Friend-Zoned (Harry Styles FanFic)

Chapter One: Short Days

I'm watching her from across the room. Her beady green eyes are focused on whatever we are supposed to be working on, and she doesn't even see I am around. But that's how we always were.

Her blond hair was curled today, I noted, and her nails were painted, her face focused. I noticed her position, and her body, studying the brilliant figure sitting just a seat away. I couldn't stop thinking about how superb she was, how her laugh made me smile, and how her teeth seemed to light up when she grinned.

My eyes seemed glued to hers, and the only noise in the room was the silent writing of pencils, their eraser shavings falling to the ground whenever someone swiped them off their desk. It was when a cough behind me snapped me from my trance.

We were in Ms. Sheen's room, taking a test. I had only answered a few questions, most of them guesses. I was never good at math; but Tabby was. Tabby was brilliant at almost everything, even though she never saw it. But I knew. I knew all her little secrets, and how amazing her grades were. My grades would be good, too, considering if I had actually focused on my work half the time. But with this short, gorgeous girl sitting before my eyes, I knew I would never manage.

"Tests in! Tests in!" Ms. Sheen called out, and I circled some answers to make it look as if I was working. I allowed Tabby to get up first and turn her paper in, then I stood behind her and turned mine in. Tabby walked back towards her desk and gathered up her things.

As the bell rang, I hurried over to Tabby, and she smiled at me.

"Hey." She grinned, "How'd you do on the test?" I frowned and lied,

"Not so good, Tab. Those questions were hard." Tabby eyed me.

"But.. we studied for weeks for that test, Harry! How could you have flunked it?" I hated it when Tabby did that, assumed I had already failed.

"I haven't failed yet.." I mumbled and then sighed.

"Maybe you need tutoring from a teacher." Tabby announced, "The tutoring we have been doing together doesn't seem to snap in your head."

I jumped.

I didn't want to stop studying with Tabby. Tabby was an excellent tutor, and I understood the questions just fine, but it was all just so confusing when she was sitting in front of me.

"No!" I almost screamed in her face, and she looked taken aback, almost frightened and confused. I quickly covered up my mistake by saying, "I-I'll try harder next time." I bit my lip, sounding hopeful, "Please don't let the teachers tutor me, Tabby! Please!"

Tabby laughed.

"Fine, fine!" Tabby grinned, "Now go to your next class. I'll see you for lunch after this period, okay?" I nodded, and Tabby smiled before turning away and leaving.

Soon after watching her figure leave, I began walking to my next period; History. It was one of my favorite subjects, and I really wished I had had it with Tabby, because we had so many partner projects in that class. It was rare for me not to have any classes with Tabby, because we had been in the same classes since the third grade. Yet, even today, I have six periods with her out of eight.

Luck was just on my side.

I scurried to History, taking my seat before the long bell ring. Most of the time I could focus on my History work, but other times I couldn't wait to have lunch with Tabby. This was one of these days.

My History teacher, Ms. Simmons, was teaching us something about the French and Indian War by the time I had dozed off into dream land with Tabby. I was thinking of the first day I had met her.