Dedicated to: @choco1ate

"So... " Rhea began, wiggling her eyebrows. "How long have you and Harper been... "

Emma giggled.

I groaned. We had all decided to meet up at Starbucks, Emma, Rhea and I, and it was only a few hours after I had come back from the hospital. It was a very awkward experience once Harper had calmed down- me having to literally climb out of his lap blushing, while Harper merely smirked, looking me up and down.

"We aren't dating," I sighed dramatically. Emma and Rhea looked at me in disbelief.

"Okay... have you kissed yet?"

I shook my head. "Look, I'm too afraid to. And I don't think Harper likes me."

Emma slammed her head loudly on the table, and I jumped back, startled. All the other customers gave Emma strange looks. She didn't seem to notice, as she snapped her head up to look at me. "You have got to be kidding me."

I frowned. "What?"

"Never mind," Emma sighed. "Never mind."

Rhea chuckled and I turned to her. "So... you and Joshua?" I asked, smirking at my counter.

She sighed. "Not great. I think he might like someone else. And it feels fucking heartbreaking."

"Wait, do you love him?" Emma piped in. Rhea sighed and nodded. I patted he back reassuringly.

"It's okay, if he doesn't love you for who you are, he isn't deserving of you- "

"Hey, girls." A voice interrupted. We all looked up at the same time, to see Alfie standing over our table, Joshua in tow. Although he was greeting all of us, his eyes were on me. From the corner of my eye I could see Rhea straightening up in her seat and smiling slightly at Joshua.

I smiled awkwardly at them.

I don't want to speak to Joshua.

Emma gave me a look.

"Um... what are you doing here?" Emma asked. For the first time, Alfie turned to her.

"We're here for Noelle."

Okay...

I raised my eyebrows, as Alfie continued.

"This asshole," Alfie slapped the back of Joshua's head, making him wince. "Is here to apologize to Noelle."

I looked away, shocked. To apologize? He wanted to apologize, or at least Alfie wanted him to apologize, to me for the other day in the car, when Joshua said he only came up to me to get Harper mad.

"I don't need your apology," I replied bitterly, turning away to sip from my caramel frapuccino. "It's kind of beyond apologizing stage. I mean, if Alfie has to tell you to apologize, then it's obviously not worth my time."

"Hey, I'm not that bad!" Alfie grumbled.

I glared at him and he shut up quickly.

"Look, Noelle, please listen," Joshua spoke for the first time. To my surprise, his voice was soft and genuine and seemed deeper than the ocean. I sighed, giving in, before nodding, signalling for him to continue.

"I'm sorry. At first, I admit, I just wanted to get to Harper. But then I got to know you- and, I guess, I came to like you. So, yeah."

Okay, that was pretty nice.

And I do like Joshua.

As a friend, of course.

"Fine," I sighed. "Now go away."

Joshua looked shocked. "You forgive me?"

"Well, yeah, I guess."

Joshua grinned an adorable grin, his blue eyes sparkling. He seemed so happy that I had forgiven him, I couldn't help but smile a little too. Swiftly, he bent down, and to my imminent surprise he kissed me on the cheek, before darting away, disappearing as quickly as he had come.

Joshua kissed me on the cheek.

But that wasn't the scary thing.

The scary thing was that I didn't like it.

You would think that if you were to be kissed by a hot guy, you would like it, right?

Wrong.

His lips just felt wrong. Cold, and chapped, and wrong.

They weren't like Harper's.

Oh my gods, shut up about Harper, will you?

I almost forgot about Rhea, who was staring at me, hurt layered like paint across her face. Alfie had left, and her eyes seemed glued to my cheek- where Joshua had kissed me. I awkwardly rubbed my hand across the spot, trying in a vain attempt to get rid of the horrible feeling of his lips.

"I'm sorry, Rhea," I muttered, unable to look her in the eye.

I heard her sigh. "It's okay. It's not your fault."

I looked up and smiled slightly at her. Emma looked enraged. "That asshole! He can't just do that!"

Rhea sighed again. "I told you, it's fine. If I want to get him to like me, I guess I have to do some work." She grinned evilly at me. I awkwardly shifted away from her.

I don't like where this is going.

"So... how has getting cuddly with Harper been going?"

I groaned.

——————————————————————————

I gripped the handle of my locker tightly, my knuckled turning white.

It's okay, Noelle. You can do this. It's just one detention.

Apparently, Ms Adams hadn't gone back on her word when it came to giving me a detention, and finally the day had come- for the detention.

I was utterly terrified.

Slowly, I grabbed my book from my locker before gently closing it. Everyone had gone home now, and I was the only person in the corridor. I made my way a few steps down the hall before I stopped.

I didn't even know where the detention room was. It could be on freaking Mars for all I knew.

Oh my gods, what if I get in trouble for being late for detention? What if-

Deep breaths, Noelle.

I sighed, before trekking around the school, in search for the dreaded detention room. Finally, ten minutes later, I found it, next to the gym.

That's why I didn't know where it was.

Carefully, I knocked on the door, before stepping in. First thing I felt was boredom, seeping through the air, contaminating me. I looked to the head of the classroom, where the teacher's desk would be, but instead there was a bean bag. Sat on it was a rather pig-faced teacher, eating from a bowl of nachos, his face seeming red from the hard work of dipping the tortilla chips in the cheese.

Wow.

He was holding an iPad in his hands, a pair of ear plugs tucked into his ears. He was staring at the screen intently, so I decided not to disturb him.

How incredibly cliché. The teacher that never pays attention in detentions.

Maybe this won't be so bad.

The sense of dread and fear seemed to have eased it's weight off of me, and I sighed deeply before turning to face the chairs of the classroom. To my utter surprise, Emma was sitting there.

"Emma!" I squealed. She looked up at me from her phone.

"Hey, Noelle." Emma grinned. I smiled and sat in the seat next to her.

"So, why are you here?" I asked, twiddling with the pages of my book. She frowned, exasperated. "I was sent here for talking back to Ms Adams when she was shouting at you."

I gasped. "Really?"

Emma hesitantly nodded.

"Oh my gods, I'm so sorry," I panicked. "I'm such a terrible best friend I got you into this detention, oh my gods- "

Emma laughed. "Noelle, calm down. It's fine."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded.

"Well, I never got to thank you for that, so thanks, Emma."

She grinned. "You owe me now."

I groaned. "I should have known there was a catch."

"You bet!" Emma replied in a cheesy clown voice.

I rolled my eyes. Then almost in time, Emma and I looked away. Her to her phone and me, you guessed it, to my book.

I began to read, letting myself get absorbed by the words, soon, ten minutes had passed and I was still reading. I almost jumped when I heard someone call my name.

"Noelle?" Harper's husky voice said. I ignored him. I may have a crush on the idiot, but you see, I've had a relationships with Augustus Waters in my book for longer.

"Noelle?" He asked, again, more persistently. "Shut up," I mumbled, getting irritated. For god's sake, can't he see I'm trying to read?

"Baby doll, why aren't you answering me- "

"For god's sake, Andrews, what the hell do you want?" I snapped at him. His eyes widened, taken aback by my sudden outburst. Emma just watching in amusement, finally tearing her eyes away from her screen.

Thanks, Emma.

Harper smirked in that hot bad boy way.

Shut up!

"God, baby doll, you're in a pissy mood. Is it your time of the month?"

I flushed red, partly because I was irritated at him, and partly because the 'time of the month' thing was true.

"Shut up," I growled. "I'm reading, and frankly, I enjoy my book more than you."

"Baby, you haven't even had me yet." Harper winked.

I blushed.

"Shut up!" I shouted. He chuckled again.

"You're cute when you're mad."

Does he ever stop talking?

"Please stop being so infuriating," I groaned. "I just want to read. I am hating you very much right now."

"Please, baby doll, I know you love me." Harper said cockily.

"I do not love you," I shot back, blushing a little.

"You know, you're blush says otherwise. You so love me."

I groaned, I don't.

Really?

Shut up, you don't love Harper Andrews. It's just a crush.

I ignored myself and gave him a look. He shrugged, taking a seat next to me. "I don't blame you. I'm pretty god damn sexy."

We were interrupted by the sound of sobbing from the front of the classroom. All three of us turned our heads to the direction of the noise. The detention teacher was crying at something on his screen- no, wailing- wiping tears from his eyes. We all looked at each other awkwardly.

"Whatever," I sighed. "I don't find you sexy, Andrews."

Lie, lie, lie!

Emma finally decided to speak up. "Actuallyyy... that's a lie." I turned to her with wide eyes, shaking my head. Harper smirked, amused. Emma grinned evilly.

"Noelle thinks you're really hot, Harper. Said it to me more than once."

I groaned, mortified, before slamming my head on the desk.

Now Harper knows that I think he's hot. Great.

"You're a terrific best friend," I whined sarcastically at Emma- Harper was laughing hysterically. "Hey," Emma replied. "At least you don't owe me anymore."

I slowly looked up at Harper, who was smirking. "I knew it, baby doll, I'm irresistible."

"Hey, don't get so cocky," Emma continued. "Max has told me what you've said about Noelle."

What?

As quickly as it had come, his smirk disappeared, replaced by an expression of shock. He shook his head violently. "I knew I shouldn't have told that son of a bitch! Emma, please don't."

I blushed. Harper talks about me.

Wait, good or bad? Let's just hope it's good.

Harper stuttered, quickly changing the subject. "So have you told Emma about your assembly?"

Well, that got serious fast.

I nodded bluntly.

"Baby doll, do you want to do it?"

I shrugged.

"Noelle- " Emma interrupted, a look of distress on her face for me.

"No, Emma. It doesn't matter if I want to do it. I have to do it. Who knows, it might help my social anxiety and panic attacks."

"You get panic attacks?" A high pitched squeaky voice came from the door. I froze, almost like all my muscles had come screeching to a stop. Emma and Harper visibly tensed as well. I slowly turned to face Amanda, a slight smirk written on her perfect features.

"Wow," she drawled. "That's, like, two secrets in three days, isn't it?"

"Amanda, seriously- "

I was interrupted by Harper.

"Don't you fucking dare, Amanda. I will literally destroy you."

"Baby," Amanda whined to Harper. "You've already destroyed me in bed."

I felt myself heat up at her comment, a pang of hurt, and a rage of jealousy.

Harper gritted his teeth together. "We may have fucked once, Amanda, but it meant nothing. Nothing." He growled. I winced at what he said.

My whole heart hurt. I knew that Harper and Amanda- I knew they hooked up once, before Harper and I were friends, but it still hurt. Quite a bit. I couldn't bear to look at him, so I turned away, looking to Emma instead. Her face was flaming and her eyes were narrow.

"You bitch- " Emma began, but I stopped her with my eyes.

Don't.

She faltered.

"Amanda," I said in a tight voice. "Please go."

Amanda ignored me.

"Harper, baby, I'm giving you a choice. Hook up with me and ravish me like that night- or I spill Noelle's little secret to everyone." She arched a delicate eyebrow, flicking her blonde hair over her shoulder.

She- she can't do that!

It doesn't matter. We all know what Harper is going to choose anyway. He's a player. What do you expect?

I couldn't help but feel really selfish. I didn't want Harper to- um, hook up, I guess- with her. I didn't want him to be with another girl, it would hurt me so much. Like when your favourite character dies in a book.

I turned even further away from Harper, and I could feel his stare burning into my back. I heard the sound of Amanda walking into the classroom, taking a seat next to Harper, her heels clicking on the floor. I heard giggles, and I squeezed my eyes tightly shut. I felt Emma put her hand on my knee.

"They're not doing anything," she whispered. "Harper is refusing to look at her."

I opened my eyes slowly.

Suddenly, I heard the screeching of a chair being pulled back. Then more footsteps, not like Amanda's annoying clicking heels, no, like Harper's Converse slapping on the floor.

"Harper, baby- " Amanda called out.

"Fuck off," came his immediate reply. I almost laughed at how blunt it was, and at the same time I wanted to scold him for his language.

The door slammed shut.

——————————————————————————

The haunting Harry Potter theme song emitted from my phone. I groaned in my bed, turning away from my book, grabbing my phone. I didn't even bother to look at the contact, I just pressed 'accept'.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Hi, darling! This is Maggie."

"Oh, hi," I smiled.

"I was wondering if you were maybe free to babysit Jenna right now? I have a meeting at work and Harper will be going out with friends in a twenty minutes. I can't leave Jenna alone."

"Of course!" I grinned. I mean, who doesn't love Jenna?

"That's great, honey, thank you. Could you come over now?"

I nodded, before stupidly realizing she couldn't see me. "Yeah."

"Thank you, bye!"

"Bye, Maggie."

I hung up the phone, before heaving myself out of bed. I glanced through my window, only to see Harper in his room, staring at me. I blushed and turned away. I hadn't seen him since he left detention.

I raced down the stairs, to the door, before slipping on my shoes. I was dressed decently, a purple sweater and black leggings, so I left the house, making my way to Harper's.

The soft melody of the doorbell rang through the air, and Maggie immediately threw open the door. "I'm sorry, I'm in a rush, food is in the fridge, feel free to watch the TV, bye, thank you!" she rushed past me.

I giggled, entering the house. Jenna was sitting on the couch, the same place she was sitting when I first met her, and she was reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I grinned.

"Hey, Jenna," I called out. She looked at me and grinned, before flinging herself onto me, wrapping her arms around me tightly.

"Hi, Noelle!"

I laughed, sitting us down. "How are you?"

"Great! Do you know I have a boyfriend?"

I laughed. "Really?"

She nodded and pointed at the picture of Harry Potter on the cover. I laughed.

"He's very handsome," she added. I laughed again, at her innocence and how adorable she was.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" she asked me.

I wish.

"No, I'm afraid not," I answered. She frowned.

"I know Harper wants you to be his girlfriend." She replied, twiddling her thumbs. I blushed, recalling the events of today.

"I don't think that's true, Jenna," I said, still blushing.

"You know," she whispered. "He's always talking about you at home. Mom thinks that he likes you. But she told me not to tell Harper that."

"Oh, really?" I asked, getting uncomfortable. I leaned over to grab the TV remote from the table."Now why don't we watch some TV?"

Jenna nodded eagerly, and I sighed in relief. I switched it on.

"Can you get my teddy from upstairs?" she requested. I nodded, smiling, standing up. "Where is it?"

"Harper's room, please."

Oh.

He's probably still in there.

"Uh- um, sure," I stuttered, giving in. She smiled. I grinned, before trekking up the stairs.

You can do this.

I stopped outside his door, reaching my hand out to gently knock on the wooden frame. The rap of my knuckles ran through the air.

"Who is it?" called Harper's husky voice. I almost died at the sound of it.

"Noelle, I have to get Jenna's toy," I answered cautiously. There was a silence, long and deep like the ocean. What does that even mean?

"Come in." Harper finally replied. I took a deep breath before stepping in.

Why am I so nervous?

I was immediately greeted by a glorious sight. Harper was laying on his bed, shirtless with just a pair of black shorts on. Perspiration dotted his fine abs as he lay down, throwing a basketball up and catching it again.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. He smirked.

"Again, baby doll, this is the second time I'm telling you. I live here."

I rolled my eyes. "You know what I mean. I thought you were meant to be going out with friends."

"Ah, I cancelled on them. I'm sick."

I inwardly grinned. Not only was I going to be spending time with him, but also he didn't seem mad at me.

Wait- did he hook up with Amanda?

It felt like something was ripped from my chest. I frowned. As if reading my expression, Harper spoke up.

"I didn't hook up with Amanda, by the way."

"Oh?" I asked, trying to act indifferent even though all I wanted to do was scream and shout and fangirl.

Really hard.

Harper frowned a little, and his eyes flashed with hurt- so quickly I almost missed it. Soon enough, it was gone, replaced by his usual smirk.

"So, you said you were sick?" I continued.

"Why, baby doll, going to nurse me back to health? I've always had those sexy nurse fantasies."

I ignored his comment. "Well, you're sweating a lot- " I took this opportunity to glance at his abs. "So I think you have a fever."

To be sure, I walked to the side of his bed, pressing the back of my hand against his cheek. "Definitely a fever." I confirmed, pulling my hand back. Before I could completely remove it from his skin, he stopped me, grabbing my hand and pulling it back to his cheek, oh so dangerously near to his lips.

Swoon.

"Can you make me some soup?" He asked, attempting puppy dog eyes. And succeeding.

Damn his adorableness.

"Harper, I can't cook- "

"Please?"

I huffed. "Fine, but only because you're sick."

"Thanks, baby doll."

I rolled my eyes in response, but yet again, before I could leave, Harper stopped me- this time, by pulling my wrist.

He pulled me down next to him on the bed, so I landed in a very weird position. My knee was awkwardly resting on his thigh, and my other hand that wasn't held by Harper's wrist was resting on my elbow on the bed. I didn't care though, because Harper was staring at me. Or my lips. I felt myself heat up, my face flushing red.

Harper continued to scan my lips, before flicking his eyes up to mine. It was then when I noticed how close we were. I fixated my eyes on his, and I could see every single gold fleck submerged in the ocean of green. His eyes flickered back to my lips, and I held my breath. My hands are suddenly slick with sweat, but I don't bother wiping them, not wanting to ruin the moment. I can see the light sprinkling of freckles on his nose, and I just want to kiss every single one of them, turn by turn. His gaze is piercing, and I can't hear him breathing, even though his eyes are open. He's holding his breath too.

The ache is deep and painful, the ache that if he just reached his head a few more inches forward, our lips would meet.

Please kiss me.

He began to lean forward, and I almost exploded. I closed my eyes, waiting for our lips to touch.

"MY EYES!" A kid's voice squealed. Harper and I shot apart, and I hit my head on the wall, before tumbling to the floor.

"Shit," Harper mumbled looking very frustrated as I rubbed my head. I turned to face the doorway, where Jenna was covering her eyes and screaming.

"Woah, woah, Jenna," Harper said, picking up Jenna and placing her on his lap. For a strange, weird second, I ached to be her. "Calm down."

She pried her fingers off her eyes. "Were you two about to kiss?" she asked, wincing slightly.

"No!" Harper exclaimed quickly. I felt my heart sink at that.

I knew it. Why would I expect anything else?

I grimaced, and got to my feet, cringing at the pain. "I'll go make the soup," I mumbled, awkwardly readjusting my clothes. I didn't dare look at Harper, in fear I would find amusement in his eyes. Sneering at me for wanting to kiss him- for thinking for a single moment that he liked me too.

"No, baby doll- " Harper protested.

"It's fine," I interrupted. "It's no problem. Don't worry."

Before he could speak again, I rushed out of the room.

Ahhhhh I finally got a chapter up for you :)

I hope you like, it guys :)))) Quote from @elladday: "I'm awesome."

IM HAPPY BECAUSE I HAVE A THREE DAY WEEKEND AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

DEDICATION NEXT CHAPTER GOES TO: somebody who shares my story with people- tag me or something do I know... sorry I really want to make this story popular <3

Thank you guys!

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-A xx <3