His name was Harry, and to him I was his Gracie. I didnt expect to fall in love with him, but i did. The best thing about him was his smile, it was contagious...He always could say the right thing to make me laugh. To me, he was enough, all i ever needed, but all he ever needed was time, which he never had. He would've wanted me to write this, so i am. To remember...in the very best way, with the good and the bad. To remember him, the way he wished to be.

The story begins on the day of his return:

I wake up early in the morning, not fully knowing why. I didn't feel like waiting for my alarm to go off so I just headed downstairs. I made myself a cup of coffee and just looked outside the kitchen window waiting for the caffeine to kick in.

"Good morning Gracie!" My dad smiles, rubbing my shoulders a bit.

"Hey dad" I laugh, rolling my eyes. "And it's Grace remember?" I smirk.

"You know I remember when you liked being called Gracie" he paused, leaning against the counter.

"To be fair, I stopped liking it when I was ten" I chuckle, taking a sip of coffee.

"Well your mother was the one who came up with it" he pointed out as I rolled my eyes.

"Dad.." I trail off. "I never knew her, so how do I know if your telling the truth" My mom died of a brain tumor when I was two. I sometimes get little memories of her here and then, very faint memories...but better than none at all.

"Well I guess you caught me there" he laughed. "Your mother actually hated it too" he said pouring a cup of coffee for himself.

"Well I don't hate it, I just secretly despise it" I chuckle.

"Well you know I heard that new neighbors moved in on Hemingway" he paused. "Maybe we can show some hospitality. You can make some of your delicious chocolate chip cookies"

"You just want an excuse for me to bake my cookies. You will eat them all before we get down there!" I pause. "And besides, I have to work on my physics project. It's due this Friday"

"Okay I guess we will have to same our warm welcome for some other time" he pauses. "Now you better go get ready for school or you will be late"

-

I settled with a black crop top, a black and white flannel, skinny jeans, and my black high top converse. I throw my backpack over my shoulder and I pick up my skateboard and headed out the door.

I know my dad was trying to be nice with the new neighbors on Hemingway, which honestly was just down the street. I figured since it was on my way to school I would stop by and say hello.

The other reason my dad suggested meeting them was because I'm always really good at confronting new people. He always said it was my thing and that I should go into communications one day.

I stopped at the foot of the house on Hemingway and picked up my skateboard from under my feet. I slightly leaned on it as I looked at the house.

It was perfectly white, with navy blue window panes. The house was very big compared to the others it stood with, and it had a beautiful tree in the front swaying in the morning breeze.

I didn't even notice the moving truck behind me until someone yelled my way.

"Hey!" Someone said pausing for a second. "Would you mind getting out of the way or helping me?" He said rather rudely. But of course, I dropped all of my things and grabbed the other side of the box.

I didn't see the man's face over the box or even the facial rude remark he gave me. As we carried it inside, someone who I can only assume was his mother spoke up.

"Harry, I told you not to carry in any of the boxes! You know-" she says as we set down the box.

"I know mum" he says, his voice was deep and had an accent. I look up at him and meet his green eyes.

How could I forget those eyes?

He didn't seem to remember me, not at all as he spoke harshly.

"You can go now" he shooed me off.

"Um actually I was here to come by and say hello" I smile, which he didn't return, but his mother did. "I live on edgebrook, just down the street. I'm Grace, Grace Winston" I say shaking her hand.

"Well it's so nice to meet you Grace! I'm Helen, and this is Harry" she says motioning him to say hello.

"Hello" he says blandly, and I roll my eyes. I check my phone and I have 15 minutes until class starts.

"Well it's really nice meeting you both but I gotta run class starts soon." I say, slowly making my way to the door.

"Hey are you going to Mckinley?" She says as I nod. "Great! would you mind showing him around today so he can get used to the school?"

Not really. Not particularly. Not ever.

"Sure!" I say, not knowing what I just got myself into.

//
Ily xx