"Did you tell Mo?" Harry asks from next to me. We're sitting on his couch right now, watching an episode of Friends that just started playing.
"Yeah." I laugh.
"What's she think?"
"She was kinda shocked."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." I laugh.
"She thinks I'm a player, huh?"
"Well...I mean, you do sleep with a lot of girls." I shrug.
"Not anymore."
"Really?" I furrow my eyebrows.
"Why are you asking me that?" A look of pure confusion flashes across his features.
"I mean, I just know that you used to."
"You think so lowly of me." Harry shakes his head with a sad smile.
"No! I didn't mean-"
"It's okay." He laughs. "I know what you mean. I get it." He nods understandingly.
"Okay. Sorry."
"Don't apologize."
"Sorry. I mean-"
"Shush!" He puts a finger up to my lips with the cutest expression on his face. I laugh. And I almost say the words.
I almost say it.
Just as a natural reflex, I almost say it.
But I'm glad that I stop myself. Because it could've ruined everything.
But is it true? If I was ready to say it just so naturally, out of the blue. Do I? No way. It's only, what? March? I just met him in September. That's not long at all. Right?
"Noelle. You okay?" I look up at Harry and feel sick.
"Yeah." I take a deep breath. I try to avoid looking at him.
"Hey, what's wrong?" He brings my face to look at him with his hand.
I take in his appearance. All of it. His dark brown hair all messy from how he was previously sitting on the couch. His green eyes and the way they look due to the light from the TV. His lips that are somehow shaped so perfectly, no mess-ups. The color of his lips. How they're just naturally so pink. How his facial features are just so soft and relaxed at the moment.
"Noelle." He gives a small smile.
"Sorry." I look away, feeling embarrassed that I just openly examined his face. I mentally cringe at myself.
I'm in way too deep. Way too deep.
"That was cute." Harry's smile grows.
"What was?" I play dumb with furrowed eyebrows.
"You checking me out. Well, checking my face out." I roll my eyes. "Usually girls check me out in other areas."
"You're gross." I shake my head.
"Is that why you're always making out with me? Willingly?"
"I hate you!" I hold back a laugh and slap his chest.
"You love me." He smiles and rests his head on my shoulder, not realizing what he had just said.
Those words.
That's all they are. Just words.
That doesn't mean they're true.
••
"Group work!" Harry immediately comes to sit next to me.
"Hey, love." He sets his hand on my thigh.
"Hi." I force a smile.
"Harry! It's been so long since we've done group work!"
"Tasha." Harry and I whisper at the same time.
"So! Noelle! Let's do this work!" Harry says fake-enthusiastically, pulling the textbook between us on the desk.
"Can we share a book, Harry?" Tasha asks.
"Sharing with m- Noelle, sorry." Harry keeps his gaze on the page. I watch as Sammy walks into the room.
He hands me a piece of paper.
"I'm an office TA." He briefly explains, and I see that it's a pass. "Meet me outside please." He literally brought over a fake pass so he can talk to me. Great.
"Don't." Harry grabs my hand under the desk.
"What if it's important?"
"Doubt it."
"It's not like I'm gonna do anything."
"But-"
"Jealous?" I hold back a laugh.
"The fuck? Jealous of what? That toad?" I laugh at his insult.
"I'll be back."
"No. Don't leave me." He pouts.
"Harry, let me go." I whisper-shout, trying to pull his hand off my arm. He wraps his arm around my shoulders to prevent me from getting up. I laugh.
"Um..." Tasha gives a confused look. Harry looks awkwardly before hesitantly pulling his arm off and pretending to read the book.
Well, that sure was fun.
