Chapter 26 - Celebration

“Harry,” I say, incapable of fighting the smile that creeps to my lips or the way the butterflies in my stomach start fluttering, tickling me and making me want to burst out giggling.

He’s here! And I can’t believe how excited I am.

Harry smiles radiantly at me as he starts approaching and I don’t move, I can’t only stare at him, still smiling foolishly. By the time we’re face-to-face my heart is practically beating in my throat and I take a deep breath to calm down.

Harry doesn’t try to give me a hug like Carl did, although I’m sure I wouldn’t have reacted the same way with him. Who knows? Maybe I would’ve panicked if I had seen him trying to hug me. Because I’m not sure is that I’m glad he didn’t try to hug me but instead he reached out for my hand and with delicacy he raised it until he lands a sweet and soft kiss on top of it. Needless to say my butterflies go crazy and I have to press my lips tightly so I don’t make a weird sound. Plus, he’s watching me carefully so I have to watch out my every reaction.

“Having a good day so far?” he asks softly still holding my hand. Of course I notice that, how couldn’t I?

“Yes,” I reply still smiling. “Dad and Timmy surprised me with breakfast in bed. They also laughed at me ‘cos of my hair,” I add and he laughs.

I look down at our hands and when Harry sees I’ve noticed how he’s still holding mine, he lets go. I regret having done that, he probably thought I was uncomfortable or something when I was just mesmerised by his actions.

“Well, I hope you are available now because I have plan a whole day ahead for us,” he says and I smile, trying not to show that I wish he would take my hand again.

“Let’s go,” I reply and his smile is so cute, so nice.

I just notice then that he had some things besides the truck so when we get in he also makes sure to put inside the basket. Yes, a basket, like the kind you take to a picnic. If that’s his plan then it’s adorable. I’ve haven’t had a picnic in so long. When I was a kid my mum used to prepare picnics for us in the garden because in the movies it always looked so lovely and I wanted to try. I always loved those.

Harry asks me to just go back to the lake so I follow his instructions and once we leave the truck he takes me to the dock.

“Well, I hope you like sweets,” he says putting the basket on the wood of the dock and taking a red tablecloth. “I had to bribe the cook but I made all that I’ve brought.”

Impressed, I can only open my eyes wider as he starts taking out some sandwiches, fruit,  pop cans and a little box, but I can’t see its content.

“As this is your favourite place I thought it’d be nice to have a picnic here,” he says and offers me his hand, inviting me to sit down, as well. “Please, join me.”

“This looks delicious,” I say and it does. It’s not fancy, but it’s so nice that he prepared this instead of just grabbing things from the kitchen. “Thank you.”

Harry smiles at me and offers me a sandwich and a can that he opens first. I take another look at the box, it’s a simple one with a little lace and he notices that I’m watching it.

“It’s your present but I’m not giving it to you yet.” I raise my brows in a questioning way. “Later.”

I don’t argue so instead we just enjoy the picnic he prepared for me. We have a small chat and I have to admit it’s really, really nice to be here with him, just enjoying nice food. It’s still early, barely noon so I’m not that hungry. Harry suggests we leave some for later and I totally agree.

“Okay, I know it’s not much because I haven’t left this place,” Harry starts grabbing the box and looking a bit nervous. I try to smile at him, honestly not minding at all. I wasn’t expecting a present at all, after all, this is more than enough. What better present than spending my day with him? “I also made this for you.”

And he finally opens the box revealing a red velvet cupcake with music notes decorating it. I’m so surprised looking at it that I don’t notice Harry grabbing a candle until I see him putting in on top of the cupcake as he takes it out of the box. Lighting it up, he starts singing, softly, Happy Birthday.

I cover my mouth with my hand, touched by the gesture and I meet his eyes as he sings to me.

“… Happy birthday, dear Ariel, happy birthday to you,” Harry finishes raising the cupcake a bit higher for me to blow the candle after I make a wish.

“That was really sweet, Harry. Thanks,” I say as I watch him taking off the candle.

“Now you can have the cupcake. I have more, by the way,” he adds in confidentiality, making me laugh. “They are just waiting for later. The decoration of this one is more special, that’s all.”

Chuckling, I take the cupcake and take a bite. It is delicious, and I make sure to let Harry know that I really like his present. It’s adorable and delicious. What could be better?

“Wanna take a trip around?” he asks after a while and I look at him a bit confused. “On a boat. Let’s go.”

I don’t complain, I follow him after we decide to even take the basket with us in case we get hungry later. I don’t know for how long he expects us to be on that boat, but I honestly don’t mind. He chooses one of the canoes we have around the dock and soon he’s rowing away from the shore. He’s not very skilled but he manages. I offer to help but he refuses, saying that it’s my birthday and this is all part of his present.

I have to admit that I’m enjoying this day very much. It’s normal, we’re not doing anything extraordinary, but it’s special. I feel special because Harry is really trying to make this a good day for me, he’s paying me so much attention and… and he makes me feel like he actually cares about me, more than like a friend.

It’s weird because I honestly believe that it’s not possible that he could like me back in the same way I like him, but it almost seems like it. When he looks at me or when he gives me one of his beautiful smiles I actually feel like these feelings are mutual.

I’m not expert on this subject, clearly, but I feel like there’s something between us right now, but how can I be sure? I’ve never fancied someone before, I’ve never even thought of fancying someone. What am I supposed to do? Confess my feelings? Put him at the test? Just wait? But he’ll be leaving soon, I mean, it’s been like two weeks already and he told me that they are staying only for three. Which means they are leaving the first week of June. Can I wait for him to say something? And what happens when he leaves?

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Harry asks and only then I notice I’ve lost the smile and stopped paying attention to what he was saying.

“S-sorry,” I mutter. “I was just… just thinking,” I add nervously because I was thinking of him and feelings.

“C’mon, don’t be sad on your birthday. Smile for me, please,” requests Harry and I sigh before I really smile for him, but he’s not satisfied. “Wider!” Chuckling, I comply  with his demand and smile wider. “Even wider!”

“I can’t!” I laugh and I see him smiling this time, happy that he wiped the sad look from my face.

“See? You look so much cuter when you smile,” he says softly and I feel my cheeks heating in an embarrassing blush. I even look away.

He shouldn’t say those things. They confuse me, they make me think of possibilities that I really don’t have. He’ll leave in a week and I’ll stay here God knows for how long. He won’t take me with him. Why would he? Nor even a person in love would do something so crazy.

Even if he likes me, of which I’m not sure, there’s not really a chance for us, is there?

Yeah, I don’t think so.

+ + + + +

We’ve actually spent all the afternoon on this boat, going around the lake. It’s got cloudy so we haven’t had problems with the sun burning our skins. We’ve talked most of the time, although it’s mostly Harry making me laugh with silly stories. He has so many. It’s incredible all the things that happen during tour. It’s been really relaxing and ultimately nice to be with him like this.

“Paul is great! I swear you’d love him. He is our dad when we’re on tour and we really like to make things hard for him” Harry laughs and by now the sun is even setting and it’s even cloudier. I think it might rain tonight… or soon. Nor even in summer you can escape from the rain in England. “Once I actually had him running after me for an hour!” he carries on his story, moving excitedly around, laughing at the memories. I keep a smile on my face. “I bet if he were here he’d be swimming right here to take me out of this boat,” Harry muses and then I see a mischievous grin on his face.

Before I can realise what he’s doing, Harry stands up and waves his arms in the air. I panic because this is a boat, it’s not safe to do that, but he’s laughing.

“What now, Paul?” he laughs.

“Harry, you should—”

“It’s okay, look, I’m safe,” he cuts me off and he tries to sit down but, I don’t know how, he makes a wrong move and trips. And there are not even roots here to make him trip!

In a blink of the eye Harry loses his balance and falls into the water making such a mess, getting his feet tangled with the rows and ropes and moving the whole boat. I can’t get a grip or do something about it, the boat turns over with Harry and I find myself in the water as well. One row hits me on the hip, but nothing serious and soon I manage to go back to the surface, but I don’t see Harry.

“Harry!” I shout, looking everywhere but he’s not on the surface.

I submerge immediately just to find him struggling with the rope that we use to tie the canoe to the dock. I don’t even know how he got in that mess, but I hurry to swim towards him and help him out before he can’t hold his breath any longer.

Moved by the panic, I work quickly and help him back to the surface and once our heads are out of the water he takes a deep breath. I keep us both afloat and just then I notice that it’s started to rain.

Oh joy!

“Are you okay?” I ask him, making sure he’s not injured or anything.

“Yes, I’m all right. I got hit by one row, though, in the head. But nothing serious,” he says and I sigh. “I-I’m sorry, Ariel. That was stupid of me,” he apologises and I shake my head.

“Don’t worry now, let’s go back or we’ll freeze to death,” I tell him and he nods.

With his help we turn the boat over again and try to get in. It’s not an easy task and our clothes weigh so much with the water now, but we manage. Harry rows as fast as he can and once we’re at the dock the rain is actually falling hard on us. It’s one of those quick storms, it’ll pass soon but we can’t keep getting ourselves wet.

“Come, follow me,” I tell him and lead him home. It’s closer than the retreat centre and we need to wait for the rain to pass so I can drop Harry there.

I grab his hand and lead him as fast as I can without us tripping over. For now I only care about getting us to a warm and safe place.

-:-:-

Dedication to @KateWells7 for always leaving good comments and being a good reader.

Bel, xx

NU: Friday (4K for early update)