Secret

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

[Bella's pov]

I walk quickly out of the school and I have to stop for a second before my knees give out. I can't tell if I'm out of breath from walking so fast or the encounter I just had with Harry. I catch my breath and start walking again, a little slower. Eventually, I make it to my car in the almost empty parking lot.

I don't want to go home just yet, I told my mom I was staying for tutoring so I might as well stay out for a bit longer. I sit behind the wheel trying to make a decision. I could go grab something to eat. My thoughts are interrupted when my phone's text tone goes off.

Harry: Hey where are you? I know you said you had to go but I was wondering if I could tag along or something, if you didn't mind.

I'm surprised by the fact that he texted me, but the actual text is what makes my head spin even more. He's supposed to be in detention. I quickly open my phone's front camera to see that I look like a hot mess, probably from walking here so fast, and return to the text message. I don't want to see him to be honest because I am still trying to catch my breath- well not literally, but you know.

Me: I just left the school, sorry Harry. Maybe next time.

I take a deep breath and place my phone in the cupholder before starting the car. I drive around for about 30 minutes before finally deciding on just grabbing something from the gas station; I'm low on gas anyway. After filling my car up with gas, I park near the front of the building and go inside the little store. I browse around slowly, deciding on some potato chips and iced tea. As I turn around I bump someone behind me. "Sorry..." I mutter. I look up to recognize Chase.

"Hey." he greets. I push him aside and start walking to the cashier. "Bella..." he says as he grabs my arm. I shake from his grip and turn to face him. "I have nothing to say to you." I tell him and turn back around. "Why, because I beat up your little boyfriend?" he calls out loudly. A couple of people in the store direct their attention to us. I turn around again. "Can we not do this here?" I say lowly. I quickly pay for my items and walk out of the store, Chase following behind me.

"Listen, he's no good for you. Trust me. He's just going to hurt you." he tells me. I shake my head. "You don't know that." I say. "Oh, but I do. I know exactly how Harry is. He's a player and he's going to hurt you." Chase looks me in the eyes and says. "You don't have to believe me, but I'm just looking out for you. I didn't think getting in a fight with him would make you upset, I-" he tries to explain before I cut him off. "Well, it did. Thanks for looking out for me, I appreciate it, but you really don't have to. I don't need a baby sitter or anything, I'm perfectly fine, Chase." I say and get in my car. I drive off before we have to exchange anymore words. I feel bad for being rough on him but it just pisses me off how people get in my business and tell me what's good for me and what's not. I know how to take care of myself.

"Hey, how was school?" I slide my keys into my backpack and begin to walk upstairs as my mother waits for my answer. "It was...eventful." I make it to the top of the stairs and walk into my room, throwing my things on the floor and taking my boots off. I take my phone out of my pocket and begin to write a text to Elisa when I hear a knocking noise. I look around my room and almost go into cardiac arrest as I shut the door to my room and open my window.

"Harry, what- how the hell did you get up here?" I look around outside and hope my neighbors aren't seeing this. "You see, love, your window isn't that high off the ground and I'm a pretty good climber. Your rose fence...ladder...decoration...thingy really helped me." Harry says, a bit out of breath and chuckles while I try not to punch myself in the face when he calls me 'love.'

"Get inside." I instruct him and sit on the corner of my bed as he climbs in my room through the window. "Okay, would you like to tell me why you're here?" I question as he falls onto the floor. "And be quiet, oh my gosh!" I scold him. He gets up and throws his bag on the floor, shooting me a smile in the process. I roll my eyes but really my insides are jumping up and down and up and down and- "Well I just wanted to talk to you." he says and sits on the floor in front of me. "Okay..." I cross my legs. "About today." he finishes. I roll my eyes. "I do not want to talk about that. I'll literally talk to you about anything but that." I tell him. "How about how babies are made?" He smirks at me and I try not to laugh. "Except that too."

"But you said anything?"

"Yeah anything but that kind of stuff." He chuckles.

"Okay but seriously, I didn't mean to get in trouble and I didn't mean to make you upset, but I just want to know why you were crying. I know it's about me, I heard Chase talking about it with you." He runs a hand through his hair and I get chills from his tone suddenly turning serious. "I really, really don't want to talk about it." I tell him. "Fine, you can tell me later. But are we good? You're not mad at me?" he asks. A smile spreads across my face as I nod. "Yeah, we're good." I lie back on my bed and twirl a piece of my hair.

"So if we're good, I can do this..." I hear him get up and before I can wonder what he is about to do I burst out in laughter as he tickles me. "Stop it!" I choke out in between my laughs. Harry continues to tickle me until I fall off the bed and we're on the floor. He stops tickling me and I'm still slightly giggling as he smiles down at me.

"Bella!" my mother yells and Harry and I freeze. "Hide!" I whisper. He quickly crawls under the bed and I snatch my phone up from the floor. "Bella what was all that noise?" She opens my door and I pretend to be on my phone. "I heard laughing and yelling." She raises an eyebrow. "Nothing Mom, I was laughing at a funny picture I saw." I say, hoping she buys it. "You're crazy." My mother shakes her head and leaves, closing the door behind her.

Harry crawls out from under the bed with something red in his hands. "Hey, did you lose these?" He smirks and to my horror, holds up the red lace panties. I snatch them out of his hands and I feel my face turning as red as the stupid underwear. "Asshole." I mutter and throw the panties in a drawer. Harry laughs as I walk to the other side of the room. I literally want to run into the closet and not come out because this is really embarrassing. I don't laugh with him, instead, I stand against the wall and look out the window. He walks up to me and tilts my chin up. "Hey, it's okay. I was just teasing."

I roll my eyes and push his stomach. He pretends I pushed him hard and grabs me as we both fall onto the bed. I wiggle under him but he won't let go. "Harry," I giggle. "Bella!" he laughs. "Get off me!" I'm laughing and trying to push him off me by his shoulders.

"Hey, let's play a game." he says. "Like what?" I push his hair off his forehead. "20 questions." he gets off of me and instead sits cross legged next to me on the bed. "Okay, you go first." I say. "Okay, what's...your favorite flower?" he asks. I purse my lips in thought. "Sunflowers are cute,"

He laughs. "I asked what your favorite is, not which ones you think are cute!" "Well then you're out of luck because I really like flowers!" I poke him in the stomach and he pokes me back. "Your turn." he says quietly with the smallest of grins on his face.

"What's your favorite book?"

"No no, I don't read, and you know that."

"I know but I mean, there has to be one that you like," I nudge his shoulder. He looks over at my bookshelf and grabs a random book.

"Looks like my favorite book is 'Paper Towns' by John Green. What kind of name for a book is that?" he asks jokingly. "Hey, shut up! That happens to be my one of my favorite books," I scold him, batting at his arm in the process. He puts the book back and lays back down on the bed. "Your turn." I say. "What's your favorite song?" he asks. I think about it for a second and grab my phone, unwrapping the headphones. "There's a couple that I like."

Harry grabs my phone and clicks on the playlist titled with a red heart emoji. "No, not that playlist-" I start, but he shushes me, putting a headphone in his ear and putting one in mine. "Okay, if you want to listen to sappy love songs." I warn him with a shrug of my shoulders, laying back on the bed when the first song plays.

***

I open my eyes to see nothing but darkness. I look over at the clock, which says 4:16 AM. My eyes adjust to the darkness and I look down to see an arm wrapped around my lower torso. I almost jump out of my skin to remember that the arm belongs to Harry and that we just slept in my bed together and that it's a school morning and that my mom could have found out Harry was here. I sit up, shaking Harry from his slumber. He groans, eventually waking up. "What?" his voice is deep and groggy, but still hot nevertheless.

"Um, you slept here and you need to go before my parents wake up. It's four in the morning." I explain. He immediately sits up. "We didn't...?" he suspects. "No, God no." I slap my forehead. "Just making sure." he says. "How would you not remember...doing it anyway?" I curiously ask (to mostly myself). "Some people do it all the time. You just never know." he answers me, ruffling his hair and grabbing his things. "I'll see you at 8:45 darling." Harry says, exiting through the way he came in. Even in the dark, I can see his dimples.