The night before

Harri's POV

"We're not dating, H."

"But you're going on a date," I say firmly.

I watch her brows cross. "I've agreed to be his date to ONE event. We're hardly dating."

"Well, we did sit at his table at lunch," I counter.

"Still doesn't mean we're in a relationship."

"Glad to hear it," I reply truthfully.

I know I agreed to the whole thing but I still don't like the idea of my best friend and my brother dating because I know that in the end, I will be the one who ends up alone. I mean if it wasn't for SJ's texts at lunch today I would have been left sitting at the table talking to myself since Jazz was actively engaged in whole Lacrosse Team rundown.

"Sooo, can I get you a date for the Halloween fundraiser tomorrow?" She asks with an eyebrow wiggle.

"Errr, no!" I practical yell, throwing my hands in the air. "Since when have I been interested in going to any event with anyone other than you?"

"Since SJ, that's when."

"I told you Jazz, SJ is the exception to the rule and this doesn't mean the floodgates are open and suddenly all I'm capable of talking about is boys," I reply sternly.

"Bah humbug, you're such a party pooper!" She pouts.

"No, I'm not. I just think that there is more to life than boys."

"Oh yeah, like what?" she questions throwing her hands in the air her, bangles making their trademark clang.

"Like a career, like family, like art, travel, fashion and even music," I announce, gesturing in a circle as if to emphasize how big the world is.

She stops for a second, clearly thinking about what I have just said. "Okay, you got me. Fashion and music are just as important. I mean music did lead me to the love of my life with Jax," she says with a giggle.

"You're terrible, Jazz. Like you have no chill," I mutter with a shake of my head.

"And you sound like Mr Grayson giving one of his lectures. Speaking of, we're gonna be late. Move your peach!" she instructs, slapping me on the backside.

She was right. We were late. Approaching the room I can see that the door is closed. That's never a good sign. Apart from having to do the walk of shame as everyone's eyes watch you take the last available seats, which are almost always at the front of the class. Doing this in one of Mr Grayson's classes will almost always earn you a detention.

I feel her body tense up. "Ah, shiitake."

I say nothing but continue to move towards the door following a step behind Her. She creaks open the door gently, hoping to make a stealthy entry.

As predicted, all heads pivot in our direction as if choreographed to move at the smallest sound. "Glad you could join us ladies," Mr Grayson says sarcastically as we attempt to enter.

"Sorry Sir. Harri had an allergic reaction to some err.... mushrooms," Jazz says clearly lying. I feel my jaw drop to the floor.

'Is that right, Harri?" Mr Grayson asks looking at me. Disbelief written all over his face.

I've never been good at lying. As I open my mouth to speak I feel the familiar burn as a blotchy red stress rash instantly makes itself home on my chest and quickly running up the length of my neck.

"Ummm yeah. I don't deal well with.... shiitake." I mumble.

Jazz chokes at the double meaning of my statement, causing Mr Grayson's head to snap back towards her. "And are you ok, Jazz?"

"Yes Sir," she says clearing her throat. "I'm just bit surprised at Harri's ummm.... openness to discussing her affliction to shiitake. She usually likes to keep that to herself." I watch as her face turns scarlet as she tries hard to keep her composure, which in turn almost causes me to lose mine.

I'm not sure if he is just over the conversation or if he genuinely believes the story but much to our surprise he lets us off with a warning and instructs us to sit down.

As we take our seats we hear Cleo mutter something under her breath. "Typical Jazz. Getting everything she wants."

It takes me about ten minutes to get what she is talking about but when I do I audibly snort and have to take a series of deep breaths so as not to fall from my seat.

"Mushroom allergy again, Harri?" Mr Grayson asks mockingly as I interrupt his class for the second time in ten minutes.

"Something like that Sir," I manage to choke out in between gasps for oxygen.

The rest of the class goes excruciatingly slow and I am nothing but relieved when the bell finally rings. The relief is short lived as Grayson decides to keep Jazz and I back for a lecture on the importance of being on time. We each nod and take the lecture, grateful that we avoided detention, especially given that today is Friday.

"What the franks and beans was that? I almost lost it when you said shiitake," Jazz screams with laughter as we make our way to the lockers.

I am not sure if it's just because she is loud or because the halls are empty since everyone got out ten minutes earlier than us, but her laughter echoes through the passageways.

"You frankenfurt'ing missed it," I cackle in a volume matching Jazz's.

She stops mid-step, her vans sneaker hits the vinyl flooring making it sound like we're on a basketball court. "What are you on about, H?"

"Cleo," I answer still laughing.

"Oh yeah, what was that about?" She says as if dismissing the comment as just another example of Cleo being Cleo.

This time it's my turn to grab her by the shoulders. "No, you don't get it."

"What?" she exclaims frustrated by my laughter.

"She....she said you get everything you want," I try and clarify.

"Yeah, I know I heard her. Why is that so funny?"

"Jazz, she wasn't talking about us not getting detention. She was talking about—"

She cuts me off with a high pitched scream as the realisation hit her. "OH, MY GOATS CHEESE! SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT THEO!"

I've made no secret about not wanting Jazz and Theo "to date", but it's almost worth it just know that it annoys Cleo as much as it does me. Maybe even more than it does me. Generally, I am not one to wish these things on someone but there is something bittersweet about it being Jazz that is inflicting her discomfort.

I'm pretty sure I laughed about it the whole way home. I muttered something to Theo about it when I got home but he seemed pretty confused as to who Cleo was so rather than explain it I just walked out of the room mid-sentence leaving him standing there in the kitchen wondering what I was on about. Honestly, I have no idea what Jazz or Cleo even see in the guy.

As I make my way upstairs I get a text from Jazz reminding me that she'll be home from hairdressers at 10am tomorrow and to come over after that so we can start getting ready for the Halloween event together. I confirm that the event doesn't start until six and ask her if eight hours are really required to get ready. Apparently they are.

I gather everything I need to make the Queen of Hearts come alive, including some bright blue eye shadow which I borrowed from my Mum's dresser. Since I am not used to doing any make up other than black eyeliner I have to agreed to let Jazz do my make up. She has been so excited that she's given up her usual G34 YouTube viewing for makeup tutorials. As much I am not looking forward to spending the whole event on my own, while she is off with Theo, I am excited to what the costume will look like.

I reply to Jazz and let her know that I'll be over at ten, with coffee. We had originally planned on getting ready here but since Jazz's Dad decided to head back to work early she thought it would be better to prepare there since she has more space. That and she insisted that Theo come to the door to collect her like a 'real date', which he couldn't very well do if we got ready in the same house.

I set everything on my dresser and pack it all into my bag, just as my phone rings.

"Well, hello there," I speak into the camera.

"Hello yourself," comes SJ's familiar voice.

"I thought you were going to get the camera fixed when you got home? Well, you're home and still all I can see is a distorted outline. I mean it could be moving bean bag for all I know."

"Woah, I've been home all of a day give me a minute. Plus I had some serious napping to take care of today." The shadowy figure says as it runs its hands through its hair, pulling a dark curl back out of its face.

"Okay, you're forgiven but only because I'm in a good mood," I tease as I recount the Grayson, shiitake, Cleo, episode.

"You better be careful with the shiitake thing. I'm sure it won't long until Mr Grayson works out what you meant," SJ warns with a laugh.

"You're probably right. Anyway turns out Jazz and I are not as original as I thought. Looks like those Gate Thirty Four guys also use it," I explain.

I see SJ's fuzzy outline cover his mouth as he cough. It sounds as if the wind got stuck in his throat. "What? How do you know?" he asks surprised.

"Jazz. YouTube. Twitter. Seems they said it at a gig recently and the crowd lost their shiitake, for want of a better word," I confess.

"Oh, I see," the figure mumbles.

"I had to laugh though, Jazz took it as a sign that that Jax guy was hearing her subliminal messages. Meanwhile, I was just laughing at the fact that for the first time I have been doing something that is on trend," I snort.

I might not be able to see him clearly but I can definitely hear him, and his laugh is one of those that fill the whole space. It's hearty and deep like it comes from his soul. When he laughs really hard he loses all noise until all you can hear is the wheeze of his breath. It's a sound that I am not sure that I will never get sick of hearing.

"Jazz sounds like a riot," he splutters.

"She is, that's why I can't lose her to Theo's evil clutches," I explain as I ball up my fists to the camera playfully.

"Woah, calm down Wonder Women."

"It's the Queen of hearts to you," I joke.

I see what I think is a smile on his fuzzy face. "Ah yes, the big event. It's tomorrow right? Are you all ready?"

"Just packing now. It doesn't start until six and we're heading straight there from Jazz's. Did you decide on a costume?"

"Not yet. I did speak to my sister and she has given me suggestions and offered to do my makeup if I need it."

I like the fact that he gets along with his sister. It makes me wish that Theo and I were closer, although I will admit that we have been getting along much better over the last few weeks. I mean I haven't had to throw my shoe at him lately.

"Oh, that's sweet. You seem to get along well. What were her suggestions?"

He laughs a little, "yeah, we get along for now since I've only been home a few hours. Give it a day and she'll be screaming the house down."

"And the costume ideas?"

"You'll have to wait and see," he teases with what I think is a wink.

——-

Author's note:

So I was going to post this tomorrow but I couldn't wait. The next chapter is the Halloween fundraiser 😱😱. I am literally so excited to write this. I can't even.

Thoughts on this chapter? Thoughts on Cleo and Jazz? Thoughts of Theo and Jazz? Thoughts in general.

Thanks again to each of you who take the time to read this. Honestly I am loving witting and having you all on the journey with me is making it that much more fun!

Trudz xx