habits of my heart (h.s.)

twenty-four

After getting a fat C- on my latest chemistry lab, I wasn't sure there was anything that could possibly put me in a worse mood. Unfortunately, the universe just loved to work against me, which was confirmed when I walked into the apartment that afternoon to find a girl draped over Harry on the couch. Thankfully, they still had their clothes on, but if I had come in a few minutes later, I didn't think that would be a guarantee.

My first reaction was to burst into tears. Thankfully, that didn't happen. My second reaction was to scream and throw something at them. My third reaction was a whole lot more rational, and ultimately was the one I decided to go with: clear my throat awkwardly. There really wasn't anything else I could do. After all, I had pretty much done this to myself.

The two of them immediately jumped away from each other when they heard me, and I watched as Harry's expression transformed into pure panic. My throat felt dry as I registered the girl who had her lips attached to his a mere seconds ago was none other than Anna. It was the first time I had seen her since Halloween, and in some ways, she was like a ghost finally come back to life. I had worried about her for so long, heard about her for even longer, and now there she was, confirming my worst fears.

I had pretty much assumed the two of them had gotten back together, after he hadn't come home that night three weeks ago, and the disappointed looks he garnered from Niall and Natasha every time he passed by only made things more clear to me. I guess I had just wanted to believe anything but the truth. I wanted to believe that he was with any other girl but her. Every night, thoughts of how he had chosen the girl who had broken his heart and instilled a fear of commitment over me plagued my head, restraining me from sleep. I tried not to think about how well he had been sleeping these past few weeks.

"Aly," Harry gasped hoarsely, running a hand through his mussed up hair. "Shit. I, um, I thought you were staying late at the library tonight."

"I was, but it closed early." My voice came out sounding odd and high-pitched, nothing like me. "So....I decided to come back home. I didn't know I was interrupting something." I laughed nervously. "Sorry. I'll just go to my room now."

Harry looked like he agreed with that idea, but before I had the chance to escape and burn memories of him kissing another girl, Anna jumped up from the couch and threw her arms around me. "Oh my God, the famous Alyson!" she squealed. "I've heard so much about you. I'm so happy to finally meet you!"

I decided not to mention to her that we actually had met before, at the Halloween party. What was the point? Instead, I pasted on what I hoped was a convincing smile and awkwardly hugged her back. "Me too," I said. "And, um, it's Aly."

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Oh, Harry always calls you Alyson, so I thought...." Her voice trailed off mindlessly. "Aly's perfect. I love it."

She said that as if it was some exotic, foreign name, not one of the most common names in the English language. My mind immediately wandered to what Harry had told her about me, but I forced myself to think about anything else.

"You are just too cute," Anna beamed, and I tried not to grimace. I half-expected her to squeeze my cheeks like I was a child. "Where did they find you?"

"In the cupboard under the stairs," Harry broke his silence. His eyes darted to me for a minute, the slightest hint of a smile on his face. I didn't have the energy to return it. Maybe another time, not when I was fresh from witnessing him hook up with his no-longer-ex girlfriend.

Anna threw her head back with laughter, and it was a light, tinkly sound. I tried not to compare it to my laugh, which Harry had compared to the lovechild of an elephant and a witch on numerous occasions. "Harry Potter. I love it."