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After I agreed to go to the mall the boys bought their coffees and we sat down to wait for the others to arrive.

What had I gotten myself into here? I wasn't technically invited on this outing. I was going to stick out like a sore thumb in this group of friends at the mall. I didn't look like one of them. And John. Ugh. He would probably rather drop dead than spend a day with me... although I wasn't really worried about all that with Harrison here. Harrison's finger tips brushing against mine as they both rested on the table. He kept sneaking glances my way, his lips quirking up at the corners.

It was causing my stomach to feel funny.

Penny, Christina and Liana arrived around 15 minutes later.

"Hey boys." Liana said. Her blonde hair was in a long braid down her back, loose wisps of it framing her face. Her skin tan skin was glowing, or maybe that was just her smile. She placed a hand on Harrison's shoulder, sliding it behind his neck and playing with his hair. I swallowed and looked away from the two.

From the time I had spent with them, and I admit it wasn't much, I couldn't tell what Liana and Harrison were to each other. They weren't together, but at the same time... there was something... I just had to assume they were a thing.

I was surprised when he subtly moved away from her touch.

"Monty? Is that you?" I looked up to see Liana looking at me, her eyebrows pulled together and I thought she might suddenly ask me to leave. Actually no I thought she might growl at me but she just smiled again. "I don't remember telling you about today Monty!" She said

She clearly thought she ran the show in her group of friends.

That's 'cause you didn't. "Glad you could make it all the same." She walked around Harrison and nudged me over so she could share my chair with me.

Why me?

Penny and Christina pulled up their own chairs.

"Hey Monty." Penny greeted, and Christina sent me a smile and a nod. That was her warmest greeting and I counted myself blessed to receive it.

"You guys been waiting long?" Christina asked and Finn laughed

"Sure have, what were you guys doing?" he asked. Liana giggled

"Well we were leaving on time and then Christina decided she had to-"

"Hey!" Christina swatted at Liana, her usually cool demeanor dropping for a moment as her eyes widened. Liana grinned, her tongue sliding along her bottom lip. She looked at me and winked. "It doesn't matter anyway, we're waiting on Johnny boy anyway." Christina said running a hand through her silky black hair.

"I'm ready to leave without him if he doesn't show in the next 2 minutes." Liana said crossing her legs. "That boy really likes to get on my last nerves." She said looking at me. The bell rang as someone entered the shop. I ignored it. "What about you Monty," she said tilting her head to the side. I shrugged

"About what?" I asked

"Harper? Bit of a douchebag am I right?"

I snorted. That was the understatement of the century. John was definitely a douchebag. I couldn't understand why a guy as nice as Harrison, Finn too, would ever want to be friends with Jerk Boy. I was just about to open my mouth and reply when the devil himself cut me off.

"Better watch what you say Montgomery, I'm right behind you."

Oh.

For some reason I felt more embarrassed than I should have. I mean who cares if John knew what I thought about him. He probably did already.

"Oh John way to ruin the fun." Liana giggled and I realized she knew he had been there, she could see behind me from her position. She was going to let me run my mouth in front of him. I slowly turned around, my cheeks flaming.

She was so manipulative.

"Took you long enough." Harrison said breaking the silence and standing up to slap John on the shoulder. "Lets just get outta here."

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The mall was pretty packed by the time we got there. It was hard to find spots for the three cars that we had.

I hung at the back of the pack as we walked through the mall, window-shopping and following the girls into any shop that caught their interest. They tried on so many things but usually walked out with nothing. The boys just hung around outside the stores talking about the football season, but I guess it was only a matter of time before they got hungry.

"Dude, I'm telling you I'm gonna have a stroke if I don't eat something." Finn moaned and Penny punched him in the shoulder.

"You don't get strokes from not eating for two hours Finn." She said with a cackle as Finn rubbed his shoulder.

"Well you get the picture anyway. I want to eat." He mumbled and everyone actually agreed. We were about to get a table at Friday's when Liana laid a hand on my arm and pulled me to the side.

"Hey Monty, you tell the others I had a family emergency and had to go." She said.

What?

"Uh sure, is everything okay?" I asked and she smirked

"Oh yeah I'm just meeting up with Donny is all." She must have seen the disapproving look flash across my face because she laughed "Dear Monty, its fine. I'm not cheating on Harrison if that's what you're thinking."

"I wasn't-"

"Please, yes you were, but don't you fret that pretty little head of yours. Harrison and I aren't together. It's complicated but really he's just there when I want him." Her phone buzzed in her hands and she bit her lip. "Gotta run, just tell the others what I said." I nodded slowly. She giggled, "Aw thanks Monty, I owe you one." She blew two quick kisses before hurrying away. I was left shell shocked for a moment.

What just happened?

"He's just there when I want him."

What did that mean?

Well whatever it was it didn't sound good.

It didn't sound nice.

And if it didn't matter then why was she lying and not just letting her friends know who she was really meeting.

"Loosing your mind Montgomery?" John's voice snapped me from my daze. He sniggered as I turned around and narrowed my eyes at him.

"Where's Li?" Penny asked.

"She said she had a family emergency and had to go." I said and Penny frowned. I glanced over at Harrison, Liana's words playing in my head.

Just when I want him.

He's there just when I want him.

Just when I want him.

When I want him.

Want.

Him.

Just when...

But I wanted him.

I wanted him all the time.

"I hope everything is okay." Christina said. I didn't understand why Liana would lie to her friends. What the point of it was to make them worry. I assumed that this Donny was Donny Mathews from school. He was the behind the scene bad boy, motorcycle and tattoos and the whole shebang.

Honestly he didn't seem like Liana's type, but whom else would she be talking about?

Not Donald from Physics that was for sure.

"I'm sure its all good, she didn't seem too worried, but wanted to go check it out." I said and she nodded. I felt Harrison watching me, questioning my sweaty palms and pinched eyebrows.

I didn't like lying to them.

We sat down after that. I was sat on the end of the booth, next to Penny and across from Harrison. Next to him was John and then Christina. Finn was on the other side of Penny. It was strange eating with them all without Liana. I was surprised by how much her absence made a difference. Not necessarily a bad one. The boys and girls mingled conversation more then they did at lunch in school. There was more laughter. Usually Liana's laugh was the main center of attention. Her personality was so bright and overpowering. Perhaps even suffocating. Nobody else laughed that much when she was around.

The conversation was pretty light and I spoke a little, but my main attention was on Harrison and his golden eyes. He was looking at me. His stare was making my heart race and my mind fuzzy. I excused myself to the bathroom to collect myself. Just as I was about to push through the door a hand gripped my wrist and I was yanked out of the restaurant. They dragged me back out into the mall and through a glass door which lead outside. My mouth was dry as he turned around the side of the building so we were alone. I was up against the brick wall with stern eyes looking down at me.

"Why did Li really leave, Tana." It wasn't a question it was a demand. The look in his eyes told me that. My mouth popped open in shock. Harrison didn't believe my- I mean Liana's excuse?

I shook my head.

"I don't know what you're talking about-"

"Oh please, I'm not an idiot. A family emergency that she 'wasn't too worried about'? What kind of emergency is that?" Okay well that did sound stupid when he said it like that. Should I play dumb or tell him the truth?

"Please Tana, it's important." He says and I knew I would tell him now.

"She- she said she was going to..." I trailed off. I couldn't read Harrison's face. Was he mad? He looked like he was trying to keep a neutral expression, but he also looked desperate. As if he knew and wanted to know if he was right. "She said she was going to see Donny..." I finished. And he immediately cursed, his fingers curling at his side and then flying to his hair. He ran his hands through it and tugged at the ends.

"Damn it!" He shouted and let out a frustrated yell that made me flinch. I had never seen him like this. He stilled, his back to me. When he turned around his face was stoic. He sighed and took a step towards me.

"I knew it." He whispered. "I've just been waiting. I knew, but I..." he sighed again and closed his eyes.

"Are you okay?" I asked. He looked at me so intensely

"I'm fine. Actually, I'm relieved." He said and took a step closer.

"Relieved?"

"Yeah." There was silence around us. Our breathing was slow and slightly out of sync. Our bodies only two feet apart. He stepped closer again, closing the gap between us.

"Liana-"

"Don't talk about her." He said. His voice low and husky, sending shivers down my spine.

"But-"

"We're not together, Tana. She's made that clear enough. To me and to everyone-fucking-else."

I didn't reply. My heart wasn't doing too well with him looking at me like that. Their was a strain in his voice. Was he mad at Liana? No not mad anymore... he said he was relieved, but why? His next words knocked my off my feet.

"I really want to kiss you right now." He whispered placing his hands on the wall next to my head so that I was caged in. My breath hitched in my throat as his pupils dilated. His head tilted to the side and mouth hovered over my collarbone, his lips ever so slightly brushed my skin before skimming up my neck. My breaths were ragged in anticipation. God I wanted him to kiss me so badly.

My chest was heaving and his lips finally pressed warm against my jaw, I sighed and he smiled against my skin.

"Harrison-"

"Tana...?" the sound of his voice saying my name like that and my knees were shaking. I was ready to beg now. Just kiss me god dammit!

Suddenly he pulled away and took a step away from me, a step to far away. I almost toppled forward as a magnetic force seemed to pull my body with his. I looked at him confused and most likely desperate. He looked away and ran a hand through his hair; he seemed to be fighting an internal battle.

"What- what's wrong?" I asked trying to gather my thoughts back together. He shook his head and turned his back to me. That hurt. My stomach took a punch to the gut.

"Tana I- I'm sorry," he paused and sucked in a deep breath "I shouldn't have done that." I felt panic rise through me like a scream

"What? I- I wanted you to though. I didn't push you away." He was silent for a moment.

"I thought I could but... fuck." He whispered and I probably wasn't meant to hear it but I did. I was still trying to regain my breath from where he had quite literally sucked it from my lungs.

"Harrison, I- if you weren't going to kiss me then..." my words trailed off as I tried to fight the tears away "Then why- why would you...?" I stared at the back of his head, his soft brown hair just an arms length away. He didn't say anything "Is it Li-?"

"No." his tone was sharp. Sharper than probably intended. Silence again.

"Please say something because I can't just stand here. I can't wait for you to say something when you will say nothing because this silence is chocking more than hands physically could." I say. I step away from the wall when he doesn't reply, the pebbles on the pavement crunching slightly under my shoes as I start backing away from him. He seemed to flinch at the sound.

"I'm sorry Monty. I'll see you at the table, yeah?" he said, hunching his shoulders slightly and I waited for a moment urging him in my head to turn around and meet my gaze, but he didn't. My hands shaking, and my face red from the thoughts that had been going through my mind as his lips touched my skin.

Did I disgust him?

Was I not pretty?

Why would he...? I couldn't look at his unmoving figure anymore, I spun on my heal and started sprinting in the opposite direction to him. I closed my eyes tight shut as tears finally started coming and a sob rose in my throat. His gold irises were burned into the back of my lids though and were staring back at me. I couldn't escape him, not now, not after what he said to me. I really want to kiss you right now.

I couldn't keep running with my muscles shredding like they were. I stopped and turned around to see where I'd been running from. You couldn't see where it had happened and I didn't seem him running after me. I needed to get home.

I needed to cry, I needed to let this humiliation out, but I had no one I could run to. No one that I could cry to about this. About him. So I just pressed my back against the concrete wall of a different building and slid down so I was sat on the ground, my knees pulled up to my chest and my head hanging low so that I could cry for as long as I wanted and no one but the stone staring up at me would know how much it hurt.

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A/N- Hey! A quick update tonight to make up for lost time and some many late chapters! Hingis are definitely becoming a bit more dramatic! What do we think of Harrison?! What's holding him back?