Not Just a Crush (Jarry)

Chapter XV: Not Just a Flashback (Part 2)

Harry's POV:

I was at my "break from life" spot sitting on a bench and rethinking my life choices. I only go here when everything in my life is becoming a jumbled mess and when I need to escape from everyone. I remember discovering this place Freshmen year...

*Flashback*

The last bell rang and as I was walking out of class, a lot of people started hanging around me.

"You're the Freshmen who beat up the upperclassmen this morning!"

"Hi, Harry!"

"You're so cool!"

"Wanna go out some time?"

"Yo! We should hang out together and play football today!"

"It must be your first day, I can give you a tour!"

"I saw you at lunch today, you have a big group of friends!"

"Do you need help with homework?"

"Can I have your number?!"

Everyone kept crowding me like I was some celebrity. I tried to get through everyone but it felt like the crowd was multiplying and multiplying. I decided to run through the crowd and try to get lost from them. 

I kept running until I finally realized that I was lost in a forest. Oh crap... I noticed there was a path and I decided to follow it, thinking that it will take me back to the school. I followed it until it stopped and I looked up and all I saw was blossoms on the branches. I started to become curious and continued to walk through the blossoms until it turned to leaves and then I saw a wall of leaves and branches. I decided to walk through the wall of leaves and branches because I was curious, and it revealed a beautiful fountain and beautiful flowers surrounding it. Woah, this is amazing!

I looked to my left and saw a red-headed guy on a bench and playing the guitar. He looked up and noticed my presence.

"Oh, hello there," He greeted, waving at me. "I didn't see you there."

"Me either," I tell him.

"Wait a minute...are you that guy that-"

"Beat up the upperclassmen, yes I am," I interrupted, finishing his sentence.

"Ahh, you must've been fooled by the Seniors," He said.

"Fooled? What do you mean?" I asked.

"Sit down, lad," He said, scooching to make some room. I walked towards him and sat down next to him. "Don't follow those Seniors, they only tell you that because it's tradition."

"Tradition?"

"To keep the popularity pyramid going. It's been like that for years at Syco," He explained. "The only reason it's still alive is because of Freshmen like you. Because you're new and naive to this school, you're gullible enough to follow the upperclassmen."

"Oh," I replied. "What should I do then?"

"Well, since you're already at the top, there's nothing you can do but stay there," He told me. "Because once you're at the top, you can't really fall down. I'm assuming you were trampled by a lot of people following you, right?"

"Right."

"Well, those people are going to multiply and expect more from you. And you can't really do anything to stop it unless you want to go to the bottom and be tortured by the people at the top," He explained.