Chapter 21: This is It

They were so beautiful.

I shook my head and got mad at myself for getting distracted by the roses.... Again.
I swiveled back from facing the bedside table to facing the desk I was currently occupying. I dipped the thin paintbrush into the gold liquid and started putting the finishing touches on the solar system.

I wiped my hands hands clean as the door to my room burst open, thing one and thing two were standing there, with mischief present on both of their faces.
“Hi Harley...” Farrah drawled.
“Hi, I just finished up the project” I said picking up the cardboard model and placing it in Sofia’s hands. They both looked at each other and exchanged a look they inherited from their stupid mother.

“We wanted to tell you how happy we were that you did this for us, so we helped you out with your laundry.” they both snickered as they handed over shreds of fabric. My draw dropped and I clenched my teeth from bolting from my stance to take them out. My only nice clothes, the clothes I had planed on wearing tonight were now resembling a hula skirt. Wonderful.

They took my silence as their cue and left me standing there. A few minutes later, having not moved an inch from my spot I heard them yell that they were leaving and slam the door. Panic hit me and I wiped my head around to look at the clock. Shit.

The clock shone 6:50 and I freaked as I ran around trying to find a replacement for the clothes that were now non existent. After running in circles for what felt like hours, I had to just pick something so I would have time to do a little something with my hair.

I slapped on a pair of tight jeans, that made me a little uncomfortable... They were always just too tight... And a dark grey fitted V- Neck. I ran into the bathroom that was in my room and pulled my long brown hair free of it’s elastic and let it fall to my lower back.

I picked up a purse and placed some cash, and my cell inside. Running to the car in the back... Where the service cars we kept.... I turned her on and rode a little too fast racing against the clock. I parked and didn’t feel I had the time to take a second to regroup, I just jumped from the car and walked into the melting pot, as I waited rather anxiously in line I wished I had gotten a little more dressed up... Man was I out of place.

I told the hostess who I was meeting and she gave me a seething look before directing me toward the quieter region of the restaurant. As I glided behind her I couldn’t help but feel my breath catch when I saw him. His lips were full but they carried a little smile on them as he saw me approaching, his perfect eyes moving over my body... And to my surprise, not making me want to dig a hole up and hide. And his body... No words.

A nice pair of dark wash jeans were paired with a perfectly tight light grey cashmere long sleeve shirt that had been pulled at the arms, and exposed his muscular forearms. He stood to greet me and embraced me in a hug. I returned it with a smile as I took in his manly smell, sitting down and opening the menu.

I was flushed I could definitely feel that. However, it wasn’t just because of him, it also had to do with the fact that I was running on low battery and needed to be recharged. Today hadn’t been the best day for my personal health, then again,Any day with the monster and her offspring couldn’t be that great of a day. I hadn’t eaten anything all day now that I thought about it, and I had become secretly ecstatic that the melting pot gave large portions... Poor Sidney, first date and he is already going to see one of my trates... My appetite.

We ate quietly, simply enjoying the night. We talked, but the best part of it all is that it had nothing to do with anything demanding or full of drama... It was just simple, perfectly simple.

“So... Did I pass?” he said shyly, smiling down at me as he walked me out to my car around the corner from the restaurant.
“I’d say a generous B+” I said grinning, then I proceeded to laugh at his expression of shock.
“B+? That was at least an A!” I laughed at his child like attitude, loving every bit of it. We reached my car and I looked up to see his hazel eyes close to my brown ones. I felt his hand brush lightly against my cheek as he pushed a stray hair behind my ear.

“Well if that was a B+...” he said his lips nearly brushing against my own.
“This should bring up my grade..” he leaned down, closing the one inch space that had been between us, covering my lips with his full ones. Soft, sweet and perfect.

He wished me goodnight and asked if he could call and I nodded, feeling like I was about to explode.

------

I smiled down at the hundredth text that I had gotten from Sid... And it was only twelve. Megan strolled in, with Jordan on his arm. They approached the front desk where I had my feet perched on top of.

“Hey Harley, what’s with the face?” Megan asked still clutching onto Jordan... Who looked just as smitten.
“Nothing” I quickly ejected, blushing as I heard them both laugh at my sad attempt.
“Anyways, I have to go change quickly, be right back” megan hummed as he kissed Jordan’s cheek and made her way to the lockers in the back.

I closed my phone and looked up to see a very serious Jordan staring back at me. His face softened and formed into a little smile.
“Marc is getting married... I’m bringing Megan” he started... I wasn’t really getting where he was going with this. But I knew that hockey players often need time to think. I raised my eyebrows for him to continue and he did.
“So, if she were to ask you to join her I think everyone would be happy with that...” it all clicked in my head after a moment, I suppose he was trying to tell me he had talked to sid and he had been to shy to ask me himself... This was Jordan trying to get on my good side, and sadly it was kinda working.

I nodded and he coughed, trying to cover the conversation as Megan made her way back to us. Kissing Jordan goodbye and starting up on the corvette waiting in the corner.

We finished everything up for the day, I had been on inventory of the bills and receipts.. So fun... We changed and drove to taco bell... It had been one of those days, the kind where you just need that boost at the end. We conversed lightly, but the real subject was that of the wedding, which for some reason just ket coming up.

“Yah, I’ll go” I said after Megan’s long speech about being in with the wives club and how fun it would be. She smiled in satisfaction and reached for her phone.

“So when are you free? I’m choosing a shopping day. And it is mandatory you come and get something nice for yourself for once... It wont kill you.” she smirked as I looked down at my ripped, faded jeans and I shrugged.

“I got college tuition to worry about... I guess it distracts me from normal stuff” I smiled lightly at her. She returned it taking a bite of her burrito.

“Don’t worry about it, we’ll make you normal... How about tomorrow?”

----

We climbed from the car and made our way through the huge mall. Store after store was filled with some of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. We stopped in three really promising stores, the lthird one being the place where Megan was the most happy about.

She had grabbed five dresses and was changing when my phone went off and I smiled at the caller ID.

“Hey Sid” I smiled, into the phone.
“Hey har, I was just calling to see if you were still up for tonight, you weren’t feelign well last night so we dont have to do anything” I smiled at his concern, and smiled even more for the fact that he was just too adorable.

“No, I want to see you. What did you want to do?” I asked, hopeful he wouldn’t want to come over... I didnt want to expose him to that... Ever.
“Natalie, Mario and the kids our in Montreal for the weekend... I could make dinner?” he asked.

“Sounds perfect, see you then” I said hanging up as Meagan smiled and passed me a gorgeous floor length light top to dark blue bottom dress.

“This is it”