Cute

Chapter 3

Cute 3

"H-Harry, where is your family? I-I thought you lived with only your mom.." Scarlett's words sunk in as I figured out what exactly she was asking.

"They're gone, but my brother, Jack," I explained, pointing to my older brother, "He's just away at college."

"Oh." was all she said.

I took my arms off of her and retracted my head from her short shoulder. She turned to me and looked from the picture frame held delicately in her hands to my face.

"You look like your brother." She says quietly. I took the frame from her and set it back on my desk. I wouldn't tell her that talking about my family is a sensitive subject, because it is. I'm a guy, I don't cry to girls about my problems.

I walked back to my bed and sat on the end. I slid the loose hoodie off of my large shoulders. Scarlett took her light jacket off as well, setting it down on the chair I had next to the dresser. It was turning into an awkward silence before I suggested we get to our project.

The next couple of hours were mostly her tutoring me. I didn't really care about my grades that much, but she seemed to like tutoring me. I would do anything that to make her happy.

I was a bit angry when Scarlett told me she had to go because her mom had texted her to do so, but I took a few breaths to calm down while she cleaned up her materials. I watched her carefully place every last paper into her bag with my dark green eyes. I studied her movements better than I had my geography notes. We hadn't ever actually gotten to the science project, but at least that'll give me an excuse to get her to come over again.

"Is your mom driving you?" I asked, looming over her. She stood over the chair after picking up her jacket. She had her back to me, the room was dimly lit by the lamp on my desk. I placed my big hand on her shoulder softly.

"N-No, she's at work. I was just gonna walk-"

"I'll drive you." I volunteered straight away. She opened her mouth again to protest, but I shushed her. "I can't let you walk home, alone, in the dark." I took her jacket from her arm and wrapped it around her small shoulders. When she turned to me, her eyes looked worried. I couldn't quite tell why, but I didn't have the nerve to ask her why either.

Her bag rested between my arm and my side as I lead her down the stairs and out the door. I clicked the doors unlocked with the button on my keys. I opened her door for her and helped her up into the cab seat. She reached for her seatbelt, but I got it for her. I slipped one arm around her front and clicked the buckle. Our faces were close for only a few seconds, but it was enough to make her blush.

I ran around the front of the car and got in my side. After turning the ignition on, I put the heat on because I'd noticed Scarlett's light shivers. Scarlett's eyes still had a flickering of some sort of worriedness or fright. She stared out the window for a few minutes.

"Sooner or later you're going to have to give me your address." I laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

She hesitated at first but slowly let it slip from her pink lips that I wished so desperately to place a kiss.

I turned onto her road after a few more minutes of her staring out the window and complete silence.

"Why do you look so worried?" I asked her, glancing at her.

Her face snapped to my direction and she blinked. "I-I'm not?" She stated, sounding more shocked than sure.

"Is it because of that picture of my family, it's honestly okay I-" I stopped talking when I pulled into her driveway. Her house was incredibly small compared to mine. The paint was rather faded from what I could tell by the headlights. My mouth opened slightly as I realized the real reason why she was worried. She was worried I wouldn't like her because she wasn't rich.

My eyes looked to her. She was still looking at me. Her big brown eyes looked sad. I put the parking brake on and locked the doors just before she opened hers. She looked at me confused. I grabbed her hand and held it tight. Her small fingers were cold. Her expression turned shocked.

"I don't care where you live. I like you, Scarlett. I really like you. I will do anything to keep you safe and happy." I admitted.

Her eyes fluttered closed then open again. A tear escaped her eyelashes and fell down her cheek. She slipped her hand from mine and grabbed her bag. She got out of the truck without my help and ran to her front door. Just like that, she was gone.

***

When I got to school Monday, I went straight to her locker. I wasn't going to just let her go like that. She didn't even give me an answer.

My hair was in knots, and I had bags under my eyes. In short, I looked like shit. I have barely been able to get the three hours of sleep I have gotten. Tossing and turning in bed, thinking about Scarlett is not how I wanted to spend my weekend. I could only imagine just what was going through her mind when I told her about my feelings for her. Did she think I was joking? I wasn't. Did she just not like me back? Why not!

My breath hitched and my heart pounded in my chest just like every other day when I would see her in science. "Hey, cutie." I winked at her. She did her usual small smile with a soft blush as she waved hello back to me. Just the fact I could make her blush was cute. That adorable smile could keep me going for days.

I plunged my hands into my front pockets as I leaned on the locker next to hers. I watched her open her locker and put her bag inside it. She took her coat off and threw it inside, then shut the door. I noticed she was wearing a pink shirt that stated she had walked for breast cancer last year. Her bum looked absolutely perfect in yoga pants.

I stopped checking her out when she turned to me. Her cheeks still blushed bright pink. Her eyes sparkled like diamonds, only brown, as she looked up into my own green eyes. I smiled down at her.

"Want to come to lunch with me today?" I asked her.

Her face cringed a little at my words. I tried to distinguish whether she was thinking about my offer or if she was mentally declining.

"Yeah." She said, quietly. Her voice so sweet it made me smile again. She smiled back sweetly. Her smile has to be the best thing on earth. Whenever she smiles I can't help but want to just cuddle with her. Feel her eyelashes flutter against the skin on my cheek as she kisses along my jaw line. Oh the things I would do to this girl.

"You're so beautiful." I gushed over her. I brushed a piece of her soft brown hair behind her ear. Her hair was gorgeous. Girls may not think guys notice their hair or their clothes, and they don't. I only noticed Scarlett's because I loved hers. Her body was amazing. I loved everything she wore. Everything she wore adorned her perfectly shaped body. Her wavy locks were the right shade of brown, and hadn't been dyed, not once. I loved everything about the way she looked. I also love the way she giggles. Most girls have annoying ones, but Scarlett's was so cute, I couldn't point out a girl with a better laugh in the whole world. I loved the way her cheeks got pink when she blushed at my compliments and how plump they got when she smiled. Her smile was the cutest one I'd ever laid my eyes upon. Her smile reminded me of a child's. Her voice was soft and calming. No matter how pissed off I was, I could come to science and talk to her. She would make me feel so much better.

It wasn't until now that I have realized just how severe my crush is. I would kill anyone that tried to hurt her. If any other boy got near her, I would push him off a cliff. Even though she's only been my science partner for eight months, I feel like there's something between us. There's something that I want from this girl that isn't just sex. There's something there. That's what makes her so much different from the other girls here.