Ease My Mind | Finley & Harlyn #1.5

Chapter 4

Harlyn

June 30th

1:47 AM BST
Finley:
You've watched heartstopper, right?

2:00 AM BST

Me:
Yes. Are you finally watching it??

2:01 AM BST
Finley:
Yes. Well, I watched all of it. I started when I got home from work tonight.
Finley:
Or last night.
Finley:
Wow, it's two am.

2:03 AM BST

Me:
Are you telling me you watched the whole thing in one go?

2:07 AM BST
Finley:
Yes. It was too good to stop.

Elly turns her phone toward me again, stretching it over the table. "What about this one?"

"El, this is the fourth flat you've shown me. They all look the same to me." I take the phone anyway, swiping through the pictures on the listing. It looks a lot like the last one except the front door opens into the left side of the flat instead of the right.

"Yes, but I want your opinion. Especially if you're going to be moving in with us."

I raise an eyebrow at her over her phone. "Not this again. I told you. I'm glad you and Polly and Francesca are getting a place together. But I'm not ready to move out yet."

"Harley..."

"No, Elly," I insist. "I'm not ready."

"Well, we're still looking at four bedroom flats. It's the only way we can all afford to split the rent. We need to find a fourth person." She takes her phone back and swipes through the pictures, too.

"What about Finley?"

"What about him?"

I stab a piece of chicken on my plate. "Well, if he moves back, maybe he'd like to live with you guys. You could ask at least."

"I thought he was going to live with Amelia."

"Yeah, but if living with you is cheaper or closer to campus, it might be nice for him to have options. And he likes you and Polly and Francesca. He knows you all. It would be better than moving in with strangers."

Elly nods slowly. "I'll ask. I mean, he won't know for a bit still. A couple weeks?"

"The decision is supposed to come in by July 12th."

"Not much longer then."

"No. Thank God."

She gives me a sympathetic smile, but before she can say anything, my phone rings. It's a number I don't recognize, but I answer it anyway. I still don't have Bobbi's number saved in my phone yet. It's probably her.

"Hello?" I cover my other ear to try to block out some of the restaurant din.

"Harlyn, hello. It's Professor Banks."

"Oh, hi, Professor. What can I do for you?"

Elly frowns at me, and I shrug. I've never had a phone call from a professor before. But I know Professor Banks fairly well. He's one of the professors overseeing my dissertation, and I spent time with him last semester picking a topic. This can't be what this is about. I won't officially start that whole process until the semester starts.

Professor Banks' voice crackles a little. "I was wondering if I could meet with you to talk to you about a job opportunity."

"A job opportunity?" I ask. Elly raises both eyebrows.