Harry's eyes flick over to the clock every few minutes. He may be running on a treadmill, but he can multitask, right?
If anything, his mind sure can. As it tells his legs to push faster to catch up to the speed of the girl next to him, he simultaneously thinks about twenty seven minutes from now when the bell will ring.
And an hour from now. Oh the things that could happen an hour from now.
"Is that all you got?" Marley interrupts his thoughts. And good thing because it might be embarrassing to work out with a hard on.
Marley turns up the speed of her treadmill until her brisk jog is nearly a run. Harry does the same. "Not even close."
And game on.
Game.
On.
"Yeah, well... let's see... how you feel... about it in... a few minutes." She smiles, her breathing interrupting her sentences at labored intervals.
Harry just smiles. But doesn't push faster than her speed. She would surely try to keep up and he doesn't want her to pass out. "I could go like this... for hours, baby."
That word.
Marley doesn't say anything. She sort of can't between the way that word makes her feel and the breath required for her physical exertion.
After a while, Marley can feel her body catching up with her. Her head feels light and her legs start to feel numb. For a while she tries to push herself to stay at the same speed. But she can't. Her body doesn't have the right nutrients to give her the energy.
Reluctantly, she slows the treadmill a few notches.
Harry doesn't mock her like she assumed he would. He slows his pace to hers. And doesn't say anything.
Marley looks at the clock. They have about twenty minutes before class ends.
If you keep running you'll burn more calories.
Her head feels even lighter now. And she knows she can't go for much longer, even at this pace. Maria doesn't understand.
Maria never understands.
Keep going. Don't slow down! What are you doing? FASTER!
Marley tries to keep up with Maria's demands. And turns the treadmill a single notch faster just to please her.
Think of the calories. The fat you're burning. Think of what you'll become if you stop. Fat and ugly. That's what you'll be.
And Marley doesn't want that. But she can't take this pace.
Harry nearly jumps when Marley suddenly hits the emergency stop on her treadmill. And leans against the side handle as she tries desperately to breathe normally.
"Are you okay?" He asks. Stops his own treadmill before coming to her side.
"I...just..." She can hardly speak.
"What happened?" He asks. The crease between his eyebrows deepens in concern for the girl with crystal blue eyes that remind him of icicles and frost bitten noses. "Are you okay?"
Marley nods. She also notices a few people have stopped. And they're staring.
How embarrassing. Maria laughs.
"I'm fine." She says. Her cheeks are bright red. And not just from exercising.
Harry goes to get her some water. When he comes back a few moments later, he asks, "What happened?"
"I thought..." She takes a breath, "I thought I could keep...going." She pauses. Shakes her head. "I'm fine."
But that's a bit of a lie, isn't it?
Harry hands the water to Marley. She drinks it all and he gets her more. Three times.
By the end of class, Marley is fine and no one is staring at her anymore. Which makes her a bit more comfortable again.
She hates it when people stare at her.
But Harry seems off. With his eyes glazed over like he's deep in thought. He's quiet. And that crease between his eyebrows is there.
"Hey." Marley says. They walk toward his car. And she takes his hand. "You've got that look."
"What look?" He asks. But the line is still there. And he almost seems even more upset by her question.
"The one with the line." She points to her own forehead. So he can see where it is. "The one you wore when you were reading my copy of Lord of the Flies in my bedroom. And the one you wear when I know you're worried about something or focused on your thoughts."
As she talks, the expression slowly fades. And he smiles.
Because it makes sense to him that she notices these little random things in him. Because he notices them in her to.
And he thinks for a moment that maybe she does love him. It's just hard for her to put into words with so much weight like you mean a lot to me or even I love you.
Yeah, those are some heavy words to carry for such a small girl.
"What?" She says.
Harry realizes he's been staring at her. With a mixture between a smile and the concern he still holds for the girl beside him.
"Nothing." He says. Because what is he supposed to say? "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine." She says. Like she's tired of him asking. They reach his car. But he doesn't unlock it. She pulls on the door handle but of course it doesn't budge.
"I just feel bad. You were pushing yourself in class and I was making it worse. I didn't mean to--"
"Babe, it's fine. It wasn't you. I had a lot on my mind is all." She cuts him off. The words slipping through her lips so effortlessly, for a moment she didn't even realize what she had called him. "And I like running when I'm thinking. Just sometimes my feet can't keep up with my thoughts."
Harry's lips curve into a lopsided smile. And he wants to kiss her. Boy, does he want to kiss her.
Because she called him babe and it sounded so right coming from her mouth. Like the word was made to fit between her lips as she whispers it to him. Over and over again. In a mixture of other soft hums and breathy moans and small hands curling fists in his sheets.
But that's definitely a bit off topic and Harry has to refocus on the present before he tackles the poor girl right here in the damn parking lot.
"What did you call me?" He says.
She opens her mouth to speak but stops. As if she hadn't noticed it until now. And Harry can't help but secretly love the pink blush that starts to creep over her freckled cheeks.
"Babe?" He steps closer to her. His smirk is now a full blown grin. "Is that what you said?"
Of course the question is rhetorical. He knows exactly what she said. His mind is playing it over and over. But he kind of wants to hear her say it again.
She takes a step away from him. But finds her back against his car.
"No, I... I didn't say..." He raises an eyebrow. A silent encouragement to let the word slip out again. "...that."
"Say what?"
She knows exactly what he's doing. But two can play at that game.
And game on.
Game.
On.
"Babe." Marley says. He leans in closer and the single syllable pulls him to do so. "I didn't say babe."
She's acting innocent about it. And he's so enchanted by her with her soft, knowing smile and her blushed, freckled cheeks and those goddamn eyes that remind him of icicles and frost-bitten noses. "But you did."
"Now, why would I say that, baby?"
Harry wants to kiss her. And boy, he fucking does.
It's kind of hard, though. Because they're both smiling and there's people around probably staring at them.
But that doesn't mean that the wind isn't knocked out of Marley simply by the electricity that courses through her veins at his touch. And the way he caresses her jaw as they kiss. And sort of traps her between his body and the dark colored vehicle behind her.
And suddenly they're not smiling anymore. And the electricity has raised goosebumps across their skin. Although that may also be from the chilly wind
Yes, there most definitely are people staring at them now. But they don't pay them any attention. All that exists is the two of them and the electric current that Marley swears if she opened her eyes, she'd see dancing in the air around them.
"Yours or mine?" She whispers. Eyes still closed and her lips nearly brushing his.
"Yours." He says. "Viv will be home."
She just nods. And they step apart. Harry unlocks the car and opens her door.
Like he always does.
He waits until she climbs inside. And kisses her one more time before closing the door.
Marley feels giddy as he walks around to the other side of the car. She watches him. Her teeth grazing over her bottom lip.
Just his body, right?
He gets in and throws his books in the backseat. Puts the keys in the ignition. Turns to Marley. "Buckle, please."
She huffs. But complies.
It's cold out today. And Harry knows her fingers are always cold. So he turns up the heater.
As soon as he hears the click, he backs out of the space. And speeds out of the parking lot.
"In a hurry?" She smiles. But truthfully she's glad. She saw the look in his eyes when they were standing in the parking lot. It seemed like he was about to jump her right there and then.
And she kind of wanted to do the same.
Harry just takes her hand on the middle console. Intertwining their electrified fingers. And raising their hands to his lips where he presses a soft kiss to the back of her palm.
Butterflies. Marley's stomach is in butterflies.
The ride feels longer than usual. And it's probably because of the way their combined fingers create a time-warping black hole of his summer grass and warm breezes, and her icicles and frost-bitten noses.
Like a collision of contrasting seasons.
Marley watches the trees fly by. And looks up at the grey sky. Wonders if it's supposed to snow today.
She feels the car accelerate. Smiles. And squeezes his hand. "Don't crash, tiger."
By the time Harry is pulling into her driveway, Marley's heart is nearly beating out of her chest.
She doesn't wait for him to open her door. She pulls her key from her bag and heads straight to the door. She hears Harry lock his car and then he isn't very far behind. He holds the screen door open while she unlocks the deadbolt.
Her fingers fumble with the key in the lock. And she laughs at herself before finally getting it open.
She drops her bag and keys right inside the door, on top of a pair of rain boots that have been sitting there for weeks. Pulls off her coat and drops it on the pile.
And turns to Harry.
She may have been about to say something. But she forgets the moment he tears off his own jacket and his lips meet hers. Then her back is against the front door and her head feels dizzy. From the kiss. From him.
It's not just his body. She knows that. But she won't admit it to herself. She won't.
She can't.
"Jump."
She does. His hands hold her thighs by his hips. Her back hits the door again, this time higher. And kissing him becomes easier without the difference in their height.
His mouth moves down her chin. And her neck. To the neckline of her shirt. She tugs her fingers into his hair to hold him there. Her chest moving almost as rapidly as her heartbeat.
And her heartbeat is a hummingbird.
"Couch."
He complies. Almost tripping over those damn rain boots in the process. Marley shrieks and holds onto his shoulders. Harry laughs. And tries not to drop her.
Once he has regained his balance, he looks at her. And she looks at him. With the ghost of smiles on their mouths.
Harry sort of just stands there's minute. Holding her.
And then he throws her on the couch.
Her smile grows as she bounces once. Harry grabs one of the throw pillows. And kneels beside the couch. His eyes never leaving hers. He leans in as if he's going to kiss her. And when she leans in, he pulls back just as much. A smirk forming on his mouth.
When she's sitting up enough, he slides the pillow under her head. And kisses her. But it's kind of hard because she's smiling. Which makes him smile. And with the both of them smiling it's kind of hard to kiss.
And then Harry stands up again. Unbuttoning the top few buttons of his shirt and pulling it over his head. He kicks off his shoes, too.
And Marley isn't shy about watching. Her eyes taking in every inch of revealed flesh and toned muscle. For a high school Junior, he's amazingly fit, she thinks.
"You're so hot." She says. Or really almost whines. As he's just standing there taking in the sight of her, too. Sprawled across the couch with her hair fanning around her head.
And her words do wonders for his ego. Though they're not the three words he wants to hear, in the moment he doesn't mind.
She might be blushing, but at this point her cheeks are already so rosy with excitement that it makes no difference.
Harry lifts one of her feet by the ankle. And pulls off her shoe carefully. His movements are slow and his eyes never leave hers. He moves on to her other foot and does the same.
Marley feels like her skin is melting wherever his fingers touch. Her ankle. Her calf. And her lips still tingle from his kisses. She touches them and bites her bottom lip as if it will make the feeling go away--or stay longer, maybe.
After both shoes are on the floor next to his, Harry slides his hand up her calf to the back of her knee. Climbs over her and hooks her leg over his hip. Staring at those lips that she's been teasing him with.
And when their eyes meet again. Harry loses his breath for a moment. Her eyes are just so blue. Normally they're ice. But somehow. Right now. They're melted rivers and budding daisies.
"I love you." He says.
He hasn't said it in a while. And Marley isn't sure what to say. So she doesn't. Just pulls him closer and arches her back and kisses him.
Like a collision of seasons slightly shifting.
_____________
HI YES ITS ME IM ALIVE.
So spoiler (but not really) in my outline, they weren't gonna go all the way in this scene but then I wrote the melting rivers and daisies line and I was like FUCK IT THIS SHIT IS TOO GOOD TO INTERRUPT.
So you're welcome I hope your hearts are lifted knowing that I changed the ending of this chappie for y'all.
But the thing that was gonna happen still has to happen so yeah... It's probably not as bad as you're thinking though.
Food for thought.
ALSSOOOOO... ZAYN YOU ARE A MUSIC JESUS THANK TOU FOR BLESSING MY EARS WITH THIS ALBUM.
I played TiO and iT's YoU on repeat while writing this lmao.
Anyway. All the love babes.
-Lena xx
P.s. Follow my Instagram I'll be posting edits and possibly some "Harley/ Marlarry" manips. Photoshop is kinda my side hoe to wattpad so yeah lol