Stay With Me || H.S

35

A little heavy stuff towards the end, like not language related just like topic related.

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[Harry]

“Oh honey i've always loved this car of yours” My mum boasts, running her hands up and down the interior of my carrera.

“Yeah me too” I smile at her, relieved that this feels more comfortable than I had expected. My nerves have been eating me up since i've left Lana back at the house. Though the second my mother and I pulled out onto the streets – en-route to the restaurant – I felt more at ease. Despite the topics of conversation I have planned for the evening.

I pull into the lot for the restaurant and it isn't long before we find our way inside and are lead to our table. The restaurant is quaint and comfortable for a peaceful dinner with a friend or loved one.

“Lacey and I have been coming here since – well since you were in here” My mum rubs her hand over her flat stomach.

“It's nice” I help her in her seat and push in the chair for her.

“Maybe you could bring Lana here while your in town” she fixes the napkin on her lap. I shrug my jacket off and hang it on the back of my chair before taking a seat myself.

“Yeah maybe” I mumble and start fiddling with the silverware.

My mom doesn't seem to notice my nervousness as it resurfaces little by little, until I can't take to hear another one of my mothers stories.

“Mum” I interrupt her, and she blinks up at me like a deer in headlights and i'm the speeding truck.

“What is it Harry?” she spoons in the last of her baked potato, a small expectant smile on her face.

“Um I -” she cuts me off.

“Gwen?!” she looks past me with a huge smile on her face. What?

My heart stops momentarily as I watch her get up and rush to hug the woman.

It can't be.. not now.

Yet surely enough, when I turn around I find the very same Gwen I found with James in that janitors closet the day of my mothers wedding. Gwen – my mothers so called best friend – the one I was just about to out not even moments ago.

“God it's been so long!” Gwen gushes and her blue eyes finally land on me. My stare hardens as I watch the color in her cheeks fade, and I swear I think she jumped back a little.

“It has oh – Harry don't be rude! You remember Gwen right? My best friend!” My mother taps me on the shoulder, making me stand to greet the woman.

“Yeah I remember” I grit, extending my hand out to Gwen, “I met her at the wedding” I add as she takes my hand, trying to hide her gasp with a small cough.

“You did?” my mother's tone is questionable.

“Yeah, I ran into her before the service” I don't remove my gaze from Gwen's fidgeting figure.

“Oh well – you know when Lacey couldn't babysit you Harry – Gwen was always there” my mum nudges me and I force a chuckle.

Before I know it – despite Gwen's various forms of rejection – my mother manages to make her join us at the table. I sit silently, my hard stare focusing on Gwen from time to time as my mother goes down memory lane of their friendship from grade school until now. Despite their growing apart recently my mother still feels, “practically like sisters”. I wonder what caused the gap between them..