Solitude Grace

Chapter Six

Lisa wasn't taken from her thoughts and brought back to the reality where Harper had taken the hand offered to him by Jamie but had rejected her handshake with a simple nod. 

How dare he? She had been friendly and kind to him, only to have that turn around and bite her in the ass, rejecting her as if she were nothing. She was not nothing, she was almost sure, though she felt rather conceded thinking it, that she was one of the most wanted girls in this town. Hell, only last week a thirty one year old drunk man had admitted his feelings towards her and had thrown himself at her, had Jamie not been there she would not have had a chance. 

She was wanted! But she looked at the locked hands of her friend and her enemy and saw what she feared most looking into those deep brown eyes. She felt unwanted.

Harper caught her staring but quickly glanced away from her eyes, he couldn't be captivated again, he had only had one peaceful night's sleep since he started living with Gladis and that was before he had met Lisa.

With a flick of her hair, Lisa began walking towards the road, the simply gesture of avoiding her setting her off.

"Are we all just gonna linger or head to the diner? Because I'm starving." Lisa said with a wave of her hand for them to follow.

It was only when the screeching of the tyres shrieked did she realise she was in the middle of the road.

It was then that the world stopped around Harper, all he saw was the oncoming car and Lisa's panic-striken expression as the world around them blurred. 

Let her die. His mind screamed to him. Your problem will be solved.

He could let her die, he could attempt to save her but fail, it would be classed as an accident and no one would be to blame. He would sleep peacefully each night without the constant distraction of those blue purple eyes.

But no. He ran towards her, bringing the girl into his arms as he pushed her out of the way, twisting his body so as they landed on the pavement, he would be on his back and she would land safely upon him.

He held her there for a moment, to be sure she was all right. She opened her eyes, shocked by the eyes that met her own. 

Lisa was met by those deep brown eyes, for a moment she believed this was heaven because those eyes could be none other than angelic. But as the sounds around her registered she knew otherwise.

He had saved her. Looking into his eyes now, she could see a small amount of relief buried within them, giving her hope that made he was not heartless, instead misunderstood. He had cared enough to save her.

She started to pull herself up, the amount of contact with him had her thinking things she wished would not enter her mind. He also stood up, amazed by the amount of body heat she gave off onto him. Now he felt almost cold without her.

"Oh my goodness! Lisa are you okay?" Chantelle came running up, she had just witnessed her friend have a near death experience.

Lisa opened her mouth to speak but no words came out, she was still in too much shock to muster the courage to utter a single sound.

Jamie soon followed Chantelle with the same question, gripping her shoulders to look at him, but her eyes still remained on Harper who had made no attempt to ask whether or not she was all right. To him she was alive meaning she was fine.

"Thank you." Words finally formed on Lisa's lips but they weren't what she expected, she had not expected her first words to be to Harper.

Harper felt her gratitude warm him, relief flowing through him like a ravaging river seeking a release. 

Maybe Gladis was right about Lisa, maybe she was special but Harper had just been so blinded by ignorance to notice it.

Harper lifted his head to Lisa, catching her gaze briefly and smiled, a real one.

Shock again filled Lisa, but this was a good shock, Harper watched as Lisa's eyes sparkled in the sunlight and a smile graced upon her own face aimed directly at him.