Harry holds the acceptance letter close to his face, it's covered in creases from the many times he's folded it up and hid it back behind the sail of his favorite model ship. He never made it past the first line. Congratulations! It started and then went on to say, You've been accepted to Auradon School Of Music.
As many times as he's read this, it still felt unreal. Like someone was going to snatch it away and tell him it's a cruel joke. But no one came, and Harry's sure he isn't dreaming. If he was those confirmation emails from the school wouldn't be filling up his inbox.
On paper, everything was looking perfect for Harry. But there's a snag, as there was no way his dad would ever let him go. He'd start going on and on about how the shop needed Harry. Listing all the things that could possibly go wrong. Then he'd start the guilt trip. Telling him if money gets tight the ones who would suffer most would be his sisters. And if Harry points out he's being dramatic, well that's when the argument starts. His father would scream about how selfish he's being.
And-Harry folds the letter back up, tucking it back in it's hiding place. It was stupid of him to think he could leave. He just needs to forget the letter exists, forget that he was considered worthy enough to catch the eye of the best music school in all of Auradon.
Forget all the practicing until his fingers were numb. All the time spent in the library memorizing music theory books, and forget how it made him feel closer to his mother. He didn't need the piano. It needed him. A simple guide to lead it to the most beautiful tunes. He would be fine without it, could live without it.
Harry's family had no idea he even still played; They thought he'd given it up. And Harry would've but every single time he touches a key, he could see his mother's smile. And that's something Harry could never give up. So every day at a certain time, he'd sneak into the back room of his father's shop, where his mother's old piano is. And after making sure the coast was clear, he'd play. And he's good, really really good.
Why couldn't his father let him have this one thing? Why would he force Harry to live in crippling silence? Maybe that's why Harry said yes, almost immediately after receiving his acceptance letter. A path to his dream, but also an act of rebellion. Harry drops onto his bed, ignoring the fact that his shift at the shop had already started. If Harry were his normal self, he would've been there twenty minutes early. But for the first time in his life, he really didn't care for any of his responsibilities.
Harry runs his hand lazily through his hair, and that's when he hears his sister loudly scream his name. He groans, getting up from his bed. He leaves the room and makes his way downstairs. There his sister, Harriet holds the phone which she roughly shoves into Harry's hand. Harry puts it to his ear, already knowing who's on the other end.
"Dad?" He says, faking surprise. Harriet rolls her eyes at the fakeness in his voice.
"Harry, where are you?!" His father angrily belts out. Harry pulls the phone away from his ear. And his father's voice grows louder. "Smee told me he went by the shop and it's not even open yet!"
Placing the phone back on his ear, Harry calmly replies. "I'm still home."
"And why is that?"
Harry starts fake coughing and answers in a nasal tone. "I'm sick?"
Harriet raises a brow, unsure of the game her brother was playing. His father lets out an exasperated sigh, and replies, "Did you eat too much of that rich people food a couple of nights ago? What did I tell you, Harry? You'd feel it rumbling out of you eventually. Ugh, tell your sister to come and open the shop."
Harry barely remembers what he ate that night but his father didn't need to know that. Or the fact that all of that night is a haze for Harry. The only thing Harry remembers is that he needed to apologize to Uma. He just didn't know how. "Yeah, exactly. Sorry, dad. I'll tell her now. Bye."
He clicks off the phone before his dad could ask Harriet if he's really sick. Harriet eyes him suspiciously. She grabs her phone and mimics Harry's earlier sick impression. "You're such an amateur."
"Look, can you cover for me or not?"
She glares at him before saying, "I had plans with Anthony. He's not gonna be thrilled about our date being canceled to hang out at the shop."
"I'll cover your shifts for a week. Just let me have this day off."
Harriet considers his offer but looks at him dissatisfied. "I need more than a week. How about the rest of the summer?"
"Harriet, I'm only asking for a day. Don't you think me covering for you all summer is unfair?"
"I was just checking your desperation level." She grumbles." Fine. One week."
Harry thanks her, and she just glares, stomping out of the house. Harry goes into the kitchen and opens the fridge. He grabs an orange and starts to peel it. He heads into the hallway and spots his reflection in a mirror shaped like an anchor. There he starts practicing what he'll say to Uma.
"Hey, Uma, guess what? We got into the same school but I can't go because-" he pauses, and then glumly continues. "because I'm a coward." Harry looks away from the mirror, bringing the orange he held to his mouth and biting into it.
But somehow he turns it to a side, he hadn't yet peeled. He spits out chunks of the peel and tries to cough out the disgusting taste in his mouth. He runs back to the kitchen, grabbing a cup and runs to the sink to fill it with water. After a couple of sips, the taste starts to leave his mouth.
Harry decides he needs coffee. Even though he hates the bitter taste of it. Maybe after a cup or two, he'll find the right words to say to Uma. He goes to the coffee shop closest to his house. His friend Jonas is working the register, and looking positively bored with life. He perks up a little when Harry strides to the counter.
"I thought you were lost at sea." Jonas jokes with a half-smile.
"And you think I wouldn't give you something to remember me by?" Harry responds, blowing Jonas a kiss. Jonas jokingly captures it and throws it in the trash.
"I don't accept kisses from friends who disappear for weeks," Jonas says, smugly.
Harry felt bad. He didn't mean to avoid Jonas or any of his other friends for weeks. It didn't help that they all knew he'd been accepted into Auradon School Of Music. And the last thing Harry needed was Jonas and the rest of the wharf rats reminding him he needed to tell his family.
"Shame, cause we both know that's the only kiss you've got this summer." Harry taunts, playfully. He almost didn't feel the weight of Auradon School Of Music on his shoulders.
Jonas looks at Harry offended, before admitting. " That I can't deny. Remember how I visited my uncle at the beginning of the summer?" Harry nods. Jonas had brought him back a bunch of sweets. Which Harry split with CJ, who had overdone it and been sick for weeks.
"I thought me and this blue-haired girl had a little something." Jonas continues, before adding."But turns out she only wanted me for one thing."
"And what's that?"
Jonas leans over the counter, whispering in Harry's ear. "My scarf."
Harry loudly laughs and struggles to get words out. "Your scarf?! You mean a pretty girl flirted with you just for a scarf. Oh, don't you have the best of luck, Jonas."
"It's not funny," Jonas grumbles quietly with a frown.
"Yes, it is," Harry answers still laughing.
"Like you're having any better luck than me."
"Actually, I kind of have a girlfriend." Harry gloats. As if he didn't completely ruin everything that night. As if he didn't text her the next day like everything was fine. As if the guilt from not apologizing or giving an explanation wasn't eating him up inside.
"I thought you were done with relationship labels after-"
Harry cuts him off, "Don't say his name. I thought so too, but she's different I guess."
"Different? Is she like half fish or something? How different could this girl be compared to you know every other person in existence?"
"You don't understand. You've never been..." Harry lets his words trail off as he comes to a realization. He more than liked her.
"Gods, you're into her like that?" Jonas says, reading the expression on Harry's face.
"I think so. Maybe? I might've screwed up everything."
"Well, what are you doing here? You need to go get your girl."
"Yeah, right? I'm gonna do just that." Harry comments, pulling out his phone from his pocket. He goes to his contact list and taps Uma's name and without a second thought; Harry calls her.
Uma plucks the strings of her guitar, making sure everything's in tune. It had arrived early today in the mail, and with how decently protected it was, Uma knew her mom tasked Gil to send it to her. Something that brought her relief, because the last thing she needs is a broken guitar.
When Uma confirms the guitar is perfectly tuned, she puts it in its case and is finally ready for the boardwalk. Just as she is about to leave, she remembers to grab a barely used hat from her suitcase. And then she's off.
The boardwalk isn't as crowded as she hoped, but hopefully, she would make something. She plops the hat down in front of her, and strums her guitar, and finally starts to sing. She's only supposed to do a simple cover, something that would make the crowd smile.
Instead, her mind played the DJ of her voice, and her song was original. The worst part of it all was how depressing it was. She wrote it about Harry. Who after his attitude change went back to normal, still not revealing a thing that bothered him.
And Uma ended up playing along with him, pretending she didn't want to know more. That the offer that night was a simple fluke. Uma starts belting out the chorus, her soulful voice begging the boy to tell her what's hurting him. She croons she's been hurt too, that the world acts as if you can tuck away all the pain and save it for a rainy day. She sings about her tears being the rain, that even if she's stronger from her pain, she's allowed to cry.
That line was aimed more at her mother than Harry. She didn't realize how much of herself she put in this. As she gets closer to the end of the song, her voice cracks, a sign of vulnerability. She recovers quickly and powerfully sings the last note.
Applause surrounds her, and she smiles. Watching as some people put down money in the hat in front of her. She thanks them, and they compliment the beauty of her song.
Soon she's alone, left to count the money in the hat. She earned a decent amount. Placing the money in her wallet, Uma stuffs her hat inside an unzipped compartment of her guitar case; Usually reserved for her spare guitar picks. She decides to head to a restaurant and get a fish burger. Taking out her phone, she goes to her contact list and prepares to tap her friend, Gil's name. But Harry's face shows up on her screen, and she accidentally clicks answer.
She takes the phone off speaker and places it on her ear.
"So I'm thinking about eating the best cotton candy in this town and I'm wondering if you'd like to join?"
"Uhh," Uma starts, analyzing his voice for any trace of the Harry from that night. She finds no trace but still, she's hesitant." I'm actually about to head to a diner."
"Come on, cotton candy is so much better than seafood."
Uma holds back a laugh, "You think I'm going to choose cotton candy over actual food?"
"Yes, who wouldn't?" Harry states like there weren't any other alternate possibilities.
Uma shakes her head, still not sold on the idea."Something tells me you've got a hardcore sweet tooth."
"The three cavities in my mouth might say you're right."
"Three?!" Uma repeats, shocked.
"There was a sale on sour candy in June. And I had to celebrate my graduation in style."
"Should I set up an intervention or..."
"You could try but I won't give it up. And you should come here and join me."
"So we both can have cavities?"
"You won't get any cavities, promise. But maybe we can talk about some things."
Uma didn't really have anything to lose in this situation. And it seems Harry really wanted to speak about that night. So she responds with, "Alright, that sounds cool."
"Want me to pick you up?" Harry offers.
"No, I have my car today. Just text me the exact location and I'll be there."
"Will do, see you later then, darling!"
Uma says goodbye and then ends the call. She sighs looking down at the phone screen. Harry's text pops up on top of the screen and Uma taps it. She looks over the location, which is close to where she is now. She didn't even need to drive, but she did need to drop off her guitar. Uma wasn't ready for Harry to figure out what instruments she plays. Or have Harry figure out she didn't just play one. Knowing him he'd milk a kiss for every instrument he guesses correctly, so it's best if it's hidden away. Uma goes to her car and puts her guitar in the trunk. Once she's sure it's secure, she's off to meet Harry.
A.N. So I moved my favorite scene to the next chapter and added more to Harry's pov. I might expand again and there will be more appearances from some other descendants characters. Thank you guys for the reviews/alerts. I'm so glad you support this fic because I'll be honest I have a lot of doubts. So your support means a lot to me. And thank you to Shontay, your review made me so happy! As a black woman, it's important to me, that I show, yes black girls/women have feelings and are complex individuals. So to be told I'm achieving that goal is the best! Thank you! I hope you guys like this chapter. Till next time everyone!