Harley's Way

Chapter 4

I followed Hank out past the school grounds and towards a forest nearby. He didn't hold my hand or say anything else as we walked, and yet I was nervous and filled with it. Hank paused and turned around. I put my hands in my pockets. "What'd you need to talk about?" I asked.

"I know you're my mate," Hank stated. I smiled. This was it, this was the day he was going to mark me and claim me and place the full bond upon us, maybe even mate right here in the forest. I wonder what his skin would feel against mine? And that chest, I would actually get to touch it! I wonder how big his di....

"I know you're my mate, Hayley, was it?" Hank asked.

"Harley, actually. Harley Richardson," I corrected.

"Oh, well, Harley, I know you're mate," Hank said. I nodded. "Yes, I know you're mine too. In fact, I've been wondering why you haven't claimed me or mated with me yet, but I just thought you were waiting for the right time," I rambled. Hank shook his head forcing his eyes on me and into my own. "Harley, I reject you as my mate," Hank stated.

My heart felt like it was bursting. I left my mouth open, feeling a pain crack and spread everywhere, the bond break, the tingles I felt disappear, as I stared at Hank dumbfounded. Was I dying? A burning sensation ran through me like it was cleaning something out. I fell to the ground almost as if I was reborn. I gasped, feeling empty. Something was gone from me, I couldn't place it. Until I looked back at Hank. No longer I looked at him with butterflies filling my stomach, with so much love I thought I was apart of some Nicholas Sparks book. He wasn't my mate anymore.

He was just a guy.

Tears fell out of my eyes, down my cheeks, and sprinkling the dirt. "You broke the bond," I croaked. My tears clouded my vision. Harrison nodded. "Yes," Harrison said. His voice no longer had a sound that made me feel like I wanted him to mate with me on the spot. "But, but why? And why aren't you feeling the same way?!" I replied.

"I don't want you. I have never wanted you as my mate. The only reason I'm not feeling the way your feeling is because someone didn't tell me that they rejected me. I only felt something be released from me when I told you," Hank explained. I shook my head. "But I loved you, we were mates! We're supposed to be together!" I screamed at him.

"The only thing that would keep us together would be the bond. Even if we weren't mates I wouldn't be attracted to you. I like Abigail," Hank told me.

"Abigail? You mean the girl who wears skirts like thongs and crop tops as bras?" I asked.

"That's your opinion," Hank stated.

"We're mates Hank, Hank and Harley, Henry and Harley, it makes sense. Undo it, undo the bond breaking," I pleaded.

Hank shook his head. "I don't want to. I've got to go finish lunch." He stepped around me and headed towards the school. "Hank!" I screamed but got no response.

I sat there speechless for thirty minutes, hearing the school lunch bell, and wondering what Lacy thought happened to me. Probably the complete opposite of what did. Hank didn't want me as his mate. But why? Did I say something or do something wrong?

I stood up, an idea developing in my brain. He didn't want me now, maybe I could make him like me again. I ran a hand through my hair and stopped at the end. I looked down at my outfit and touched my face with only lip balm on it. I looked back at the direction Hank walked and followed it. I started up my truck and drove away from school and to my house, blaring some rock song through the car, the windows all the way down. I took my bobby pin out and threw it in the back of the car.

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I stared blankly at my reflection. "I have to do this, I have to do this," I whispered to myself. I went over and locked the bathroom door. Mom wasn't home but she would be usually within five hours unless she got off early. I grabbed the pair of scissors I got from the drawer in the kitchen and moved my hand up my hair to about the length of my chin and cut. The strands of hair fell to the ground.

Cut after cut, my hair looked shorter. and by the end of it, my back length hairstyle was turned into a bob. It looked like Chelsea Kane's bob hairstyle but with brown hair.

I took in a deep breath before combing through my hair. I looked to the door and unlocked it. I went into my room and moved my desk chair over to my closet and climbed on top of it so I could reach for an old show box. I pulled it down and counted the amount of money that was in it. $450. I shoved the money in my pocket and slid the box back into my closet. I pulled on a pair of flip flops before I left the house, pulled my truck out of the drive, and drove to the mall.

When I returned home, I had thirty minutes left until Mom got home, my arms were filled with bags of clothing, shoes, makeup, and accessories. I pulled out an empty box from the garage and pilled all my old clothes, shoes, etc. that wouldn't work with my new self into it.

"Harley Brooklyn Richardson!" Mom yelled from the entry way. I sighed knowing what was to come. "Get down here right now!" she ordered. I closed my closet door and slumped my way down there. "What?" I asked after finding her in the kitchen putting groceries away. She didn't even look at me as she placed the milk away. "I got a call from the school today," Mom started.

"Oh? That's interesting," I stated. Mom lifted her head up and glared at me. "It seems to be that you were absent for all of your classes after lunch," Mom told me. I leaned against the doorframe. "Hmm... I know nothing of the sorts, maybe they called the wrong number," I suggested.

"Harley," Mom practically growled. I sighed giving up on the attempt. "I got rejected," I stated. Mom raised an eyebrow. "What?" she asked. I walked over to her. "I got rejected... by my mate... today," I said quietly. Mom's face softened and she pulled me into her arms. "Oh, sweetie...," she whispered.

"I couldn't go back to school after that, so I ditched," I explained.

"Harley, I'm so sorry sweetheart, did you go on a run? That can always clear someone's head," Mom asked. I shook my head and pulled away. "I... uh, I'm going to show him up," I said.

"Excuse me?" Mom asked. I stood taller. "I am going to show him what he missed out on. I don't want to be his phony ex-mate who he has to see all the time. I'm changing," I explained. Mom looked over me. "I can see, the haircut's cute," Mom stated.

"Thank you, now I'm going to go have someone repaint the car, I'll be back," I told her.

I grabbed my purse and walked out the door.

Fuck Hank, he doesn't deserve to be my mate anyways.

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And that was the start of the new Harley. Who else hates Hank?