Perceiver

Chapter 3: Morning Moans

The sun shone through the shears welcoming the morning as I finished cleaning up from the gathering last night. I reminded myself that i was a very early riser as the oven clock struck 7:00am. I plopped down on the nearest kitchen stool with a bowl of apple and my physics book, I had retrieved late last night after Harry attempted to make it fly, off the roof.

The pad of footsteps whispered in my ear as I completed the chapter. A looked up to find not a soul in the room, until two hands attached themselves to my shoulders. Harry was rubbing my shoulders, I repeat rubbing my shoulders like a puppy dog. It was extensively uncomfortable. “Still got that head of yours in a book.” Harry announced as he made his way to the other side of the kitchen bench. I simply glared up at him playfully at first until he continued on, with this sort of obnoxious tone in his voice. “Seriously you are like the biggest nerd in our year.”

This moment made me realize how much of a douche bag Harry can be and I should have remembered from years ago. He just kept going on and on. “Really the other day Josh was gonna date you in exchange for an A in biology.” My jaw dropped, bastard. “You are the loser of our year, I swear to god…” “Are you done yet?” Tears began to sting my eyes as I slammed my book shut and raced upstairs. I wasn’t gonna let Harry’s shit get in my head. My door closed behind me with a thud as the tears began to run down my cheeks. I slumped to the ground remembering that this was what coming to back home was going to be like.

I went to school in Australia at my local high school in the Sydney, nothing fancy just the local, public school. It was nice and pretty much everyone was a surfer. I had changed so much, I had ditched the nerd personality and actually have a social life. I went to parties and made friends whilst still keeping great grades. It was different but the flaw in my plan was returning to Britain, I had to be the girl everyone expected me to be and no one else. I had gone from Miss Popularity to about as important as a squished ant was not fun, not at all.

Sydney had been amazing, it made me forget the douche bags, harassment and the pain I had left behind. And I met someone who changed my life and since then everything seemed better. I was fragile and I suppose that’s why I left UK but after living away from the judgment and assumptions that had shadowed me my entire life the skies seemed a lot clearer, and life seemed a lot brighter.

That afternoon I went for a swim. I know what you are thinking; England? Swimming? Outdoors? She must be crazy but no, no I am not. It was a new found passion last year a 'close' friend had showed me how to surf at a proper beach in Sydney and my reignited love for water was driving me a little crazy but oh well. The sun had stayed out all day warming the environment and the water so the temperature was bearable.

I swam across the river and took a walk around the other side. It was a nature reserve a few hours later I returned to the river and swam back to shore. I hadn’t even realized how warm the day was until I got out of the water and didn’t feel the slightest chill.

Getting out of the river I was interrupted by a sudden announcement in a shaky voice “Clara?” I glared up at him imagining stuffing his face into a jar but I couldn’t picture it his eyes always managed to soften my frowns. Awkwardly coughing he proceeded as I hauled myself out of the water and wrapped a towel around myself. "Look, about this morning it wasn't you, it was me." I had no idea where exactly he was going with this but he was grovelling and I wasn't about to stop him from his first ever attempt at an apology. "I get your mad at me and probably don't want to here from me right now but, I had a fight with my girlfriend and I was in a shit mood.." I sighed, he was going off on a tangent, making every excuse in the book. "Your point" I interrupted. "Right, yeh" he continued, "I just wanted to apologize for being a dick, I was pissed and I took it out on you, and I don't know why but, look I'm sorry, really sorry." He swallowed, this next bit was gonna be good. "Could you forgive me." I sighed making my response sound more difficult than it really was. "I suppose."

With those words Harry's face lit up like a light bulb. And in response there was only one thing to do, river + douchebag = revenge. With that simple thought I simply went to shake his hand, and when he grabbed mine I catapulted his unsuspecting face into the river, with an almighty shove.

Wet Harry Styles was so much more enjoyable to look at. As he popped up from the water with a gasp, my giggle turned into a cackle. His hair draped over his face like seaweed  and his white top sagged and showed the muscles strewn across his stomach. He coughed and spluttered but his cheeky grin was plastered on his face, just where I liked it.

“I suppose I deserved that,” Harry spluttered whilst chuckling. “Yes.” I grinned back. I wondered over to the edge to give him a hand up he simply took it and dragged me in with him. I couldn’t help but laugh as we splashed around like kids for a while. Something about being around Harry felt so natural, so real, I couldn’t help be felt like we belonged here in this moment.