“Peach Green Tea Lemonade, for Kennedy!” I see my name on the cup as it slides on the counter.
“Thank you!” I give the barista, Barbie, a smile of appreciation before walking upstairs to the second floor of the library. I take a left at the top of the stairs and head for the theology room. Since I’m a nursing major, I don’t really use this room for the books but because it makes me feel like I’m at an actual college library where books surround the walls and the tables have lamps on them. I love it.
Once I sit down at my usual table, I take out my Anatomy and Physiology book. I’m only a sophomore in college in my fall semester and had just applied for the spring nursing program at my school. I usually have friends that I normally study with, but since the test is still a week away, they won’t be joining me until next week.
As I’m studying about the heart and circulatory system with headphones in my ears, I feel the table move slightly. I slowly look up and see a pair of green eyes looking back into my blue ones. He is sitting directly across from me and smiling with his dimples on full display. I try to cover my surprise and take out my earbuds, pausing my music in the process.
“Um. Hi. Can I help you?” I look around the library and notice all the bodies that fill the tables.
He lets out a low chuckle, “Hi, I’m Harry. Sorry to bother you, I was just wondering if it would be alright if I joined your table? All the others seem to be taken.”
I push a strand of my brown wavy hair behind my ear, “Oh! Yeah, that’s fine I guess. I wasn’t expecting anyone so you are more than welcome to sit there.”
He puts his hand out in front of me, “Harry Styles.”
Placing my hand in his I say, “Kennedy Matthews. Where are you from?” He gives me another smile and retrieves his hand and pushes it through his brown medium length hair.
“Holmes Chapel, United Kingdom. It’s a small town, but I’m doing a program that allows me to go to college here.” He picks up his backpack from the ground and sets it in the chair next to him, like mine. He shuffles in it and takes out his Rosegold MacBook Air. “I have to write a paper for British Literature. How ironic.”
I laugh and begin to put my earbuds back in, “I like your laptop. Pretty color.”
He gives me a cheesy smile, “Thanks. I get that all the time. Pink is a rock and roll color, I never understood why they said it was just for girls.”
“You know, Harry, I like the way you think.” I put the other earbud in and go back to studying.

---

No longer able to read about the atriums and ventricles, I close my book and begin to wrap up my headphones. I glance up and see Harry playing on his phone, “Are you done?”
He puts his phone in his pants pocket and smiles up at me, “Yes. I was waiting for you.”
“Oh, you didn't have to do that. How long have you been waiting?” I put my notes in my navy Jon Hart backpack that my grandmother got me and zip it up.
“Oh, maybe twenty minutes. Not too long.” I feel my eyes grow, “What?”
“You were waiting on me for twenty minutes? Why?”
“Aren’t you hungry? I’ve been here for three hours and you’ve been here longer than that. I don’t want to eat in the cafeteria alone, join me?” He sticks out his bottom lip in a pout and I can’t help but laugh.
“I guess I am a little hungry.” I check my phone and see it’s already 5:48 pm. Might as well eat dinner. I stand up and pull my backpack over my shoulders. He follows me as I throw away my Starbucks drink and walk towards the exit. We step outside and the weather still feels like summer, but it’s already mid-September. “So what made you choose Tulane State University? Why Texas?”
He laughs again, “Um. I wasn’t really planning on Texas to be honest. I was visiting colleges with my mum and this was one of the top schools for Law and Sociology. It also had great ratings for getting into Law School, and I fell in love with the campus. I love it here. What about you?”
I grab my hair from the right side and pull it to over my left shoulder so I can see Harry, “My parents went here, actually they met here. I’m from Savannah, Georgia. I visited one day, mainly because my parents wanted me to attend here, but when I came, it just felt like home. Every other college was overwhelming and I felt like I didn’t belong. I also like the size. Not too big, not too small. Just right.”
“Savannah, Georgia? Is it pretty there?” We reach the building and he holds the door open for me as I walk through.
“Yes. I love Georgia. I love the beaches, they’re different than California’s. Different oceans. A lot of beautiful trees. Don’t get me wrong, I want to go to California so bad, and I bet their beaches are amazing but Georgia has my heart.”
“Sounds lovely.” We swipe into our cafeteria and he points at a table, “This okay?” I nod and set my backpack down on a chair. He does the same then we both walk to look at the food choices.
“How do you like this American food?”
He shrugs, “I try to get new things, sometimes it’s good. Other times, not so much.”
I laugh, “Yeah. I get that. The chicken fried chicken is good. Eat it with gravy though, not ketchup.”
He nods and follows me in line, “note taken. Have you tried their fried ice cream? I'm a bit skeptical about it, how is that possible?”
I shake my head, “I have no idea and I haven’t even tried that yet. I don’t like pickles either so I haven’t tried fried pickles either.”
“So many fried foods.” He smiles while grabbing the plate from the woman serving the food. “Thank you, I appreciate it.” She gives him a smile and nods.
“Well. At least you fit in with the Texan hospitality.” I grab a glass and fill it with water, he fills his with orange juice and another with water.
“Is that a real thing? Texan’s are nicer than others?” I shrug
“I’m not a Texan, am I nice?” He laughs and nods as he sets his plate down and sits down, with me following suit. I shrug, “I don’t know, maybe it just means that more people are likely to wave or smile at strangers in Texas than other places. I think it all depends on how you are raised. My parents raised me to be kind to others.”
“I agree. I don’t understand why people need to be rude to each other. There’s already enough chaos going on in the world.” I smile at this, “So what’s your major and what year are you? Oh. And age.”
I take a sip of my water, “I’m a sophomore nursing major. I’m nineteen and I'm turning twenty in May. You?”
“Well, I’m Pre-Law and majoring in Sociology. I’m a Junior but I'm turning twenty in February.”
I give him a confused look, “Wait. You started college at age 17?”
He nods, “Yeah. In the UK we can finish school at age 16, but I took a gap year. That allowed me to realize that I wanted to go to school here.”
“That’s awesome. When you finished school, I was just a sophomore in high school. I still had two more years to graduate before I could start college.”
“It’s different here, that’s for sure. So nursing, huh? That’s pretty awesome. What do you want to do with it?”
“I’m looking into becoming a CRNA, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. But I love to travel, and want to travel more so I'm interested in being a travel nurse once I’m able to.”
“Wow. That’s amazing. No wonder you study so much. So you must have just applied to the nursing program here, yeah?”
I nod, “Yep. Hopefully, should be finding out here in November if I got accepted into the program. Fingers crossed.” I hold up my fingers and he does too and gives me a reassuring smile.
“I bet you will.” I let out a sigh and look outside to see it’s already dark outside, “It’s late. You ready?” I nod and we grab our dishes and take them to the designated area. “Are you in a dorm or do you live off campus?”
I laugh, “Yeah I’m living off campus. Not taking out more loans to live in a dorm.”
“Can I walk you to your car?” I glance up at him and see him looking down at me. I’m only 5’5” and he towers over me.
“Yeah. Sure, I would like that.” He shoves his hands in his pockets and gives me a dimpled smile. We walk a little further before I reach my white 2017 Jeep Wrangler, “Well. This is me.”
“Nice Jeep. What year?”
“2017, my parents told me I could get whatever I wanted if I went here. I love Range Rovers and Jeep Wranglers. The Range Rover was way more expensive though so I chose the Jeep. I love it, especially in the summertime.”
“I bet. I have a Range Rover, actually. I’ll take you for a ride someday.” I nod and unlock my jeep, “Hey, Kennedy.”
My hand freezes on my handle, the way he said my name caused an eruption of butterflies in my stomach. “Yeah?” I breathe out slowly and turn to face him.
“Same time tomorrow?” I smile with a nod which he returns. After he sees that I’m safely in my jeep he begins to walk back in the direction we just came from.
I take my phone out and see Alex, my roommate, texted me a photo of me studying with Harry looking at me.
From Alex: WHO the fuck is this BEAUTIFUL specimen?
To Alex: Um. Harry?
From Alex: Now you reply! Took you forever! Who is Harry?
To Alex: A new friend.
From Alex: A HOT NEW FRIEND!
To Alex: Shut up. I barely know the guy. Why were you stalking me?
From Alex: I wasn’t. I was going to join you with studying, but I saw a guy was sitting with you. I had to take a picture BECAUSE HE IS HOT AF. And right when I went to take it he looked at you like that ^^ and omg I about died. HE LIKES YOU!
To Alex: He barely knows me. He only knew my name at that point, he just needed a place to do homework.
From Alex: Mhm. Whatever. You will tell me more when you get home.
To Alex: Mhm. Whatever.
From Alex: Don’t throw my words back at me!
To Alex: Harry is just a friend. We are just becoming friends, actually, don’t put pressure on me.
From Alex: Whatever you say… If you don't want him, give him my number ;)
To Alex: NO. Stop. I'll be home soon.
From Alex: I knew you wanted him ;

Notes