I like you.
I repeat Harry's words in my head as I walk to math class. Does this mean we're friends? I walk into the classroom and sigh when I see my teacher at her desk. Of course she couldn't be sick today.
I sit in my seat and get ready for the most boring hour of my day. I glance over at Harry who's sitting in his seat and playing with his pencil. I focus on the teacher again.
"Would you guys like to work alone today or in groups? I'll give you the option." The teacher announces about fifteen minutes into class. Everybody mutters 'group.' I sigh and put my head in my hand. I glance at Harry who makes no move to get up, just looking around the room like a dumbass. I knew it didn't mean we'd be friends. What was I expecting?
I sit awkwardly for a few minutes, then that's when I hear Harry's voice as he sits across from me.
"Forgot you were in this class." He puts his head in his hand. So are we friends? I just nod.
"Here comes Tasha." I say to him with a slight smile. He slowly closes his eyes.
"Hey, Harry." Tasha says and slides into the seat next to him.
"David, go work in that group." The teacher says much too loudly, pointing at our table. David, whoever that is, sits next to me.
"So. Harry. I heard you had a party over the weekend? Why didn't I hear about it?" Tasha puts her hand on his arm. Harry just shrugs.
"When will you be having another one?" She smiles. He shrugs again. "Well-" She starts, rubbing her hand up and down his arm, but she's cut off when Harry stands up.
"Move." He says to David.
"What?" David looks confused.
"Sit over there. Move." Harry says with no emotion. David sighs and moves next to Tasha. I refrain from laughing.
"Harry-" Tasha starts.
"Let me see?" Harry says, pulling my textbook between us. "I guess I'll actually work this class."
"That's a first." I say quietly and hesitantly, still not sure if we're considered friends just yet.
"I just need an excuse to not listen to that girl." He says, looking down at the book. "What the fuck does any of this mean?"
"Don't ask me." I shrug.
"Aren't you, like...smart?" He looks up at me.
"What makes you think that?"
"I don't know. You're quiet."
"Not all quiet people are smart. Especially not me. Especially with math." I shake my head.
"Hm. Dammit."
"I know how to do it!" Tasha exclaims.
"Cool. Glad for you." He says, giving her zero attention.
"When you have another party, let me know, yeah?" Tasha says. Harry doesn't answer so she says it again. "Harry, just like, let me know-"
"Hey, Noelle." He looks up at me with a grin. "Wanna come to a party this weekend?" I slightly laugh.
"Okay?" I squint my eyes and tilt my head, still smiling.
"Cool."
"Um, Harry, can I come?" Tasha asks.
"Invite only, sorry." He shrugs and I laugh and shake my head.
Shady.
"But-"
"Me and the guys are throwing it. Can't just invite people without checking with them." He shrugs and I know he's lying. He's probably not even having a party. Though, I'm still questioning. Are we friends?
"You just invited-"
"She's a friend." He says nonchalantly, still looking down at the book.
So I am a friend? This shouldn't make me excited. But somehow it does.
Tasha furrows her eyebrows at me and looks down at her book.
"Slut." She says and purses her lips.
"I don't even know you." I say quietly.
"Slut." She repeats, still looking down.
"You're the one that begged me to sleep with you." Harry says like it's no big deal.
"Like she didn't." She scoffs.
"I didn't." I squint my eyes at her.
"Then...why her?" Tasha looks at me in disgust.
"I just told you. She's just a friend. She's a bit of a prude." He shrugs and my jaw drops.
"Friend, my ass. I don't wanna be friends with you." I slide my book back to my side.
"You're sensitive." He laughs at me. Which leaves an amused-looking Harry, a bitter-looking Tasha, and an embarrassed-looking Noelle.
"Um...do you guys get number 7?" A hard-working David asks.
••
I force myself to catch up to Harry as he leaves the classroom. He called me a friend, so it won't be weird, right? Am I trying too hard...
"You're not actually throwing a party, right?" I laugh slightly. Harry looks down at me slightly due to the height difference then looks in front of him again.
"I don't know. Might." He shrugs.
"Oh, okay." I run out of things to say. I notice Harry glance down at me, then back, then back to me, with squinted eyes.
"Friends." He says, as if reminding me. I roll my eyes.
"I'm not gonna be friends with someone who assumes that I only talk to him because I'm in love with him."
"Just giving you a heads-up."
"What do you mean 'a heads-up'?" I squint my eyes.
"Like, don't get the wrong idea. I'm cool with friends, if you don't annoy me too much-"
"You get annoyed easily."
"Yeah, so just don't do it." I roll my eyes.
"Whatever."
"Whatever." He repeats quieter with a laugh. "I do hope you don't expect me to call you Elle or something for short."
"Why?" I ask, even though nobody calls me that.
"I like Noelle better. I'm not into the sappy nickname thing."
"Cool. No one calls me Elle anyway."
"Cool." He slightly smiles. So I can't tell if he's a jerk or friendly? It's kinda giving me whiplash.
"See you later." I say quietly when we're about to pass my last classroom for the day.
"See you." He says casually before walking off.
You'd think I'd be disappointed to be only friends with Harry, but if I'm honest, now that I know him a little bit better than before, I don't think I could ever date him. I would literally rip my own hair out. Being friends will be nice. I just hope he doesn't prove me wrong.
