Who: Gwen & Harry What: Harry is the perpetual new kid who isn’t into Christmas. Gwen is amazing. Where: Small town When: Now Rating/Warning: Low
So his first ever trip through the doors had been fun. He and Peter had ended up in a space mall which was all kinds of exciting no matter what the older man had to say. They looked around, bought a few things, had some space mall food. It was fun but he was also a teenager so his definition of the word was probably different from Peter’s. While Harry really wanted to try out a solo adventure he knew that Peter wouldn’t be too happy with him once he found out. He’d probably never forgive himself or Harry if he wound up falling off a building or something. It was best to do this with a chaperone. Gwen had seemed like the obvious and best choice. She’d already promised not to let him fall off a building. “Thanks for coming along.” He said as they walked right into the house with the doors. “I’m pretty sure Pete would never let me hear the end of it if I tried to go through these doors by myself.”
Harry frowned as he looked out the window of his mother’s brand-new shop. It was always difficult being the new kid in town. He should know. His mother had always been something of a free spirit. Her job as a successful author had allowed her the freedom and income to move about as she pleased. Harry just happened to always be along for the ride. It wasn’t horrible. She was a good mother and Harry had seen so much in his short life. It was just kind of hard to always be the new kid. To always start over again. He was close to giving up on the whole idea of getting close to anyone. What was the point if he was only going to pack up and leave? What was the point in anything?
Normally he didn’t complain, and they stayed, at least, until the school year ended so Harry’s education didn’t suffer. This time was different. This time his mother had announced the move during the middle of the school year and the family was packed up and moved just in time for winter break. It meant Harry would spend the next two few weeks without an opportunity to make friends and would go in after New Year’s as the new kid. He’d have to figure out where he fit in right in the middle of everything. He tried to understand, really. His grandmother was sick, possibly dying, someone needed to take over the family business before that happened and one of his uncles sold it to the businessman from New York who’d expressed interest. His mother had always loved both the town and the shop. She volunteered in a heartbeat.
It was fine, really. The town was small but that was okay. In a few days Harry probably wouldn’t even feel so upset anymore. His mother was trying, after all. She was trying to give him the best small-town Christmas she could to make up for the move. He just wasn’t feeling it. The tree she’d bought still sat sad and undecorated in their new house. He was drawn from his thoughts by the sound of the bell above the door jingling, announcing a visitor. Harry sat up a little as the prettiest girl he’d ever seen strolled into the shop, dusting thick snowflakes off her coat.