if I was ready for the change of not being with Kennedy. I felt as if leaving would only complicate things.

     "Thank you, Blue. I'm still trying to figure things out I guess," She just nodded, turning to give me one of her fake smiles. Even she was used to my bullshit excuses by now. I turned to face her, watching as she did the same, our eyes catching each other, "Can I ask you a personal question?"

     "It's only fair," She laughed nervously, catching her bottom lip between her teeth. I was doing the exact thing that Josie had asked me not to but I wanted to know. I wanted to understand just what made Blue the way she was today.

     "What happened to your brother?"

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if you haven't already put the puzzle pieces together, the next chapter is going to be HEAVY and i will be putting a trigger warning before. you're finally going to find out just what happened with Skye.