New Kid on the Block *h.s [completed]

Chapter 41

I slouch against the old tiled wall, my shoulder relaxing into the temporary support. At 1 o'clock my science exam is scheduled to take place, and it's currently 12:50.

To say I'm stressed is an understatement. My palms are sweaty, my knees are slightly shaky and I can't stop chewing my bottom lip. I tossed and turned for a good hour last night before I was finally able to find a comfortable enough position to at least close my eyes and try to calm my racing brain.

I tap my index finger on my right hand against my thigh, before fidgeting with my hoodie drawstrings, twirling them around my fingers again and again.

"Hey, you've got everything you need?" I jump slightly at the deep voice behind me and the sudden hand on the back of my shoulder. I sigh with relief when Harry comes into my side view.

He's wearing black skinny jeans of course, and a loose navy blue t shirt. His hair is slightly more tousled than usual, like he forgot to check it in the mirror this morning before he left his house.

"Hey. Yeah, I've got everything. I just hope I don't I don't pull a blank midway through the exam." I hold up a pencil in one hand while brushing a stand of hair behind my ear with my other.

"You'll be fine Pipe. You know everything back and forth, you didn't get one question wrong when I quizzed you last night." Harry comforts me, grabbing my pencil free hand with his. He interlaces our fingers together and I breathe in deeply, holding the oxygen for a second longer than usual before I breathe back out the carbon dioxide.

"I know, I'm still nervous though. It's just thinking the worst possible scenario, you know?" I mutter, looking down at our hands entangled together.

"And what's that 'worst possible scenario'?" Harry asks, his green eyes shining brightly.

"Bombing the exam which means failing the class which means summer school which screws up my entire plan."

"You're not going to fail, Pipe. You'll do great, I know it."

He releases my hand and wraps the same arm around my shoulders, pulling me in for a quick sideways hug. My face presses into his shoulder and I wrap my arms back around his waist, loosely. I feel him plant a short, quick kiss onto the top of my head and give me one last reassuring squeeze, and then unwraps himself from me, my body falling naturally back against the wall into the same position I was in before.

My eyes drift around the entrance to the classroom. A larger group of students have collected now, and many of them give me strange looks. But not in a rude way. More curious. Inquisitive. A yearning to find out more. An urge to discover why the new girl is hugging Harry Styles, most chased after guy in the school.

I look back at each one of my peers and raise my eyebrows slightly, as if to say, 'Yes, can I help you?'. The majority of the crowd turns away and back to their own conversations, but a few girls look me up and down before scoffing and sauntering away in their leggings that are so tight you can see every muscle in their legs move, while working to carry the weight of their upper bodies.

Just then, the door creaks open with a click of the knob. My science teacher pokes his head out, takes a look around at all of us, and then opens the door all the way back to it's hinges, signifying that it's time for the exam to start.

I swallow hard, receive another award winning, dimpled smile from Harry, and walk into the classroom behind another student. I soon realize that the teacher is assigning seats for each person, and my heart falls. I was hoping to be able to sit beside Harry, not so I could cheat off of him, but for the comfort of knowing he would be mere inches away from me.