Hope «h.s.»

Seven.

Chapter 7:

Religion social studies class was my last hour of the day. So all day I was anxious about talking to Harry since he showed up at the music shop. I even went through a script of things to say to him and how our conversation would flow. I wanted to tell him that I would do the project by myself, if that is really what he wanted. I was a bit past a state of anxiousness.

I nervously took my seat, second row and third from the wall with a window. I kept glancing over my shoulder to check if the curly brown hair boy had walked in yet, but he had not after I surveyed several times. The warning bell even croaked and he hadn't showed up in his seat. Mr. Blue started absentmindedly talking about class once the late bell rang, but my mind was somewhere else. My whole plan for this class period was a total waist of time. I instantly felt bad that I had waisted so much of my anxiety on him.

I didn't concentrate on anything the teacher said because I couldn't. I lazily glanced over words on a page that he wanted us to read for the rest of class. But my curious mind was gone, I was not focused.

So I was relieved when the bell rang for the day to finally end. I was pleased to not have another class to follow up with because I knew the class would have been a good waist of time with my scattered brain at the given moment.

I walked with the flow of students to my locker. I had to put my religion book away. I did not want to take it home. Bending down to set it on one of my shelves, my vibrating phone fell out of my pocket. I quickly shoved the book inside and read the message on the screen.

Rene was going to a friends house. Great, now I was alone all night with father since Scottie's Music Store on fifth street was closed on Sunday's and Monday's. With a huff, I shoved my phone in my back pocket again, and readjusted the backpack strap on my shoulder.

That is when I saw the head of curls walk past me through the crowd of moving students. It was him no doubt, his shoulders were pushed back with perfect posture, and long brown curls dangled in front of the collar of his expensive looking coat. My feet immediately started walking after him. He turned corner after corner, making me confused as to where his destination would be. But I still kept on his trail. Little by little, students were exiting the hallways. And I felt like I should leave too, but seeing Harry now, I felt like I needed to know as to why he was not in class. I wanted to say what I was going to say to him in class. I jogged a bit to keep up with his fast pace but once we I spotted my locker, I realized that he and I both just walked in one giant circle around the school with no destination. But when he made a sharp turn around to a different hallway, I kept on following him. He was no longer in my sight when I turned the corner. No one else was in the hallway either. Maybe I was going crazy and never really saw him.

"Are you following me?" I physically jumped at the presence of Harrys voice. I turned my body to find him leaning against the wall. Why hadn't I seen him?

"No.. Uh, maybe," I stammered out. Of course I was, and Harry knew it too. He smirked.

"Good to know," he said casually crossing his arm and still leaning against the wall.

My fingers fumbled with my backpack strap. "Why weren't you at class?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Didn't feel like it. Why?"

I took a deep breath before answering. "I was going to say that I will do the whole project by myself. You don't need to help if you don't want to."

To my surprise, he let out a brief, cocky laugh. "You think I'm not smart enough to handle a fucking religion project?"

"No that is not what I meant. I—" I tried to start, surprised at his word choice and language.

"Then what?"