Introspective Strangers [h.s.]

Chapter 38

Chapter 38

"Took you long enough," my sister grumbled as Harry and I walked through the doorway into my dad's house. Her hands were on her hips and she was glaring between the two of us. The bustle and craziness were the same here as it had been yesterday at her house, with people covering every square inch, and I had to reign in my cringe at the sight.

I took a sobering breath, already tired enough from having to reem Harry out in the car for buying me two pairs of shoes that could probably have covered my entire rent and definitely was not ready for what the rest of the day was about to bring if this was how it was starting with my sister.

"Sorry," I said with a frown, wringing my hands together. "We got caught up."

Eve waved a hand with a dismissive huff. "I don't care, frankly. My wedding is tomorrow. I don't have the time for anybody else's stress."

I closed my eyes and bit back all of the words that I wanted to scream in response. It seemed that she was still upset with me for how I left yesterday and was going to drag out this sour mood for all it was worth.

Something grazed against my arm and I opened my eyes to see Harry who had approached my side. I gave him a quick glance, to which he smiled slightly and let our fingers brush together, as if in solidarity. The action alone was enough to calm me down.

With a voice as steady as I could manage, I gave her a pinched smile and just responded with, "You're right. Your weekend. Where do you need me?"

My sister paused for a split second, narrowing her eyes at me, obviously not having expected me to relent so easily. She wanted me to fight her and I knew it, so I was going out of my way to do the exact opposite. Glancing between the two of us once more, she just straightened and jerked her chin toward the stairs.

"The dress is in your room. Try it on."

I stiffened at her words. "I don't have a room here."

Eve merely gave me an assessing gaze before replying sharply, "Don't do this. Not today."

Before I could respond, Harry grabbed my hand. With a staggering breath, I turned to look at him. His expression was calm, levelled as he looked at me – one that I couldn't myself match.

"C'mon," he murmured, "It'll be quick. You'll be back down before you know it."

The thought of going back to the room that I once had here when I was 16 made me nauseous. I hadn't been back in years and with the look that my sister had given me, I knew that she had done this on purpose. To get back at me for yesterday. We had purposely gone onto the roof through her room for a reason.

When I didn't respond, Harry said softly, "Side by side. Okay?"

I knew that Eve was still watching us both, waiting for me to crack while also trying to read into whatever was going on between the two of us. I didn't give her the satisfaction of either and instead took another deep breath. With a short nod at Harry, I let him pull me out of the room and toward the stairs. I didn't look back at my sister.

As soon as we were in the hallway, I pulled my hand out of Harry's and reached up to bite my nails.

"Another bad habit?" Harry asked with an amused grin, raising one eyebrow.

I couldn't muster a response and instead just gave him a half-hearted smile as we started to mount the stairs, which I'm almost sure came out as more of a grimace.

"The one at the end of the hall," I muttered when we reached the landing.

Harry walked toward the door first, glancing back once at me for approval as he put his hand on the knob. I just nodded, pausing a few feet behind as he turned it.