Alex

I waited by the bus stop after school, holding my umbrella above me so I could stay dry. I could hear a car roar to life and spin out in the school parking lot across the street. David and all of his friends had cars and drove like crazy people.

I sighed as I leaned on the bus stop and waited for the bus to show up.

I had always taken the bus, but recently they changed the schedule so the bus passes right at two forty-five, the same time we get out of school. So now I have to wait or walk the three miles in the pouring rain. I decided to wait, yesterday I came home and not a single person cared that it was my birthday. I shrugged it off, not caring because I had made a friend.

Harry sat with me again at lunch and in all my classes. I had learned a bit about him and his favorite things. He really enjoyed reading and playing guitar, his favorite color was purple, he hates all sports but soccer, and he was actually very funny. I told him I liked knock-knock jokes and he smiled telling me he had a whole notebook of them.

I smiled at the thought of him and felt small butterflies in my stomach at how sweet he was to me. Then I sighed because I knew it wouldn't last, people always change. David and Mary used to be my friends and then something happened in middle school where they just stopped and began making fun of me.

My thoughts were cut off when I noticed a car pull up where the bus usually stops and the window rolled down. Inside sat Harry with a smile on his face. "Hi." He waved.

"You have a car?" He nodded.

"It's s-sort of a s-sorry for m-moving around a lot' gift." I giggled. "W-would you like a r-ride home?" I looked at the time and took a glimpse around me at all the rain and nodded. As quick as he could, he got out of the car and ran around to open my door.

No one has ever been this nice.

"Thank you." I got into his car and set my bag down on the floor by my feet. The interior was clean and it looked like he took very good care of his car. I explained to him where to go and he nodded understanding. We drove in silence for a while before I finally spoke up. "Your car is nice." He smiled.

"Thanks, I r-really like it t-too." He made it to my house a few minutes later and I sighed as no one was home yet.

"Thank you for the ride, it was nice of you. Do you want to come in for a drink of water or maybe cookies?" I heard my own voice and cringed, why was I so desperate for friends. I know damn well we don't have cookies.

"I mean w-we could hang out." He smiled.

"Yeah, we could, come inside." He got out of the car and walked inside my house with me. Like expected it was empty so I went into my room and set my stuff down. I came back out and Harry awkwardly stood there looking around. I offered him something to drink and he followed me to the kitchen to sit at the bar. Luckily we did have cookies so I placed some on a plate for him.

I told him to sit on my couch and went to check the counter where there was a note from my mom for me to heat up dinner from the freezer because she had to work late.

Both my parents worked for an insurance company in the city. My sister always had cello practice after school so they'd all be home around the same time.

I pulled a tray of food out and turned on the oven walking back over to Harry in the living room where he was looking around at pictures on our walls. "Is this you?" He asked me.

"No, my sister, she plays the cello and has for the past twelve years." He looked at more photos for a minute before coming back and sitting with me.

"Is it just you and your s-sister?" He asked before taking a sip of juice.

"Yup, she's seventeen, turns eighteen in a few weeks and then she's off to some college on a scholarship." He hummed looking around my house. "Do you have siblings?"

"Five." My eyes widened. "Well I have one full s-sibling named G-G-Gemma, and then I-I have four half s-siblings." He explained. "They're my dads k-kids." I nodded.

I turned the t.v. on and sat a seat away from him while he ate a bag of chips. It was quiet for a while before he suddenly spoke up. "H-hey A-a-Alex?" I nodded. "Would you maybe like t-to do something this weekend?" My eyes widened but I tried to remain calm.

"Like what?" He smiled.

"Go s-see a movie." He pulled his beanie off and shook his head causing his hair to move. He did this quite often when he was shy.

"Okay, a movie, there's a drive-in nearby" He nodded. "Okay, you can pick me up and I'll pay the tickets-"

"N-no I want to pay the tickets, it's my treat." I giggled.

"Well, then I want to pay for the snacks." He smiled and nodded when his phone went off. He looked at it and sighed.

"Hello?" He looked at me and listened. "O-okay I'll be there soon." He hung up and sighed. "I have to g-go, my mum needs me t-to pick up cheese." He shrugged standing up to pick up his cup.

I walked him out and he waved to me telling me he would see me the next day at school.

The next day I finally caught up with my sister. "How's practice going?" I asked her as we both got dressed for school. Wednesday she had a late start at her high school and usually, we talked in the mornings. I liked my sister, she wasn't a complete bitch for someone who had so much stress in her life.

"Good, I wish you would come with me, it would be so cool if we went to school together." She put on her boots.

"I have no talent." She rolled her eyes. "I'll try to go on Saturday morning but I have plans in the afternoon so I'll only go watch your practice and then I'll head out." She gave me a look as she tied up her curly hair in a bun.

"Plans? What happened to 'I don't have friends, Amy'?" I giggled.

"I made a friend, he's nice." Her eyes widened. "His names Harry and he's new."

"That's good, and you already made plans?" I nodded again. "See Al, I'm telling you you're brave and pretty. Don't let a few people ruin your potential." I looked up at her and she smiled. "Can I do your makeup that day? Where are you guys going? Is he cute?"

I sat down and she sat down beside me. "We're going to the drive-in and you can do my hair if you want. Yes, he's cute but he's my friend and I don't want to ruin it because he's not going to be into me. He's a bit out of my league." She smacked my shoulder.

"Stop talking yourself out of this, don't put yourself in the friend zone." Our mom called us for breakfast and she rolled her eyes. "Let's go before she freaks out."

In the kitchen, my dad sat quietly reading his tablet and my mom made breakfast for us. We sat down and ate while my mom went over the schedule for today like it had changed in the past six months all of a sudden. "Sit up straight Alexandria." I rolled my eyes and sat up.

I looked over at my dad and smiled at him. He looked up and reached over to pat my head. "How's school so far?" I shrugged.

"Made a new friend." He nodded not taking his eyes off of his tablet. "Can I have some money for the weekend, we're going to the movies." He looked up at me and raised an eyebrow.

"How much?" I shrugged. "Is your room clean?" I nodded. "Here." He handed me two twenties and I thanked him. "Rare that you go out kid, just stay safe." I gave him a kiss on the cheek while my mom made lunch for my sister.

By Friday it was safe to say that Harry and I had taken a liking to each other as we spent all of our classes talking about everything.

I was having a great day walking to study hall, my last class with Harry when suddenly I felt something hit the back of my head. I turned around and David stood there with a smile on his face. "What the fuck are you looking at, bitch." I turned around and noticed Harry in shock.

"What's his d-deal?" I shrugged it off and continued to walk away towards study hall.

"Yeah walk away with your f-f-friend!" All the guys laughed, I immediately felt bad for Harry. David kept making jokes until we made it around the corner and Harry looked upset.

"I'm sorry, he's such a tool." He shook his head.

"D-don't be, he shouldn't have called you that word." He shook his head. I shrugged it off about to open the door for our study hall class when he stopped me and pulled me back. "Do you want to ditch with me?"

I was a bit taken back at how he said that mostly because I had never ditched before. Our teacher Mrs. Ross never took attendance so she wouldn't even know we were gone. "Okay." I shrugged. The warning bell rang and he looked around the hallway until he noticed the doors to the back way. I followed behind and ran out towards the parking lot where we got into his car and drove off the campus.

About twenty minutes later we sat in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart with a bag of fries and milkshakes listening to soft rock. "W-why do they make fun of you?" I shrugged.

"Easy target, I don't fight back I guess," I explained to him how in elementary school the three of us, were inseparable but things changed. "He's a jerk, but I always have to remind myself that all of this is temporary. High school ends and we grow up." He nodded.

"That's true." He bit a French fry. "I j-j-just don't understand how anyone c-can be so mean to someone as amazing as you." I felt my cheeks heat up and gently pushed his arm. "It's true A-a-Alex, never have I met such a good person."

I bit into a French fry and smiled. "Thanks, Harry."

Thank you for reading. Xx

-k