The Girl Next Door. (Harry Styles)

Chapter 15.

Carlota's POV

For the rest of the day I avoided everyone and anyone. I couldn't stand to look at anyone; apparently the whole school had heard about me running out of class, there were lots of other rumours going around too. For example; I'm supposedly pregnant with my cousins child, or my parents had died and I've been abandoned which is why I appear depressed all the time. I felt like a celebrity with all these stupid rumours going around, why couldn't people just concentrate on their own lives instead of trying to ruin others? If only life was that simple. I stayed quiet in all my classes, getting on with my work unenthusiastically and blending in with the furniture, I guess you could say I was turning back into my old self. I guess that wouldn't be such a bad thing, Niall said he had missed me and preferred the old me, I did too but I felt free in this new sense of mind. At this current moment in time I'm confused about everything, my feelings, myself and anything else life decides to throw at me. My mind kept replaying the scene where I could see Harry disappearing into the distance, it broke my heart just to leave him so puzzled stood in the corridor and then having to explain to Ashley. I felt cowardly leaving him there but I didn't want him to get the wrong idea, I couldn't start liking him again after everything he put me through, but when I say again, do I mean it or am I just covering up the fact my feelings for him never actually went away? Well, we'll soon see in due time.

After school I didn't feel like going straight home, the only other place I knew around here was the park, even though it held bad memories, I also had some good times there too. Luckily it was empty, for some reason I decided to kick my shoes off and throw my bag next to them, I climbed on the swing and started swinging at a low level unaware that I was even moving. I don't know how long I had been there but once I opened my eyes after swinging for what seemed like eternity I could see the sun setting in the distance. When I looked down I literally fell of the swing and hit the ground. Let's just say I wasn't expecting to see anyone stood in front of me.

"Oh crap, are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine thanks." I replied brushing myself off.

"So what are you doing out here whilst it's getting dark, you could get kidnapped you know."

"I know, and to be honest Cass I didn't notice it was dark, I had my eyes closed."

"Yeah, I noticed." She said whilst placing herself on the other swing. "Why exactly don't you have your shoes on?" She questioned.

"I don't know, I felt like letting my socks see the park." I said.

"You're weird."

"Thanks." I replied sarcastically, it felt like old times talking to Cass, it didn't feel awkward like I thought it would, yet.

"So um, how've you been?" She questioned.

"Good." I replied in a monotone. "You?"

"Great thanks, I passed all my exams and I had a great summer." She gushed, if only I could say the same.

"Good for you."

"You're not really okay are you?"

"I'm fine, and why do you care so much?"

"What do you mean?"

"If you were my friend why didn't you even bother to call or text?"

"It takes two to tango." She stated.

"What?" I asked confused.

"You could have called or texted me."

"Oh, I never really looked at it like that, now I feel selfish."

"Anyway, I didn't think you would want anyone to bother you, if I was going through what you were going through I would want to be alone."

"I was alone, it's not fun."