Tell Me The Truth -H.S. AU

4

It's pretty easy to avoid Johnny during the week, since I'm finishing my senior year in high school and working while he's forty-five minutes away at college. What's not easy though, is convincing my mother to help me avoid him. He calls a few times a night asking for me, and my mother isn't giving up on badgering me to talk to him.

I feel defeated. Like no decision I make is the right one.

Everyone around me adores Johnny, they absolutely believe the facade he puts forth. Well, everyone except for Harry...and me of course. I thought he was a good guy for at least a few months in the beginning. When he started leaving bruises on my body is when I kind of started to doubt that.

I've been avoiding Harry too, knowing that he's been fuming for the past week about witnessing Johnny being nasty to me more than a few times in just two days. I quickly walk past him and into the office every morning, trying not to make eye contact when I can feel his red hot glare scanning my body for any new injuries.

I only have two credits left before I can graduate early, so I'm finished with my classes by nine in the morning. It's actually been really nice working so much to help me save for college, and to give me an excuse not to see Johnny or my so called friends.

I don't really have any friends. The girls I know at school like to be around me just because Johnny will bring some other football players from the college to parties with him. I'm basically just their connection to meaningless sex.

I could go for some meaningless sex right now.

I never want Johnny to touch me because even if he's being gentle, the feeling of his skin on mine reminds me of the times he's pushed, bruised or cut me. It's been awhile since we've been intimate, in any way, and honestly I don't know how much longer I can keep doing it myself until I get bored.

I closed the blinds on the window in the office that looks into the shop, because every once in awhile I would catch a glimpse of Harry's curls bouncing when he would stand up before dipping his head back under the hood of his car. I caught myself imagining what he'd look like dipping his head between my legs.

I fight the urge to open the blinds again and lean back in my chair, closing my eyes. I've been so worked up lately. Stressed over graduation, work, the bullshit with Johnny and now the tension between Harry and I. I don't even know why I care so much about Harry and what he thinks. I literally don't even know him, and yet I'm obsessing over his opinion of me and my relationship.

I think it's because I know it's bad. My relationship with Johnny, that is. I mean it's obvious. Your boyfriend is not supposed to say hurtful things to you and leave bruises, cuts or any other kind of mark on you. Unless it's consensual, of course.

Harry being an outsider is so refreshing. He hasn't known Johnny since he was knee high like the rest of  the town. He doesn't see him as a "nice young man" or a budding football star with a "big career ahead of him". Harry saw through it all immediately, he saw me immediately, and there's something strangely comforting in that.

I push my glasses up onto my forehead for a moment to rub my eyes before readjusting them on my nose. I switch off the lamp on the big mahogany desk in front of me and grab my bag, slinging it over my shoulder. It's finally Friday and I took the weekend off, in hopes of getting some rest before my finals on Monday.

I twist the door handle and gasp in shock when it reveals Harry standing right outside the door, leaning up against the wall.

Fuck me, he looks good.

His curls are pushed back with a green bandana and the black shirt he's wearing fits just beautifully, showcasing the muscles in his chest and biceps. His arms and hands have no traces of grease, meaning he obviously cleaned up before deciding to stalk me.