new kid / h.s

33

K A T

By that Friday, things began to get even more rough for the two of us-- Harry especially. People would say mean things at him as we walked down the halls, calling him a "gangbanger" and things that he really wasn't to start with.

I didn't know if it was affecting him. I could only hope that it wasn't.

"We're lucky I bought us those tickets a week ago." Harry said, his eyes glimmering as he helped me into his car after school.

"Yeah," I agreed, whipping out my phone to text Zayn. Me and him were on better terms now, since yesterday the three of us went out for coffee again. It was more laid back.

Harry turned over the engine and before I even knew it, we were pulled into the driveway of the Styles residence. The same beautiful house that I had gotten used to, finally.

Anne greeted me with a hello and a plate full of chocolate chip cookies for Harry and I to share. Des was out at work, and Gemma was out with friends. Harry had mentioned that this was a normal Friday for him.

I laughed when we got up to his bedroom. "I don't see how you're so toned if you get fed cookies this often." I joked. "I don't even eat that many sweets."

Harry shrugged and turned on the television, before reaching for another cookie carelessly. "The exercise works wonders, Kat."

We sat there for a while, making small talk, watching cartoons, and eating really good homemade cookies. Soon enough it was time for dinner and we joined Harry's family for steak and rice.

"Your cooking is so good, Mrs. Styles." I complimented. She just shook her head and laughed.

Anne said, "Please. Just call me Anne. Harry even calls me muma Anne or mumsy."

I giggled. That's cute. It sounds like Harry to call his mother that.

We ate dinner in silence, and soon there was a knock on the door.

"I got it!" I chimed happily, only to be polite since I was their guest. I got up from the table and Harry followed, where he opened the living room door.

A mailman stood before us, which was odd in the least because it was about six in the afternoon. "Special delivery." he said in a monotone voice. "From C."

Harry and I looked at each other simultaneously.

"Thanks." I said warily before signing the box and taking it. The man just nodded and walked off, heading to Harry's neighbors to deliver something else.

I set the box on the couch. "That's odd." Harry frowned. "The postman always comes at two in the afternoon. Not four hours later than that."

I agreed. "I'm not even sure if we should open this. What if it's a gun or something that's designed to shoot when we open the box? Or what if--"

"Are you two okay back there?" I heard Gemma call, and the color from Harry's face drained immediately.

"Kat, just open it!" he said urgently and I did as was told. I carefully opened the box and there sat a clean, polished, Jack-in-the-box with a note attached.

It read,
you'll thank me later. just open the box and get what comes to you.

A shudder ran down my spine. I wasn't sure if I wanted to open this box. And whoever wrote the note knew that I would be the one to open it. So I had to do this, and not Harry.

"What does the note say?" Harry asked.

I answered, "Open it."

He stood there expectantly. "Just be careful, okay? I don't want you getting hurt."

I nodded, even though I wasn't even sure if that was possible. Slowly but surely, I turned the knob on the side of the box and the familiar sound started to eerily play.

"Slowly." Harry reminded, and I turned the handle even more cautiously.

Over the sound of the music, I could hear Gemma call from the kitchen again. "I'm coming to check on you guys!"

Harry's eyes enlarged. "Okay, forget what I said. Hurry up!"

I obeyed and turned the knob as fast as I could, something about this not feeling right. The song had already looped once, and I feared for what was going to happen when it popped open.

Gemma stood at the doorway, but it was too late. The box's top flew open, and from its contents flew a hard rubber ball. Whoever set this up must have been good with math, because it hit me right in the eye.

"What the hell?!" Harry exclaimed, rushing over to my side and using his hands to pry my own off my eye. I was in extreme pain, and I wished that I knew who had done this to me.

Gemma gasped and ran over as well. "Kat, we need to get you to an eye doctor right now." My eye was now exposed and I could hardly see out of it. "Your eye is swelling. It's not looking good."

Harry's face turned red and in a fit of rage he smacked the box off the couch. "Dammit!" he yelled angrily, and it was sure that his parents had heard. "I let this happen to my girlfriend! What kind of boyfriend am I?"

I tried to calm him down, but stayed away to be safe. "Harry, it's fine-- it was either me or you. Rather it be me."

He didn't retaliate, and another wave of pain shot through my eye.

Gemma sighed loudly and grabbed Harry's keys, and we all walked out of the house before even informing his parents.

I wondered how Kimberly and my parents would feel seeing my come home with a bandage over my eye.

*

ugh literally this is stressing me out bc there's nor to this than a swollen eye and I want to CRY

ok I'm not going to spoil anything :)