Behind Familiar Faces

Chapter Three

I spotted Harrison on a bench outside the library. The sky was gray and sagging so nobody else was outside. Harrison pulled out an Altoids tin and removed a cigarette, putting it between his lips and lighting it with the black lighter from his coat pocket. He spotted me coming and removed a second one, holding it between his fingers until I reached the bench and sat beside him. He handed me the cigarette and I put it in my mouth. Harrison leaned over and lit it for me. I took a long inhale and released it through my nose.

"Thanks harry" I said.

He gave me a quick nod.
"You know I always have a spare for you" he replied and lightly shoved me with his shoulder.

I smiled. Harrison knew I only smoked with him. I never bought cigarettes or smoked them on my own. It was just a Harrison and I activity. I knew it was weird and I didn't really have a reasoning.

"How was class?" he asked, twirling the lighter around in his fingers.

"Class was fine. I have to peer review someone's essay tonight though" I replied.

"Oh well that's great, you can come over later and help me with my vocab as you do that!" He said confidently.

I shot him a look.

"Please harp? I really need to do good on my quiz tomorrow. My professor thinks i'm an idiot and my grades don't prove him wrong" He pleaded.

A long sigh escaped me.

"I'm there if you feed me" I retort. standing up, putting my cigarette out and walking away.

I hear him chuckle from behind me.
I try to hide it but I smile to myself.

We spent a few hours at the library. Flipping through all sorts of books and magazines. Harrison asked a couple of students sitting near us if they knew anything about the professor that had been fired but none of them knew anything.

It was around dinner time when we left the building.
"So, what do you want to eat?" Harrison asked, sweeping his black hair from his eyes.

"Uhhh. I want a sandwich. Does that sound good?" I asked.

"Are you kidding? we haven't had sandwiches in four days. I'm having withdrawals!" He shouted dramatically.

I chuckled and shook my head.

"You're driving!" I shouted back.

He chuckled too and we walked through the parking lot to his car. I hopped in the passenger seat and he was in the drivers. He drove us downtown to the hole-in-the-wall sandwich shop we go to, Auggies.

We both ordered our usual sandwiches. I got iced tea and barbecue chips while Harrison got root beer and sun chips. We ate quickly and happily in the corner booth.

With full stomach we get back in the car and Harrison drove us to his apartment.

When we got inside I tossed my backpack down onto the couch and flopped down beside it, propping my feet up on the coffee table before me. I picked up the remote from beside me and started flipping through channels.

"What should we watch?" I called out to Harrison who was somewhere else in the apartment.

"We never finished that nature documentary from the other day" He hollered back.

"Uh, not true actually. I watched the rest after you fell asleep" I said back.

"What!? seriously!? without me!?" He yelled and i saw him coming down the hallway.
"I can't believe you" he added, shaking his head dramatically.

"I'm sorry okay? Here, you can choose what we watch" I offered.

"Yeah, that's right" he said, snatching the remote from me.

I hopped up from the couch and laughed.
"Hurry up and choose something. I want to smoke" I said.

Harrison clicked on Law and Order, one of his favorite shows. Then he put his jacket on and followed me out to the balcony. He pulled out a cigarette for each of us and lit both.
We leaned up against the railing in silence and watched the setting sun.

"What's going to happen if you don't pass your quiz tomorrow?" I ask him.

"My grade will go down to an F" He scoffs.

"But why? you're so smart. you know so much more than you show" I say.

"I'm just not good at school." He says.

I just nod and finish my cigarette.

"Come on let's get started" I said giving him a punch on the arm.
Harrison put his cigarette out after one long last drag and followed me inside.

We sat on the couch. Law and Order was playing in the background, Harrison's vocab homework spread across the coffee table and each of us had a beer in hand.

"Ready?" I ask him.
He nods with a serious expression.
I scribble five words on a piece of paper.
I then slide the piece of paper to him.
he turns it over and begins writing definitions to each. Fifteen seconds pass.

"five...four...three...two...one. times up!" I shout and reach over to snatch the paper from him. He had a nervous look on his face as I flip the paper over and read. I get through every word and look up at him.

"Harrison. congrats five out of five!" I announce.

"Really!?" he asks.

"Really!" I respond.
He smiles and holds up his beer.

"Cheers to that" he says. We tap our bottles together and take a swig. He smiles at me.

"We joke around a lot but seriously thank you for helping me." He adds as he sits back against  the couch and looks at me.

"No big deal" I say, locking my eyes in with his.

"Well it's a big deal to me" he says and he smiles sweetly.
I can't help but smile back.

I work on my assigned peer review as Harrison plays a video game on the TV. After a while I packed my stuff up and he drives me back to my dorm.

"You work tomorrow?" I ask as I hop out of the truck and sling my backpack over my shoulder.

"Nope. Day off" He replies.

"Lucky. I'll be there all night" I say.

"Hmmm maybe i'll come visit my favorite tutor" He jokes.

"Not funny jackass" I reply as I start to walk away.

"I'll catch ya later darlin!" He shouts and peels out.

I shook my head and shot him dagger eyes as he drove away. He knows I hate it when he calls me that.
I couldn't help but laugh as I walked to my building.