Two Truths & A Lie

Chapter 9

Now that I was thinking about it, Homecoming was popping up everywhere. Colorful signs thrown up by the Student Government were hanging all over the halls, advertising "A Night Under the Stars," the most cliche Homecoming theme ever. It seemed like I couldn't escape seeing at least one happy girl or boy get a date in the most irritatingly cute way possible. Flowers and chocolates and cards and jewelry - for goodness sake, it was like Valentine's Day for suckers in late September. Was I jealous? Of course.

Louis and I didn't talk anymore. It was awkward as hell with our lockers directly beside each other and with so many classes together. He and Clarice didn't talk anymore either and I almost felt bad that she was the one to get caught up in Louis' moment of "confusion" with our relationship. The least he could have done was continued to talk to her after it all ended. He didn't even look at her. He didn't look at anyone, really. He just stared at the floor with a look on his face like he was still contemplating the whole thing.

Miranda and Niall began dating the week after she came to talk to me and made me gain five pounds because of the comfort food she brought with her. Niall skateboarded into the lunchroom with a bouquet of roses and a pizza and had Miranda believing that he was simply going to ask her to Homecoming, having spread the rumor himself and allowing people to twist it however they wanted. He knew Miranda got worked up about the different rumors that she heard and loved that it threw her completely off. Instead of just asking her to Homecoming, he serenaded her with some last-minute, non-rhyming song about why they should be boyfriend and girlfriend. Finally. Too bad I wasn't there to see it. I didn't eat in the lunchroom anymore.

Harry's new sense of style and the sudden appearance of his personality - the kinder, cooler side of it, at least - made him one of the most popular people in the school, especially since Louis and I were basically off of the radar. Miranda and Niall were the new favorite couple and Harry was the guy to chase. It's funny how these "positions" all rotated and changed out. People still came to me for advice, but they also started to got to Miranda. Weird how that worked, but I almost liked it. I had forgotten what it was like to be able to take care of myself for a while, to be able to take a step out of the spotlight and analyze other things.

One of the things I couldn't seem to figure out was whether or not Harry's newfound personality was genuine. He had been such an asshole in the past... and he even admitted to me in the fitting rooms that one Saturday that he thought he was better than everyone here. Now that he was higher up on the Wilmington High totem pole of popularity, he seemed so comfortable making jokes with the guys in the hall and making all of the girls blush with a seductive wink when he passed by, but he didn't speak to any of the girls. Of course, I heard rumor after rumor about him hooking up with girls and such, but I didn't believe it. The girls at this school did the same thing with me before I started to date Louis. Once they were worried he was going to be off the market, the girls at this school tried to start shit that would scare me away from dating him. Lying bitches. The only reason they started rumors about hooking up with Harry was because it boosted their own popularity by a point and kept other girls away. I almost felt bad for Harry though, that he was being given a reputation that he didn't deserve. That being said, he dealt with the rumors like they were nonexistent. It seemed like he wasn't just yet allowing the popularity to go to his head. He was too good at this. I refused to believe that he wasn't popular before. He and whoever that girl from his past was. They ruled his old school. I was still struggling to find out who she was and just what happened to bring Harry down.

He and I didn't talk. When we passed in the hallway, he became serious and quickened his pace. Was I diseased?

I ate lunch across the library from him. Instead of sitting in his usual, obnoxiously loud, leather seat, he changed to a different one - one that he could see me from all the way across the library. Occasionally, I would glance up and catch him staring. To say it didn't make my heart beat a little faster would be a lie. One Thursday, he seemed to be staring a little harder than usual, bouncing his knee and biting his lip like he was anxious about something. He stood up at one point, adjusted the red beanie on his head, and sat back in his seat. Antsy little boy.