Cierra hadn’t had an actual conversation with me for so many days. Now today, she really wasn’t looking to have a long conversation with me. I wasn’t sure what I did to make her not want to talk. It was her fault we had the argument, and I was ready to move on anyway with this. As we walked into the store, I pulled her to the side.
“Listen to me now,” I told her. “I need to know what the fuck your problem is. You haven’t talked to me since we argued, and you and I both know who’s at fault for that. So, what the fuck is your issue.”
“I don’t have an issue,” she told me.
“Oh, that’s a load of bullshit, Cierra. I know you better than you think. Honestly, I think I know you better than you know me.”
“I don’t believe that shit,” she said.
I pushed her back against the wall. Anger filled my body. “You fucking know it’s true. You’re pissed because I called you out for mentioning my private life. Not everything is yours to gossip about, Cierra. None of my life is yours. Just because we’re friends does not mean you have the right to tell an entire group about what I’m going through.”
“I’m not telling anyone anything,” she laughed. “You overreacted.”
“You’re a fucking liar,” I growled. “You brought my mother into it because you don’t know your boundaries. You crossed the line. You wrecked our friendship. You won’t admit what you did was out of line. I’m an easy forgiver, but you know I won’t even think about forgiving you for calling my mother names that aren’t true. She’s gone through more in the last five years than you will in your life. So, you only have two choices here. You will either fess up and apologize, or I will make sure you never speak again because I will knock your teeth out the next time.”
“You aren’t going to lay a hand on me, Mitchie. You’re all talk and no game. I’ve known you long enough.”
Before she could even register what she had said, I let my hand slap across her face. Shock completely painted her from head to toe. I found myself smirking. “I told you. You don’t know me as well as you think, Cierra. You’re going to shut the fuck up about my mother or the friendship will be over, and I won’t hesitate to break your face.”
I left her standing in the corner of the store to go meet up with where Perrie and Harry were looking around. I don’t think they even knew we were gone. The whole conversation only took a minute at the most. I felt much better now that she knew I wasn’t a marshmallow to her anymore. Well, why should I give her mercy when she never gave me mine? It was only fair in the sense of karma that she got what was coming to her. And for me, I was all about the karma coming back around.
I’m not a shopper. That’s one thing that even Cierra could agree on. It was always her that was dragging me to mall after mall just so she could try on different dresses. I would have much rather have been back at the place reading. Perrie wouldn’t allow that though. She wanted to make the most out of this vacation as I could easily see. Every time we went into a store, and I found myself looking at some item that I liked, I saw her pick it up and go to buy it for me. It was a good thing I noticed when I did or else I would have had the whole store in my room. After the fifth or sixth time, I managed to keep my eyes on Harry or my feet the rest of the trip.
The car ride was probably the most awkward car ride. I sat right next to Cierra this time. She was still shocked I had put her in her place. I just smiled at her as to say “I told you I wasn’t kidding.” When I looked back up, Harry was looking at me. He knew something was up. The look on his face showed that. Nothing was going to get past him today, and I could see that as well. I just waited patiently while the car was driving back.
***
It wasn’t until later that night that I got an apology from Cierra. Although I accepted her apology, there was still a strain on our friendship. By this time now, I didn’t think even magic could repair us fully. I felt us drifter further and further apart. I didn’t wish for us to drift, but it had happened. There wasn’t a thing that I could do about it and although it killed me a bit inside, I just let it be. That was all I could do.
I was sitting alone in my room reading my beat up copy of To Kill a Mockingbird. I was starting to read the part where the trial was about to begin when there was a knock on my door. Irritated by the knocking, I called out, “If it doesn’t involve a birth or a death, don’t disturb me.”
Perrie walked in. “It doesn’t involve either but could we talk?”
I placed an old sliver of paper into the section I was reading, closed the book, and placed it on the table. “I guess I could spare a few minutes.”
She laughed. Perrie had something deeply on her mind. I wasn’t sure what it was because of all that had gone down this week. It could be something involving my ‘talk’ with Cierra. I was almost certain that was what it was, but I was caught off guard when she spoke.
“I’ve noticed you and Harry have gotten close these past few weeks.”
“Yeah, what about it,” I asked her.
She shook her head, “I was just wondering. I think you two are cute together.”
“I know you came here to say something else, Perrie,” I interjected. “You wouldn’t just come in here to say we’re cute. What’s on your mind?” By now I was chewing on the inside of my cheek nervously awaiting the answer.
She stood there for a few moments in the doorframe. Then she slowly walked over to my bed and sat down. “I’m just a little bit worried about this.”
“You and half the household,” I grunted out, rolling my eyes.
“I’m not objecting the relationship, Mitchie,” she assured me. “You have a wall built around you, and I don’t want that wall to come down if you aren’t ready for it to.”
“You sound like my mother.”
“I guess I do,” She agreed. “I won’t force a choice on you. You have to decide yourself whether or not you’re ready for a commitment. Just remember that his world is so much different from yours, and you don’ know how cruel people out there are.”
I objected, “I think I do know. I’ve lived through quite a bit.”
“Haven’t we all? We all suffer a great deal. The only thing that makes it different from the rest of us is how we suffer through it. Just hold on, and you’ll see what you want. Just keep in mind that the world is always ten times crueler than that you expect it to be.”
“Is that all you came to tell me about,” I asked her calmly. She nodded with a half smile. “Alright then, maybe I should lie down and get some sleep.”
She pat my back, “That’s a good idea. I think I’m going to too. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Goodnight,” I said to her as she walked out the door. I went back to reading my book. Page after page, the night progressed on. A sudden knock at my door brought me out of my trance. I put the book down and looked at the clock. The read numbers read 1:25. I murmured a curse to myself before tell the person to come in. The familiar curly haired boy walked in.
“You know how late it is,” I sternly joked.
He raised his hands, “I couldn’t sleep and looking around, I can see that you couldn’t either.”
“I was reading. That’s why I’m up. Why are you up?”
“Like I said, I just couldn’t sleep. Since I couldn’t, I came here. Mind if I stay for a bit?”
“Fine with me,” I said, patting the spot next to me.
With light steps, he slowly walked across the hardwood floor and onto the soft white rug. Without a moment’s hesitation, he leaped onto my bed and lied next to me. I was trying to concentrate on my book, but I wasn’t able to keep my place for long without feeling Harry’s nimble fingers run up and down my leg. Finally, I gave up and slammed the book on my nightstand. It landed with a soft Thud.
“Is there something you need?”
He smiled up at me, his eyes glistening more than ever, “I just wanted to spend some time with you.”
His words sent chills through my bones. I felt goose bumps coming up on my skin. His hands slowly moved up and down my leg. Butterflies were filling my stomach to the very brim. He reached over me and dimmed the lamp. The only light that shone was the soft glow of the TV and the dim light on the touchable lamp. He moved himself on top of me. I was too mesmerized by Harry to even think.
Softly, his deep voice said, “I know everyone’s been talking to you about us. They’ve been talking to me to. Are you worried about what everyone is thinking?”
I couldn’t find my voice. Three times I tired to speak, but I couldn’t find the words, so I simply shook my head no. I wasn’t worried. I wasn’t worried at all. By now, I was completely okay with being with Harry. Time was making me able to understand and adjust to the fact a guy was wanting to be around me without leaving. My mind felt at ease suddenly. Almost like I had known Harry longer than I actually did.
A smile formed on his face, and his lips were softly moving across my neck, “Good.” He didn’t have much to say. His physical actions were enough to show me what it was he was wanting to say. I was more than happy to allow him to let his actions speak tonight. This day was just a turning point for me. I stood up for my own self, my mother, and my sanity. I could see people have pretty much accepted what was going on between he and I.
Slowly, Harry caressed each section of my body. His lips traveling across every part his fingertips touched. He saved my lips for last. Before he kissed me, he looked into my eyes with a calm sense of happiness. His eyes spoke calmly, softly to me. I was feeling nothing but pure pleasure as he pressed himself against me firmly. Tonight, I was his, and he was mine. Nothing was going to stop that now. I could see that Harry and I had a connection that wasn’t going to fade.