The Boy in Love With a Witch

Chapter 10

Elise

The bell for the last period rang and  I was headed towards my last class of the day but I stopped when I passed the children's playground. Seeing the students crowded over there, I spotted Harry who was holding a kid whom I recognised as our neighbour James. His knee was scrapped and he was crying badly. I walked over to where the crowd was at.

"Hey, can someone get the first aid box?" I asked generally.

"I'll get it." I heard Margaret say.

Meanwhile, I sat beside James and tried to comfort him. 

"Hey buddy, stop crying. It's okay. You're a boy and boys don't cry like this." Harry told him.

"Absolutely wrong." I disagreed with him.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Who said boys don't cry? It's okay to cry sometimes and let it all out then to hold it back in. It's okay, you can cry. No one will judge you. Just let it all out. There's no thing such as 'boys don't cry'. They do." I said while James hugged me and cried softly. 

I looked up at Harry who looked astonished by my words. Then he blushed.
Margaret brought the first aid box and I thanked her. Then I helped James clean up and applied bandage on his cut. James soft sobs turned into silent weeping. 

"Hey, do you want me to get you your favourite apple juice?" I asked and he nodded. 

I wiped away his tears with my sweater paws and asked if he wanted to drink apple juice which was his favourite. He nodded and I asked Harry to stay with him while i went to get the juice. Minutes later, I came back and saw James was not crying anymore. I gave him the apple juice which he accepted happily.

The last period was almost over and so I thought I should walk James home.

"Hey, I'll walk you home today." I told James who seemed happy now.

"Can I come too?" Harry asked.

"Only if you want to." I said.

 He smiled and followed after us. James lived just a house away from us so, we walked there as it was only a few streets away from school. 

James' mother, Madeline, opened the door.

"Hey." I said.

"Oh hey there Elise. What a pleasure to see you here." She said. "Please come in."  And with that we entered the warm house.

"James fell in the playground and scraped his knee, so I helped him clean up and brought him home." I told her.

" But I'm okay now. I was crying but Elise told me it's okay to cry sometimes, so I cried and then I felt good." He said adorably.

"Oh, Thank you so much, Elise." She hugged me.

"And I am a little mad at you." She said looking crossed.

"Why? What did I do?" I asked confused.

"You got a boyfriend and didn't tell me about him. And you are not even introducing him to me? You promised me you'll tell me before anyone when you get a boyfriend." She pointed towards Harry.

"Hi." Harry said confusingly.

"He's not my boyfriend." I said immediately. 

The colour of my cheeks showed my embarrassment. I liked Harry but I was just too scared to tell anyone. I thought that the feelings were not mutual. 

"We're just friends." I stated. 

"Yeah. Friends." I heard him say slowly behind me. 

"Oh. My bad. Sorry. But you two look so cute together maybe you should date each other." Madeline could not control her mouth and my face transformed into a ripe tomato.

"Madeline." I whispered.

I heard Harry laugh nervously.

"It's okay." He said. " I don't mind." 

"What? You don't mind dating her?" Madeline said and I grabbed her by her arm and pulled her into the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"What? I was giving my opinions." She said trying to act innocent but failed.

"I don't need your opinions." I said blushing deeply.

"You like him, don't you?" She asked and I felt the heat rush towards my cheeks.

"No." I started shaking my head while laughing.

"Chill. I was just playing with you guys." She said. "Now, come on. What will he be thinking about us? What conspiracies are we planning in the kitchen?" She laughed.

We got out of the kitchen and went to the living room where Harry stood awaiting.

"It was nice having you two here." Madeline said. "Please, do come again. And also, I didn't get your name." 

"It's Harry." Harry and I said together. 

We looked at each other and then turned away.

"I think we should go now. Bye Madeline." I said pulling Harry out of the house.

"Bye." She said after us.

"Please, don't mind her, she's just very-"

"Straight forward?" Harry said.

"Yeah, she is but she was just joking." I corrected him.

"Oh. I see. Where do you live by the way?" He asked me.

"There." I pointed towards my house which was next to the Winsters' house.

"You can go now, Harry. I'll walk by myself from here." I said.

"Your parents are strict aren't they?" He asked.

"Yeah." I smiled knowing what he meant. 

He knew why I told him to go away and not actually walk me to my house. I have never mentioned Harry to my family and seeing him escort me to my house, they would suspect we were dating, just like Madeline did.

"It's okay. I'm standing here. I'll watch until you walk into your house to make sure you got home safely." He said and my heart melted. 

He cared so much about me.

"There's no need to care so much about me." I said blushing.

"There is and I will take care of you. I won't let anything happen to you." He touched my cheek with his index finger and I felt the same rush of energy pour into me just like I did previously. What was he doing to me?

"So cheesy." I chuckled.

"For you." 

"God, Harry stop flirting with me." I tried to look away.

"I'm not flirting. Just telling the truth." He said.

"I have to go." I said turning around and started walking away without looking back.

Once I reached my door, before knocking I looked around to see him right where I left him. He had not moved. He looked at me and smiled cheekily. I waved my hand and he waved back. Then I knocked on the door. Before it opened I looked back one last time to see him smiling and I proceeded into my house.