The Foreign Exchange Student // h.s.

Just Not In The Mood For A Film Night

 Chapter 36:

Harry's POV:

It has been promptly four and a half hours since school has ended, so it was around 6:00 and the sky was full of pinkish-purple colors. From school, we went straight to Louis' house and hung out there. Of course it was fun, but it wasn't the same without Olivia.

I have grown quite fond of her lately. Well, obviously. I fancy her a lot more than I intended to. I feel so... myself around her. It's not every person that can do that. To me, Olivia's one of a kind. Cliche, I know.

At Louis' not much has gone on. We've been having a film marathon in his bedroom. They just keep playing film after film. Sometimes I think they are trying to stall me. I've tried to leave several times now, but they won't let me. Honestly, I'm tired and I just want to go home.

"What's wrong, man?" Chase asked me. The film we were just watching, The Campaign, just ended and the others went to go get more snacks. A funny film should have cheered me up, but it didn't. Actually, it wasn't as funny as it sounded.

"Nothing. Just tired, 'is all."

He shook his head. "Come on. You know you can tell me," he urged.

I sighed and faced him. "Just not in the mood for a film night," I murmured. He nodded and seemed to be lost in thought. Once he snapped back to reality, he grabbed my arm and pulled me into the kitchen where Louis, AJ, and Marisa were pouring drinks.

"Hey guys," Chase called out to get their attention and clapped his hands together. "Let's do something else." Now he's mocking me.

"Like what?" AJ asked.

"Ooo! Let's play a game," Marisa cheered.

"What game?"

"HIDE AND SEEK!" Louis screamed, and we all giggled at his suggestion.

"Chase is it!" AJ called out before we all dashed out the kitchen, leaving him behind.

"Hey!" he whined.

"Count to 50!" Marisa shouted back. I headed off to the bathroom and slid behind the door. Not very original, I know, but I was never good at this game.

After a matter of seconds, all was quiet. The bathroom was dark and I could only hear my breathing, which I tried to stop from sounding so loud. In the middle of what felt like nothing, my mind drifted back to Olivia. I frowned at the thought how she couldn't be here today. She had tutoring.

I remembered when I ran into Olivia in the hallway earlier. She looked so beautiful dressed in a girlier fashion. But why did she have to dress so nice just to meet up with Marisa's mum? Maybe she wasn't going there. She doesn't need tutoring anyway. I literally sit next to her in English class. The way she listens intently and puts in effort into everything she does doesn't make sense that she could be failing.

What else could she be doing then? I saw her get into that familiar car after school. I'm not sure where I've seen it; I just can't put my finger on it. Maybe I have seen it in the school parking lot or something? And she was dressed nicer than usual, like she was trying to impress someone.

Of course. I don't know how I thought of this earlier. Olivia is on a date right now. The girl I fancy - a lot - is on a date with someone else. But with who is the question. I'm always with her during breaks and after school. Maybe she met him in class. Maybe she likes him.

I just want to go home. I'm in no mood to talk to anyone. I just want to head straight home and sit alone in my room, drowning in my thoughts.

I was brought out of my state by shouting. "AJ is it!" Chase announced.

"I'm counting!" she added before counting aloud. I waited until she got to 10, then I made my move. I quickly slipped out from the bathroom and crept down the hallway. Everyone was in their hiding spots so they couldn't see me.

I stood in front of the front door and quietly turned the knob. It let out a low creak, so I squeezed my eyes shut, praying that no one noticed. All I heard was the counting from AJ. I turned the knob the rest of the way and slowly opened the door. A gust of cold wind hit me as I stepped outside. I slipped on my jacket, shut the door, then sped over to my car.

I quickly and quietly hopped into the driver's seat. I put the keys in the ignition and started up the car. Hopefully nobody will notice until I'm gone. I backed out of Louis' driveway and began my drive home.

I just wanted to be with Olivia or alone. Maybe I will for the rest of my life. I'll be sad with no one to hold or call mine. I chuckled and shook my head of ridiculous thoughts. I was, and still am, the boy that could get any girl he wanted, yet I wanted Olivia. She was different.

Different memories flooded my head as I drove to my house: the first time I saw her coming off the plane, when she made that joke in the gym, when I first talked to her in McDonald's, our flirting competition in Starbucks, the zoo, and so many more.

I smiled as the sound of her laugh replayed through my head. It was enough to light up a whole room. She could say anything and cause people to break out in laughter. Not many people have a personality like that.

I sighed once more as I pulled up into my house's driveway. Time to curl up in a ball and sulk like a baby. I turned off my car and slowly stepped out. The gravel crunched under my shoes as I made my way to the front door. My eyes drifted from the ground to the door knob as I unlocked it and stepped inside.

"Mum? I'm home!" I shouted while tossing my keys aside.

I heard thumps coming from the family room and my mum shout, "CODE RED!" I scrunched my eyes in confusion.

"IT'S CODE BLACK!" someone else shouted. My mum came running out of the living room towards me, laughing.

"Harry, why are you home? Aren't you supposed to be at Louis'?" she asked me. I narrowed my eyes in the direction of the family room. Robin was on a business trip, and I thought Gemma was at school.

"Yeah, but I got tired," I said and tried to push past her.

She grabbed my arm and sat on the ground. "Nooooo!" she whined like a child. I laughed and pulled my arm from her grasp.

I walked off towards the hallway leaving to the living room. Mum tried to catch me again but missed. I walked into the room, and my eyes widened at the sight. I did not expect this. Olivia was sitting there on top of a box with Christmas paper lying everywhere.

"Olivia?" I asked her.

"Uh, oops?"