Anchor Grind (H.S. / A.U.)

Chapter 17

Alanis POV

"Don't you have literally anyone else to bother?" I mutter under my breath but loud enough that I knew Harry could have still heard it.

Harry chooses to ignore it and continues pointing things out to me as we walk. His one arm is still casually draped over my shoulders in a nonchalant way, while his right arm extends over me to point at something in the distance while he annoyingly keeps talking.

Maybe I would be able to ogle over him and notice his charm and his accent if it weren't always being used to annoy and torment me since the moment we met.

I just wanted to be able to have some fun and see some things, but I knew with Harry looming over me that chance is probably going to be shot to hell. I barely listen as he tells me about the last time he and Clarissa came here with Poppy and Liam to go to some epic beach movie event where you get to be out on the water. Essentially he is describing a drive in but with boats. "Harry." I grab at his arm around my shoulders to drop between us as I spin to face him head on in the midst of other people passing by in the walkway. "Read the room here. I clearly didn't want to hang out with you, and it just makes it worse if you are going to sit here and talk about Clarissa to me honestly. I don't like her, and you know it. Also, it isn't like Poppy is her biggest fan either after everything. Pretty sure of you to even stay with her, but that kinda' also checks out, so not my problem really." I take a deep breath to try and pretend I am holding it together for the sake of telling Harry off, something I have wanted to do for a while.

But, just like any other time I have tried standing up for myself against him, Harry called my bluff and instead let out an airy laugh at my attempt. "Did I push your buttons blue?"

"No." I say with a huff. I was annoyed at him for trying, but also annoyed that he gave me another nickname. "You know, in most places, a nickname is a term of endearment." I start to cross the street with a final word in, hoping Harry gets lost in the crowd and I can spend the next hourish just having some solo fun adventuring time.

"Why do you think I call you blue?" Harry says while shoving his hands in his pockets and picking up his stride to quickly fall back in tune with me as he ushers me the rest of the way across the street. He completely ignored my tactic to drop him.

The loud clunk Harry's feet in his sneakers made my thoughts even more rattled because I just couldn't get my mind together to find something to tell him in order to get him to leave me alone. Not that I felt like anything would help. Harry was persistent it seemed, which is something I do not understand. The kid acts like he cannot stand me, but yet he is the one that keeps choosing to butt himself into my life every chance he gets.

"This way." I was about to cross another road but Harry caught my arm and tugged me into a different direction. I shook my head and planted my feet firmly on the ground which confused him. Harry whipped his head around and one of the loose curls not tucked behind his bandana had lazily fallen in front of his face. "I want to show you something though?" He sounded almost confused that I would betray him by standing my ground and not going with him.

I shake my head no once again, "I am going this way. There is a food truck down there I see, and it looks like they have some sort of ice cream cone thing, and I want one." I explain myself.

Harry drops the hand he was using to hold my arm to instead bring up close to my face with a sideways fist. "Here blue, how about this," Harry holds up his hands, dimples deep in his cheeks, "you come with me, and I promise I will be on my best behavior and extra nice. I will show you something really cool, and then after that we will go get some ice cream. I will buy even."