Let's Pretend It's Love

“P-Presley? Can you come up front for a moment?”

I cringed upon hearing the familiar tremor. I’d been stalling in the stock room for a while, hoping to avoid Murray and give him some first hand customer service experience. It got really tiring standing over him every bloody minute and honestly, I just needed a break from that kid sometimes.

I spun around trying to look as if I’d been previously busy and forced a smile.

“Uh, yeah. ” I replied, hoping I didn’t sound too annoyed. I followed Murray’s head of bright orange hair up to the front counter and my eyes instantly caught a glimpse of this massive bouquet of yellow, pink and red roses sitting on the counter. I could feel my eyes beginning to water from the roses’ smothering musk and the abundance of pink was nearly blinding. If this is what Murray needed me for I just might snap.

I turned to him with a sigh.

“So, you got a secret admirer or what?” I asked folding my arms across my chest.
He shook his head in a sweeping motion and his eyes widened.

“No-no. Some bloke dropped them by and said they were for you.”

For some strange reason I felt my heart dropping and my eyebrows pinched together so violently I was afraid they’d be permanently stuck. Flowers for me? Are we entering an alternate universe?

“There’s no way these are for me. Are you sure they’re not for Jess?” I asked, trapping my bottom lip between my teeth. I knew something about today would be strange the moment I got out of bed but I’d never suspect this.

Murray shoved his hands in his pockets, a habit of his I’d noticed. “Your name’s Presley, innit?”

I stared at the vase of flowers as if they might explode. This was all so confusing and at the same time alarming. I couldn’t think of a single person who’d send roses for me. In fact I don’t think I’d ever received flowers from a guy. To me it was an outdated gesture that only older men did. Certainly not guys of my generation. I noticed a tiny card attached to the ribbon wrapped around the vase and snatched it up, tearing away at the envelope.

Why couldn’t the flower ride a bike? Because it’s petals fell off!

Haha! Funny, right? Saw these and thought of you. Can’t thank you enough for taking care of me some nights back. I know you don’t realize it and you’ll probably punch me for saying this later but you’re real a sweetheart.
-Hx

I bit my lip trying hard to fight the color that was rising to my cheeks. Harry. I hadn’t spoken to him for a couple of days since the night of the lobster incident. He was gone the next morning, leaving me with no assurance that he was totally fine. I couldn’t help but feel vexed and embarrassed. Why would he put me in the situation, making every one pay attention to me and pry into my business?

“So, you got a secret admirer or what?” Murray appeared behind me mocking my previous tone with a slight smirk. Although I was glad that he was loosening up for once I couldn’t help but feel annoyed.

“No. It’s just some nobody.” I replied swiftly before crumpling up the note with Harry’s penmanship and tossing it in the trash nearby.

“Ooo! Who got flowers?” Jessa’s voice rang as she strolled up the the counter. She wrapped her jumper tighter around her body before reaching out to touch some of the petals.

“They’re Presley’s.” Murray announced plainly. I rolled my eyes. Would he shut up already?

Jess’ eyebrows shot up to her hair line and her light brown eyes felt like they were burning through me.

“Presley Taylor, do you have a secret boyfriend I don’t know about?” She tutted playfully.

If by boyfriend you mean boy friend, then yes. I have a boy who’s a friend who just so happens to be the same guy that you’re madly in love with.

“What? No! I have no idea who sent these.” I scoffed trying to sound nonchalant.

They’re just some bloody flowers! Why is everyone making such a big deal out of it?

“You must have a secret admirer. If I were you I’d honestly give them a shot. I mean, if they keep sending such lovely arrangements.” A smile settled on her face.

I rolled my eyes.“Jess, you know I don’t entertain the possibility of relationships.”

These were from Harry, the last person I thought of romantically. I’m sure he meant nothing by it. Harry was just overly polite and weird. It was just a friendly gesture gone wrong.

“But you could. You’re twenty-five, Presley. What’s so scary about having a relationship? You have to settle down eventually. ” Jessa urged.

I groaned.

“Jesus, Jessa! You sound like my mother. These flowers mean nothing. They’re rubbish!” I exclaimed. I grabbed the roses by the stems and swiftly tossed them in the trash. Hopefully that would end all conversation about secret admirers and settling down.

“I’d hate to be the bloke that sent you those. You sure know how to stomp on a guy’s heart, Presley.” Jess replied, her brows furrowing. She looked as if I’d just slapped her in the face. I wonder how she might look if she knew they were from Harry.

“What happened to maintaining professionalism? You two are acting like we run a rumor mill.” I snapped.

I eyed them both and Murray looked down at his shoes, going back to nervous demeanor.

“Somebody’s got their knickers in a twist this morning. I’ll be in my office if you two need me.” Jess announced before disappearing.

I plopped down behind the counter and sighed. I felt panicked and embarrassed and I didn’t know why. I stared at the roses that were peaking out from the trash can and my mind drifted off to the thought of being in a real relationship with Harry. I bet he’d shower me with lots of flowers and nearly burn down the flat building with his copious amounts of tea candles in an attempt to be romantic. He’d say lots of cheesy things and give me horrid pet names and always insist on being the little spoon. The thought was laughable, almost. We were just too different. It’d never work.

Things were awkwardly quiet around the shop after my earlier outburst. Murray went back to being quiet as a church mouse and Jessa spent most of the day in her office. Both of them seemed to race out of the door as soon as 6:50 hit leaving me to lock up things for myself. I didn’t mind though. I think I deserved a little time to myself to cool off.

I half assed tidying up the stock room and front counter and sweeping up some of the petals that had fallen off the roses that had wilted in the trash. It was dark and freezing outside and I was desperate to get home. I wrapped my scarf tight around my neck and buttoned up my coat ready to brace the cold when I heard something wrapping at the glass of the shop’s door. I froze in my steps, my thoughts completely negative as to who or what was outside the door. As if my luck for the day couldn’t get any worse. One more thing wouldn’t make a difference.

The knocking seemed to grow louder as I cautiously approached the door. I tried to make out a face through the glass but it was fogged with condensation from the cold and it was far too dark out. I could feel my heart beating fast and I took a deep breath as I slowly unlocked the door’s latch praying that I wasn’t opening the door for some mugger or serial killer.

I was greeted with the cold rushing in and a familiar lopsided grin. The rapid beating of my heart seemed to subside as his grin grew wider and I folded my arms across my chest, letting out a frustrated sigh.

“Harry Styles. You’re about 3.5 seconds from getting your ass kicked.”

His breath came out in puffs of icy air.

“Don’t be like that, Presley. I think I have a very nice ass and I wouldn’t want anything to happen to it. Let me in, yeah?” Harry rasped sticking one of his large, leather clad feet in the frame of the door.

I rolled my eyes, keeping the door ajar.

“It’s after hours. What are you doing here?” I questioned warily.

His eyebrows furrowed causing that familiar crease to form in his forehead.

“I’m leaving for Wales in a couple of days. Can’t I hang out with my beautiful friend before I leave?”

Beautiful?

I sighed, my breath coming out in one big icy puff.

“You’re not gone yet.” I retorted.

Harry smirked, causing his dimples to dent his cheeks.

“The car’s running. Wouldn’t want it to get overheated.” He announced smoothly.

I rolled my eyes realizing I was clearly defeated. “Give me a minuet, yeah?”

I hurried to shut off the lights and lock the door for a second time. Not because I was eager to leave with Harry but only because he was standing in the door frame watching my every move and letting more cold into the shop.

I didn’t know exactly how to feel about Harry’s behavior. First he sends flowers, scoops me up from work to spend time with me before he goes out of town and calls me beautiful. The signals he was sending were confusing me and seemed to be blurring some lines. He could be so confusing sometimes.

“You know, I can’t help but feel like you’re holding me against my will.” I announced once I’d gotten settled in the passenger seat of Harry’s car. The seats were soft and leather and the vehicle smelled so much like Harry’s cologne with a hint of spearmint from the air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror.

Harry smirked whilst adjusting his seatbelt. “No one forced you to get in the vehicle, love.” He replied.

I rolled my eyes. “Doesn’t matter. This isn’t the first time you’ve done something like this, giving me no choice but to leave with you. This should be considered kidnapping.”

From the corner of my eye I could see the dimple forming in his left cheek.

“I’d say it’s more like Stockholm syndrome.” He replied and my eyebrows furrowed.

“And why would you say that?” I asked.

“Because, once you’re with me you never try to leave.”
******
People try to solve all their life problems with so many different things: alcohol, money, sex, therapy. But who needs all those things when you’ve got waffles? To me nothing fixes a bad day like fluffy waffles with fruit, pecans and lots of syrup.

“You’re salivating, Presley.” Harry smirked while sipping his coffee.

After lots of indecisiveness, bickering and a strange game of rock, paper, scissors, Harry and I had finally decided on grabbing breakfast at a late night dinner. With a roll of my eyes I poked and apple slice from my waffle before balling up a stray napkin and throwing it at him.

“Shut up!”

“Assault!!” He shouted with a chuckle holding his hands up in surrender.

I couldn’t help but notice how his eyes crinkled whenever he smiled or laughed, the way his skin glowed and how clear his green eyes looked or how his curls seemed to flow with absolutely no movement required. He almost looked ethereal.

I smirked down at my waffles before smiling up at Harry.

“You look good.” I blurted moving a strawberry around my plate.

Harry’s grin grew as went back to eating his crepes and I could feel the color rising to my cheeks after realizing how wrong the sentence must have sounded.

“I knew you always thought so.” He winked and I scoffed.

“Don’t get full of yourself, Styles. I mean, you look good in comparison to the last time I saw you. You know, no hives.” I replied quickly.

“I reckon I’ll keep looking this way so long as there’s no lobster around. It’s a shame, yeah? That dish actually looked like it might be pretty good.”

I smiled. “I promise, after that Penny won’t be having Lobster Pappardelle on the menu.”

We ate in silence for a bit, the only sounds audible were our forks clinking against our plates and the faint music playing in the quiet dinner. Harry hummed softly along to the music and for some reason my mind wandered off to a few nights back seeing him miserable on my sofa.

“You left me.” I blurted.

My voice cracked slightly and my throat felt dry. Harry looked up at me, his eyebrows furrowed and lips pouted slightly. I managed to surprise both of us.

“What?”

“You left me. I woke up and you weren’t there. You kind of worried me. I wanted to know if you were okay.” I replied honestly.

His green eyes softened and the corner of his lips curled into a smile.

“I didn’t want to wake you up. Sorry, love.” He replied before placing a hand on top of mine.

I didn’t plan of telling Harry how worried I was to wake up and find him not splayed out on my sofa but it all seemed to come out and I didn’t know why. I picked up my coffee mug to keep myself from saying anything else that might be out of character and Harry smiled.

“I know we haven’t been friends for long, Presley but I just feel so close to you. Like, I can tell you anything. I think- I think you’re becoming one of my best friends.”

His voice was slow and deep and his gaze was so penetrating I nearly had to look away. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Say anything.”

The ride back to my flat seemed rather awkward after Harry’s confession. I couldn’t help but feel drained seeming to have gone through a whirlwind of emotions in one day. My eyes felt heavy and I was just ready to collapse in bed. I couldn’t even describe how I felt.

“I really need you to get a new pair of boots. They’re so bloody loud the neighbors will probably think I’m dragging a dead body down the corridor.” I hissed as Harry followed close behind.

“But, these are my lucky boots.” He pouted and I scoffed.

“Who even believes in luck?”

I sighed a sigh of relief upon stopping in front of my door.

“Well, this is me.” I announced fishing in my bag for my flat keys.

Harry leaned his shoulder against the wall smiling at me.

“I’m going to miss you while I’m away.” He spoke, almost sheepishly.

I grinned. “Relax, H. It’s only for a few days. You’ll be okay without seeing me. Take lots of beautiful picture, eat, drink and get laid.”

I palmed the keys in my hands and I was surprised to have Harry reach out and move the hair that was falling in my eyes from my face.

“Thanks. I’m in need of a trim, I know.” I spoke softly.

He smiled. “Don’t cut it. It’s perfect.”

This had to be the thousandth awkward thing that’s happened today. Can he leave now?
I slowly placed my key in the door knob. “I’ll be seeing you when you get back, Harry.”

That dimple appeared in his left cheek and I couldn’t help but smile.

“Yeah.”

“Goodnight?” I asked hopefully.

“Yeah. Goodnight.”

He reached out and wrapped his arms around me, squeezing my body tight against his. I couldn’t help but feel some sense of familiar comfort. I smiled when he pulled away.

“I’ll see you later, love.”

“Yeah.” I breathed.

Harry gave me a final smile before turning on his heel, his loud, ragged boots echoing in the corridor as he walked away. For some odd reason I was frozen with my key stuck in the door. I couldn’t go inside just yet.

“Harry!” I called out before he could get too far away.

He spun around smiling softly at me.

“Yeah?”

I tugged at the corner of my lip with a sigh.

“I got your flowers. It’s one of the sweetest things anyone’s ever done for me.” I admitted surprising myself once again.

His smile grew.

“You deserve them. You deserve beautiful things.”

I couldn’t get to sleep that night. My mind was stirring with coffee and thoughts of a dimpled lopsided grin and wilted roses in the rubbish bin.