The Boy Who Knew Too Much

Chapter 20: Graduate

My black tie is way too tight around my neck. I comb my hair before loosening it a bit. Today is the first day of what seems like the rest of my life.

"Ready?" Gramps voice echoes from the door and I nod my head. I feel ready but maybe I'm not.

"Ready as ever." My tone is sarcastic and I attempt to ease my nervousness with laughter. The sound comes out choked and muffled.

"Let's go the car is wasting gas right now." Leave it to gramps to be worried about the car. His footsteps fade as I presume he is walking outside. I take a deep breath and turn my heel so I can get to my impatient grandfather.

Bella's POV:

The gown is awkwardly big in certain places. My heart is racing with either excitement or nervousness, I can't really tell.

"Wow you look beautiful! My graduation day was like a dream, not quite as good as my wedding but very close. It was like starting my new life, and trust me it feels amazing." Leah has on a black dress with a questionable amount of cleavage showing.

"I'm so nervous. I feel like I might throw up." I try to laugh but it doesn't quite work so I cough instead. The last piece of my hair is straightened before my father walks in.

"Wow honey, you look beautiful! You're mother would be very proud of you as am I." Pain hits me thinking of what it would be like if my mother was alive to see me graduating. I can see her bright smile and flowing auburn hair with happy tears falling down her cheeks. She cried if I scored a lousy goal in soccer, she got sentimental over any 'bright' moment I had, or at least that's how she put it.

"You're going to make me mess up my make up! Getting soft on my in your old age?" I teased my father as he pulled me into a bear hug. I bite my lips to hold back tears which thankfully withheld.

"Let's go! It's your day to shine!" I couldn't help but roll my eyes at Leah and her always enthusiastic behavior. If Harry was here he would whisper some snarky remark into my ear making me lightly punch him but still laugh.

I need to stop thinking about him. I leave for New York in two days while he'll be here in England doing who knows what.

Harry's POV:

We pulled up to the brick walls which I saw almost everyday for the past four years. It makes me so fucking happy to be able to leave this hellhole, forever.

I notice a familiar white mercadies pulling up through my side view mirror. Gramps complains about the air being stuffy inside of the car. I hesitantly step out as Charles pulls up next to me. I give him a smile and wave. Luckily, the back windows are tinted so I can't see Bella.

Good thing gramps is impatient as hell so we get inside before they have even stepped out of the car. Probably hundreds of people are already inside. Parents, siblings and family friends clutter the seats and some are forced to stand in the back. We reserved seats knowing my grandfather he wouldn't have it standing in the back. I exchanged goodbyes with him and went to my designated position for the ceremony.

The principal gets up on the podium and begins to speak about our future and other shit which I don't really pay attention to. My eyes continue to linger to Bella who looks absolutely amazing.

One of our classmates who I've never actually seen before is up and they must've given a good speech considering the strong applause. Finally it's time for them to call our names and get our diplomas. We have a pretty small grade so it goes by quickly. They call my name and hoots and hollers come from the boys I suspect. They close up the ceremony and we now go to the dining hall.

An array of food is laid out for anyone to eat. I am filling my plate when someone knocks into me, nearly causing my plate to topple over. I saved it, only loosing a few scraps of food.

"I'm so sorry I didn't see you when I turned around." Bella's face is bright red with embarrassment from the collision. She has taken her gown off and now has on a dress which eccentuates her curves perfectly.

"It's fine. You look great." I say before even thinking about it. She coughs awkwardly and I swear I see anger flash in her eyes.

"Why over text?" Oh shit.

"I don't think we should talk about this right now." My tone is hushed, trying not to draw attention to us.

"When Harry? I leave in two days. I want an explanation so I can move on."

"I didn't say it to you because I don't care about your feelings." I harshly bite my lip.

"You're lying." Her eyes have glossed over. I know I've hurt her but she needs this to forget about me. Us.

"I don't want to talk about this." The people besides us seem to be agitated by the delay of movement.

"Come to New York, there are so many more opportunities there." Is she fucking crazy?

"We're not even together and your suggesting I move to New York? Even if I went what would I do?"

"I don't know Harry, but please think about it." With that she turned and walked back to her table. I have no intention of moving to New York, she should know that by now. Gramps is picking at his beef with boredom when I walk up to our table.

"Eat quick I have poker soon." I nodded, although I know it's rude to leave so early I'd rather not be near Bella.

The food is pretty decent and I finish with perfect timing. I exchange goodbyes with the boys and Eleanor before being nagged to get a move on.

"Do you love her?" Gramps asks, startling me once we get back into the car.

"Yes." Is all I can say.

"Then what's holding you back? Me? Your friends? Do you think any of that will matter in hell, five years? I caught you staring at her the whole ceremony Harry. You look at her like a did your grandmother. We were married for sixty years and I loved her until the day she died. If you let her go you will regret it."

"I can't, she deserves better." I say while pulling up to where he plays poker. He doesn't say anything back, he simply opens the door and walks inside the building.

• • •

Being officially out of high school for a month has not been as fun as I thought it would be. I've applied for a dozen jobs and only a measly grocery store agreed to hire me. The costumers that come in are all old and grouchy. Since Louis moved to go to college there have been no parties, no fun. I miss my best friend a lot actually. He was always someone I could talk to about anything, and now that he's gone I don't know what to do with myself.

"Smells good in here gramps." I say while smelling my favorite, lasagna. A grunt comes from the kitchen. I proceed up to my room to pick up where I left off in the family photo album. I've been looking at this thing a lot lately, trying to see if any memories will resurface about my mum. I come across an old black and white picture of gramps and nanny in the garden. Gramps looks very happy for once, I miss him being like this. I leave my finger in the page and carry the book downstairs.

"Hey gramps look at thi-" water covers the floor as I walk into the kitchen. I see gramps sitting against the cupboard looking pale as a ghost.

"Heart attack." His breathing is all over the place and I turn the oven off. I pick up the house phone and call 999 let them know I need an ambulance.

"You'll be alright." Silent tears are falling down gramps face as I clutch onto his hand.

"I can be with her now." The ambulance needs to come quickly. Within a few minutes sirens can be heard and the front door is open. One of the medics says something about code black which doesn't sound good at all. All I can do is stand and watch as they shock gramps chest for what seems like hours.

"Time of death?" I fall to my knees at the words I'd never wanted to hear again.

"I'm sorry son, there was nothing we could do." My body is shaking uncontrollably as I place my head in my hands. They come in with a stretcher and take his lifeless body away. Once I pull myself together they make me sign papers and a bunch of other stupid shit. I cuss them out for making me do it after witnessing my grandfather dying but still sign anyway.

The funeral consists of me and four of his poker buddies. If I haden't cried so much in the past three days I'd probably be bawling right now. Once the bishop is done speaking we all leave without another word. My life has gone to hell and I have no one. Gramps was the constant in my life and now that he's gone, I'm lost.

I open the laptop and type in my destination. I've never had this much of an impulse moment since I got my first tattoo. I have no where else to go besides the home I shared with my grandfather. I pack a small bag with essentials. I double check at least five times that I have my passport and boarding pass. Once sure, I get inside my car and drive to the airport.

The wait is absolutely killing me. I have no idea what will happen in the next week, or even the next twenty-four hours. All I know is that I'm going to give it a shot. I should've listened to gramps when he told me exactly what I should've been doing with my life. Suddenly a women comes over the speakers and announces that we should begin getting ready for the journey ahead.

"Flight 238 is now boarding. The destination is New York City."

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