The chill of the night air blew as I quickly rolled the car window of the passenger side upward. We’d just come from a date at the Cinema and I’d sensed we were either making another stop or he wanted to talk from the route he’d decided to take home. His right hand reached for mine as his left remained on the steering wheel after turning the heat up a bit. I had a few questions for him anyways given that he’d been restless the past few nights.

Winter:
“What’s been on your mind lately?”

He watched my lips as they formed the words but still I could tell it took a moment to comprehend. The topic had probably taken him off guard.

Harry:
“What do you mean?”

He turned down a side street I wasn’t familiar with, his speed decreasing as his grip tightened firmly.

Winter:
“Well you seem fine but you haven’t exactly been sleeping well. Is this about the talk we had? Because that wasn’t me pressuring you, I just…”

Harry:
“It’s not about that…there’s no pressure.”

He spoke in a hushing manner. It was kind of a relief to hear because that conversation seemed to happen rather quickly and I’d never really meant for him to see that drawing in the first place. I rubbed his knuckles sensitively with my thumb and he’d pulled over slowly, putting the car in park.

Winter:
“You promise?...”

His warm eyes locked with mine and I could see he needed rest from the small circles that had begun to form under his eyes. It was a quiet neighborhood and the sky had started to grow dark. The car hummed while we sat there silently for a moment. I brought the back of his hand up to my lips to peck them softly. I wanted him to know he could tell me everything and that we were friends first.

Harry:
“…Winter you know I love you, right?”

I felt my heart skip at the connotation, my mind immediately traveling to the worst case scenario at the possibilities of words that could easily follow that phrase.

Harry:
“I don’t know, I’ve just never been in a relationship like this before... And I don’t want anything to ruin it.”

It was a little vague and something told me this sudden change had come from something he’d been neglecting to tell me. Suspense was something I wasn’t good with.

Winter:
“What happened?”

He stayed quiet for a moment deepening my suspicion. It was an awful feeling to have, sitting still now becoming a chore from the lack of certainty.

Harry:
“Nothing. You’re just the only thing I’m sure about…and I don’t want to mess things up...”

I still remained hushed in gesture for him to continue further. He looked away profoundly.

Harry:
“…I shouldn’t have yelled at you the other day…”

Slight relief rushed to my brain, calming my nerves immediately at the fact that it hadn’t been something worst.

Winter:
“Harry, its okay,"

He replied almost immediately, his tone displayed his disgust.

Harry:
“No it’s not okay. My dad use to do that to my mom, and it wasn’t okay… I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”

Maybe it was me but I thought he was kind of entitled to. I wasn’t mad at him for it but rather upset with myself for being so careless. It was sweet how he felt about it but I never took him as an aggressive person. Before…it’d seemed he’d hated himself for bruising me during our moments of passion and I couldn’t understand then, but maybe that was it. He made it perfectly clear that his father was someone he didn’t aspire to be, but he had nothing to worry about…he was already amazing. My lips pecked his large hand again as he spoke softly, expressing to me the things that had long been bothering him.

Winter:
“You’re such a sweetheart.”

I leaned in to nuzzle our noses warmly.

Winter:
“…You have to believe me when I say you’re nothing like him, okay. You’re great, and you’ve never hurt me…I feel lucky to have you.”

A smile graced his lips, his dimples warming me from within. It made me happy to see I’d lightened his mood and he hadn't still been upsetting himself.

Winter:
“No more losing sleep. And if something’s wrong, just talk to me okay. I’m here.”

His eyes kept me a moment more before bringing my hand to his lips to return the favor. He put the car in drive and began along the road again.

--
We walked up toward her home; I felt my nerves grow increasingly with every step. It was a big place, tall like my mom’s so I immediately assumed she hadn’t been the only one living in it. He held my had protectively as if he’d been experiencing the same feelings, and I wondered if he’d told her we were coming. I felt my heart knock against my chest as his knuckles made contact with the door, before ringing the doorbell. My hair blew in the wind as the chill caressed my scalp, slowly relaxing the waves of my hair. The doorknob turned and was opened without haste. She stood there in front of us, her eyes low, and the scent of alcohol greeting us with her. I felt him squeeze against my hand, telling me he hadn’t liked this. He let go to walk toward her.

Harry:
“I told you not to drink.”

I felt I’d been missing something. He’d spoken to her like a small child, her arms pushing his presence away. She was pretty. It was obvious now where he’d gotten his features that I found so adorable. His hair was dark like hers and I was more than certain that if she’d smile dimples would accompany her. I stayed quiet.

Anne:
“Who is she?”

Her eyes peeled around him to land on me.

Harry:
“That’s Winter, I told you we were coming.”

She was pretty out of it from the substance, causing her words to escape slowly. She eyed me but not in a welcoming manor like I would have hoped. It was as if she’d been trying to figure out something or communicate to me nonverbally. I wonder if this was her thing or was something else the reason for her thirst. I noticed the small glass in her hands, her large inner house was revealed from the angle in which she’d opened the door.

Anne:
“Winter, huh…”

She didn’t at all look happy to see me. I felt nothing from the situation at that moment, waiting for an action from her to tell me which way to feel.

Anne:
“Is she pregnant, Harry?”

I felt my feelings grow sore at the fact that she hadn’t been kidding. He stayed quiet while he expressed his disappointment.

Anne:
“Are you engaged to her…because if not I don’t know why she’s here.”

I stood there small and belittled as Harry looked back at me.

Harry:
“Don’t listen to her Winter, she’s not herself.”

He turned back quickly reaching for the glass and drinking the remainder of it. He pushed passed her to enter the house as I heard him call out for someone. Alex. I think that was the name. The door still hung open as he instructed the guy to take her to bed. He was a lot younger than she was, dressed in a server kind of uniform.

Harry:
“And don’t let her drink anymore.”

She protested but only quietly. Harry had reached into his pocket, pulling off a large bill and tucking it in the guy’s pocket. I still remained quiet as if it wasn’t my place to talk. I watched him level his head with hers before speaking.

Harry:
“We’ll talk about this tomorrow…”

My usually personality was in a mood of depression as he locked the door from the inside and forcefully pulled it shut, showing his anger. He stood there, my eyes looking down to the ground at the salt that had been sprinkled there to melt the snow. I felt the tears melt down my cheeks with my head’s change in direction. His arms were around me almost instantly as he held me close.

Harry:
“She’s not herself right now, Winter. She didn’t mean it, okay.”

I sobbed quietly at the feeling of unimportance she’d given me, trying desperately to replace it with his comforting words. I willed myself to stop the tears and he’d pulled my head back worryingly, wiping whatever tears his coat hadn’t eliminated. We stood there as I actively imagined what kind of relationship this would be if his mother hated me.

Notes

Thanks for reading. I hope everyone's great. I'll be posting again around the first of next week so check back them, okay.

Just something:
I have fun writing this story but I was wondering if you had any you recommended me reading? If you'd let me know in the comments or a message that'd be great

Thanks again, <3