Quiet || hs

31

A couple weeks pass since my mom left. I still can't get over the fact that she left us. It makes me angry mixed with sadness. It was something I had to get through the day with. I also had to deal with Harry's and Monique's pity. It's great to have their support, but I need my mind on something else.

"Will," I greet him as I pass him in the hall. He just glances at me and walks off. "Will wait, what is-" I grab his arm then he quickly pulls away.

"What do you want?" he snaps, avoiding eye contact.

"Did I do something?" I frown at his behavior. "You've been blowing me off these past couple of weeks."

"You sent me to a random house." he says. "No one was there and I waited because I didn't want to believe you did that to me. I thought you were different. More like me actually, but your not."

"Oh my- Will, I am so sorry." I apologize. "Something came up that night and I totally forgot, I'm sorry."

"What was so important that you had me waiting— in the cold, might I add."

My phone buzzes and I glance at it to see a text from Monique. Then I see the time and panic.

"Look Will, I need to head to practice before coach Styles loses it. I'll talk to you later."

"I don't want to talk later." he rolls his eyes, about to walk off then I stop him.

"We can talk tonight." I say then groan. "I have to work, but maybe you can stop by and I can explain it to you then." I promise. "I just really have to get to practice, please meet me later."

"Fine," he sighs.

"Great, I work at Ravalon." I smile widely. "Come around at about nine."

I rush down the hall to the gym. I can hear Harry's whistle as I make it out of the locker room in my workout attire. The girls were stretching by the time I got out onto the court. I stand in the back and start the stretch they were doing.

"Eversteen," Harry calls me and my eyes shoot to him. He nods his head, gesturing me to come to him. "Come here please."

"Sorry, I got caught up in something." I breathe out, standing next to him.

"It's alright," he says, turning to me then looks down at me. "You can sit out of practice today if you want." he offers and I frown, stifling out a laugh.

"Why would I?"

"Just to have some time to yourself-"

"Stop it." I snap softly.

"What?" he asks, taken aback.

"I'm getting tired of your pity. My mom left, okay? She didn't die or anything, I'm fine and– I just don't want to think about it, so stop pitying me and start being your normal self."

"Alright Eversteen," he nods. "In that case, you're staying after practice for being late. Now go stretch,"

"Wh-what? No, I have work today. I-I can't-"

Harry blows his whistle and directs me back on the court. I give him a glare as I begin my stretches again. Regret of talking back hit me through out practice as Harry started to become hard on me again. Practice was becoming brutal every day as we approach playoffs. It has been for the girls, so today I feel what they have been feeling.

Practice ends and I slowly make my way up to Harry. He took forever to end a conversation with the other girls on the team. I wait for him impatiently with my hands on my hips. The girls leave and he tosses a volleyball at me. It hits my stomach because I didn't have time to react.

"Need to work on those reflexes, sweetheart." he winks, leading me to the net.

"Ry," someone calls me and I knew who it was because there was only one person who called me by that name. "Hey, I was thinking after work, maybe you and I coul-"

Harry interrupts him with a small cough. "She might not even go to work if she doesn't stop wasting my time."

"I'm sorry, I'll call you later." I tell Brennen, running to the net where Harry was standing.

I glance over my shoulder to see Brennen walking away disappointedly. It made me feel bad, but I have too much going on right now. Harry makes me practice for about fifteen more minutes. I was actually having fun with him and his little jokes. He dips under the net and comes toward me while teasing me with the ball. He acted like he was going to throw it, so I got scared a few times.

He laughs. "You have some horrible reflexes for someone who plays volleyball."

"I don't expect someone to purposefully throw the ball at me." I giggle, snatching the ball away from him. "Need to work on those reflexes, sweetheart." I playfully mock.

Harry jokingly gasps, trying to grab the ball. His arms wrap around me and I try pushing him away. He eventually gets the ball and I turn, slightly nudging him. Our distance was very close and our breaths were heavy from the short wrestling session. His hand rises and he brushes the hair back that stuck out from my head. I feel his fingertips trail down my jaw to my chin so I was able to look up at him. Our eyes meet and my stomach tingles at the sight of his green ones. He hesitantly leans forward and I let it go as far to where our lips brush against each other. I pull away, looking down.

"Harry, we can't."

He lifts my head up again and presses his lips on mine. The bubble that had been building up explodes in my stomach. Harry drops the ball and it bounces away as he embraces my face to deepen the kiss. I pull on his shirt to get him closer. Suddenly, something blares through the gym, making us pull apart. Harry reaches into his pocket, looking at his phone.

"I-I have to go." he declines the call then looks at me.

"Oh," I can feel my shoulders fall from the ruined moment and he notices.

He smiles, softly kissing my lips once more. "I'll pick you up after work and we can talk."

"Talk?"

"Yes," he chuckles. "Now go get ready for work. You don't want to get fired do you?"

I shake my head, inhaling deeply then running toward the locker room. Today took a very sharp turn that I wasn't expecting.