Empty || H.S

Chapter V

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I swallowed thickly before I built up the nerve to knock on Harry's dorm room door. I didn't expect much other than a "why are you here", but this project needs done and his rudeness is not going to hold me back from getting a decent grade on this. 

The door opens revealing a very shirtless Harry. My mouth gapes open as my eyes rummage the bare skin above his waist. He has a lot of tattoos. A butterfly one right above his stomach interests me, but before I can ask I am cut off by his words.

"Are you done looking?" He smirks at me playfully.

"I wasn't looking! In my defense you did open your door like this" I spit back and chuckle lightly. I notice a small smile form at the corner of his mouth before he quickly changes his expression.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to work on the project, I know we have until Friday but i'd really like to get a head start on it. I can invite Louis, he's the one who sits with us in biology. I managed to get his num-" I am cut off, yet again.

"I'll do it myself. Go away" he mutters and starts to close the door. I quickly step in the doorway, stopping the door before it closes.

"Please. Let us work, I can not let you take all the credit" I plead

"No."

"I'm not taking no for an answer. Seriously!? What is your deal!"  I huff and feel my face getting hot from anger. "I cannot get over how selfish you are. Look at yourself! You choose to be such a dick to me and I don't even know you at all. I'm not going to let you take all the credit for this and fuck over my grade in a class I need to pass!"

"Okay." He sighs and closes his eyes.

"Okay?" I question.

"You can come work on the project with Louis." The door opens wider. Where did this sudden change of heart come from? I'm sure that my rant did not convince him to do this. I do not deny his offer though, and I step farther into his tiny dorm apartment. Instantly I notice that it is cleaner than the last I saw it. Wasting no time, I text Louis and tell him to come to Harry's dorm. He texts back instantly and says he'll be there soon.

I pick up a pair of dirty socks and throw them into a hamper. Despite how dirty the dorm is the hamper is split and labeled into two sections that read "lights" and "darks". A smile comes across my face.

The bed squeaks as I take a seat on it.

"So, tell me about yourself" I plead, giving him a toothy smile.

He scratches the back of his head and looks at me. "Why are you so determined to know me."

"Why are you so determined to act like a child every time I'm around you?"

"Because I don't like you."

"You don't even know me!" I nearly shout. 

"Yet here you are, fighting with me every chance you get."

I let out a huff of air and sit there in defeat. I hope Louis comes soon, I really need this tension to break. Soon.

---

"Does any of us even have a poster board?" Louis questions.

I never thought of getting one, but then I think quickly. 

"I may have one in my room. I'll go and get it" I get up and walk toward the door. The door to my dorm opens before I reach the knob, exposing Rayne and Niall hand in hand, leaving out the door. 

"Hey Nikki!" They both say in unison, and I notice their hands quickly let go of each other. "That was quick" I think to myself. How do two people get together in a matter of days? I have always been confused on that..

"Oh, hey guys. Heading out?" Obviously they are. I'm terrible at making small talk.

"Yeah, we're going to get ice cream. Do you want to come? You can invite Harry, seeing that you're already over with him.." Rayne winks. Shivers run down my spine. 

"It's not like that. Some boy named Louis is over there too. We are all working on a project. Nothing more. I just came back to get a poster board."

"Yeah, there should be some, I think under your bed. Sorry, I needed a pen and I went rummaging." Rayne blushes with embarrassment. "Also, doesn't Louis live in a huge frat?"

"I have no idea about him living in a frat. But have fun on your date"  I winked and moved into my room. There was no problem with her going through my stuff, as long as she didn't go through my notebooks. Some of them hold very personal stuff. I get on my knees and search under my bed for a poster board and snatch one.

"Nice ass." I hear Harry Snicker.

I pull my head out from under my bed along with the poster board. 

"Really? Why are you over here, and why are you looking at my" I don't like using that word. It feels weird. "Why are you looking at my butt" I ask shyly.

"Because it was right there. I came because, I don't know, you were taking 20 million years!" 

A groan escapes my lip and I get up from the ground, ready to smack him across the face with the board. 

"Go, I want to start this" I demand. He raises his eyebrows before turning back and walking to his room again. I follow closely behind. I hate that he used that word. Why it made me so mad I don't know.

I enter the room and Louis is sitting on the ground looking through a box of colored pencils and markers. Funny how we do more coloring in college than in elementary school. I make the outline of the diagram and Harry came up with a system of how to label the parts. I let him, even though it will ruin the nice look of the poster board. 

My stomach rumbles and both of them shoot a look at me.

"What? I'm hungry!" I laugh, earning a chuckle from Louis.

"Yeah, me too. I think I'm going to head back. Maybe we can work on this on Wednesday? I'm busy tomorrow." Louis adds to my statement. I nod.

"That would be alright. Maybe we can all meet at the library instead of being cramped up in here?" I give an easing look to Harry.

"That's fine." Harry says.

"Hey, I'm having a party at my place on Friday night if you two would like to come. I can text you the address if you'd like Nikki."

"Nick? A party girl?!" Harry scoffs. "Does she really look like a girl who would party? I'll answer for her. It seems like too much of an intense scene for her."

"I'll go." I say confidently, glaring at Harry. I don't really want to go, but the idea of proving Harry wrong satisfies me in an unusual way.

"You won't last ten minutes" Harry challenges.

"Okay, enough. I'll see you there Nikki. Harry, if you decide to come you can let me know." Louis nods as he heads out the door, leaving his utensils all over the floor. 

I start to pick them up, but I am stopped.

"I'll clean it up. You can go. No need to stay any longer." He snaps.

My fists ball up at my sides and my body tenses. "Goodnight Harold." 

"Don't call me that, nobody can call me that."

"Don't call me Nick then! I don't like it!" I lash back, slamming the door behind me.

Before I can reach the handle on my door knob, something grabs my wrist and I jump. I look to my wrist and find Harry's tattoo'd arm. My eyes travel up to his face and a confused look forms onto my face.