Keeper

Chapter 19

I woke up to the sound of rain pattering against my window, followed by the loud rage of thunder. The sky was incredibly dark, the clouds making it gray and gloomy, when usually it was bright and sunny at this time in the morning.

I hated days like these.

Not just because they always put me in a bad mood, oh no, but because I was forced to walk to school in it. My parents couldn't drive me because they were too "busy" getting ready, or as I like to call it making a pot of coffee and watching the morning news.

I decided on a light pink pull over sweatshirt and a pair of dark skinny jeans, my mind set on feeling nothing but comfortable and warm. I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and ditched the makeup all together.

I stumbled downstairs and grabbed two granola bars and a bag of chips for lunch. My mom was making a pot of coffee and my father was cooking an egg on the stove. Ifhave my mom a small smile but didn't dare even give a glance at my father. I quickly called out a "goodbye" before heading out the front door, but not before grabbing an old black umbrella from the closet.

The rain started coming down even harder as I trudged down the sidewalk, the already cold September air making me shiver. I looked down at my feet and quickly noticed my one shoe was untied, so instinctively I bent down to retie it. Just as I finished I saw a black car slowly pull up beside me from the very corner of my eye. I turned my head and raised an eyebrow when I saw who was behind the wheel.

Harry's smirk flooded his lips as he rolled down the window,

"I thought you'd like a lift."


Without a verbal answer I opened the passenger door and slipped inside, quickly closing the wet umbrella along with the car door. I found it kind of odd that he would go out of his way to pick me up, but it was still sweet at the same time.

"Thanks." I mumbled, looking up at him.

He was wearing a seemingly new leather jacket, the collar folded over perfectly. His hair was a bit more fluffy than usual, the way it stuck up was need I say - adorable.

"No problem." He winked before diverting his attention back to the road, putting the car back into drive.

He sped down the street, the drive to school no where near long so as were there in a matter of five minutes. He pulled up into the school parking lot and picked an open spot.

After Harry turned the keys out of the ignition we both got out, my hands fumbling with the umbrella to get it open. Eventually I did and I held it up for both me and Harry to stand under. Harry quickly snatched it into his own hand,

"I got it." He smiled.


"Thanks." I laughed.

Once we passed through the front doors of the still practically vacant school building, I spotted my two friends sitting in their normal place on the loan wooden bench in the corner.


"Hey, I'm gonna go talk to Layla and Anna for a little, bit okay?" I spoke, looking back up at Harry.

He gave me a half smile,

"Yeah sure. I'm going to try to find Mikey actually."


"Bye." I called as I quickly scurried over to my friends, their eyes immediately widening once they noticed me.


Anna was the first to speak,

"Harley, please tell me you didn't-"


"Nothing happened between Harry and I." I cut in, rather harshly.


Her eyes narrowed down into thin slits,

"Why do I feel like you're lying?"


I took in a breath,

"I promise you I'm not."


"So where'd Harry head off to?" Layla asked, thankfully changing the subject.


"To talk to his friend." I shrugged.


I heard Layla laugh,

"He has friends?"


I narrowed my eyes at her

"Yeah?"


"He just doesn't seem like one to make friends is all." She shrugged.


"He's really nice if actually tried to talk to him." I shot back.


"Well maybe I would if he didn't keep dragging you away from us." Layla spat.


Anna remained quiet the entire time, all of her questions probably being answering without her having to speak a single syllable.



"I'm going to go find Harry." I sighed, quickly turning on my heel. Neither of them called out a goodbye.


I quietly walked down the hallway, my eyes wondering down the many different hallways, each time coming up short. He didn't tell me exactly where he went off to, so I was left to scout him out.



I heard a familiar deep laugh around the next corner and immediately my lips twisted up into a smile. Once I turned it I was greeted with Harry's broad back and Mikey's eyes peering over at me.


"Hey there." Mikey smiled, his hand moving up to run through his perfectly straight hair. I gave him a small nod,

"Hey." I mumbled shyly.


Harry turned around with knitted eyebrows and when his eyes met mine they grew soft,


"Hey babe." He smiled.



"Hey." I repeated, my cheeks growing incredulously hot.


"I see you've found me." He spoke, turning his entire body so he was now facing me completely. His black skinny jeans and plain white t-shirt hugged his body perfectly. I guess he had put his jacket in his locker.

I hadn't realized I had been staring until Harry started speaking,


"Everything okay?" He asked. I quickly darted y eyes up to see a frown etched on his lips and his forehead creased.


"Y-yeah." I stuttered, my voice raising slightly at the end causing Harry to raise an eyebrow.


I glanced over at Mikey and saw him staring at my pendant almost absentmindedly. Once it clicked in his brain that he had been staring for far too long he looked away, but immediately widened his eyes as a connection was made in his head. He looked up at Harry and raised his eyebrows,


"Wow so you two?" He smirked, one of his fingers gesturing between both me and Harry.


Harry let out a nervous laugh,


"We have the same pendant, yeah." He shrugged.


Mikey patted Harry on the back,


"I'll leave you two at it." He winked, heading down the hallway.


I watched as Harry rolled his eyes before diverting his full attention back to me. His eyes traveled from my eyes to my lips, then back up again,


"Your hair is beautiful up in a ponytail." He commented.


"Thanks." I smiled.


"So excited for tonight?" He winked.



"Yeah, but I'll have to come up with a lie to get out of the house or something."


Harry furrowed his eyebrows and his eyes trailed off before they light up with an idea,


"It's simple, just tell them you're going over one of your friends' houses to like...study or something." He shrugged.


I nodded my head in agreement,

"Yeah, yeah that will probably work."


Harry's smirk returned,


"Alright, I'll be wait in my car at the corner of your street."


"Yeah, that sounds good." I smiled.

The bell ring not soon after and Harry and I walked to the gym together. We went our separate ways when we headed into the locker rooms but met up right after, reassembling our volleyball team. This time we played two matches, and surprisingly enough, we won both times.

The classes leading up to lunch went uncommonly fast and before I knew it my eyes were searching for the tall, green eyed boy I had planned on meeting up with and my two best friends. Over the crowd of people piling through the lunchroom doors I spotted Layla and Anna, both immediately recognizing me as well.

They walked over towards me and as soon as they stopped walking Anna starting blabbering on about the immense amount of homework she had for one of her classes. Eventually we made our way over to our usual lunch table, Anna sitting across from me and Layla at my right.

Layla started telling us a story about a boy who almost threw up in class, twenty minutes had passed since she started and I hadn't even realized until I glanced up at the clock on the back wall. Immediately I turned my head around, my eyes landing on the table where me and Harry had sat for the past two days. Except it was completely empty. I glanced around at the other table, only coming up empty handed on my search to spot the set of prominent curls.


I turned my head back towards Layla just in time to hear the conclusion of her story. We talked and ate for the rest of the fourty-five minutes we had, until the bell eventually rung. As I was heading down the hall, separating from my friends, a hand grabbed at my sweatshirt hood, pulling me back. My feet were reluctant to move, but as soon as I heard the familiar laugh of no other than Harry, I turned around.


"What was that for?" I playfully whined.

"I just wanted to get your attention." He shrugged, picking up his pace to match mine.



"Why weren't you at lunch?" I asked, picking at my fingernails.



"I was, but I didn't want to barge in on you and your friends." He explained.


"Where did you sit then?" I asked, curious.


"With Kaden, Mikey, and Tommy. They sit in the far back corner of the lunchroom, that's why you couldn't see me."

All of a sudden the bell rang and the smile lighting up Harry's face turned into an already bored straight line.


"See you when the bell rings, babe." He called, brushing past me.


"See you later." I called, but I don't think he heard.


I let out a breath of air and unenthusiastically made
my way to last period.





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