Across the Pond

Chapter 13

"My sister is" I confess.  A smile plays across his lips, "And you are too?"  I shake my head quickly.  "... well I mean your music was cool, but I'm not obsessed."  "Well excuuuse me" he jokes holding his hands up in surrender.  I chuckle at his remark, but just shrug my shoulders instead of saying anything.  I've probably already said too much.

"Did you ever come to a concert?"  "You really won't give up, will you?"  I laugh.  He shakes his head defiantly, "Just curious."  "Gosh, ok yea.  I took her to two.  And we met you during Take Me Home... just incase you were wondering that too" I smirk.  "So I have seen you before!"  "Like 6 years ago... for like less than an hour.  And I paid good money for those tickets too!" I defend.  "Ahh yes; they prey on you guys and you fall for it every time,"  Harry smirks.  I raise my eyebrows, challenging him.  "I'm kidding!  I'm kidding!...... But seriously, every time."  "I had no idea how much you guys were actually mobbed everywhere you went" I admit quietly, more to myself but I guess he heard me because he shrugs his shoulders and says, "It was my life for a bit.  But hopefully that part will continue to die down now... or at least divert from me to Zayn and Perrie that they're having a kid soon." 

"They're having a kid?!" I ask, surprised.  "Yea" he scoffs as if I should have known.  "Not a fan like that, remember?" I smile. 

An awkward pause overtook the conversation and I looked away uncomfortably.  Well this is going great.  I squint my eyes towards the soft light over the lake and notice the water ripple gently.  "Can you skip stones?"  Harry asks after a minute.  "What?" I ask, confused and try to look back at him.  "You know, like throw stones across the water and like like--"  he starts to explain with a smile and uses his hands to make the motions of the rock skipping and sinking.

"Uhhh... no, no.  I'm not coordinated like that" I rush.  "Come on. I'll show you" Harry coaxes as he jumps up and starts toward the water.  I don't move.  "Coming?" he asks with a sweet smile as he turns around.  "Seriously?" "Nah, I'm only asking, but I don't mean it" he jokes.  "Ha! Not with that attitude" I tease.  "Please" he begs with fake sincerity.  I shake my head and pull my knees to my chest, "I'll watch."  "Suit yourself."

Along the bank, there must be little pebbles because Harry picked up a handful and started tossing them across the water.  He bends over slightly and flings his hand sideways as little stones escape and do a dance across the water before they make a rather silent plop under the water.  As I watch him, a smile spreads across my face.  He looks so peaceful and happy.  Each time his body shifts weight, he rolls his foot underneath him and it totally looks like some cliché scene, but for once, I don't mind.

Even through the darkness, I can see his arm muscles flex and relax under his black short sleeved shirt.  Something about watching him just be a normal person makes me start to like him again-- for real reasons this time.  He peeks over his shoulder and smiles, "Can you come now?"  Oh crap!  Did he see me staring?  Shoot, what am I thinking.  I snap back into reality and don't seem to miss a beat when I tease "I don't know, can I?"  "You really are the English teacher" he laughs and joins me back at the tree.

He holds his hand down to me as to help me up, but I just keep my hold on my knees and blink up at him several times.  "You are very stubborn" Harry observes.  "You are very demanding" I retort.  "Aww, come on."  He reaches down and grabs my hands in both of his to pull me up from the ground.  I don't give in, but I don't resist either.  "'Atta girl.  Now here, your turn" he says and places some pebbles in my hand. 

"Yea, uh, no."  "Just try" he coaxes again, "just lift your arm, and toss."  I threw the contents of my hand and it maybe flew three feet and made a loud plop in the water.  We both burst out laughing.  "See!  I told you!"  "Try again" he prompts.  I huff and hurl another rock.  This time it doesn't even go as far as the first.  "Yepp, I'm done!" I laugh.  "No, no, one more time.  Here, lemme help you" he begs and takes my small hand in his large one.  It's weird because he is standing across from me, but I don't complain because I wouldn't want him behind me.  That'd just be weird.