HEIGHTS

seven

"What are you doing here so early?" I shyly asked him. I was a little more confident on the phone, but every time I saw him, he took my breath away. "I wanted to be early, since I'm usually always the late one." He smiled. Butterflies began to dance in my stomach, making it unable for me to respond. "And you?" He brought me back to reality. "Hu?" He chuckled, "Why are you earlier than arranged?" Good question. Because I was so exited, to see you. So bad. "I forgot the time you know."

Brenda appeared with Harry's and my milkshake, it was my second one, he payed. "So you wanted to meet me because?" I began the conversation. "I wanted to meet you, because I was concerned." I rose an eyebrow. "About what?" It took him a while before he answered. "Josephine's dad sued you.." I choked on the milkshake, which left him even more worried. "Are you okay?" He handed me a napkin. "Mhm. How do you know about it? Is it all over the papers?" He shook his head and sighed. "He told us." Great, so her dad knows me now, in a negative way. "Why didn't you tell me Leticia?" My eyes accidentally met his, "I was scared you would get angry." He shook his head, "Because you had the accident or because you hit and run?" I inhaled a lot of air. "Both?" His face was dead serious now. "I am kind of.. it was irresponsible of you." He said, without leaving my sight. "I'm sorry. I couldn't think for that moment. Now I have to pay for it." I spoke, my eyes were glued on my milkshake. "Don't apologize to me." He noticed my shaky breath. "Hey, I didn't mean to-" I cut him off, "It's okay." I tried to laugh it off. He was very uncomfortable I could tell. Harry nervously looked around, "You're not crying because of me right?" I frowned, "Crying? I'm not.." Only now I noticed my tears, this was the tingling feeling on my cheek. I thought it was a fly.

"I think I better go." I stood up, but he stopped me. "Wait. I'm sorry. Can I do anything for you?" I shook my head. "What could you ever do for me? It's better if we just don't see each other again. Or even talk to each other." I put my Parker on, "Why? Is it because of what I just said?" I shook my head. "I was just.. I'm sorry Harry. I didn't mean to be a jerk. I couldn't think of something else than run." I shook my head, when I realized what I just said. "You're a nice guy Harry. I think I don't deserve your kindness." He also stood up "I feel like I have to do something?" I frowned, "What? I don't need your help." I sounded harsher, than I thought I would. "I wanted to see you and now you wanna leave?" He gasped, see me? "Why?" What did he mean with it." I could help you." I looked around, "What do you mean?"

"You told me how bad you wanted to go to the E.C.A." My lips parted. "I can forget it anyway. I don't have the money for it." His smile dropped, "What do you mean?" I bit my lips, trying to come up with a lie. "You know what? I 'm not rich. I can't afford it. I saved my money for the College, but I have to pay the charge against me." I admitted. What would he think of me now? That I truly confirm, that the black people stereotype exists? Me being poor and doing criminal things. "I'm sorry.." Was the only thing he brought out. "Yeah I know you are." I headed towards the exit, but noticed him right behind me. "What?" He came closer, "You still don't have to leave now.." He smiled at me, "What are we going to do if I stay?" He shrugged, "We could just hang out. Is it too much to ask for?" I rolled my eyes. "I like you somehow." He admitted. "Somehow?" I crossed my arms in front of my chest, I could say that too, but I was too scared to do it. "Yeah. You seem cool." That's all he had to say about me? "You too." I coldly replied, a bit of disappointment was also in my voice. "You know.. we could go to the park." I suggested and he agreed.

During the car drive, I kept quiet, until he broke my shell. "Why so quiet?" I shrugged, "What are we supposed to talk about?"

"How's your sister?" I sighed, "Fine and your?" He quickly looked at me than back to the road. "You actually talk to each other?" I nodded, "She's nice to me why?" He was a bit uncomfortable I could tell. "Well she is kind of.. " I ended his sentence, "Racist." He looked over to me, now longer. "She told me.. well it's because of the bad experiences, but she was nice towards me."

"I'm not like her.." I quietly giggled, he was trying to convince me. "Oh you are not?" Silence. "No I'm not, I mean I like black people, I have black friends. You know. I also like your music. It's not like I am trying to be what I'm not it's just.. I really like being around you. You know, you got that.. swag and stuff.. I like KFC. I would never in my life treat you bad. Even though you're probably not wearing your real hair.. I would never bash you in anyway about it. You know.. I mean you guys are very sporty and stuff, you're nice and tall.." I burst out in laughter, by the attempt to convince me. Desperation was on his face. "You really don't believe me?" He sounded a little hurt. "I do believe you Harry, but you sounded funny. KFC? Very sporty? Swag? Harry that's ridiculous, you don't have to act like someone you're not. And by the way this is my real hair." I sighed. He did too. "You have nice hair by the way.. I'm sorry. I probably did sound racist right?" I smiled, "It's okay, you did not and thank you." I let the compliment he gave about my hair sink in. The butterflies came back to life again. Moments before, I was dreaming of being in Harry's near, now I was sitting next to him, in his Mercedes.

"How come that you think different than your family?" I asked. It took him a moment to answer. "I know that they are wrong, that's the reason." I smiled, "You're family is different too." He stated. "Only my sister and I are the normal ones." I wrapped a curl around my finger. "How long have you and Josephine been together?" I nervously asked, he sighed. His eyes kind of lit up, when he talked about her. "Three years." I envied her, because of this beautiful guy she could call her almost husband. "And how old are you?" I curiously asked, "Nineteen." My eyes widened, when I realized, that Harry Styles who came off so mature, was still a teen. "Wow, I thought you were older." He smiled, "A lot of people do." Only two years separated us. "And Josephine?" I looked at my hands, "Twenty one." So he liked older girls? Women? "Wow." Was everything I could say. I scanned him, he actually looked like a typical teen, he was wearing a pair of black Jeans, white Converses, a white shirt and on top a blue Flannel shirt. I liked, that our shoes were matching.

I drifted back to reality, when we finally arrived at the park. It was a lot colder than before, I cuddled myself into my warm Parker, before I stepped out. The wind was messing around with my hair, also with Harry's, but his wild locks still looked perfect.

"So the reason you wanted to see me is, because you were worried." He looked at me, triggering the tingly feeling in my stomach again. "Yeah and because I thought, you needed someone to comfort you. Jess told me that something may be going on.. in your family-" I cut him off, "She told you about my family?" We sat down on an empty bench. "No not really, she just mentioned that you were feeling bad lately, so I asked her for your number." I nodded slowly, "Why did you think, that I wanted to see you?" Now that these words escaped my lips, I found them ridiculous. "I never thought it. I hoped for it. I mean, I know how you feel." I rose an eyebrow, "You do?" He sighed, "Only because I'm.. wealthy, doesn't mean that I have no problems." He stated, "I never said that." I almost spit. "But I know that you think that." I parted my lips. Well, he was right. "What kind of issues do you have?" I curiously asked. "Does it matter?" I shrugged, "Maybe than I can relate to you." He frowned, "Forget it.." He said, while he was looking down. "Forget what?" I angrily asked. "Look, I don't wanna fight." I shook my head. "I told you mine. Now it's your turn." He didn't say anything.

So this is how it worked? I told him my problems, but he didn't tell me his. Was it because he thought, that he was something more important? "Why are you so selfish? I told you mine. Is it because, now that I told you something about me and you didn't, you can go around and humiliate me?" I was louder now. "No it's not. I just don't want to, we're not even.." He paused. "Not even what?" He bit his bottom lip, which would send me to space, when I even got to touch them. "T-tell me Harry."

"Friends." I felt a pain in my heart, I only thought important people to me, would be able to cause.