Behind Close Doors

Chapter Twenty-Six

HARRY'S POV

SOME OF THE GUYS from the football team were hanging out in the Quad, throwing the football back and forth in the sun. Winter was beginning to creep up on Silver Springs, so we wanted to enjoy as much of the warm weather as we could before it got colder. Matthew, Ethan, and I were chilling by the fountain and talking about our upcoming away game when I spotted Florence at the entrance of the school.

I assumed she was headed to lunch on her own but stood corrected when I saw her heading towards the direction of the fountain instead of the parking lot. The closer Florence got, the clearer the expression on her face became, and by the looks of it she seemed upset.

Never have I ever been left on read by a woman until I met the delivery girl. The only reason I could think of why she'd do that to me is because I didn't give her an invitation to the ball. I didn't see the point of doing so when I knew her father's restaurant was going to be catering the event, which is also why I didn't bother correcting Matthew when he said what he said.

Shït. She's probably going to tell me off in front of the boys and say how she doesn't want anything to do with me anymore.

Matthew was the first one who noticed my face had contorted into a frown but by the time he pointed it out, Florence was already standing in front of us. His light brown eyes trailed over her figure, and he cocked his head in her direction.

"What do you want?" He asked her incredulously.

Florence either didn't hear his question or chose to completely ignore him because her doe brown eyes were locked on my green ones the entire time. She gave me that look my mum would give me whenever I was in some deep shït.

"I need to talk to you for a minute Harry," She said while crossing her arms.

I gulped down my nerves and nodded my head. Rising from the edge of the fountain, I turned around, looked at the guys and said, "I'll be back in a couple of minutes."

"Be careful around her man. We don't want you catching anything," Matthew called out to me, but I pretended like I didn't hear him and followed Florence as she walked past the benches.

He was starting to get on my nerves anyway.

The two of us walked away from the Quad and headed towards the school parking lot. I wanted so badly to reach out and grab her hand, but I doubt she would have accepted the gesture given how mad she looked when she approached me and the boys. When we reached the parking lot, Florence abruptly turned around to face me. Instead of wearing her usual smile, she was frowning, and I hated that I was the reason why.

"Are you embarrassed to be around me Harry?" Florence asked with her eyes concentrated on my face.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Of course not. Where is this even coming from?" I questioned her back, crossing my arms over my chest.

A scoff expelled from her pouted lips, and she narrowed her eyes at me. "Hmm, let me think. Well, at the Halloween party you took me to, you jumped away from my touch like I was some stranger in front of Alice. You hardly acknowledge me in public or stick up for me when your friend Matthew is being an asshat. I mean, tell me what I'm supposed think about all of this, Harry," She huffed before taking a deep breath to calm down.

I stole a quick glance from over my shoulder before taking Florence's hand and walking further into the parking lot. She didn't protest my actions but didn't thread her fingers through my hand like I wanted her to. I stopped walking when we were farther out of sight and set her against someone's van. Her breath hitched in her throat when her back came into contact with the car door, and she flicked her eyes up to me.