The next morning I scramble around Harry's room to gather my things to take a shower.
"I coming with you." He groans and I laugh.
"No, you're not. You know it is only six a.m right? What happened to your seven thirty rule?" I tease and grab my bag.
"I am going to walk you there." He rolls out of bed. I love his raspy morning voice.
"Walk me where? To the bathroom?" I scoff. "I am a big girl I can walk myself down the hall."
"You are doing an amazing job at listening to me so far." He rolls his eyes but I see the amusement in them.
"Fine Daddy, walk me to the bathroom." I whine playfully.
Harry raise his eyebrow and smirks.
"Don't call me that again or I will have to take you back to bed." He winks and I hurry out of the room before I am too tempted to stay.
He follows behind me and sits on the toilet as I take a shower.
"You're going to have to take my car, I should have driven myself here." I didn't think about this last night.
"You can take my car, I will get a ride on campus to your car."
"You're going to let me drive your car?" I gape.
"Yea. However, if you wreck it don't bother coming back." He says. Part of me knows he is somewhat serious.
"I should be worried about you wrecking mine." I laugh and he tries to open the curtain but I pull it closed again and hear him chuckle.
"Just think babe, after today you will be in your own shower every morning." His voice carries over the water as I rinse the shampoo from my hair.
"I don't think it will really hit me until we are actually there."
"Wait until you see it, you will love it." He boasts.
"Does anyone know that you are getting an apartment?" I ask. I already know what answer.
"No, why would they need to know?"
"They don't, I was just wondering." The faucet creeks as I shut the water off.
Harry holds a towel open for me as I step out and wraps it around my soaking body.
"I know you well enough to know that you think I am hiding the fact that we are moving in together from my friends." He says and he is right.
"It just seems a little odd that you're moving out of here and no one knows."
"That isn't because of you, it's because I don't want to hear their shit about dropping out of the fraternity. I will tell them all, even Molly after move in." He smiles and wraps his arms around my shoulders.
"I want to be the one to tell Molly." I laugh and hug him back.
"Deal."
After multiple attempts to keep Harry's hand off me as I get ready, he hands me the keys to his car and I leave. The moment I get in the car my phone vibrates.
*Be careful. I love you.* The text reads.
*I will, you be careful in my car, I love you.*
*I can't wait to see you again. Meet me at five. Your crap car will be fine.*
* You should watch what you say or I might accidentally hit a parking block in yours.* I smile to myself as I send my reply.
*Stop stressing me and go to work before I come down there and peel that dress off you.*
As appealing as that sound, I put my phone back onto the passenger seat and start the car. The engine lightly purrs to life, unlike the loud roar of mine. For a classic car it drives much smoother than mine, he really takes care of it. When I turn onto the freeway my phone rings.
"Jesus, you can't go twenty minutes without me?" I laugh into the phone.
"Tessa?" A male voice says. Noah. I pull my phone away from my ear and look at my screen to confirm my horror.
"Uhm.. sorry I thought.." I stammer.
"You thought it was him.. I know." He says. His voice is sad and not at all hateful.
"I'm sorry." I don't deny it.
"S' okay." He says.
"So.." I am not sure what to say.
"I saw your mom yesterday."
"Oh." The pain from Noah's sorrow filled voice and the reminder of mothera hatred for me aches in my chest.
"Yea.. she is pretty pissed at you."
"I know.. she threatened to stop helping me with college."
"She will get over this, I know she will. She is just hurt." He says.
"She is hurt? You're kidding me right?" I scoff. He cannot be defending her.
"No, I know she is going about it the wrong way but she is just angry that you are.. you know with..him." The disgust in his voice is evident.
"Well it isn't her place to tell me who to be with. Is that why you called me? To tell me that I shouldn't be with him?"
"No, no Tessa it's not. I just wanted to make sure you are okay.
This is the longest we have went without talking since we were ten years old." He says. I can picture the frown on his face.
"Oh.. I am sorry for snapping at you. I just have a lot going on right now and I thought you were calling to.."
"Just because we aren't together anymore doesn't mean I wouldn't be there for you." He says and my heart aches. I do miss him, not my relationship with him but he has been a huge part of my life since I was a child. He was there for me through everything and I hurt him and I never called to explain or apologize.
"I'm sorry, for everything." I sigh.
"It's okay, so I heard you got an internship?" He says and our conversation continues until I arrive at Vance.
When we got off the phone he promise to talk to my mom about her behavior towards me and I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from me. My day goes smoothly, I spend the entire day finishing my first manuscript and making notes for Mr. Vance. Harry and I text on and off to nail down the details on where to meet and before I know it the day is over.
when I arrive at the address Harry sent me, I am surprised that it's about half way between campus and Vance Publishing. My drive would only be twenty minutes if I lived here, when I live here. It still seems like such an abstract idea, Harry and I live together.
I don't see my car when I pull into the parking lot and when I try to call Harry's phone I get his voicemail. What if he changed his mind? He would tell me wouldn't he? Just as my mind starts to panic, he pulls into the lot and parks next to me. He is in my car, but it looks different. The silver paint is no longer chipped, it is shiny and looks new.
"What did you do to my car?" I say as I climb out of his car.
"It's nice to see you too." He smiles and kisses my cheek.
"Seriously, what did you do?" I cross my arms.
"I got a paint job, jesus. You could thank me." He rolls his eyes.
I bite my tongue only because of where we are and what we are about to do, the paint job does look really good. I just don't like the idea of Harry spending money on me and paint jobs are not cheap.
"Thank you." I smile and lace fingers through his.
"You're welcome. Now let's go inside." He leads me through the parking lot.
"You look good driving my car, especially in that dress. I couldn't stop thinking about it all day. I wish you would have obliged to my request of sending me naked pictures of yourself." He says and I elbow him.
'Juat saying. Would have made class much more interesting." He shrugs and I laugh.
"Here we are." He says and opens the door for me. I smile at his uncharacteristic gesture and walk inside.
The lobby of the building isn't what I expected at all. It is all white, white floors, clean white walls, white chairs, white couches, white rugs, white lamp on clear tables. It looks elegant but very intimidating. A short balding man in a suit greets us and shakes Harry's hand. He seems nervous around us or maybe just Harry.
"You must be Theresa." He smiles. His teeths are white as the bright walls.
"Tessa." I smile to correct him. Harry bites back a smile.
"It's nice to meet you. Shall we get to signing?" He asks.
"No, she wants to see it first. Why would we sign if she hasn't even seen it." Harry says in a flat tone.
The poor man gulps and nods. "Of course, let's go up" He say.
"Be nice." I whisper to Harry as the three of us walk down the hall to the elevator.
"Nope." He smirks at me and squeezes my behind gently.
I glare at him and his dimpled smile grows. The man tells me about how great the view is and that this is one of the best and most diverse apartment buildings within a hundred miles. I smile and Harry stays quiet as we step off the elevator. I am taken aback by the contrast between the lobby and the hallway. It feels like we have stepped into a completely different building.. even a different time period.
"Here it is." The man says and opens the first door we come to.
"There are only five apartments on this floor so you will have a lot of privacy." He says and looks away from Harry's gaze. He is definitely afraid of Harry. I can't say I blame him but it is a little entertaining to watch.
I hear my own gasp as I take in the sight in front of me. The floor are old stained concrete except of large square of hardwood in the space that I assume is the living room. The walls are brick and beautiful. Damaged but perfect. The windows are large and the furniture is old fashioned but clean. If I could design the perfect space this would be it. Harry watches me intently as I look around, I take it upon myself to go to the other rooms and let Harry and the man follow behind. The bathroom is small but big enough for us, and the bathroom is just as perfect as the rest of the place. Three walls are old red bricks and the forth is covered with a floor of ceiling bookshelf. It has a ladder attached and I can't help but laugh becasue I always pictured myself having this exact apartment after I graduai college. I just didn't think it would come so soon.
"We could fill the shelves, I have lots of books." Harry mumbles nervously.
"I.. just.." I begin.
"You don't like it do you? I thought you would, it seemed perfect for you. Damn it." He frowns and runs his fingers over his hair.
"No.. I.."
"Let's go then, show us another one." Harry snaps at the man.
"Harry! If you would let me finish I was going to say that I love it." I tell him. The man looks just as relived as Harry.
"Really?" His frown turns into a massive smile.
"Yes, I was afraid it was going to be some fancy, cold apartment but this is just perfect." I tell him and mean it.
The kitchen is small and has multicolored tiles above the sink and the counter top adding an indie and fun look. I absolutely love everything about this small apartment.
The Bobby downstairs had scare me and I was expecting to hate the apartment but that could not be further from the truth now. I thought it would be an overpriced, stuffy apartment and I am thrilled that it isn't.
"I knew it! Well, I was getting nervous a second ago but as soon as I checked this place out I thought of you I pictured you there.." He points to the bench in the window. "Just sitting and reading a book. That's when I knew I wanted you to live here with me." He says.
I smile and my stomach flutters at him saying that in front of someone else, even if it as a random leasing agent.
"Should we sign then?" The man shifts uncomfortably.
Harry looks at me and I nod. I can't believe we are really doing this, I ignore the small voice reminding me this is too soon and I am too young as I follow Harry into the kitchen area.