My Lucky Charm

Chapter Thirty Four:Harry- Nottingham

I ran. I couldn’t wait for the elevator so I took the stairs. And I ran. As I climbed down the stairs to her floor I felt that I couldn’t avoid her finding out all these horrible things people were saying about her. I couldn’t handle all the lies and the rumors developing around me, but could she?

So I ran. Every step I took I felt that I wasn’t coming closer to her but further away. It seemed like I was fighting the inevitable. I had a feeling that she would be really hurt about those rumors. She cared too much about what people thought of her.  

It seemed like a victory standing in front of her room.  I heard people talking from inside. She must have been in there. I decided to knock and think later about what I was going to say to her.

I had knocked twice when Jen answered the door. Alex appeared behind her. Once he saw he looked down. He looked ashamed or sad. I could explain his look. I thought only Jen was with Astrid. Anne hadn’t said anything about Alex, maybe he decided to stop by. I knew that lately Astrid and Alex used to spend time together.  And I knew that Jen and Alex were an item.

“Hey, guys, can I speak to Astrid please?” I asked. Jen bit her lip hesitating.

“Astrid is not here. She said she would go over to John’s room and then she would be back. She hasn’t gone for very long. She will be back if you want to wait. We are about to watch “The Notebook”.” Alex said. That was why he looked guilty.

“Oh,no! I’m fine. I think I will go to John’s room to see if she is there.” I said.

“Okay, then. Do you know which room is it?” Jen asked.

“Yes. Have fun watching the movie.” I said and they both smiled at me.

I left for John’s room. Luckily it was on the same floor. At Birmingham I would tell the management to arrange the rooms in a way where my room would be next to Astrid’s. So I wouldn’t be getting in such huge trouble finding her.

I hadn’t realized what I was about to do till I reached his door. This would be awkward, I thought. John and I weren’t actually on polite speaking terms. We were more in glaring-at-each-other terms. Well, I wasn’t there for him. I was there for one thing and one thing only. To talk to Astrid and tell her about the rumors and how we could handle it. Nothing more, nothing less.

I would completely ignore him. That was the plan.

I knocked the door. I waited. I knocked again. I heard someone laughing inside. I knock again. What was with the dancers? Were they immune to the sound of door knocking?

John finally opened the door. He wasn’t wearing a shirt. That was more awkward than I had previously thought. I decided to ignore his nudeness and asked directly what I wanted.

“Is Astrid here?” I asked indifferently. He looked at me defensively.

“Yes. She is in the bathroom washing up. You want to wait for her?” he said. I was about to respond when Astrid came in sight.

Her hair was wet and she looked happy, absentminded.  But it was her flushed cheeks that confirmed my doubts and thoughts.

They were together and I had probably interrupted them from something way more important than the rumors that turned out to be actually true. I felt ashamed and uneasy like I didn’t belong there. I could believe what I was seeing. I thought Astrid and I shared something together. That we had a chemistry, a relationship that could actually be turned to love. How could she do this to me? I thought… I thought… well, it was obvious what I had previously thought of her was wrong. I wanted to run away from here to never see Astrid again. I felt hurt. I was hurt.

“Hey, Harry! Want to come in?” Astrid said smiling to me politely unaware to what I had just realized.

“No, it’s alright. I’ve seen everything I needed to see.” I said and turn around and left. The door closed behind me. I didn’t know what to think. Everything had become so messed up. An hour ago I was thinking how to tell Astrid that I loved her and now she was with John. I thought she felt the same way. I thought she only liked him as a friend. I thought that she was better than that.

But I guessed she wasn’t. She was just a heartbreaker. I felt so hurt. I couldn’t believe that I had actually fallen for her.

I pressed the button for the elevator. I hadn’t had the courage to climb up the stairs. And I wait for it to come.

“Harry.” I heard someone calling my name. But it seemed so far away right now. I was lost in my thoughts.

“Harry.” I heard it again. Maybe it was my imagination. The voice came closer.

“Harry, wait. Don’t go.” I heard. I turned and saw her staring back at me.