'So, you're his bitch basically?' I chuckled, as I took another bite from the pizza in front of me, as Harvey laughed rather loudly making neighbouring tables stare over.
'Let's say I'm more the buffer.'
'Buffer?' I said, raising an eyebrow.
'Yeah buffer, I make sure things don't go too far and just in general make things as nice and easy as possible.'
'So, you stop the madness?' I smirked.
'Exactly I stop all the madness…well when I can!' He smirked back.
Harvey is one of a kind, and very much like Arthur in his ways. He picked me up in a sporty little white Audi, dressed in a crisp white shirt that hinted at designer origins; and pair of very dark jeans- he was even wearing a blazer and boots! Making me pleased I'd worn one of my wrap around dresses and my own pair of tight black leather boots. The conversation had flowed quite easy and he'd stuck to my demand of a teenagery restaurant- Pizza Hut!
'So, you've been friends for a while then?' I asked, looking up.
'Since playschool I think…we were both rough and tough…' He chuckled softly. 'Our mums were both young, and in way too deep…'
'Aww but they've done a good job!' I said stretching my hand across to touch the back of his.
'Yeah, I spend so much time at Arthur's though now, I barely see my lot.'
'Don't they mind?' I asked without thinking, before quickly apologising.
'Don't apologise, I basically live there- my mum and dad are just pleased my grades are good so yeah- they don't mind.' He sighed.
'What are they like your mum and dad?'
The restaurant was busy, bustling with lunch time madness- kids screaming, covered head to toe in the remnants of pizza and ice cream. The cheap wooden table-tops being quickly wiped over before being filled again by rushing staff.
'My mum is so very caring, she trained to be a nurse- but then I came along…she finished the degree but never was able to do much with it…and my dad is basically never there he got with Arthur's dad and now we have a business selling and dealing shares- its good money but my mum just doesn't do much; she was never made to have money, she always feel guilty whenever dad or me gets her something expensive…' He smiled sadly, picking up his pizza slice and biting off a rather manly bite.
'What about your lot?' He asked around a mouthful of base and topping.
'Dad got lumbered with me at seventeen, my mum didn't even want to know…my Aunt Cath and Uncle Les…that's who I live with now…they kinda helped loads even though they were really young too...'
'So, your dad raised you single handily?'
'For a while then he married, I think it was out of sheer desperation to give me a mum- she was awful, after he divorced her we moved to Barcelona- Dad's a lawyer so he worked quite a bit and then he met Mel and well they work better than I thought…'
'Don't like her?' He asked raising an eyebrow.
'No she fine, she just took a while to get used to being a 'mum' figure!' I laughed.
'Oh right, so what brought you here then?'
'They got married and wanted to travel, and I volunteered basically; dad sacrificed loads when I was a kid and I think this kind of my way of saying thank you…'
'Are you happy here Kate?'
'Now I am, like don't get me wrong the weather here is something else but with Les and Cath it's like a normal family- I miss dad and Mel but at the same time I think I'd outgrown their ways and coming here is like the beginning of something new… that's makes no sense, does it?' I laughed.
'No, it makes so much sense.' He said, smiling over.
'So, what's your plan for the rest of today?' I asked steering clear of the subject.
'Depends on you really!'
'Huh?'
'Well you said a meal which means we're even but I haven't dressed up for nothing so bowling? Cinema? Arcade?'
'Oh… right…em…how about we go bowling and then the arcade?' I smiled.
'I think that's a pretty good idea.'
'Oh-my-god you are awful at this!' He laughed as my bowling ball rolled itself into the gutter.
'Shut up!' I chuckled, as I picked up another ball.
'Seriously though I won't laugh…much if you use the kiddy bowl…' His shoulder shook with laughter.
'No, I'm fine.' I smirked, turning and straightening my shoulders and letting the bowl roll- to my intense relief the ball made its way down the lane knocking over seven of the pins; I turned beaming.
'See?' I smiled.
'Right one seven, makes up for 5 throws that have scored nowt?'
'Yep that's right!' I laughed, he just shook his head smiling and picked up the bowling-ball as I took a seat on the leather couch taking a sip of my diet coke.
'And that's how it's done!' He hooted as he scored yet another strike.
'What the hell? I didn't realise I was playing with like a semi-pro!'
'Your turn!' He smiled.
A lot of humiliation later, he won spectacularly which left me somewhat red faced and him very cheekily smiling.
It was as I lay in bed that night, having spoken to Arthur- my head went into over drive because for some reason I could not get Harvey off my mind.
