Harper's Rules 1 & 2

Chapter 39: Harper

"Harper! Oh, it really is you, dear!" The sound of a familiar, motherly female voice rang out behind me.

From where I stood at Section 121B's entrance, I turned my back to the field and mentally braced myself for the first of a most likely repeated reunion that I wasn't entirely prepared for.

"Mrs. H." I forced what I hoped was a polite smile and flicked up my right hand in greeting.

A slightly-larger-than-Ellie-sized, older woman, with more dark brown than gray in her shoulder-length hair waved back halfway down the concourse. The closer she got, her contrasting hair colors highlighted nearly every light strand like fine threads of silver. Her dark brown eyes, framed with thick lashes and doe-shaped just like my best friend, flashed with recognition.

Before Gianna Harrison reached our section, technically hers, a gnarled, sun-spotted hand quivered on my left shoulder. My lips curled upward at the raspy male voice that spoke up behind me, "Angel."

"Earl." I turned around, leaned over, and pressed a soft kiss into his wrinkled right cheek. A wide grin creased the corners of his mouth and blue eyes, which sparkled almost as much as the last afternoon that shone off his bald, spotted head. "Hi handsome."

"You're shameless," he teased and slowly stepped past me.

"You have no idea," I murmured quietly when two arms choked around me and rushed the air out of my lungs.

"Earl!" Mrs. Harrison chirped out. The smooth material of the white USC jersey that swallowed up Jake's mom brushed over my cheek as she clung to me. Before I recovered, her palms gently patted over my lower back. "Need an escort?"

"I'm good but my slow ass should get started," he mumbled and started his slow descent.

"Nonsense, you old goat." Just as quickly as Mrs. Harrison hugged me, she drew backwards and directed her eyes and voice at Earl, "Otherwise I'll miss the first quarter."

"Charming as always." The corners of his eyes cracked as we each took an elbow and guided him to his seat.

He and Mrs. Harrison traded insults each step down, but after we deposited Earl and stepped up to our seats, she pulled back and dragged her eyes up and down my appearance. Her small hands grabbed my upper arms, then dragged down my coat's black leather sleeves.

Instead of the jersey Jake had given me, I'd chosen a simple, Ellie-like pair of gray leggings and white T-shirt. While Li's loud shriek at her jersey from Jake had nearly burst out my ear drums, mine still hung in our tiny wardrobe. I'd considered it for today's game but slipped it overhead and felt awkward.

Even with no name on the back, the rest of it screamed Jake Harrison.

I'd also gone bare minimum on my makeup, just applied a lot of coverup and neutral colors, but felt completely naked as Jake's mom visually scrutinized me. Since I'd pinned my top hair back and left the rest long and straight, every inch of my face felt exposed.

Like she recognized how she continuously inspected me, Mrs. Harrison shook her head, blinked a few times, and lifted her eyes to mine. "Sorry." Her red lips parted into a bright smile. "I told your Dad I'd check up on you."

"Tell him I'm fine." My eyes rolled. "School's good, roommate's good, health is... good. Only person I've had to use my mace on so far was your son."

"Mace?" Mrs. Harrison's grip tightened on my forearms. "On... Jake? Shit, what did he do now?"

When your own mom throws shade... love it.

"Snuck up on me." I lifted my shoulders an inch, then dropped them. "That'll teach him."