(dedicated to briteens because why not you seem hella rad)
xi. bad blood
Lennon sat in the art room on Thursday, absentmindedly chewing on the cap of her pen.
It was after school and her basketball practice was canceled for the day, so she sat in the classroom, waiting for the other kids to come in.
It was the second day of the week for the art program and to say that she missed Harvey was an understatement.
When he left, she had a feeling of gratitude towards him.
Lennon was extremely grateful, but she knew nothing would show him how much.
Gasping, she remembered that the principal canceled all activities after school, and she wanted to slap herself for feeling so forgetful.
Staring at the blank canvas, an idea popped into her head, and she grabbed the acrylic paint. Pouring some into the palette, she picked up her brush and started to paint.
Her fingers glided across the paper, and music blared in her ears and she painted with such passion and determination.
When she was finished, she smiled before yanking an earbud out of her ear.
"Is that me?" She whirled around in surprise, not expecting to find a voice.
Harvey was standing behind her, a faint smile on his lips.
Lennon stared at him. "How long were you standing there?"
He shrugged and walked closer to her. "Not long, just a couple of minutes."
Coming from behind her, he studied the painting and then laughed. "Is that-is that pizza on my shirt?"
Blushing, Lennon looked at her feet. "I wanted the painting to reflect when we sorta first quote unquote 'met.'"
Harvey's small smile tugged upwards into a grin. "It's beautiful. Thank you."
She nodded and attempted to casually lean against the table, but accidentally knocked down the water cup and sliding the table over.
"Shit," she muttered as she fell in a puddle of dirty paint water.
Chuckling, Harvey extended a hand to help her.
"Thank you," she murmured, dusting her pants off. "But now my jeans are wet!"
"Oakley has a pair of shorts in her locker," he told me. "I'll go get them."
"Don't you need her combination?" She asked, confused.
Harvey scoffed. "Please, we have each other's combo."
Lennon smiled and remembered a rumour she heard once before. "Rumour has it that you have Farrah and Oakley's nicknames tattooed on your back, and vice versa for the girls."
"Not a rumour, we actually have them," he informed her, with a small smirk on his lips.
Her eyes widened. "Are you serious? Can I see them?"
Turning towards her, his eyebrows raised. "Sure."
He tugged his shirt above his head to reveal the tattoo. Free/Oak was inked in amazing calligraphy on his upper back.
"Wow," she gasped with awe. "It's beautiful."
Her fingers lightly traced the words on his back and he refrained from shivering at her touch.
"Let's get those shorts," he stammered, tugging his shirt down. "Her locker's just down the hall."
They walked, embracing the quiet hallway between them.
Once he stopped in front of the locker, he spun the dial and opened it. He reached up on the top shelf and pulled out Oakley's shorts and handed them to Lennon.
She examined the shorts and paled. "This is way too short. These are daisy dukes."
Harvey rolled his eyes. "C'mon, live a little, they're just shorts. It's not like anyone will see you."
"Except you."
"Especially me."
She bit her lip in embarrassment. "If I weren't mistaken, I would say you're flirting with me."
"Maybe I am," he replied, smiling at her playfully.
Taking the shorts, Lennon stared at her shoes and swiftly turned to head to the bathroom.
As he waited for her against the lockers, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Looking at it, it was a text message from his mother.
It read: suspended, really Harvey?
He chuckled, and typed back a response. I only learned from the best.
Harvey could envision his mother's amused expression when she responded: that's okay with me, it just adds another worry line to the worthless scumbag called your father.
He scowled at the mention of his father. He still hated him, and he was lucky he didn't limit to calling his dad "sperm donor."
The bathroom door opened and Harvey's eye widened.
Lennon stepped out of the doorway while tugging the shorts down her toned legs. "Is it alright?"
He couldn't get any words out of his mouth, so he simply nodded. Her legs were so long, they seemed to go on forever.
How would they look wrapped around your neck, her heels digging into your back, hands gripping your hair as she moans in pleasure while you-
Harvey halted his thoughts before he caused himself an erection. He ready felt himself growing.
Grinning in response to head nod, Lennon spun around and made her way back to the art room. "Alright, so let me just get my stuff and you can head home."
"Do you need a ride?" He asked her.
She shook her head. "It's okay, I'll just take the bus."
The bus? "Where do you live?"
"Nickerson Gardens, over by Compton Avenue," she replied, still walking as she tossed her hair into a messy bun.
Harvey's eyes widened. "You live by Compton? Are you serious?"
Lennon spun around and glared at him. "It's my fucking neighbourhood, you don't have to talk about it like it's this gum on the bottom of your shoe."
He held his hands up in defense. "I wasn't trash talking it. I'm just surprised, that's all."
Lennon looked at him sceptically, before fixating her eyes on the dirty hallway floor. "Sorry, I'm just defensive about where I grew up."
"It's alright, I would be too," Harvey replied, continuing to walk down the hallway.
Lennon knew better, though.
"You can't agree with me as if you know where I come from," she whispered, fingering the bottom of Oakley's shorts.
Harvey caught her comment, but decided to change the subject. "Lennon?"
"Yeah?" Her head snapped up when she heard her name.
"Are you, um, doing anything Friday night?" He asked, nervousness creeping into his tone.
Lennon's stance changed from intimidated to teasing in a matter of moments. "Harvey Taylor, are you asking me out on a date?"
"Yeah, I am," he responded confidently, taking a closer step towards her.
"Tell me, why should I go on a date with you?" She teased, twirling around him in a circle.
"Because," he said, as he stopped her from spinning by her waist, "it's gonna be a night to remember."
"And why did that vaguely remind me of a High School Musical 3 reference?" She quipped, with a slight chuckle.
Harvey laughed before twirling and dipping her ballroom style. "Because it was, and you never answered my question."
"I would love to-" she stopped abruptly, before swearing. "but I can't."
"Why not?" He asked, bringing her upright, but still holding her hands in his.
"I have a basketball game," she explained with a groan.
"Easy, I'll come to the game and we'll go out after," Harvey resolved, with a grin.
"You'd do that?" Lennon questioned, sincerity clear in her voice. When she saw him nod, she broke out a huge smile. "Oh my god, thank you!"
She engulfed him in a hug, which he gladly returned while taking a whiff of her hair.
He was falling too fast, and too hard for this girl in his arms.