"It's in his DNA, and he just takes my breath away."

Song: DNA

Artist: Little Mix

I couldn't wipe the smile from my face as I made my way to class, incredibly pleased at his natural inclination to kiss me before I left. Despite all the somewhat awkward run-ins we had just experienced, I had loved my morning with him. It felt so natural already to be with him in public, just running errands like normal people. I was surprised by how easy it had been, actually, to just wake up and go get coffee like normal people.

Sure, it hadn't exactly been thrilling to run into two girls he'd slept with, both of them admittedly beautiful, but it had been very entertaining to see his reaction to their assaults. The two girls had reacted so vastly different that it made me wonder what he could have possibly said to them in order to get his way with them. Those were the thoughts that had clouded my mind on the drive over, making me quiet for much of it. It wasn't that I was scared about what they said about him, because I knew, relatively, they were right. He had been a player when he'd slept with them, but I have been fully aware of that from the beginning.

He wasn't like that with me, that much was already clear. I knew I was more than just another girl to him, so I took comfort in that. Another realization had struck me this morning that I was yet to really think of- the way people would surely judge me for being with him, if this were to work. I was sure that they would think I was a complete idiot, looking at me with pity and probably embarrassment. While I wasn't really looking forward to being judged so harshly, I reminded myself that Harry dealt with that judgment every day, which made me sad despite having fully earned it for himself.

I already knew I would easily put up with whatever bullshit people would say about me if it meant I got to work on things with Harry. He was already too important to me to care about what others had to say. The way he already made me feel was too strong for me to give up on just because of what some random girls had to say to him.

My body was still buzzing from spending the morning with Harry, my lips tingling and my mind fuzzy, which made it extremely difficult to focus in class. I found myself wishing I would have just given in to Harry and stayed with him, because it was clear I wasn't going to benefit from being in class anyway.

I could have been happily in his arms in bed, the warmth of his skin seeping into mine and maybe letting my lips trail over his chest. I squirmed in my seat as I thought of the potential for what we could have gotten up to this morning, the already thin resolve of my no-sex rule crumbling as I thought of his hands trailing over my body. I knew if I would have stayed with him this morning, I probably would have caved.

I couldn't ignore the buzzing through my veins whenever he touched me, the way he made me feel so alive with the simplest of things. When you added in how I was beginning to feel for him emotionally, it was a devastatingly dangerous combination. The fact that I'd finally given up resisting feeling something for him made me feel reckless, dangerous, and, undeniably, alive.

Finally, my class ended, and I was free to move my pent up body from the seat, sure I was going to explode from the thoughts I'd been having of Harry and the way his body made me feel. I resisted the urge to call Harry right away, because I wanted to at least try and maintain my rule a little bit longer. If I called him now, I'd cave instantly. I was just about to call Maggie for a ride home, realizing I didn't have a way home since Harry had dropped me off when a hand landed on my shoulder.

"Halle, hey," a deep voice said, making me jump and jerk my vision to my right. My heart stopped cold in my chest. Are you serious?

"Hi," I said awkwardly, avoiding Ben's gaze as he fell into step with me, walking through the campus. He was, as always, the last person I wanted to see, especially when all I wanted to do was run back to Harry.

"How are you today?" he asked, attempting to sound friendly.

"Fine. How are you?" I asked flatly, hoping he would hold off on his hysterical anger. The fact that we were in the middle of campus should help to diffuse him if he were to go off.

"Been better. I still miss you, Halle," he said, shooting me a smile that I didn't return.

"Hmm," I said simply, not about to return his sentiment.

"Don't you miss me, too?" he pried.

"No, Ben, I don't," I sighed.

"Not even a little?"

"No."

My hands fidgeted with my shirt as we walked, nodding at someone we passed that I recognized from my class, who happened to be a guy.

"Who was that? You screwing him, too now?" Ben said suddenly, his voice still sounding pleasant despite the harsh words.

"What?" I scoffed. "I'm not screwing every guy I talk to."

"Well that's the only reason I can think you wouldn't take me back."

"That's the only reason? Nothing to do with the cheating thing?" I said sarcastically.

"Halle I apologized for that. So if it's not that, then is it that guy?" he said vaguely, even though I knew exactly who he meant. Harry. I didn't say anything, not wanting to give him any information about Harry.

"It is, huh?" he inferred.

"It's not your business, Ben, I've told you a hundred times."

"I don't want to have to get involved, but if I do, I will," he said, his tone dropping darkly. My heart thudded in fear.

"Is that a threat?" I asked shakily, glancing at him nervously.

"Not a threat, just... letting you know I'm gonna do whatever it takes to get you back."

My blood ran cold in my veins as I thought about what he was implying. He wouldn't try to hurt Harry, would he? He didn't really have much of a history of violence besides the random drunk fight once in a while, but now that I thought about it, I don't know many guys who actually got into drunk fights that often. I was scared of his threat and didn't want him to touch Harry, but I tried to play it cool and talk him down.

"That's not necessary, I just don't think it's going to work between us no matter what," I said gently, hoping he would accept that it wasn't because of Harry that I wouldn't take him back. Not only because of Harry, I should say.

"Hmm, we'll see Halle. You should just make it easier on yourself and come back to me," he said, staring at me as we walked. I blinked, unsure of how to handle this. He'd never actually threatened to hurt someone before, and I didn't know what to do.

"Just... give me some time," I said vaguely, hoping he'd believe my lie and give me some more time to think about how to handle it. He perked up a little.

"Okay, Halle, you can have some time."

I let out a subtle sigh of relief, glad he seemed to believe me for the time being. He was quickly becoming unstable, and it scared me.

"Okay. I gotta go, I gotta call Maggie," I told him, peeling away from him to head down a different path; anything to take me away from him. "Bye."

"Bye, Halle," he said, shooting me a dark look as I hurried away. Anxiety and fear crept through me, nervous about he'd do. I had stalled him for now, but I knew I'd have to come up with something to make him stop. This was going to be difficult.

My mind was whirling in a thousand different directions as I found myself walking home, the fresh air helping to calm me down a little. I needed the space to think and sort things out, so maybe walking would help clear things up. I couldn't tell Harry about this; he already had enough going on with trying to deal with everything we were going through, and I didn't want to add more problems to his plate.

I also couldn't tell him because I didn't know how he'd react. Would he decide it wasn't worth it and give up on us? Would he get pissed off and go after Ben? Or would he do nothing? I had no way to determine how he'd react, and that scared me. Hatred for Ben coursed through me as I walked, furious at him for adding unnecessary problems to my already precarious relationship with Harry. It was already hard enough to deal with everything I was feeling for him without having to worry about what Ben was going to do.

Harry was already so much better for me than Ben; he made me feel so... wild, wanted, incredible, alive, everything. Ben had only made me feel scared and helpless. The fire I felt with Harry was something I'd never experienced, and I never wanted to let it go, no matter what Ben threatened. I already felt like I was going crazy without being near him; I didn't want to know what would happen to me if Harry were to give up on this.

I had just arrived home when my phone buzzed in my hand, panic flashing through me in fear of Ben, but I smiled when I saw Harry's name on the screen, indicating I had a text from him.

Harry: hope you enjoyed your class, but I hope you know you'd have enjoyed yourself more with me

I smiled widely. It was as if he'd read my mind, knowing I wouldn't be able to focus in class after spending so much time with him. He was absolutely right, after all, I would have enjoyed my time much more if I had stayed with him. And, as an even better bonus, I wouldn't have ran into Ben.

I should have just stayed with Harry.

Halle: well I couldn't focus at all so thank you for that

Harry: glad to hear it, baby

I smiled again, already feeling better about things with Harry's few text messages. I would find a way to deal with Ben, because this thing I had with Harry was too impossible to ignore. Somehow, I would find a way to diffuse the ticking time bomb that was Ben, and he would finally leave me alone.

You can do it. You'll figure it out.

I kept repeating those words to myself over and over as I flung myself onto my bed, preparing to think of every possible solution to fix this issue with Ben. I had to if I wanted anything with Harry, which I was quickly realizing I wanted more and more by the second. I had to make it work with Harry, or I would surely explode.

"And my heart won't beat again if I can't feel him in my veins."

Really sorry it's so short! I didn't have much time but I wanted you guys to at least get a chapter, even if it's short! Hope you liked it, and please vote/comment :)