My, what a deep voice you have

Harri's POV

I get home just as my brother pulls into the driveway. "Hey thanks for the lift, Theo," I yell sarcastically at him as I unlock the front door.

We go to the same school and he doesn't even have the decency to offer me a lift home with him, leaving me to make the twenty-minute walk on my own. Truth be told I don't really mind. It is a nice walk when the weather is warm like today, plus the music blaring through my headphones makes the time pass quickly.

"No prob Sis, anytime," he answers with a smirk as he pushes past me to get through the door first.

"Ergh, you're such a dick."

"You know Harri I love our little chats. Quality sibling bonding time. I really feel like I'm starting to get closer to you like maybe you weren't adopted after all," he says holding his hand to his heart feigning sincerity.

I pick up one of my shoes which I've just taken off and throw it at him, hitting him in the back of the head.

"I'm adopted? I'm pretty sure you are just some stray we picked up off the street," I say, smiling proudly at the rare accuracy of my aim as he rubs his head.

"You haven't even made it inside the house and you're already arguing," Mum says shrugging as she stands in the doorway of the kitchen, pointing in our direction with a wooden spoon in her hand. "Don't make me use this," she adds with a laugh.

Without taking off my backpack or my headphones I follow Theo and my Mum into the kitchen and grab a glass of water before heading to my room. Just as I reach the top of the stairs I feel my phone ring from inside my pocket. I answer the call using my headphones, without so much as a hello, "What's he done now, Jazz?"

"Umm, what's who done now?" a deep voice replies.

I mentally facepalm myself. I didn't even check caller ID, I just assumed it was Jazz. "Oh, Sorry. I was expecting another call."

"I'll...I'll just call back later," the voice replies.

I open the door to my room and place the water glass on my desk, my backpack the floor and sit at the end of my bed.

"Sorry, can we just start again. Can I ask who is calling?" I ask half expecting that I am going to get stuck on some sales call for the next hour.

"Oh," he clears his throat, "you don't have my number saved?"

I take my phone out of my pocket and read the callers name at the same time the voice speaks again, "it's SJ."

My breath hitches in my throat. "Oh, shit. SJ. I am so sorry," I stammer, embarrassed at the way this call has started. "I... I thought it was Jazz."

"And here I was thinking I had a deep voice. Never been told I sound like a girl before." he teases.

I laugh out loud as I fall back on to my bed, my feet still dangling over the edge. "Never fear your secret is safe with me."

"Phew. I was worried for a second there."

I place my phone on my chest and this time I actually facepalm myself. "I really am sorry. I just got home from school and wasn't expecting your call."

There is a silence for a moment longer than is comfortable. "Are you disappointed?" he asks.

"No!" I answer a little too enthusiastically.

"A little suprised maybe, but in a good way," I add trying to sound calm.

I can almost hear him smiling. "You just got home from school, so it's still daylight there?"

"Yeah it is. Are you allowed to tell me what time it is where you are or is that also on the need to know list?"

He laughs. It comes easily to him like it is something he does a lot of. "Let's just say it is late here."

"Ok, secret service SJ."

"So are you sure you don't mind me calling? I just..." he pauses. "Well, I just thought it would be nice to hear your voice."

I inhale deeply. My stomach full of nervous knots. How do I answer this? This wasn't in any of Jazz's life lessons. I feel so unprepared.

"Umm, no. I don't mind you calling," I say truthfully.

I hear him exhale in what I hope is a sign of relief. "Actually I'm happy to hear that you're a real person and not some scammer trying to steal my life savings."

'You have life savings?" he questions.

"Of course. I mean I have seasons 1-6 of Grey's Anatomy on DVD. Surely that would fetch enough on eBay for me to retire on." I joke looking at the box sets sitting on the shelf above my desk.

He laughs again, probably more out of pity for my joke than the likelihood that he found it humorous. "Of course, but I did hear that season 7 is where the big bucks are."

Despite my nerves and the awkward way in which the call started the conversation flows easily. SJ is funny and his voice deep and soothing. He makes me feel calm and at ease which is the exact opposite of how I feel in real life. I'm not sure why but I feel like I can be more honest with him than I can with even Jazz.

I'm so lost in the conversation that I don't even hear Theo calling out my name. "Are you deaf, H? I've been calling you. Dinners ready," he yells as he forces open my door.

"Seriously Theo, can you like knock? I'm on the phone," I spit.

"Give me the phone. I want to speak to Jazz," he barks as he crosses the room towards my bed.

"No! Go away. She doesn't want to talk to you," I lie.

"Sure she does. Everyone wants to talk to me!"

"What a load of shit. You're so arrogant Theo. I can't believe we're actually related," I snap, holding my phone behind my back out of his reach.

It doesn't take much for him to overpower me and reach his arm behind my back and wrestle my phone free. "We're not related. I already told you, you're adopted!"

"Noooo!" I cry as he pries my phone from my grip and raises it to his ear. I sit defeated at the end of my bed, horrified at the sudden turn of events.

"Yo, Jazz. How could you and Harri possibly have anything left to talk about? You've been on the phone for hours. I mean she's not even that interesting," he says with smirk.

I watch my brother's jaw drop when he doesn't hear Jazz's voice on the other end of the line. I listen hard but can't hear what SJ has said to him.

To my brother's credit he recovers quickly. "My Jazz, what a deep voice you have...."

I use the moment of shock to my advantage and elbow him hard in the ribs making him wince. "Give me back my phone, Theo."

He throws my phone on my lap. "Whatever, I'm bored. Have fun talking to your boyfriend," he says as he leaves the room.

I wait until he's gone and close the door behind him. "SJ, are you there?" I ask cautiously, not expecting to hear a reply.

"Yeah, Harri. I'm here."

I fall back against my door as I hear his voice. "I am soooo sorry about that. He's such a dick. I'm pretty sure tormenting me is his life's mission."

"Of course it is. I mean he's your brother. It's kind of his job," he rationalises.

"Well, he officially fired!"

"I wish I was home more to do that to Peyton."

"I know we don't know each other that well, but I can't see you being like that," I reply as I sink down onto the floor with my back to the door.

"Okay, maybe I'm not that bad but trust me when I tell you that you'll miss him if he ever moves out."

"I highly doubt that," I answer truthfully.

Sighing I tell SJ that I should go because Mum will start asking questions if I miss dinner.

"No problem Harri." He says rolling the r's of my name. "I really should go too, it's already after 2am and I have a big day tomorrow. I mean today."

He pauses for a moment, "can I call you again?"

I attempt to sound calm but answer before he's even finished asking the question. "Yeah, sure if you still want too?"

"I want too," he replies almost as quickly as I did.

I hang up the phone and make my way to dinner. I massage my cheeks to sooth the ache I have from my non-stop smiling and smack Theo across the back of the head as I take as seat at the table.

Wincing he turns to my Dad. "So Dad, did you know Harri has a boyfriend?"

I roll my eyes. It's going to be a long night.