It Happened Last Year

Chapter 3

"Wow, Florida sounds wonderful," Jana smiles and takes a sip of her pink milkshake. "Beaches every day, warm weather, hot guys, sounds like paradise. Darn, and I was stuck here."

I laugh lightly. "I'm sure you've been busy here."

"You know, same old Coldgrove. The most exciting thing here is the high school football games, and that says something."

I shrug. "Well, are there any guys in your life?"

Jana blushes, giving herself away. "Well, possibly. There's this guy in my English who is super sweet, and he's a total catch. We've been talking for a bit, I gave him my number last week. He asked me to the movies and he paid for everything."

"What a gentleman," I comment, "what's his name?"

"Tyler Bradshaw."

Just then the door opens and I glance in that direction. A few students have wandered in, none of them noticing me, but I have a habit of looking every time just in case.

This time, it was worth it.

I hold my breath as Harrison Keller himself casually walks in along with a few others. I feel a pain in my lungs, as I am forgetting to breathe. I shoot back to Jana and she notices my discomfort. The space under the table seems very inviting right about now.

"Do you want to go?" She asks and I shake my head, no. I can't risk ruining my newly mended friendship. Maybe he won't notice me because of my dark hair, maybe—

"Hailey Fonte, right?"

I freeze in my spot. My eyes plead with Jana for help, but she seems struck also. She is staring up at him.

Tears well in my eyes.

The walls close in on me and I find it hard to focus, to breathe even. I know this feeling, a panic attack.

Jana suddenly stands up and grabs her bag before grabbing my arms and yanking me from the booth. With my head down, together we push past Harrison and head straight for the door. Jana drops cash on the counter before escaping.

"No hello?" Harrison calls, but we're already gone.

Outside Knocks, I cling to my car and Jana gets in before I do the same. Knowing Jana, she doesn't have a car, she most likely walked here from school.

"Let's go to your house," Jana suggests and I nod. "Do you want me to drive?" I nod again.

I knew I would see him. Harrison tormented me sparsely throughout the first semester, but when he did, I couldn't take it. He too would pretend that I made it all up.

So you're going to be a Junior? He asked a year ago, in his kitchen. His friends had moved on with the party while Harrison stayed with me, and I didn't know why. What was so interesting about me?

Yeah, I mumbled back.

Did you come with anyone?

I thought of Jana and Daphne then, and how they had left me. I did, I said, but they're off somewhere.

He flirted, I have you all to myself then.

I blushed. I didn't know how to answer. I had never flirted with a guy before, only Daphne did. Don't you want to go with your friends? I asked.

He shrugged, they aren't as interesting as you are, Hailey. I'm surprised I'd never noticed you before.

I felt special. No guy had ever given me so much attention. Harrison chatted me up, asked me about school, about my friends, about myself. He asked, do you have a boyfriend?

I shook my head and took a small sip of whatever he gave me, I wasn't sure what it was. I thought it might be beer, it felt like beer.

Really? I thought you would have. You're so beautiful, I thought for sure some other guy would have swept you up by now, he smiled charmingly, again.

I blushed, again.

(I'm not going to take this story too seriously. I enjoy writing it, and I'm glad you guys liked the first chapters, so I'm going to continue. The chapters are a bit shorter than my usual ones, and because of that, I can update more often and finish chapters at a quick pace. Each one is 1000 words or more.

Read along if you're looking for an escape from reality because that's why I'm writing this story specifically. A simple escape)