Looking the Wrong Way

Chapter 6: This is Not Happening

School was over, and even though he was somewhat glad that the immense torture was over, he felt a pang of sadness in his chest, as if je wanted to stay. As if he was leaving something behind.
Henry yelled internally at himself, cursing himself for being so weird. He was just being dumb, that's all. Nothing more. He did not like anyone, he did care for anyone like that, and he was quite positive that his crush for Alina was gone.
He walked home, the world drowned out by the music playing in his ear buds. Henry smiled as he saw a fall leaf flutter to the ground.
Fall- already. It had seemed to be months.
He heard a muffled yell behind him, and he pulled out one earplugs just in time for him to be tackled into the grass by two bodies.
He yelled in terror, flipped over, and kicked the two people that had tackled him.
"Alex! Carina! What is wrong with you two? Why did you follow me here?"
Henry had completely lost all his sense of humor, as he was more confused and distraught, but Carina and Alex were laughing hysterically.
"Dude, you should have seen your face. You were dead!" Alex managed to choke out through his laughter. Carina was laughing so hard she couldn't talk and tears were streaming down her cheeks.
After the strange fiasco ended, Carina asked politely,
"My parents are gone for their anniversary for a week and Alex lives alone, like you. So we were thinking we could spend the night at your place, watch a movie, whatever."
Henry stared at them.
"Do you guys expect me to say yes?" Henry asked, mock anger boiling in his voice.
Alex glanced at him strangely.
"Dude, are you ok?"
Henry laughed and nodded, motioning them to follow, and they practically skipped to Henry's house.
Alex and Carina had to borrow down of Henry's old pajamas, as he was too tall for either of them to fit in his current ones.
They all flopped on his enormous couch, and majority voted for Casablanca, much to Henry's distaste.
About midway through the movie, though, Alex stared at his phone and started to panic, flapping his hands and shaking his head.
"Alex, what is wrong with you?"
Henry asked gently, which went against his sharoer words.
Alex responded frantically as he ran to the bathroom to get ready to leave. "My sister's piano recital is twenty minutes, and if I leave now, I can make it, but I need to hurry!"
Alex rushed out the door, shouting a quick thanks, and ran back to his house. Thankfully, his house was right behind Henry's, so it wasn't the end if the world.
He took a last look out the door, and walked back over to the couch, where he was surprised to find Carina sleeping. She was sound, quiet and still, so unlike her usual spunky self that she had usually been when she was awake.
Henry switched the TV off, and sat down next to her.
He stared at her curly hair. Her long black eyelashes. Her thin body, and Henry could only wonder how a frail body like that held such a big heart.
He reached out, holding her hand. She didnt notice, still fast asleep, and he leaned down, towards her still, beautiful face, and-
Henry jerked himself back. This was way too familiar. This could not be happening.
Henry dropped her hand, and squished his face in a nearby pillow.
No. This wasn't him. Henry Turner could not be in love with Carina Smyth.
At first, Henry tried to tell himself that he deserved a popular, super pretty girl that was not a nerd. Not like Carina.
He knew he was lying.
He knew that it was only because Carina was way too far out of his league, that she would never fall in love with a guy like her.
Henry groaned.
He would have liked to say that everything was fitting into place, but all the puzzle parts still seemed to be spread out and too jumbled up for him to understand.
I have been feeling kind if bad recently, because I feel like the chapters are getting shorter shorter and shorter- but you do not have to worry. My chapters will be getting longer, I promise. Have a great day!