HamLIT [complete]

1. Harry's Venti Decaf Extra-Foam Soy Latte - Edited

Original draft published October 24, 2019

Edited version published August 23, 2020

Our story begins in Terminal E at Boston Logan International Airport. It's nearly ten thirty on a warm June night, and even at a time this late, Logan is on edge. It's always on edge. You see, Logan represents its city well; it's big, covered with sports banners, and oozing with stress.

Amidst the travelers coming and going, a young man stands by the curb in Terminal E's arrivals area. At first glance, anyone would be able to tell that this young man takes meticulous care of himself and isn't afraid to show it. His outfit, from the collar of his Martha's Vineyard polo shirt to the tips of his blindingly white sneakers, has not even a hint of a wrinkle or stain. Long-forgotten designer sunglasses rest on his forehead, below his wave of carefully combed dark hair. In his right hand, he taps away on his phone, and in his left, he holds a venti decaf extra-foam soy latte. But he isn't paying much attention to his drink, which he just got at exactly 150 degrees from the airport Starbucks. He's too busy texting, an anxious look on his face. In fact, he radiates so much anxiety that he fits in quite well at Logan.

His name is Harry Yeoh, and he's fresh off the plane from the United Kingdom, the country where he was born and bred.

"Hey! Harry, is that you?"

Two tall, pimply guys jog up to Harry, dragging suitcases behind them. They are both sixteen years old, the same age as Harry. "Dude!" one of them says as a greeting.

Harry looks up in surprise. His worried expression is instantly replaced by a bright smile. It's completely fake, of course, as you'd expect, but Ben and Mark don't notice. "Oh, hi, Mark. Hey, Ben. How are you guys?"

Ben and Mark Gardner, twin brothers who happen to attend the same highly prestigious boarding school as Harry, grin. They are not really his friends, but since Harry is popular at New Hampshire's highly prestigious Wittenberg Academy, they're eager to talk to him. "We just got back from our vacation in France!" says Ben.

"How was it?"

"It was awesome, we—"

"What are you doing here, though?" Mark interrupts. "I would've thought you'd be in the UK. Didn't you fly back home after finals?"

"Uh, yeah." Harry shifts uncomfortably. "I did, but I just came back today. I'm going to visit Ham. Actually, I'm waiting for my Uber driver now, but..." He checks his phone again. "...It looks like he's going to pretty late. Apparently, there's a big crash on the motorway."

(Ham, by the way, is Harry's best friend. You'll meet him later.)

"Oh." Ben and Mark look at each other in that annoying knowing way, the way people look at each other when they both know something but don't want to explicitly refer to it. "So, uh...how's Ham?" says Ben.

Harry shrugs. "I haven't seen him since last month, but it sounds like he's doing okay."

"What's he been up to? It's kinda weird to see you without him, you know, 'cause you two are always together."

Harry winces. "Well, he's on a date with Lia right now-"

"Lia?!" Ben interrupts. "Like, Lia as in Ofelia?"

"Ofelia Polonio?" Mark interjects.

"Oh, yeah, er...Ham's been going out with her," says Harry, shifting his feet awkwardly, his hands deep in the pockets of his salmon-colored shorts.

"Since when?!"

"Since about a month ago, I think. They live in the same town, so they've been hanging out since they got home from school."