My Childhood Crush

Chapter 13

My phone woke me up. It was an unknown number calling and, hoping that it was Harry finally reaching out to me, I answered it, even though I still wanted to sleep and felt a bit drowsy.

"Hello?" I picked it up and rubbed my eyes, trying to wake myself up.

"Kate?" someone asked. My chest fell because it wasn't Harry. Indeed, that was a girl speaking. I racked my brain trying to figure out who could have my number, but no one came to mind.

"Yes? Who's this?" I cautiously asked.

"Hi! It's Alice from the shop, remember? I'm calling about the job vacancy you were interested in?" she sounds excited, which can only mean one thing. I jump out of the bed myself, almost falling over since my legs are tangled in the sheets.

"Did I get it?" I practically yell on the phone.

"Well, you still need to come here and talk to Mr. Abani, the owner, but I vouched for you and if you don't totally blow it, then yes, you're in!" she continued talking, giving me tips for the interview and we agreed to meet in an hour, when Mr. Abani usually comes to check in on the shop.

I ransacked my closet looking for clothes suitable for a job interview that isn't really an interview and cursed myself for not packing more professional clothes. All I had were some tops and shorts and skirts. And some okay dresses, but I most definitely will need to go shopping if I'm to work there.

I chose my most respectful dress, and even though it was in crimson, the dress itself was very elegant. I applied some makeup and went to the shop, not wanting to make Mr. Abani wait for me.

*****

I got the job. When I met my new boss, he turned out to be a man in his 60ies, kind-hearted and funny, though his accent was very strong and sometimes the meaning got lost in translation. Nevermind that, we got on really well and after a few standard questions about my previous job experience, the reason for being here in Bari and motivation to work in a bookshop, we shook hands and agreed that I would start working here on Monday. That meant that I had the whole weekend in front of me to get ready and enjoy my last days in the sun before work started.

Alice's shift ended at the same time as my interview and we went for ice cream. I talked her into accompanying me to the shops as well and she helped me choose some outfits for the new job. We got to know one another. I learned that she was from Neapol but did not want to stay there, so she moved. Not so far that she couldn't visit her parents and sisters often, but enough to feel independent.

Alice had three younger sisters that she loved very much but she didn't want to feel like they were her responsibility and live her life to the fullest while she was still young. Same as me, Alice was only 22, though she was as single as they come. She didn't even have a crush and no one, at least in her opinion, was crushing on her.

After the mall I invited her to the bar that Harry and I had gone before, we played some pool and continued talking. I told her about Harry and she said she would like to meet him very much and felt like she already was in love with us as a couple. I might have made him look better and didn't tell her that he had basically gone missing since yesterday morning without no contact whatsoever. I wanted a person who knew us as a couple, even if we weren't one.

When I finally bade farewell to her, it was already nine. I was a bit tipsy from all the s*x on the Beach cocktails that I had drunk, and I was feeling happy. I had definitely made a new friend and at least for some time, I had almost forgotten about the boy who was totally giving me the cold shoulder.

However, when I returned to my apartment, one broody, tattooed and handsome bastard was leaning against my door, and relief flooded my whole body. From his face and stiff posture, I could tell that he had been waiting for some time and was not in a good mood but I couldn't care less. I hadn't seen him for some time and I had missed his sexy face a lot. I went in for a kiss, but when I felt that he wasn't responding to me, I drew back and looked into his eyes. "Hi," I said, shyly.

He let out a long sigh. "Can we do this inside?" he only asked.

I wasn't sure what he meant by "this" but I kinda felt like I didn't want to know. I took out the keys but my hands had started shaking, so Harry took them from me and unlocked the door himself, pushed us in and then locked it again. At least that meant that he would be staying for some while.

"What do you want to talk about?" I asked, circling my hands around his neck and leaning in, brushing my lips lightly against his, but not kissing him. If he wanted that, he would have to initialize the contact.

Instead of leaning in, though, he unhooked my hands and put them sternly on my sides. I tried not to let the hurt show on my face, but I turned my head away just in case I couldn't hide the emotions. So this really was that talk. Where he says that it was fun while it lasted but he has had enough and he hopes that we could stay friends.

"No thank you," I murmured and went to the kitchen.

"I'm sorry?" Harry asked, perplexed and followed me. He watched as I filled a glass of wine and gulped half of it down in one go before he went and took the glass away from me.

"Kate," he said, and when I didn't look at him, he forced me by taking my chin and turning my head. "Stop being an ass," he growled.

"Me? I'm the ass?" I gritted through my teeth, took back my glass and drank the rest of the drink. I filled the glass again. "You can talk," I said and continued drinking. The cocktails and the wine did not go well together, but what's the point. He was going to break up with me anyway and then I could spend the rest of the night with my head in a bucket. I apparently didn't have any other plans.

"Where were you?" he said, the question sounding more like a demand. I could feel the anger radiating from him. Good. I wasn't the only one raging.

"Why do you care? It's not like you've tried to contact me," I spit out, and poured another glass. I really should stop. I had never been good at drinking and even worse with keeping all that inside.

"Yeah. I just waited here for two hours because I don't care," he said and took a step closer. I looked at him with disdain.

"You could've just left a note. Don't need you to break up in person," I sneered. Just minutes ago I had been so happy to see him and now I couldn't wait for him to leave so that I could finally stop pretending and fall apart.

"What are you talking about?" Harry took a step closer and grabbed my throat. He squeezed it a bit too hard but didn't seem to notice it. In fact, he pushed me so hard against the wall, that I whimpered. My wine glass fell to the floor and broke into many pieces, but neither of us reacted. I was clawing at Harry's hand, trying to get free and be able to breathe. "What the f**k are you talking about??" he repeated, even angrier than before.

I felt a wave of nausea run through me and in a rush of panic I kneaded Harry in his balls to get him to release me, then bee-lined to the toilet just in time to hurl. My vision blurred and I was too week to move. I felt Harry sit next to me and gather my hair in his hands, rubbing my back while I emptied my stomach again and again.

Not quite the end of the evening either of us had imagined.