I was running late because Nova was taking too long in the bathroom and I was forced to use the shower in Harry and Niall's room. Harry had banged on the door while I was rinsing out my shampoo, yelling about how he was going to meet me in class and if I didn't hurry up, I would be late. Dammit Nova! Why do you have to be such a fucking girl!?

I was the kind of girl who had to have a shower in the morning to wake up, no matter what. If I didn't shower first thing, the day was shot to hell. But on the other hand, I hated to be late for anything. Being late meant having to deal with consequences. At least that's what I remember. It was never a nice price to pay, and I had learned my lesson fairly quickly and I was now on time for everything, or early if I could help it. But today, odds weren't in my favor. It was a lose lose situation and I chose being late over bedhead.

Being late today, meant no coffee from the coffee cart and no meeting Astrid there to walk to class with. It was definitely not the way I wanted to start the week off. I liked routine, and last week I had just that. But today, clearly was already not going well. If I had known just how the day would go, knowing karma would somehow play a part in my being late, I would have definitely chosen to skip the shower. Because none of what was going to happen today, would've happened the way it did.

I ran all the way to class, hair still dripping wet and Harry's portrait in hand. As I open the door to the classroom in a huff, I feel dizzy and can't believe how out of shape I am, as I drop all of my belongings onto the floor in front of me. I try to take in my surroundings, realizing all eyes are on me as I try to steady my heaving breathing.

"Nice of you to join us Miss. Hayes," Drew states from the front of the class, as I stand in the doorway hunched over. "Maybe next time you could be on time!"

When I come to my senses, I realize Harry is bent over in front of me, picking up my bags for me and I follow him to the table he has set them on. "Thanks," I say quietly, as I sit down at the empty table. I watch as he sits down at the table in front of me, where I notice he is sitting with Ruby, who is looking at me with a smirk on her face, clearly pleased with the seating arrangements. But when Harry turns around and places a coffee in front of me, she rolls her eyes at his sweet gesture towards me.

"I knew you wouldn't have time, so--" Harry whispers. He gives me a cute closed mouth dimpled smile before turning back around in his chair, not giving me a chance to thank him for it. I smile to myself, quickly acknowledging the fact that he already knows I need coffee in the morning to function properly and has paid enough attention to know what I take in my hot beverage. It was such a small thing, yet to me, it felt like so much more than that.

My cheeks are flushed from running and I feel like I'm dying of heat because I had to wear a long sleeved shirt since I had no time to cover my scars after my pointless shower. I am going to kill Nova for doing this to me! I'm trying to concentrate on getting my notebook out of my backpack to calm myself down, when I notice Drew standing before me, holding my portrait of Harry.

"I don't even care that you were late today," Drew says with a clearly evident smile on his face, not taking his eyes off of my picture. He takes it to the front of the classroom and shuffles through what I assume to be everyone else's portraits they had probably handed in while I was still in the shower. "These," he holds up two pictures for all of us to see, showing mine of Harry and Harry's of me. "These are exactly the pictures I was looking for for this assignment. The lighting, the edits, the positioning. As you can see, everything about these screams a simple portrait, which is what I asked of you for this assignment. Maybe next time the rest of you will get it right."

I feel slightly better about how the day is going to proceed, now that I know my assignment turned out to be better than I anticipated, even though I know the only reason I got the lighting perfect for Harry's portrait was all because of him and his know-it-all brain when it comes to photography.

"This week, we are assigned to take portraits of students for their media passes," Drew continues. "I was hoping more of you would know how to take a simple portrait, but since Harry and Paisley seem to be the only ones who apparently know what they're doing, I'm assigning them to this job and I will talk to Professor Wilson so she can assign editing and other jobs to the rest of you, which she will give to you next class."

It's then that I realize that Astrid isn't in class. Harry turns around in his seat to give me a thumbs up, showing me how he feels about us working together this week. "Where's Astrid?" I whisper to him before he can turn back around.

He shrugs his shoulders, looking around the classroom before turning back to me. "We'll go see after class, yeah?"

After Drew assigns us to yet another assignment of simple portrait taking, but this time a full body frame, Ruby doesn't hesitate to look over her shoulder at me. "Looks like your boy is all mine this week!" I look over at Harry who is looking at me sympathetically. I don't understand why she has to be such a bitch to me all the time.

"Harry isn't my boy," I tell her as I start to gather my things. "There's no reason for you to try and throw it in my face!" I'm trying not to show my hatred for the girl in front of me, but I know I'm not doing a good job of it, as I force my notebooks into my backpack in a huff. I can feel my cheeks heat up as my blood starts to boil. Yes, I hate that they're going to work together. She infuriates me, thinking that Harry is just a game. People are not meant to be played with or thought of as a prize. "I know you're trying to make me jealous or something along those lines, but it's not working! Just to let you know, Harry and I are just friends! If he wants you, he can have you! That's not a secret! He's all yours! And everyone can already tell that's what you want, and I really don't care, so stop trying to shove it in my face!"

Ruby stands up from her chair and looks at Harry. "I'll go book some studio time and text you," she tells him before walking off. She doesn't respond to me, nor look at me again, and I'm grateful that she doesn't so that my mouth doesn't blurt out anything more that I would probably regret right after.

I'm already mad at myself that I basically just told Harry that I don't care what he does with Ruby, whether it be the one night stand he's already told me he plans on having with her at some point, or something more. I put my head down, hugging my backpack on the table to hide my face in it, to once again, try to calm myself down. This day can end any time now!

I hate that I admitted to myself, the feelings I have for Harry. I wish more than anything they weren't there because, truth be told, it makes me hate this whole situation even more than I already do, knowing that Ruby can give him everything he wants, and I--well, I just can't. It leaves me feeling two steps farther from him.

"Media pass photos start tonight at five," Drew tells us, as he walks over to Harry and I when everyone else in class is gone. "Studio one is open each day this week from five to seven, so the two of you must be there during those times every day. You two can just use your portraits from this week for your passes." We follow him down the hall to Studio one, where he explains we need to set up to take two portraits at once. Studio one is much bigger than the one Harry and I had last week. More equipment lined around the room and the white backdrop is much larger.

Harry and I set off to Astrid's dorm to see why she wasn't in class, after Harry tells Drew that we have everything under control and he knows exactly what to do, not afraid to sound cocky about it.

"Hey, thanks for the coffee this morning!" I tell him as we walk out the front doors of the school. "I definitely needed it!"

"Yep," he says quickly. Too quickly. I don't think I've ever heard him be so short with me, and as we stop in front of the coffee cart to get another coffee, I look at him, seeing he has his arms crossed and looking everywhere but at me, a scowl on his face. I wonder how long it's been there, not knowing how long it's been since I last looked at him. He was fine this morning and throughout class. What happened since then?

"Do you want something?" I ask Harry, when the barista puts my coffee on the small counter for me, as I watch him fix the hat on his head. I know that he's going to say no, because he never gets anything at the coffee cart, but I want to repay him for the coffee he got me this morning.

Harry just shakes his head as he storms off in the direction of the dorms, not waiting until I've paid for my drink. I watch as he continues to walk, frozen where I am. I have no idea what just happened. My brain drawing a blank. When the barista clears her throat, I'm brought back to reality and realize I don't care about my coffee, I just need to run after him.

"Can you wait up?" I call after him. When he keeps his pace, I groan in frustration, trying to catch up to him, definitely feeling the fact that I haven't ran so much in one day since high school P.E class. "What the hell Harry?" I yell, grabbing his arm to stop him when I finally get to him, just passed our residence building. "Why are you mad at me?"

"Really?" He turns around abruptly, piercing his eyes into mine. The scowl on his face is still there, evident furrowed eyebrows and his lips slightly parted. And something about the way he's looking at me feels like deja vu.

Um, yes really. I wasn't even aware I had done something wrong. But whatever it was, he is clearly pissed and I'm at a loss for words just seeing him look at me the way he is, like I'm the last person he wants to see right now.

"You clearly need to learn when to keep your mouth shut, Paisley," he yells after seeing that I'm not going to speak. Being yelled at is something that I'm used to, but being yelled at by Harry is something I never thought I'd have to bear. I'm more taken aback by how angry he is at me than I am by the words that came out of his mouth and my brain needs to catch up to know what's going on.

When it hits me that it has something to do with what I said to Ruby at the end of class, I take a step back from him, still looking into his piercing green eyes. I can feel my eyebrows pinch together in confusion. "You don't think I should've said what I said to her?" My voice comes out louder than I anticipated. "She says things to try and hurt my feelings because she thinks I like you Harry! She's the mean girl in all of this! So what? It's not okay for me to stand up for myself? Besides, she thinks you're a fucking game, treating me like I'm her opponent! You're not a game to me, Harry! And somehow you're mad at me? You're fucking unbelievable!"

I start to walk away from him in the direction we were headed to Astrid's. My blood is boiling and I feel like I'm on the verge of tears, he has made me so angry. Why the hell would he take Ruby's side on this? Has he not seen how miserable she makes me every time she's near us? The looks I get every time she sits next to him? She didn't even have a legitimate reason for her animosity towards me, because Harry being my friend is honestly the most pathetic reason to hate someone for as much as I know she despises me. But somehow, saying the truth out loud to her is apparently an awful thing. I could've said so much more to her, but I didn't. I did know when to keep my mouth shut.

When I'm front of Astrid's building, I hear Harry calling after me to wait. "What?" I scream as I turn around, not realizing he is right behind me.

"Hey, hey, hey," he says softly, cupping his hands around my face. "That's not why I was mad, I'm so sorry. Please calm down."

I thought I was the only one with whip lashing attitude changes. Now I understand how confusing I am, because his change in demeanor is baffling me, my breath is caught in my throat and I have to close my eyes to think about what's happening. When he starts caressing my cheek with his thumb, I open my eyes again to look at him. His eyes are flicking back and fourth between mine, using his thumb on my cheek to calm me.

"Then what were you mad about?" I ask, as my tense body falls back into relaxation. "Because apparently I have no idea what I said to her that made you so mad."

A smile forms on his face, before he looks away from me and steps back, taking his hands off my face. Now that he isn't touching me, butterflies erupt in my stomach, understanding the accomplishment I've just faced. Harry was close to me and touching me, and I wasn't afraid. At all. He comforted me the way he wanted to. I don't understand why at this moment my body decided to not respond the way it normally does, but I feel lighter with this recognition.

"Well?" I ask, reminding him that I asked a question.

"I never pegged you as stupid."

"Pardon?"

"You really thought that's why I was mad?"

"What else could it be?"

Harry shakes his head at me again, but this time a smile is playing on his pink lips as he looks up at me through his long eyelashes. "You can tell Ruby off all you want, because you're right. She is a bitch to you. She deserves worse than what you gave her. Next time, don't hold back!"

"So why are you mad?"

He walks back over to me and stands before me. "Would you really not care if something were to happen with me and Ruby?" He's staring at me so intently, I don't really know how to take him. I don't know the right way to answer because I want to tell him the truth; that I would care. But I know that I can't.

"Why would I?" I ask, as he moves his body even closer to mine. "You already told me you plan on having sex with her at some point."

"Yeah, but that was before." He puts his hands on my arms. The only time his eyes leave mine are to look down at my lips.

My breath gets caught in my throat thinking there's a chance he might kiss me. "I still don't understand what you were mad about, Harry." In case he was even thinking about kissing me, I decide to revert the conversation back to where we started. As much as I would like to press my lips against his, I know I'm not ready to. Just two minutes ago was the first time I wasn't afraid of his touch. Baby steps, right? Too much at once is probably too much for me to handle.

"So you really wouldn't care?" he asks, backing away from me again, disappointment written all over his face.

"You don't need my permission to sleep with Ruby!" I explain. "You can do whatever you want to, Harry!"

He lets out a deep breath as he takes his hat off to run a hand through his curls before putting it back on again, eyes fixed on the ground in front of him. I know he's thinking hard and probably wants to say something, so I wait. I wonder if he knows how I really feel? If he can see right through my facade?

"Ya know, I didn't really like the way you said 'If he wants you, he can have you,' it's like somehow putting it in my court or something---I don't know," he shakes his head again. "I don't know what I mean. Fuck, I don't like it when you're mad at me. It makes me all--putty or something!"

I'm not really sure how to respond, so I don't, other than giving him an apologetic smile.

"Let's go see if Astrid's home," he says, tugging on my arm. "We still need to get lunch before Editing starts. Fighting with you makes me hungrier than usual!"

A/N: Ahh! Their first fight!! The feels! </3

Who ships them? I totally love them together, to be honest!
And I absolutely hate Ruby!

Do you think Harry knows she's lying? Or will he take her word for it that she doesn't care?
I'd love to know what you're thinking!

Thanks for reading! It means so much! And don't forget to press the star and show me some love!! I love me some lovins!

amberlove
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