Secrets / Black & White / Playing for Keeps

But she couldn’t hide forever and a couple of days later Julian arrived at Ben’s apartment, accompanied by Harry who was on his way to the studio. She sank in an armchair as Ben disappeared into the kitchen to mix a couple of drinks.

“So did you and Harry have fun the other night?” He asked a slight mocking edge to his voice.

“Yes.” She said hoping that one word answers would make him change the subject. She tried not to look at Harry.

“Is there something you’d like to tell me?”

“No.” One word answers, but still no change of subject.

“Anything going on between you two that I should know?” He persisted. “I’ve already asked Harry but I’m interested to hear what you have to say.”

Lara couldn’t help but glance at Harry who widened his eyes at her, his face otherwise expressionless.

“There’s nothing to know. The love bite was just a joke.” She said lamely.

“A joke? What kind of a joke is that? Who gives someone a love bite as a joke?” Julian paused and looked at Harry, “Wait, we’re talking about Harry here. Of course… it’s all starting to make sense now.”

Ben returned and attempted to hand Julian a drink who waved him away.

“Harry, I’ve never been able to figure out.” Julian gestured to Harry. “But you Lara, I pegged you to be a sensible girl. Harry has told me that nothing is going on between the two of you, and if you ask me, that’s how I like it. But what I’m starting to realise is that you both are in cahoots. And that I don’t like at all. Not one bit."

Ben placed the drink in front of Julian’s face.

“Calm down and have a drink.” He said. “They’re just having a little fun, that’s all.”

“Fun?” Julian spluttered.

“Guys, your drinks are on the kitchen counter.”

Harry and Lara almost jumped out of their seats, grabbing the opportunity to escape into the kitchen.

“Cahoots?” Harry burst out laughing. “Did he just say cahoots?”

“It’s a great word, isn’t it?” Lara said. She looked at the empty kitchen counter. “I think Ben sent us here to let us get away.”

“Good old Uncle Ben.” Harry said with a nod, hoisting himself up on the counter. “The problem is, Julian’s my ride to the studio. And he’s been going off about it since he picked me up this morning.”

“He can go on and on, can’t he?” Lara agreed.

Lara grabbed a couple of drinks from the fridge and handed one to Harry.

“Hey, I wanted to ask you a question.” Harry suddenly said and Lara looked at him with interest. “I meant to ask you the other day... if you didn’t have to do teaching, what would you want to do?”

Lara felt her cheeks grow warm at the question.

“I-I don’t know.” She responded.

“Yes you do.” Harry said looking at her straight in the eye. “So out with it.”

“Interior design.” She said in a small voice. “That’s what I’ve always wanted to do.”

Harry threw her a confused look.

“Er, so why not just do it?” He asked.

“Because it’s not what my parents want… they see it as a shallow thing to do. Here they are working in poor communities where people have pretty much nothing and they can’t understand why I’d want to create beautiful spaces to live in.”

“Too materialistic for them?” Harry asked, and Lara nodded.

“It goes against everything they stand for.”

There was a pause in the conversation and Harry looked deep in thought.

“I don’t think you should be doing something you don’t want to do. And if they thought about it properly, I don’t think they’d want you to be unhappy.” He said slowly. “And anyway, it’s not as if you’re asking them for the money to pay for your course. You’ve got Modest paying your way now. Why don’t you just change courses?”

“No, I don’t think I could. They would hate that.”

“They’re too far away to do anything about it.” Harry said with a glint in his eye.

“No Harry.” Lara said trying to sound firm.

“Harry, are you ready to go?” They heard Julian call from the other room and Lara felt relieved. In some ways she had gained more freedom than she could ever imagine, the day her parents left for overseas, but in other ways she felt their hold on her was more stronger than ever. It was tempting to rail against it…

“Wanna come to the studio?” Harry asked.

“No.” Lara resounded. The last thing she wanted to do was face the boys. Being yelled at by Julian was enough for today; she wasn’t in the mood to be made fun of as well.

“We can hang out.” He said.

“Are the guys going to be there?”

“Yeah of course.”

“Then it’s a definite no.”

“So what have you got against the boys?” He asked trying not to smile.

“Er where do I start?” She asked making a face. “Zayn doesn’t look at me. I might as well be invisible. Louis hates me. Liam tries to be polite, but it’s like he wishes I’d disappear. Niall is nice. He’s the only one that seems to like me,”

“I like you.” Harry said simply.

“Apart from you.” Lara corrected herself. "But then we’re supposed to be in cahoots, right?”

They grinned at each other and Lara found herself falling for him, the problem being that it felt like a free fall that she couldn’t control.

They were interrupted by the sound of Harry’s phone beeping. Harry’s smile disappeared as he bowed his head to read it, his shoulders hunched over.

Falling was easy, Lara thought, it was the landing that worried her.

Notes

Hope you liked it :)