Extravagant Challenge [Narry AU] ~On Hold~

Chapter 17

[Disclaimer] We're assuming that the boys attend school in England so no SATs. And I don't actually know how Ivy League schools work so I'm just adding the SATs part to aid the plot. Don't take things so realistically with my writing and you'll be a happier person cause I don't think any of these educational systems and whatnot even make sense to me. Enjoy.

[Niall's POV]

“..tutored? In a prep school? Like from now till the end of summer?”

It was the last couple weeks of school, and a weekend as well. Harry and I were meeting up again for a date, this time at the mall. We had planned to go to the soft-serve ice cream shop that we'd talked about the other day, and until now I had been casually relaying a conversation from dinner with Louis the night before. But my mood abruptly shifted when I heard Harry's words.

“Really, I tried to tell you when the other day.. I'm sorry.”

“What? But why?”

“Since I'm trying to get into the Ivy League schools my summer schedule has to be adjusted for taking the SATs exams. And since my parents have already paid and registered for me to take my SATs, I can't really skip-out and run around with you. So..if you and I had been going out before prep school was decided, we could have had a bit more time.”

At some point we had both stopped walking and were now standing in the middle of the mall. Harry may not have been aware, because all he could do was stare at me apologetically. If the annoyed glares hadn't prodded us along, he might have kept standing there with his head bowed deeply. His expression was so downcast that even his eyes were cast in shadow.

Moving out of the way to a bench placed strategically near a fountain, we looked at each other again. I was surprised by what Harry had said, but I was even more concerned about his poor spirits.

“Well, it must be a pretty popular class if you've had to register early...”

“Yeah, it's been filled to capacity since six months ago.”

“Well then, I think you should really go. And please tell me there aren't any weekend classes?”

“Well..at least..” Harry nodded reluctantly as my eyes brightened and I heaved a sigh of relief.

“You got all serious all of a sudden that I began to think we wouldn't see each other at all. That wouldn't be fair.”

“Wouldn't be fair? You..”

“I'm not a little kid! Are you saying that you won't be able to hang out at all during the summer? I don't wanna be responsible for you failing your SATs. Why don't we think about how we can make time to see each other?”

“..I'm surprised. You're being so optimistic.”