Summer Of Secrets Revealed

Promises

I woke up earlier than usual, the pain in my stomach not allowing me to sleep any more. I groaned and ran to the bathroom, holding a hand to my mouth as I gag. When I finish emptying my stomach, I sit on the tiled floor, trying to regulate my breathing. But then the memories come rushing back, like they always did. I had been fine for a few months, but I had seen him yesterday. And I knew this would be my new normal until the month ended. A memory came back to me, hitting me hard in the gut, just like what had happened that night. I cried, shaking my head to get the images out; but it was no use. I lay on the floor shaking, letting everything just wash over me.

An hour later, I heard my alarm go off. I stood up from the bathroom floor and went to shower. After I had gotten dressed, I smelt pancakes from my room. I grabbed my bag and ran down the stairs, happy to see that my mom was making my favourite thing for breakfast. I sit down right as she places a plate where I usually sit. I eat the stack kissing my mothers cheek and running for the bus. As I get on, I say my hello to the bus driver and walk all the way to the back, sitting in a seat by the window. I watch as people get in their cars to go to work, children playing in their yards, and hear the birds chirping loudly from the trees.

When I get off at my stop I feel a hand on my lower back, and spin to see familiar blue eyes.

"Hi Harry." My voice is flat, and I continue to walk, knowing that he was following me.

We walk side by side in silence. I focus on the side walk and on my breathing, feeling the tension between us. As we arrive at the doors of the school, he finally decides to speak.

"What happened?" And just that simple question, two words long, made me stop. He could be asking a million different things.

He could be asking why I was a little early, and that would be because the bus was early. He could be asking why I had a bit of syrup on my shirt (which I had just noticed), and that would be because of the pancakes I ate this morning. He could be asking why I only had three friends on Facebook, and that was much more complicated to answer.

I cleared my throat, turning to face him, my hand on the handle of one of doors.

"What do you mean?"

He stares at me, studying my face, and opening the door for me. He ignores my question, walking silently behind me all the way up the stairs. When we get into class, we're the only ones there. We sit in our seats, facing each other, waiting to see who would break first. Harry does.

"I still don't get it. Why can't we be friends?" I smile at that, trying to decide whether he was referencing the song intentionally. Maybe not, considering the look on his face.

"I feel like you don't want to just be friends Harry." My smile never falters.

"Maybe you're right, but see, why would that be a problem?" I knew I was dancing around the question, trying not to answer, trying to figure out a way to not say anything. As I opened my mouth to answer, one of Harry's friends walks into the room. He waves, and Harry does the same back but doesn't move from where he was sitting.

"Maybe we should just talk some other time." Harry nods at my suggestion.

"How about tomorrow you come over and we can talk about it." He says, placing his hand under my chin so I could look him in the eye.

"Okay." I say simply, knowing that I was probably making the wrong decision.

He removes his hand, and before he could put it in his pocket, I grab it; taking a chance. My heart races, my hopeful eyes staring into his; begging for something other than rejection. The teacher walks in and my breath catches in my throat.