The Academy // Harry Styles AU

Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Nicole’s POV

About another hour had passed now, and now both Becca and Christina were back along with Liz who of course had already been back on campus since earlier today. We were all helping Becca and Christina get unpacked once we had made our way back to the dorms.

As we were unpacking, of course everyone was talking about what all they did over the break. I obviously was just listening to them because I honestly didn’t have much to say, I didn’t really do anything. And I couldn’t tell them anything worth saying because I pretty much spent the whole break with Harry. Christina topped what all of us did over the week though once she told us that she and her parents had gone to their beach house for the week.

“Damn, way to make me feel like I had a lame week,” Becca said as she hung up some shirts.

Christina just laughed as she walked into the bathroom to put back all of the toiletries that she had brought with her.

“Well your week was still probably better than Nicole’s,” Christina said in a joking matter as she walked back out of the bathroom.

I just shrugged at her, deciding not to answer her question. My break might not of been the ideal option for her, but I wouldn’t change anything about it.

“So what all did you do while you were here by yourself?” Becca asked me.

“She probably got the assignments early and finished them all like she usually does when she stays on campus for the break,” Christina said as she continued to hang clothes back up in her closet.

“She actually didn’t,” Liz chimed in before I could answer.

“Wow, that’s a surprise,” Christina said in utter shock, and again I just shrugged, hoping we could stop talking about me now.

“Why didn’t you get the work early? You always jumped at that opportunity,” Becca said.

“I just didn’t,” I told them, not seeing why it was such a big deal.

Luckily they dropped the topic as they continued to get everything unpacked, which didn’t take that much longer. By the time they were done, it was pretty close to lunchtime, so we all headed out of the room and walked across the campus to the dining hall.

The three of them were already discussing their weekend plans and I was contemplating on whether or not I should chime in and say that I would join them for whatever it was that they were going to do. I would have to talk to Harry first before I asked if I could join them. I knew it was probably a bit pathetic that I wanted to check with Harry before I made plans with my friends, but I guess that’s just how are now.

I didn’t want to have other plans in case Harry wanted to hang out, but I also didn’t want to ask him if we were going to do anything over the weekend because I didn’t want him to feel like we had to do something or that he was obligated to come up with something to do, so I usually just waited for him to bring it up. Our whole relationship was still a bit cloudy and there were still some things that we needed to discuss.

I was just nervous to discuss some of those things with him because I didn’t want to make what we already had awkward. I wasn’t sure how my train of thoughts came to this, but it did. I was brought out of my random thoughts though when I tuned back into the conversation just as Liz was telling us that she was going to go catch up with them.

I looked over to where she was pointing at where he was and I saw Liam with Harry and a few other boys who I assumed where the rest of his roommates. It hadn’t occurred to me until then that I didn’t even know who Harry’s other roommates were, except Liam, the thought just never occurred. I continued to look over at Harry as I walked with Becca and Christina, and he soon noticed me staring and I was about to look away but then I realized that I really had no reason to.

He slowed his pace and nodded his head toward the coffee shop that was nearby. I looked over at my friends who had already continued on walking without me so I looked back at Harry and nodded. He said something to the blonde boy that he was walking with before turning around to walk over to the coffee shop where I was heading.

“It’s weird having everyone back, right?” Harry said once he approached me and I nodded in agreement,

“Yeah,”

“I almost forgot about going to the coffee shop for lunch since I was so used to going to the dining hall for meals everyday,” Harry told me as we stepped inside the shop.

“There’s no way I’m going to eat lunch in there today. I’m hungry and not in the mood to have to wait for my food,” I told him and he laughed.

We both went up and ordered a drink and sandwich and then went to go sit down at our regular table once we were given and paid for our food.

“Ready for classes to start back up tomorrow?” I asked Harry jokingly since I knew he wasn’t looking forward to it.

“Don’t remind me,” he groaned before taking a bite of his sandwich.

“What did your mom think of how you’re doing as far as your schoolwork here?” I asked him since I had never made a point to figure out that answer earlier since my mind had been occupied with other things after his mom had left.

“She thinks I’m doing okay. She said I had a good tutor,” he said and my the look on his face I knew he regretted saying that last part as soon as it came out of his mouth since we had technically gotten into a short fight about that subject of me helping him with school work.

I decided just to ignore that comment because I wanted to let all that go.

“That’s good,” I told him.

We spent the rest of our time at the coffee shop telling each other about how different it felt with all the people back on campus and having our roommates back in our dorms. And then since neither of us had stories to tell each other about what we did over the break since we both obviously know what the other did, we began to tell each other stories of what our dorm mates did.

Harry had the same situation in his dorm as I had had in mine for the past few hours, listening to everything his friends had to say about what they did over the break, and then of course listening to the few comments almost everyone had to say about how he didn’t go anywhere and just stayed on campus. Harry at least had somewhat of a story to say to his friends by telling them that his mom came down to visit.

I had just told my friends that I just hung out around campus, and just left it at that.

“What time is it?” I soon asked Harry.

“Lunch ends in ten minutes,” he answered, already knowing the reason why I was asking since I asked him all the time.

I ask him during the weekdays so I wouldn’t be late for class like what happened that one time, and then when I asked over the days with no classes, like today, it was because I didn’t want to get back to the dorm later than my friends and have to have them question where I was.

“Thanks,” I said to him.

“You really need to get yourself a watch,” he said,

“Or at least pull out your phone and check the time,” he added.

“It’s easier to just ask you,” I said.

“So I’m just your personal clock?” he joked.

“Pretty much, why else would I keep you around?” I said, continuing the joke.

He laughed and rolled his eyes as he picked up our empty cups and sandwich containers and went to throw them in the trash can. We talked about random things for a few more minutes before deciding it was time to leave. Harry told me that he’d text me later to hang out before we said bye and each walked back to our own dorms.