Strings of Fate

Cam 44- Plastic and pleasant | shouldn't be nervous waiting for Harry to finish up with Ryann and cpickup but | am. | feel like he’s going to take one look at my face and realise | have actual feelings for him and that it will somehow end up a total mess. | mean I've felt this way for a while, but now I'm AWARE of it. | suppose he will figure it out eventually since I've decided to actually commit to this relationship properly. | try watching TV but | end up changing shows four times before just turning it off because | don’t actually want to watch. | wash the dishes, reorganise the tupperware cupboard and then | wander aimlessly from room to room like a Sim with all my actions cancelled.

It’s not until he arrives, | answer the door and he sweeps up into a giant bear hug that my anxiety fades and | remember that | feel comfortable around Harry. The only one causing my anxiety is myself.

We head to a local, Magic friendly restaurant that neither of us have tried before. | choose to sit in a booth and instead of sitting across from him, | slide into the seat beside Harry where I can cuddle up next to him. Harry seems bemused but compliantly slides his arm over my shoulders and tipsagainst him. A waitress comes to take our orders.

“Are you and your... uh, friend... ready to order?” She asks politely. | speak up immediately.

“My boyfriend and I could use another minute to decide, thanks.” | smile back and she nods.

her understanding and wanders away, promising to return shortly. Harry tilts his head down to speak toquietly.

“Boyfriend?” he questions softly, a gleam of excitement in his eyes.

“Yep, unless you take issue with it?” | wait for his answer. He immediately shakes his head.

“Nope, no issue. Signup.” He sounds smug again. Ugh, why is admitting to feelings so DIFFICULT. Maybe | don’t need to say anything. If | just make it clear through my actions that should be good enough. Harry is smart and good with people, he should get the message.

Dinner goes well, | tell Harry about the messages my mother sentand he very animatedly explains literally the entire plot of the movie he watched with Ryann. | no longer need to actually see the movie because I'm fairly sure | could quote half of it now and | doubt any male actor could sound as good saying those lines as Harry does. If he wanted to | am sure he could have a very successful career as an actor. Although I'm sort of glad that’s not what he 1/3 07 Cam 44- Plastic and pleasant wants because if he was famous | could only imagine the amount of attention he would get and | don’t need that kind of competition. We've finished eating and are just sort of sitting. there trying not to slip into a food coma since we aren't quite ready to move when my phone. rings. A glance at the caller ID shows that it's my mum calling. | must have accidentally unmuted her calls when | was going through her messages earlier. Oops. | doubt she has anything reasonable to say, not after the message | sent her earlier. | glare at the phone and sigh.

“Nope, this is not cool. You were in such a good mood and | refuse to let anyone ruin it.” Before | can respond, Harry plucks my phone out of my fingers and swipes to answer the call.

+1 “Good evening, this is Cam's phone, Harrison speaking. Can | help you?” He says pleasantly and | suck in a breath so fast that | choke on air. | move as close to Harry as | can to try and hear what my mother is saying to him, but | can’t hear a thing and unless | climb into his lap, | can’t get any closer, although | seriously contemplate trying it.

“Yes, | understand that you want to talk to your daughter, but she doesn’t particularly want to talk to you right now so you will have to make do with me. If you have a message for her and it won't piss her off then | might let her know.” His tone is still obnoxiously pleasant.

Like the customer service voice that | save for customers who especially test my patience.

“Oh, well I'm sorry that you are unhappy speaking with me, but if you want a relationship with your daughter I'm part of the deal these days and | have no intention of changing that so | suggest you get used to the idea. Cam is already spoken for, she is successful and has friends who will help her out if she gets into trouble so you really have nothing to offer her. If you want to be involved in her life going forward, | suggest you seriously reconsider how you treat her.” He says boldly and still oh so politely. Like he is just speaking a fact,, describing a product or telling sguy that it's after the last call, not telling my mother that her daughter doesn’t need her. | can catch a few random words as my mother raises her voice, berating Harry and demanding to speak to me. Without another word, Harry ends the call and switches my phone to silent. | can’t help but stare at him in awe. | might be able to text something like that to my mum but | could never manage a speech like that out loud, not to her or anyone else. | crave approval too much. It really is impressive how he just doesn’t care what anyone thinks of him, or maybe just doesn’t care what strangers think of him. I could be annoyed at him for answering my phone and basically insulting my mother, but mostly I'm just full of admiration for him for telling her everything | can’t.

Suddenly this restaurant feels way too public. | want to show Harry exactly how appreciative | am and there are just way too many people here.

Bo 07 2/3 Cam 44- Plastic and pleasant “Harry, will you takehplease?” | ask, trying not to blush. I'm usually fairly bossy but embarrassment is makingshy. Harry frowns and sighs sadly.

“If that’s what you want. It is pretty early though. Are you sure you want to end the evening already? Because | don’t” He stares atbeseechingly, flipping my phone over and over between his fingers in a way | could never manage.

“The evening doesn’t have to end. But | still want you to takehome. Then maybe you could... stay for a little bit?” | suggest awkwardly. Harry bolts upright and meets my eyes, examining my face closely to confirm that | meant the offer implied in my invitation. | meet his gaze and smile shyly. Without a moment's hesitation Harry is on his feet, holding out a hand to helpfrom my seat. He's so eager to leave that | have to remind him we haven't paid for our meals yet. He practically throws his card at the young lady working the register and | give her an apologetic smile when he snatches it from her outstretched hand as she returns it. Faster than | would have ever thought possible, I'm in the car and we're speeding our way back to my home.

+1 Bo