Meet Me in the Hallway (HS AU)

twenty eight.

I had spent most of the day laying on Harry's couch. After falling asleep at a decent time last night, I woke up around 10am and decided to spend my day reading some of Harry's collection. I Can Jump Puddles by Alan Marshall was a book I hadn't read since I was about 13, so seeing it on the shelf made my heart flutter in nostalgia.

I was over half way through it when the sound of a key sliding into the front door and clicking open caught my attention. I flicked my eyes towards my phone and realised it was only 2:15. My whole body froze.

He wouldn't have found me. Where would he even get a key from? He would have made a show of his arrival, not entering quietly. Unless he and Harry were friends this whole time.

Oh god.

"Josephine?" A female voice called from the hallway, it was gentle and friendly sounding but that didn't take away from how on edge I felt.

"I- Hi?"

The footsteps slowly approached the lounge room and I sat up cautiously. Breathe, Josephine.

"Where are- Woah, it's worse than he described on the phone." There in the doorway stood a short, petite woman.

She was looking at me with her head cocked to the side, eyes wide as she examined me. My body began to involuntarily cave in on itself as I tried to move out of her gaze.

"Sorry, shit. I didn't mean to say that outloud. It's been a long week and my filter is down to chicken wire." She laughed awkwardly, but it felt like it was at my expense.

She must have realised I wasn't speaking because she started again.

"Harry said you were hurt badly and he wanted me to check you out the next time I was here. So here I am. He said your head was the worst so I might check that out first if you don't mind."

She spoke so fast it was hard to properly digest her words and once I finally did, I felt her presence closer than previously and I couldn't help but flinch at her closeness.

"I'm sorry but I don't want anyone to touch me right now. I don't even know who you are." One hand reached out in a 'stop' motion so she kept her distance. I don't know who this girl is but if she thinks she is getting any closer to me without explaining some shit, she has it all wrong.

"Harry spoke to me on the phone last night about bringing my first aid kit tonight and checking you out. He said he would let you know to expect me. God he's a fuckhead, I bet he didn't even tell you about me."

The conversation I had overheard the night previous played in my head, something about cooking her dinner and sending her frozen meals? I hope this wasn't his girlfriend or something, that would be fucked up. I simply shook my head at her question.

"We've actually met before, my name's Clem. I'm his little sister. I'm in my final year of my nursing degree so I promise I wouldn't be going into your wounds blind."

Shit, I'm such an idiot. Of course she's his sister. She looked different to when she was at the staff Christmas Party though. Maybe it was her hair that was different? Either way I felt like a total bitch. I was being so rude to her and her brother is the only reason I'm not sleeping at the school. Well done Josephine you dickhead.

"I am so sorry Clem. You look so different to when I saw you last and I'm just on edge all the time now. I am so sorry. I'm usually a really friendly person but like you said, this week has been long. I'm so sorry." I genuinely felt like I needed to apologise another five times before it seemed like enough but she gave me a look of understanding that helped to ease some of my body's tension.

"You don't need to apologise," she whispered gently, "I completely understand. Do you want me to check out your head in here or the bathroom?"

"Here is fine. Thank you for doing this." I shuffled to the edge of the couch and tilted my head towards the ground so my wound was pointing upwards.