Catching Red Eyes

I should have known that my mother would pick the nicest restaurant to just eat lunch. We were surrounded by people in business attire and woman with way too much botox. I wasn’t sure how they ate food or if they even ate? When I moved to New York City, I vowed to never eat at these kinds of places because I hated what was inside. I shifted uncomfortably on the stiff chairs and listened to my mother talk to her personal trainer about their meetings for next week. After my mother was off the phone, I tried to start the conversation but she beat me to it.

“So, tell me about this Harry Styles.”

“Mom, there isn’t much to tell.” I was lying to my mother but for good reason. She would use this for a one up on her friends that her daughter was dating someone famous. I love my mother, I do, but she will never inquire about things unless it was to her own advantage. What my dad saw in her, I will never understand but he loved her.

“Honey, I am your mom. I just want to make sure you’re happy and he isn’t going to hurt you.”

Wow. Maybe some time apart from each other gave her a new outlook on life.

“And the girls are going to just die when I tell them the rumors are true!”

And there she was, the mother I knew very well.

“Mom, seriously, there isn’t much to tell. We’ve been hanging out and getting to know each other but nothing serious.” I know, total lie again but the less she knew, the better, for now at least.

Before my mother could open her mouth, I saw a very familiar black SUV stop in front of the restaurant. Oh no, no, no, not now, please God, don’t let this be happening. The heavens must have heard my pleading because someone that wasn’t Harry got out.

“Look, mom, when the time is right, I promise I will tell you everything but right now it’s all brand new and I can’t say what it is or isn’t.”

“That’s all I ask. I know I like to tell my girls things but as long as you are safe and he is treating you right, that’s all I truly care.”

I looked at my mom and she was looking back at me. I guess my first thought was right about her changing since I had been living here for almost four years. I still wasn’t convinced but this was a start. I did miss her and dad and planned on taking a couple months off after graduation to spend time with them. We finished lunch and my mother dropped me back off at my apartment.

“Call me when you get home, ok? Love you, mom.”

“I will, love you too Row. See you in a couple weeks for your graduation! Ah! My little graduate!”

I hugged and kissed her good bye and went back inside my apartment. Laurie was sitting at the kitchen table surrounded by books and papers.

“Thank God you’re home! I need help with this stupid American Lit class. I hate the Scarlet Letter so much. Wait, did you just get back from Harry’s? You brought clothes? Do you have like a drawer in his fancy hotel room now??” she asked, her face breaking into a wide grin and sly eyes.

“Funny and no. My mother was here, she took me to lunch.”

“Oh God, what did she want now? Remember last time she was here and she brought her cleaning crew and her trainer?”

“Yes but this time she was…different. Like she was pretty genuine about me being happy with Harry. Apparently her friends’ daughters saw those pictures of Harry and me and knew everything about me.”

“The balcony pictures?! Your mama saw you getting dirty on a balcony!”

“We were only kissing…a lot and I don’t know what she saw but I wasn’t asking for details.”

“Whatever, come help me please!! I hate literature.”

After quizzing Laurie on the plot, characters, setting, and almost every detail of the Scarlet Letter, I was exhausted. I checked my phone was shocked to see it was after 11 pm. I hadn’t heard from Harry yet which was ok but I still heard that little voice in my head say he disappeared again. I pushed it from my thoughts and went to grab my laundry.
I grabbed my headphones and walked down to the communal laundry mat that was a short walk from the apartment. It was dark but I felt safe being so close to NYU. As I was rounding the corner, I collided with someone and my laundry almost went flying.

“Oh, I am so sorry, I didn’t see you....”

“Its o—oh Rowan, didn’t think you were still alive.”

Shit. Pryce. He had called me a few times after I had disappeared to Harry’s mini mansion but I never returned his call.

“H-hey Pryce.”

“How are you?”

“Uh, good, good. Just getting some laundry done before bed. Look I—“

“Don’t. I get it. You’re with that Styles guy. Just be careful, Row and this isn’t coming from any place but our friendship. Just be cautious, ok?”

I nodded and watched him walk away from me.

In another life he and I would be perfect but this was my life and Harry was my choice for it.
I finished and folded my clothes and realized it was 1 am and still no call from Harry. This was silly. I just had to call him.

It rang a couple times before someone picked up then the call ended. I looked down at my phone and called him again. This time someone picked up and it wasn’t Harry…it was a much higher voice…a female voice.

“Harry Styles’ phone, how may I direct your call?”

Whoever it was sounded drunk or on something else. My voice caught in my throat but I stayed calm.

“Yea, can I talk to Harry, please?”

“Ummmmmmm….he is…indisposed at the moment!! Wanna leave a message??” The voice was laughing between words and I swore I heard a deeper voice in the same room as hers but I couldn’t tell. There were multiple female voices but no Harry came onto the phone.
I hung up and slammed my phone into my laundry basket. I stomped almost the entire way home but made myself breathe before I walked inside my apartment. I didn’t want to talk or tell Laurie anything right now. Thankfully, she had gone out. I took my laundry basket and threw it into my room and felt myself pacing the kitchen back and forth.

I never felt every fiber of my being so angry. It took everything in me not to call back but I couldn’t hear that whiny, shrill voice of whoever it was that picked up his phone. I clenched my fists. I felt like I needed to hit something but knew it wouldn’t help me right now. I needed to just breathe and keep myself calm.

I got a glass of water when I heard a strange knock at my door. Maybe Laurie forgot her key. I went to open the door and a lanky, curly haired boy dressed in tight black pants and a white t shirt and tattoos on his arms walked, more like fell, into my kitchen.
It was Harry.

Notes