Out of Bounds [h.s. au]

Chapter 9

"What? He does?"

"Yeah, but don't worry. He won't tell anyone. I asked him not to."

"Just how much does he know?" I inquired.

"Well," he said before biting his lip, "you and I spend a lot of time together. And I talk about you a lot."

"He told me that," I grinned through pursed lips.

"Yeah, well..." he tilted his head. "That day you were talking to him outside, he asked me later what the story was."

"And what did you tell him?" I asked, my heart racing.

Harry looked down at his lap. "I told him that you're an amazing person. But that you belong to someone else."

I felt my heart drop into my stomach. Then Harry lifted his head to face me.

"And that it's killing me," he continued. "Because I think I'm falling in love with you."

I gasped and sat there with my mouth agape as I heard Professor Crawford return to the classroom with his boisterous laugh and a cup of coffee in his hand. He slurped it loudly, then set it on his desk, waving his hand in the air.

"You're free to go," he declared. "See you Thursday."

I gulped as I grabbed my backpack. I could feel Harry's eyes still on me as I stood up and pushed in my chair. We left together in silence, not stopping until we reached the fork in the sidewalk.

"I guess I'll talk to you later," I said.

"Tisa, don't..." Harry started. Then he let out a loud sigh.

"Don't what?"

"I don't want things to be weird now. Because of what I said." Harry ran his fingers through his hair as I watched him intently. His jaw was clenched and his eyes looked watery.

I shook my head. "It's not weird, Harry."

I started to reach my hand up to touch his cheek, but stopped myself. Instead, I took a step closer, stood on my tip-toes, and kissed it lightly.

"It's beautiful," I whispered.

*

I could already hear the music playing before I even opened the car door. I walked with Harry up the short sidewalk to Grayson's apartment. Actually, it was the left side of a duplex. The door immediately opened and the sounds of Led Zeppelin screamed from inside. I wondered what the neighbors thought. Then I laughed to myself, considering that the neighbors were probably inside.