Hope «h.s.»

Fourteen.

Chapter 14:

Monday was a normal Monday up until last period. Harry did not show up again. I could not help but feel guilty about it. Was he avoiding me again? Was he ashamed of how he helped Rene and I? The only reasons I could come up with involved me screwing up and making things awkward.

I studied the boring chapter for the day, watched Mr. Blue's intriguing religion video, and did the assigned questions for the week all in the hour of class given. I figured if Harry was not at school, we would not meet up after and work together, so I did the questions independently.

The end-of-school bell rang and I shimmied through the hallway of rushing students and to my locker. I gathered my books, folders, and notebooks, only taking the ones I needed for homework with me to make my backpack light. I had to walk home since the car was still gone and my father ceased to show his face at our house yet.

I walked down a side hallway as I always did, but this time it seemed more necessary. I did not want to be caught walking home because that might raise suspicions. I did not want to be talked about, I just wanted to be the nobody girl. So I hugged my extra notebook into my chest and made my way down the hall.

Suddenly a hand wrapped around my upper arm and pulled me backward. I dropped my notebook before I was enclosed into darkness. My body went numb as I was reminded of Saturday night and all its happenings. This was too similar and I felt a cool breeze down my back.

"Calm down Piper, it's just me," Harrys voice said as he switched on a light. We were now in the small janitors closet. The reason... unknown.

"What the heck Harry?" I felt as if I had to whisper in this enclosed space. I wanted to retrieve my notebook from the hallway. It had so many things such as musical creations, school notes, and doodlings that could not be replaced if someone decided to pick it up from the hallway and trash it. But before I could reach for the door handle, Harry lightly swatted it away.

"I'm sorry. I don't want to be caught," he said, running a hand through his hair.

"Why?" I asked. I hoped he would say something along the lines of being caught with me just so I could run away and get out of this crammed closet as fast as I came in. I wanted to save my embarrassment.

"Well, I -- I kinda wasn't here today. I skipped and our calculus teacher is out to get me... so," Harry attempted to explain but it really didn't work.

"But why am I in here?"

"Oh yeah. A couple things actually," he said with a slight grin.

I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Did you get my note?"

Remembering the little note from Harry Saturday night, I nodded my head.

"Yeah. You're now in my phone," I said now smiling back at him.

"Good," he grins. "And also I wanted to ask you again if you'll help me with some catching up." He seemed cautious to ask me, knowing last time didn't go so well.

I almost immediately said yes. He helped me tremendously the other day, the least I could do was help him with school. What stopped me was the fact that he purposely missed school today and he just assumed I would be able to catch him up. But I sighed and thought back to my first reaction. I had to help him, I wanted to.

"Sure," I finally said after thinking. His famous grin once returned as I agreed.

"Let's get to it then," Harry gestured, opening the door to let us funnel out into the small hallway. Thankfully my notebook was still laying on the ground, intact and no one was around. I picked it up and ran to Harry to keep up with him.