The Water Boy (Narry)

Chapter 16

"Yeah, sure." I said awkwardly, wondering if something was suddenly bothering him. I silently told myself off that I shouldn't have lingered my touch for so long. We haven't even been friends for more than an hour. 

I turned my back on him, still being able to hear as he left. As I bent down to put the folded clothes in the cart the large heavy door creaked opened and then loudly closed. Harry was now gone, thinking about God knows what. I decided to not let myself dread on whatever it was because I didn't want it to be about me. 

I pushed the cart back into the change room and collected my things as I already had done this morning. I felt a bit more at ease with having my schoolbag with me this time because I felt like I was going to make it home without an obstacle in my wake.

Once I came out of the change room again, I turned my head to look down both ends of the hallway to see if I'd see Harry standing off to the side anywhere. I sighed when I did finally find him, his head hung low as he looked at his feet, his crutch being twirled under his palm. Readjusting my schoolbag onto my shoulder I walked on over to him, hoping that I wasn't about to interrupt something serious. 

He looked up after my sneakers squeaked on the ground to give me away. Harry smoothed his hand through his hair like he always did, yet I never tired of watching him do that. One day, I wished it'd be my fingers allowed to thread through his hair. I wondered if he'd enjoyed feeling my fingers run through his soft locks. At first, my fingers would probably be trembling so maybe he'd feel uncomfortable about it. Then again, I didn't even know if he'd want a boy stroking his hair. 

I have seen Harry with girls but he's never held their hands or anything. I never knew if he's ever had a girlfriend. He probably has though. He's probably has already had his first kiss, something I wouldn't be able to share with him fully; unless I'd be the first boy. I could imagine it being the perfect first kiss but, honestly, I've only kissed family, so I'd be a shit kisser.

Harry took a sharp intake of breath in before speaking. "Ready to go?"

I nodded, my lips in a thin line as I waited for him to lead the way over to his car. I looked down to his empty hands and bare back. "Did you forget your things?" Because I should be carrying them for you.

"I put them in my car before I came to the change room. I didn't want to be stuck sitting in there doing nothing for the shortest time possible. Plus, I didn't know if I'd be taking you home today so I didn't want to have to carry them if I were alone. I mean, not that I'm helpless because I'm not." The latter came out a bit bitter and it made me feel guilty for asking, for wanting to help him all the time. I never wanted to make him feel helpless. I was the helpless one after all. 

"Oh, okay." 

Yeah, nice touch in trying to sound oblivious to the obvious. 

The rest of our journey to the car park was silent. Harry let me throw my things in his trunk along with his things. He was already in the car as I loaded up his trunk and I couldn't help but pause and let my eyes wander over his football bag, his sneakers, and the ball that had rolled all the way back inside the small space. It must have pained him to have to open his trunk and see this, knowing that for now it was all over. It even pained me to think it. 

I got in beside Harry after stalling some with being overly observant. As he started the car and pulled out of his space I wondered if the drive to my flat was already quite familiar for him. He's made it a handful of times in the past few weeks so it must have felt like he knew exactly where I was. 

He stopped just outside my house like he always did and he swallowed some air. "So, I was thinking, if you wanted I could drive you to school in the mornings and to the games. It would gives us that time to get to know each other." He shrugged.