CHAPTER EIGHT:
❝Gross Cheesy And Romantic Things❞︎

"GIVEN SOME RECENT EVENTS, SOME students have expressed concern that I am not allowing you to have a say in the decisions that affect your future. And I agree." The students all sat in front of their principal as he continued to speak. "If you are expected to abide by this school's policies, it's only fair that you have a voice in hoe those rules are made. So, I am forming an honor council. One vampire, one witch, and one werewolf, each elected by their peers." Hope and Harper exchanged looks before looking back towards the man. "Along with our school counselor Emma, whose vote will represent the younger students. Now, I have to go off campus. In the meantime, I expect you make good decisions and to vote wisely. That's all, you're dismissed."

Harper sat in her room, frowning slightly as she looked through all of her clothes. A knock came on her door before Hope was sticking her head in the door, glancing at the clothes that were scattered around the room before closing the door behind of her.

"What did your wardrobe do to you this time?" Hope questioned, grabbing Harper's attention.

Harper sighed. "Well. . . I sort of have a date thing that I'm not really sure is a date date, but I think it is, and I have nothing to wear. I don't date. Never been on one. I don't even know what people do at these things. I'm not girlfriend material."

"That is a lie and we both know it." Hope quickly told her. "I will have any excuse in order to hold off the tests with Landon, so let me try and help?" Harper nodded and Hope walked over before looking through the clothes scattered across the room. She handed Harper a long sleeve shirt with the sleeves completely see through and a tank top-like shirt being what covered her torso. She then handed her a pair of jeans and black combat boots. "Try that."

Harper did as Hope asked with the girl turning around as Harper quickly changed into the clothes that had been handed to her. When she was done, Hope turned around and a gentle smile fell on her lips as she looked at her best friend. "Harper, you look great. Black really suits you." Harper shyly smiled and Hope chuckled. "Tell me how it goes, won't you?"

"Alright." Harper nodded. "Thank you, Hope. And have fun with Landon." Hope only rolled her eyes and Harper chuckled before watching the girl exit her room. When she had woken up that morning, Harper had decided to give Scarlett a call, and seeing as it had been so early, Harper hadn't expected the girl to answer, but she did, and before she knew it plans were formed for the two to meet up. Harper swallowed thickly before exiting her room only to run into Josie, the one person she was hoping to avoid.

"Harper." Josie smiled before noticing her attire that was a lot more fancy then what she usually wore―︎which was usually simple jeans and t-shirt. "You look nice. What's the occasion?"

"Oh, I, uh, I have a date." Harper answered. "With Scarlett."

"Oh."

"Well, it's not a date date." Harper started. "I don't think. I'm not sure. All I know is I'm supposed to meet Scarlett soon and we're going to hang out."

Josie nodded before forcing a smile on her face. "Well, have fun. Tell me how it goes."

"I will." Harper nodded before swallowing thickly and walking past Josie, not noticing when the girl turned around to leave with a deep frown covering her features before she herself turned on her heel and quickly walked away.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

"YOU MADE IT. For a second there a thought you stood me up." Scarlett smiled as Harper appeared in her line of sight and watched the girl as she quickly sat down.

"I'm sorry I'm late." Harper said, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment. "It took me a second to convince Emma to let me leave, but I casted my vote for the honor council we now have and then she gave me permission seeing as I'm passing all my classes."

"Oh?" Scarlett rose an eyebrow. "Who'd you vote for?"

"My friend, Josie." Harper answered. A waiter came by their table and the two quickly got themselves milkshakes before turning back to one another to continued the conversation. Harper cleared her throat, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Sorry I'm so awkward, I've never done this before."

"You've never been on a date?" So it was a date. Harper looked at the brunette before shaking her head. "Girlfriend?" Harper shook her head again. "Boyfriend?" Once more. Scarlett chuckled before standing up with milkshake in hand. She stood up and held out a hand for Harper. Harper looked up at the girl confused, and Scarlett's smile only widened. "Come on. I'm going to take you a real date. One that involves all the gross cheesy and romantic things."

Harper found herself smiling before reaching up and grabbing Scarlett's hand with her milkshake in the other. The two walked hand and hand, and like Scarlett had promised. They did all the cheesy gross and romantic things that people in the movies did. They went to the movies, except instead of getting scared like the people in the movies, the two laughed at the gruesome parts. Their hands were intertwined through the entire date and Harper found herself laughing more than she had in her life.

That night, there was music playing outside, a band of some kind and there were people dancing. Scarlett bit her lip and smiled before she turned towards Harper and held out her hands. Harper only chuckled before grabbing Scarlett's hands and letting out a squeal of surprise when the girl spun her around before bringing her into her arms. They danced with one anther and Harper laughed as Scarlett continued to twirl her around, dipping her one time before bring her back up.

"Today has been. . . the most stress free day that I've had in a long long time." Harper softly said as a slower song came on. "Thank you for today."

Scarlett gently smiled at the girl as she nodded her head. "Of course, Harper. I had a fun time too and I really hope that we can do this again some time."

Harper nodded in agreement. "Yeah, me too."

"Harper, I'm going to ask you a question that isn't normally asked but is usually done in the spur of the moment instead." Scarlett told her and Harper furrowed her eyebrows before she nodded her head for the girl to continue. "Can I kiss you?"

"Definitely more a spur of the moment thing." Harper nodded and Scarlett chuckled whilst Harper smiled in amusement. She closed her eyes for a moment before meeting Scarlett's eyes once more and nodding her head. "Yeah, I'd like that." And she did. Their lips connected and Harper found her emotions all over the place. She was happy, yet at the same time she felt guilty, sad. But she didn't know why. When the two pulled away, Scarlett tucked hair behind of Harper's ear.

"It's getting late." Harper softly spoke. "I have to get back before they think I'm gone."

"Alright." Scarlett nodded. "I'll call you next time. Got your number saved in my phone from where you called me this morning."

Harper nodded her head. "Goodnight, Scarlett."

"Goodnight, Harper."

Harper made it back to the school and the smile refused to leave her face. Hope entered her bedroom where Harper had been waiting for her at, the girl having just come back from walking Landon to the bus. Hope closed the door and raised her eyebrows as she looked at the girl. She had never seen Harper so happy. Yet at the same time she could sense the guilt that seemed to linger in Harper's stomach.

"You look happy?" Hope chuckled, sitting on the bed in front of Harper. "It went well I suppose."

"Really, really well." Harper nodded her head, then she frowned slightly. "Maybe too well."

"Tell me everything." And she did. Harper told her everything up to the last detail to where the two shared a kiss. "You had a busy day."

"Yeah." Harper nodded. "But, I can't get this feeling from my stomach. I feel guilty. And I don't know why. Being happy makes me feel guilty, because there's people around me that aren't happy and I don't like that."

"Harp, you can't please everyone." Hope told the girl. "You're allowed to be happy. You've been through so much shit in your life, that you of all people deserve a little slice of happiness."

Harper sighed at the girl's words before deciding to change the subject. "Well, what chaos did I miss today?"

"Well, one Josie, Rafael, and Kaleb won the council to which I'm apart of as a representation for both myself as well as you. Dr. Saltzman didn't think you would be okay with it, but I assured him that if you could avoid it that you would like someone else to make the decisions."

"That is true."

"So, that happened. What else? Oh, well, Landon was forced to leave because only Rafael and Emma voted for him to stay. Rafael and Jed got into a fight with Rafael winning and now being the new leader of the wolves. Jed, of course angry, found Landon and beat him to death. So, Jed's currently missing. And then I just came back from walking Landon to the bus station and we shared. . . a moment?"

Harper immediately gasped. "You didn't. Oh, my god, you did! Hope Andrea Mikaelson opening her heart to someone!" The girl let out an excited squeal but Hope was quick to shush her, though she found herself laughing at the girl's reaction. "Sorry, sorry. It seems we have both had exciting days."

"That's one word for it." Hope nodded.

"Well, I am exhausted." Harper softly sighed as she stood up. "I shall see you in the morning." She gave Hope a small salute before exiting the girl's room. She made it to her own and just as she was opening the door, a voice called out to her.

"Harper!" Harper turned her head to Josie quickly making her way towards her until she was standing in front of the girl. "How did your, uh, date go?"

That guilty feeling suddenly appeared in her stomach again, causing the girl to thickly swallow before forcing a smile on her face and nodding her head. "It was, uh, it was really good actually."

"That's good." Josie nodded.

Harper cleared her throat. "I heard you won for honor council, good job."

"Thanks." Josie muttered. "I can tell you're exhausted. We'll talk in the morning?"

"Of course." Harper nodded.

Josie nodded before saying a quick goodnight to which Harper responded with one as well before the girl entered her room and leaned against the closed door, closing her eyes as a soft sigh fell from her lips, that guilty feeling settling in the pit of her stomach the rest of the night, and refusing to leave even when she woke up that next morning.