When You Know

It was two weeks before Harry saw Murphy again, and as much as she'd paced his thoughts, he barely noticed when she did arrive. The usual play-by-play occurred; most of the troops went somewhere to drink and once somebody had planted the idea of going out, it was all anyone could focus on. So they all went out, and why anybody thought Cal wouldn't steer the entire group in the direction of his girlfriend was more than Harry could comprehend.

Megan and Murphy were already out, accompanied by a few of the same faces Harry had seen at Megan's party. Megan had noticed Cal immediately, but the rest of the group just continued to dance like there wasn't a group of around eight guys suddenly interfering in their space. Harry felt a little awkward at first, watching Murphy dance with her friends, completely oblivious to what was happening around her. He kind of thought she was giving him a taste of what he'd doled out, but his fears were unfounded when she was finally given the nudge.

'You alright?' She shouted over the music, throwing a quick, unimportant arm over his shoulder as some form of hug, the same way she'd hug the rest of the group just moments later.

'Yeah, yeah,' he nodded. 'I didn't know you's were out?'

'Last minute thing,' she nodded. 'You?'

'Same, actually,' he spoke before Chris pulled Murphy into a conversation instead. They hadn't heard it from Harry, but they'd heard it from Cal. The explanation that meant everyone was just a tiny bit apprehensive anytime Murphy and Harry drifted closer than three metres towards each other. It was like there was an invisible alarm, meaning that someone would end up joining any conversation they tried to have, much to the frustration of both parties. It wasn't as if anything would be said, either. Harry was still adjusting to the "friendship" they were attempting, and he didn't quite get how they were supposed to be friends if they never actually had the chance to speak.

The opportunity never presented itself either. At one point in the evening, he watched the group of girls cross the floor, with a notable gap in the rear of them.

'Where'd Megan go?' He asked Cal. It would be easier to explain away, and he assumed that wherever Megan was, Murphy would have followed. What Ehtan had said, about it being hard to come back, was something he'd spent a lot of time thinking on. It was completely understandable, then, why Murphy would stick by the side of the only person who'd welcomed her back unconditionally.

'They've gone back to the flat,' Cal dismissed, rolling his eyes slightly. It was the last Harry asked on the matter, and when he made it back to his one flat, the last thing he expected was a message.

EMERGENCIES ONLY

04:23

Good seeing you tonight! Hope you got back alright

I did, you too

When Harry saw Murphy again, he was expecting it. Cal had invited him out golfing for the afternoon, and he'd ended up at Cal's flat before they met up with the rest of the guys. When he got there, it was Cal who answered, and as he passed through his old living room he vaguely glanced at the two girls who occupied the couch. Hi slack of introduction wasn't through awkwardness, but looking at them did make him feel he was intruding a little. Murphy was propped upright, her head resting on the back of the sofa, and in her arms lay Megan in a long, oversized white t-shirt.

As they were leaving, Megan pulled herself up just enough to kiss Cal bye for the day, collapsing back against Murphy's chest with a thud. It was the only time Harry and Murphy made eye contact, and he felt like they'd had a whole conversation without a word spoken for the first time. He looked at her, then at Megan, trying to decipher what was going on. Murphy tightened her hold on her, giving a small nod that looked like "tell you some other time", and that was that. Just a small moment, and neither of them were the focus of it.