Hollis Johns is a college freshman who is comfortable in her life. A little too comfortable. It's time for a change.
Fresh out of high school, she's ready to get out of her comfort bubble - with her BFF Charli tagging along.
But when she decides t...
Niall leans over Nic and put his hand in the one I was holding out for Ren.
"Hey, I'm Niall. It's nice to meet a friend of Nicolette's." He looks at Nic and lets out a light cackle. She smacks him and says, "Excuse me, sir. Only my mother can call me that."
The three of us laugh and Niall turns to his other side,
"And this," he puts his hand on Harry's shoulder and continues, "is my rude best friend."
Harry looks over at me and his eyes meet mine. I start to look away, but he surprised me completely when he opens his mouth to speak to me for the first time.
"Harry." He says lifting his chin slightly as turns right back to stare down at his desk, playing with a pen. Wow. Blunt and to the point. His voice is just as deep as I thought it would be, but to my surprise, he has a thick, English accent. I find myself staring at him before I bluntly say, "I know."
Are you kidding me? I know? Leave it to me to embarrass myself completely already.
Niall starts lightly snickering, and Harry lets out a half-smirk, but doesn't look at me. That's the most emotion out of him that I've seen.
"Aw, cute." Ren says before Nic cuts in.
"I already told her your names yesterday when you two so rudely walked into class late." She shoves Niall's shoulder playfully.
She could tell that I was embarrassed. Probably by the way my cheeks turned hot and red.
When the professor started lecturing, Harry didn't talk the rest of class, even when Ren when try to speak to him. I could tell he'd look at me a few times during small conversations that Niall and Nic included me in on, but I ignored his stares, and resisted the temptation to look into his light eyes.
Niall is much more attractive up close. I can tell why he and Nic dated.
I'm still surprised at how cool Niall and Nic are being. Maybe she's moved on? Harry has started leaning over into more and more of the conversations that the three of us are having toward the end of the lecture, and Ren seems to keep trying to pull Harry back to pay attention to whatever she's saying.
As the class ends, Professor Cole reminds everyone to do the reading assignment and to grab the textbook if anyone hadn't already.
The five of us start to collect our things and stand up when Niall looks at me and asks,
"So, Hollis, you coming to the party tonight?" I look confused and Nic answers him before I even know what to say.
"Well I was going to ask her, I just hadn't yet, but way to be subtle, Niall." She jokes and pushes him lightly by his arm. He's starting the blush as he rubs the back of his neck. I smile a little and give into the temptation to look at Harry. He's standing closer to the exit door with Ren. He almost looks annoyed with her. I can't tell what's going on there. I'm not even sure I want to know.
I'm pulled out of my thoughts when I realize Nic is talking to me.
"We have a place that we go to party. It's off campus. You really should come, Hollis. It's always a fun time."
I think about how I promised myself that I wouldn't live in a shell this year, but then I also remember that I don't have a car.
"Oh, I would, but I don't have a ride. My car is back in Georgia." I say.
"Aw, man. That's too bad." Ren says, now walking up behind Nic and Niall. I didn't even notice she walked away from Harry. He's still standing by the exit, looking at the group. I can tell Ren is being sarcastic. She continues.
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"Come on guys, let's go." She starts walking away and begins pulling on Niall's jacket.
"No, we could totally pick you up." Niall says, moving her hand and adjusting his jacket back over his shoulder.
Nic says, "Yeah and your friend that you were telling me about can come too! Yes! Perfect. It's happening. I'll text you with the details."
I nod and laugh at Nic's excitement. We all walk out. Ren puts her arm through Harry's and clings around his back. He tosses his arm around her shoulder.
We all part ways in different directions. After Nic says bye to me and walks into the C building for her next class.
I'm walking in the direction of my dorm building when I hear,
"Bye Hollis!" It's Niall, standing outside of his driver's seat, waving. I wave back and laugh.
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Harry closes the trunk of Niall's car and opens the passenger side door, turning to look at me. He doesn't nod or wave, just stares until I break the eye contact to walk to my dorm.
