Paper Birds

Chapter Thirty-One ; Drown in Lies

"This is stupid," I said outloud, pushing the knife across the table. I jumped when I heard the door open, lunging for the knife and shoving it back in its drawer just as Harry walked into the kitchen.

"Hey!" I greeted him, plastering a smile on my face, shutting the drawer. He shot me a look.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," I replied a little too quickly.

"Then why are you bleeding?" He squinted at my finger.

"Oh, I knicked it off of the table corner."

"The table is round, Claire."

Dammit. "I meant the kitchen counter." I motioned to the granite countertop, though Harry still didn't seem convinced. I cleared my throat and changed the subject, hoping Harry would confess about this Caroline girl. "How was the concert?"

"I-it was good. I didn't like leaving you, though."

I had to stop myself from grunting. "Oh, I'm sure. Anything.. interesting happen?"

He shook his head. "Not that I know of."

I leaned up against the fridge withy arms crossed. "Huh."

He walled over to me and smiled, his fingers brushing my waist. "You look great."

"Thanks," I said flatly, ducking out from under him and checking my phone.  

 "Is something wrong?"

"Nope. Everything is brilliant, just brilliant, Harry."

He didn't respond for a while. Then he sighed and said, "I need to go ask Liam something, be right back."

I rolled my eyes behind his back and went into the bedroom, waiting until I heard the door shut to take a quick shower.

It wasn't that quick. I stood in the hot water, loving the pounding on my back. It was so relaxing I figured I'd sing.

"Because I'm easy come, easy go,

Little high, little low,

Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me, to me.

Mama, just killed a man,

Put a gun against his head,

Pulled my trigger, now he's dead.

Mama, life had just begun,

But now I've gone and thrown it all away.

Mama, ooh,

Didn't mean to make you cry,

If I'm not back again this time tomorrow,

Carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters."

I washed my hair, still getting used to how short it was. It took me a considerable amount of time shorter to wash it then when it was long. After I was finished washing everything, I wrapped a towel around myself and stepped out of the bathroom, forgetting to bring in clothes along with me. I jumped, coming face to face with Louis.

"I was right," he told me with a grin. "You can sing, even if they are depressing songs."

I struggled to catch my breath; he had scared the crap out of me. I felt his hand tug on the end of my towel.

"Forget clothes, did we?"

I smiled bitter-sweetly and gave him a curt nod before brushing past him. I didn't realize he was still holding the towel so it unwound a bit. Louis noticed and dropped it, me watching in horror as it fell to the ground before I could do anything.