Carolina [h.s]

thirty six

"Are you stalking me?" I joked, leaning back in my seat away from my work as our knees brush but I don't move away. My contact for him has been missed these past few days so I'm taking what I can get.

He stares at me with a cigarette placed behind his ear and his cross chain dangles from his neck as he leans towards me. "If I have to," he smirks, eyes glancing down to my lips before he traces over every inch of my face.

Before he can lock me in his trance, I break our contact leaning back up and focus my eyes on the computer screen again. "I really gotta get this done," I act like his presence doesn't affect me.

I hear him breathe out as his attention is still mine. "What are you doing here anyways?" he wonders.

"College applications," I barely muttered, trying to find the place I left off on the book page before suddenly hearing the click of a lighter.

My head snaps over as the cigarette is now placed between Harry's lips and his hand hovers over it to light it. But before he can set fire, I rip the cigarette from his lips and I give him a look like he's insane.

So then I ask him "Are you insane?" to clarify but he just smirks. "We're in a library for God sake, you can't smoke in here. Miss O'hara hates me enough," I throw the cigarette in his lap and turn my attention forward again.

"Okay one, I've never even set foot in a library until today," I hear him say. "And two, who the hell is Miss O'hara—"

"Shh!" He gets cut off by his answer and both of our heads turn to the end of the aisle. Standing there is the short old woman who is glaring at the two of us before pushing the cart of books in front of her again.

The carefree boy just laughs under his breath and shrugs the interaction off as he leans back towards me and his hand reaches for any part of me he can touch.

"Seriously though, Harry, no distractions." I take his hand away from my bare knee with a stern look.

"Okay, fine I'll just sit here and be completely quiet—"

"Harry—"

"I'm serious, V. Keep working, it will be like I'm not even here," I see the ghost of his smile from the corner of my eye. I watch as he leans back in his chair, arms crossed, legs spread and completely relaxed.

"Like that's possible," I roll my eyes, but take his word for it as I resume my work.

"The library will be closing soon. This is your five minute warning." We hear over the intercom as I'm finishing up.

Harry only half keeps his promise through the process. Because every once in a while like he couldn't help himself, he would twirl the ends of my hair between his fingertips and lightly draw circles on my back. It was distracting at the same time it was comforting so I just let him be.

"Come on, make yourself useful and help me put these back," I hand Harry a stack of books and carry the other pile.

"So, New York, huh?" He follows after me as we walk down the rows of shelves and start to find the right sections for each book.

"That's the plan," I nod as he hands me one and I put it back on the shelf. "The whole idea of the city that never sleeps and the lights that never stopped shining seemed kind of cliche at first. But I don't know, I guess I want it because it's nothing like this place." I let my thoughts be trailed off out loud before glancing over at him.