OMG I GOT ON THE FREAKING CHARTS THIS MORNING! Roommate Agreement hit the Top Fanfiction List yesterday. I wasn't even expecting it and I got on the website and freaked out when I saw! #606 is where it's at! So if you could just vote on this chapter and go back on others and vote, that would mean a LOT to me! Eeek I'm so happy!
"Would you stop glaring at each other for two seconds and listen to me?" Holly sighs out from where she's standing to my right. I'm currently glaring into a familiar pair of cold, green eyes, practically seething with anger. We'd had another tough morning filled with bickering. It had been okay until the moment he got mad at me and slammed my pinky in the drawer we keep our toothbrushes in. It just went down hill from there.
"Liana, I swear to God..." Holly speaks up again, sounding very annoyed. I guess she's started her long story up again. I still wasn't listening either way.
I don't break my staring contest with Harry, even as I respond, "Sorry, Holly. I'm just pissed right now and my pinky is throbbing."
Holly rolls her eyes in my peripheral vision. She doesn't think I saw, but I did. Don't push me today, Holly. I mean it. "Just because you're having a bad day doesn't give you the excuse to not listen to me as I try to tell you of my great one."
I laugh at that. Holly knows just the right things to say that make me laugh. It's not that she's necessarily funny. It's more along the lines of so-ridiculous-it-is-funny. "Wow, Holly. You're especially witty today." It seems weird to laugh at Holly while still trying to glare at Harry, so I turn away from him to finally look directly at Holly.
She grins, finally happy to grab my attention. "Thank you! Must've been in the hairspray I bought yesterday."
I roll my eyes at her sad attempt at a joke, but nonetheless, a smile makes it's way onto my face. "Okay, now that you have my attention, what were you trying to tell me?"
"Well, you remember Drew right?" She pauses, glancing at me in question. I nod. I remember her dragging me on a double date with her and Drew, with Harry out of all people as my date. It was during one of his better moods, but still pretty damn terrible if you ask me. "Well, anyway, Drew and I are dating now and--"
"Woah, woah, woah! When did that happen?" I cut her off, waving my hands around in order to get her rambling to halt to a stop. I'm away from her for less than a week and this happens? How much have I missed?
"Oh," Holly huffs, frowning a little. She flips a lock of brown hair away from her face and sits next to me on the stage. "I forgot that you're not caught up yet. Ugh, I hate Laura! She's too quiet, and when she actually does talk, it's related to her classwork! I miss you!"
Holly leans on my shoulder, but it doesn't work very well because my shoulders are shaking too much from my laughter. "Wow, you sound like it's torture, Holly. You could always come over to my dorm and ramble to me."
Holly pulls away quickly and stares wide-eyed at me with an opened mouth, like I've just grown another head. "Me? Go over to your dorm?"
"Yeah-"
"No!" Holly vigorously shakes her head. "Are you crazy? There's no way I'd step foot in Harry's dorm! And even if I wanted to, I wouldn't dare!"
I frown, glancing over at Harry. He's finally retired from glaring at me and is having a serious conversation with Drew. I look away quickly, before he can notice me staring. "What's so bad with going to Harry's dorm?"
Holly rolls her eyes. "Sometimes I forget that you are just a Freshman. The only way Harry lets a girl in his room is if he gets something out of it. Like getting laid, obviously."
I raise an eyebrow, "Well he let me in. And I'm sure as hell not getting him laid, that's for sure."
Holly raises her eyebrows back at me. "Exactly. And that's why you're the topic of every girl who's ever set sights on Harry. No one knows what's going on with him. It's too-- HEY! Stop trying to distract me! I was telling you a story, remember?"
I laugh and nod. "Okay then, continue."
"Okay," Holly starts again, fully turning to me and telling me about her epic day. "Drew and I decided to start dating two days ago, by the way. Anyway, we were on the way here this morning and Andrew shows up--"
I gasp, interrupting her again. "An asshat, that Andrew!" Within my first week here, when we'd gone to that god awful party where I'd first met Harry. I remember it perfectly. Andrew trying to take advantage of Holly and Harry, however annoying he was during that night, saved her. Nice of him, but apparently that nice act didn't last.
"I know, I know. Anyway, Andrew shows up and has the nerve to apologize to me..." Holly trails and gazes at me with wide eyes, waiting.
"No way," I put in dramatically at her pause. She was obviously waiting for my reaction.
"Yeah! He so did! And I don't know why, but Harry must've told Drew what happened, or something, because before I could answer Andrew, Drew punches him!" I laugh, enjoying the twist in her story. Drew doesn't seem like the type to pack a punch in my opinion, so hearing that he did, in fact, punch someone is hilarious. "And he then pulled me away! No words or anything, we just walked away and left him on the ground!"
Holly finishes and joins me in laughing, leaning into me slightly so I can support her. "Wow," I start, wiping my eyes. Tears started to form because of how hard I was laughing. "That's great. I mean, I should've listened to you the first time you tried to tell me that story. Definitely more entertaining than giving Harry the evil eye."
"Yeah," Holly playfully glares at me. "Maybe you'll think about that the next time you try to ignore me."
"Sorry I'm late! Emergency meeting with a few other teachers!" Samantha exclaims, bursting into the theater. All of us fall silent and watch as she makes her way to us. "Well? What are you all doing standing around? Places!"
We all scramble to our feet and find our places that we've been practicing in. I stand awkwardly in front of Ben. Since Samantha is working more on the front actors today, she expects us background dancers to just practice our moves. So as other couples begin to practice the semi-complicated dance, Ben and I just stand here awkwardly, facing each other.
I sigh and pull on a stand of my hair. "Are you going to hate me forever?" I ask suddenly. I can't take the silence anymore. I can't take it how he won't even look at me, let alone talk to me. I know I messed up, but I believe that I deserve to be forgiven. I didn't do anything other than act like a total bitch. Lots of people do that everyday and get forgiven. Take Jennifer for example. She gets forgiven and manages to keep Liam as a boyfriend... somehow.
Ben purses his lips and looks around, anywhere but me. I roll my eyes. This is how it's been since we got paired up together. I'm used to it, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't annoy me.
"Come on, Ben. I know I was a terrible person, but I don't deserve this. Can't you forgive me? Can't we at least be friends or something?" I start to beg.
He finally looks at me, right in the eyes, which surprises me. I straighten up and stare back, not daring to look away. Finally. Progress. He takes a deep breath, then says, "I forgive you."
I let out a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad you said that. This has been so horrible, not being able to talk to you. I swear I'll be a better friend than I was, a girlfriend--"
"Wait," Ben cuts me off, still not smiling. His expression actually looks like he's in pain. "I never said we could be friends. I just said that I forgive you. I don't know if I can ever be friends with someone who doesn't trust me enough to take Harry's word over mine. I mean, Harry? He's the biggest liar I've ever met."
"Hey," I snap, starting to become irritated and upset. "I know you're mad at me. So take it out on me. But don't you dare bring Harry into this. You don't know anything about him. In fact, no one on campus knows shit about him. I don't either, as a matter of fact. You don't know what he's been through. So stop acting like you're better than him in any way, because you're not."
Ben stares at me, looking a bit surprised. Finally he chuckles softly and rubs his forehead. "Wow. Just wow. You're taking his side? I guess you would. You probably had sex with him already."
I gasp and before I can think about it, I slap him. I don't think about his mom standing in the same room, I just take all my anger out in that slap to his face. "You asshole!"
This attracts the whole class. The theater falls silent as everyone looks at us. Samantha doesn't say anything and she doesn't even look angry. She just shakes her head, a small smile on her face. To say that that surprises me is an understatement. I mean, I just slapped her son and called him an asshole.
Harry catches my eyes in the silence and my cheeks heat up. He smirks at me and gives me a not-so-subtle thumbs up that I'm positive Ben sees because he ends up visibly tensing from where he stands in front of me. I roll my eyes but smirk back.
"Don't mind me," I state loudly. This seems to get the idea across to everyone that there's not going to be any drama going down today. But this play is going to be ridiculously awkward for Ben and me.
.
"Mr. W is sick," Liam says as catches me after class. "So we don't have Script Interpretations today."
I nod and send him a thankful smile. "Okay, thanks, Liam."
He nods back and grins before jogging away. I watch as he catches up with Jennifer and throws an arm over her shoulder as they walk away. I shake my head, still not believing how the two ended up together.
Holly comes up to my side, eyeing Liam and Jennifer who are walking off. "I still don't understand that couple."
I laugh and shrug, "Yeah. I don't either. But it seems to be working for them, so who am I to judge?"
Holly rolls her eyes, but still keeps a smile. "Hey, you should come to the dorm on Friday and spend the night. Anne's wedding is on Sunday, so we can spend the weekend pampering up."
"What about Laura?"
"Laura's going home to visit her family, so don't worry. My dorm will be completely empty for us." Holly states, hopeful that I'll agree.
"Of course I'll come stay. Harry is driving me nuts! I think it'd be best to get away from him and his weird mood swings for a few days."
"Okay, cool! Um, speaking of Harry..." Holly trails off, making a face and pointing over my shoulder. I look over to see that Harry is speaking to Drew, but doesn't seem interested in the conversation much. Instead, he's focused on glancing over at me. "I think he's waiting for you to walk to his dorm with him."
"Yeah, right," I mutter, snorting a little. Since when does Harry ever want my company? He practically runs away from me when I try to walk with him to theater class in the morning. "He should just walk on without me."
When Harry glances over again, I catch his gaze and give him a glare. I pull a quizzical face, meaning to ask him what he's doing waiting for me without using words. He must understand because he rolls his eyes and cuts the conversation short with Drew and stalks off in the direction of the dorm.
"Woah," Holly says, sounding surprised and a little confused. "What just happened there? He seems kind of... pissed."
I shrug and roll my eyes. "Yeah, well, that's how Harry is. You must know that better than I do, considering your parents are friends and stuff."
Holly nods but still looks unsure. Then her gaze catches something over my shoulder and I have to turn around again. Drew is right behind me. He smiles at Holly and walks up, putting his arm around her shoulder. "Hey, babe. Ready for lunch?"
She giggles and nods, then they start making out. Right in front of me. I gag and hold a hand to my chest turning around. "I guess that's my cue to leave, then."
.
After spending the day wandering the campus, it gets dark and late, so I decide to return to the dorm.
I open the door to the dorm, expecting to find Harry gone or moodily sulking like he always is when I enter, but he's doing neither. He's playing the guitar.
I quietly shut the door, leaning against it as I listen to his playing. I don't want to interrupt something that sounds so perfect. He still hasn't noticed me as he changes to a different song, then does something totally unexpected. He starts to sing.
If I thought Louis was a good singer, Harry's even more so. And I'm not insulting Louis or anything, but Harry's voice is just perfect. His voice sounds like sandpaper, honestly. It's raw and honest and... well, sexy even. I listen to it and end up watching him closely. He has a small smile as he plays, almost an adoring smile. His fingers move confidently on the strings of his guitar as he lets the music flow. I'm put in a trance by this different side of him that I'm experiencing.
I don't recognize the song he's playing, but I love it all the same. I find myself nodding along to the beat. He glances up suddenly and notices me standing here, leaning against the door. Caught off guard, I almost stop breathing. He doesn't stop though, just glares before looking back down at his guitar and playing again. This time he doesn't sing.
When he's finished and has placed his guitar on the bed beside him, I start to clap. I push away from the door and walk towards the bathroom, grabbing some shorts and t-shirt on the way. "Don't stop on my account, I'm just going to change and lay down."
I plop on my side of the bed after returning to the room all changed and ready for bed and turn off the lamp. Harry has the lamp on his side of the bed on, so that should give him just enough light for him to do his own thing while I try to get some sleep.
I close my eyes, trying hard to sleep, but I can't because I hear some rustling as he picks up the guitar and the sounds of paper as he gathers sheets of what I guess is music. I can't be sure though because my eyes are closed and I'm facing away from him.
Finally, there's a comfortable silence, but I'm still not able to nod off. His voice still haunts my thoughts, the raspiness of it replaying over and over in my head. For a moment, I think I can actually hear his voice in my thoughts as if he's singing aloud again, then I realize that I'm not imagining it. He really is singing.
"You see her when you close your eyes
Maybe one day you'll understand why
Everything you touch surely dies
But you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go."
I smile to myself, enjoying how smooth and happy and free his voice sounds for once. It seems like music is his soft spot. And his voice may be mine.
And I fall asleep.
.
Author's Note: You are all amazing :) Did I mention that you guys got this book on the freaking charts?!? Seriously, today (March 11th) it's at #606! It's the first time my book has gotten on the Top Fanfiction list!! Please vote because that helps bring the number up and that would mean so much to me!
QOTC: What do you think Harry's song choice meant? Was it fitting? What song do you think he should have sang to her instead?
.
word count: 2869