Race

Chapter 4

A few days later I was sitting on my couch in the morning, having a cup of still steaming coffee in my hands when the doorbell rang. A smile spread on my face as I put the mug on the coffee table and slipped into my fluffy loafers, grabbing the keys, throwing the door shut and running down the stairs. It took me until the cold air blew towards me to notice that I was only wearing my black sleeping shorts, a white tee and a thin grey cardigan. I ran my hands over my hair that was a wavy mess before I took the last few steps to the car that was parked in front of the house I lived in and the two people that were stood in front of it.

"Mom! Dad!" I exclaimed, before pulling one after another into a tight hug.

After I let go, my mother observed me. "Is everything okay, honey?" she asked me, looking a bit worried, as she always seemed to be when it came to me.

"Yes, it's fine," I said, surprised when I realized I wasn't even lying.

It could be worse, actually. Yes, I had gotten lost and I had met the biggest jerk in town but after all it was okay. And Jake had invited me to a party tonight after telling me that he worked as a bartender at a club so maybe I'd finally get to know more people and make friends.

"Have you met nice people, yet?" my Mom asked as if reading my thoughts.

"Yeah, I met a nice boy," I said and added 'and his not so nice friend' mentally.

My mother had always been one to be very relaxed when it came to me and boys so I wasn't surprised when she wiggled her eyebrows at me. She also made some comment like "a nice boy, you say" but I had already drifted off with my thoughts.

"You flipped me off," Harry stated, leaning on the Starbucks counter so our eyes were on one level. His slightly smug expression met my annoyed one.

"You were being a jerk," I explained myself.

He rose, now towering over my rather small figure behind the counter. "Me being a jerk?" His face turned serious, his eyes sparkling dangerously. "I saved you!" he said, quite loud.

Jake who stood further away, waiting for his coffee that was being made by Michael, gave us a worried glance and I noticed other pairs of eyes watching us.

Harry seemed to be aware of that, too, as he looked around, his body tense, almost glaring at anyone who only glanced into our direction, as if trying to keep them from eavesdropping. I had been about to ask him how he had been able to make the older men in the alley in front of the bar obey him but I had my answer. Even though they would never admit it, they were probably scared of him. He was still young but he held an authority that made him seem much older.

I almost flinched when he turned around, green eyes narrowed at me. There was this intensity between us that was almost tangible. As if you would get a small electric shock if you put a finger between us. I didn't know how I did it but even though I had this urge to back off from him I stood there, holding his glare defiantly.

"You would've been screwed without me," he said quietly and suddenly all the anger was gone and he almost sounded a worried.

Only now I realized how tensed up I had been under his glare when my body slightly relaxed due to his more relaxed state. What scared me though was the fact that the intensity between us was still present which made me fear that it hadn't been created by his anger. It made my body tingle and my heart beat faster. Like some sort of rollercoaster ride. I was at the top of the ride and every second now, the vehicle would run down the tracks in high speed. But I didn't now then, I just stood there, waiting for it, impatiently, waiting and waiting and waiting. And that was the worst. The thought that this feeling existed terrified me.