"Hey ladies." Terrence walks up from behind and swings his arms around our shoulders.
"What's up." Mo says casually.
"Monica. First Noel. Where are you two headed?"
"Lunch?" Mo tells him in an obvious tone.
"You guys always look so alone and isolated, you should start sitting with us. We're friends now."
"Can we not." I say under my breath.
"What?" Terrence turns his head to me.
"Nothing." We follow him to his table and the only reason I go is because I know Mo wants to.
"Our lunch table is like...a party. Everyday." Terrence brags and I roll my eyes.
"I'm, uh, gonna go to my locker." I tell Mo as she sits down.
"Why didn't you go before we came here?"
"I just...forgot. I'll be back." I smile and make my way to the lockers. I reach mine and stop in front of it. I stare at it for a minute, then I sigh.
"This is depressing." I hear a voice and slowly close my eyes.
What is this? A poorly-written book?
I turn around to see Harry leaning against the opposite wall of lockers, arms crossed over his chest.
"Then I suggest you stop staring."
"Fair enough." He nods with a smirk. I roll my eyes. "But really. Something wrong with your locker?" He gives an amused look.
"You're literally so annoying." I turn around and face my locker again.
"Literally." He walks up to this wall and leans against the lockers next to mine. "You know, you have a habit of getting into other people's business."
"Yeah, so you've told me." I roll my eyes again. When he doesn't make any movements, I turn my head toward him. "What." He gives me an amused look. I lean against my locker and cross my arms, imitating him. "What."
"Nothin'." He shrugs and plays with his bottom lip.
"You seriously went off on me like three nights ago, and now all of a sudden, you're..." I wave my hands at him, trying to symbolize that I'm talking about however he's acting at the moment.
"I'm what?" He taunts me, standing up straight now.
"You-" My words get caught in my throat when he steps closer. Who does he think he is? "Who do you think you are?" I squint my eyes and look anywhere but at him.
"You tell me." He smirks and I roll my eyes. "You roll your eyes quite a bit, Noelle."
"Yeah, I wonder why." I say, sarcasm evident in my voice.
"Do I affect you that much?"
"You're the worst." I can feel my heart beating out of my chest by now, and I'm certain Harry can hear it from right there.
"Am I now?" He bites his bottom lip slightly, for just a moment.
"Mhm." I stand up straight, leaving my arms crossed over my chest, refusing to look him in the eye.
"Mhm." He repeats and touches my arm with his fingertips. "Look at that, you have goosebumps." He smirks, knowing it's because of him.
"You–you-"
"I?" He looks at me a moment before laughing. He steps back and I look away, embarrassed. I can already feel my face getting redder.
I turn away and open my locker, even though I don't need anything from it. I grab out my English textbook and shut it. Harry's now on the other wall of lockers, opening his own. I quickly walk out of the building and head towards the cafeteria. I sit down next to Mo, setting my textbook in front of me.
"We already went to that class." Mo points at my book. "Why do you have your English textbook?"
"I...don't know."
••
"You told me-"
"I know. This was the only way you'd-"
"No, I'm leaving!" I hear British accents. Accents. Why do I keep running into Harry at random places? Seriously? This stuff really happens in real life??
But why is he in a jewelry store? Dad and I are shopping for Mom's birthday, and we thought we'd get her something fancy instead of the same old gift cards and clothing we usually get for her.
Me being as nosy as I am, I peek over to see Harry and a woman who looks like she could be his mom.
"Harry." She says calmly.
"No, stop this! You go through with it, okay!? There's nothing I can do to stop that! But-"
"Lower your voice, please, Harry."
"But...you can't force me to do all this with you." The woman looks away, blinking away tears that are forming, and I start to feel really bad for her.
"What about this?" Dad asks, looking at a bracelet.
"Um, it's okay." I tell him and focus back on Harry.
"Look, Mum. I'm sorry. I love you, but I don't have to love every second of...this."
"Why don't you like him, Harry? Why can't you let him in?" Harry just looks down at the ground.
"I'm gonna head home. I'll walk."
"No, Harry, you're not walking...Let's just go. I can do this later." I furrow my eyebrows. What was that about? The woman walks out with a sad face and Harry walks out with his hands in his pockets and his head down, and he looks like a completely different Harry than I've ever seen before.
"Noelle. A little help?" Dad asks.
"Um, yeah." I turn my attention back to Mom's gift.
Harry's right: I need to mind my own business.
But I wouldn't be me if I did.
