College Crushing

I’m sitting downtown at Wanda’s Coffee Shop enjoying my coffee while I wait for Harry. Since the library was packed today, I couldn’t get our usual table and we decided to come here. It’s a big hit for the college kids, but apparently, they all decided to go to the library tonight. Harry told me to save a seat and he would be here in fifteen minutes, but I already ordered his coffee and asked them to wait to make it.
I take my books out and open up to the pages I need to read when I see a man approaching my table. He gives me a smile, which I return, but when he asks to sit he doesn’t wait for my reply. “What’s a pretty girl like you doing sitting alone?”
I cringe and point out the obvious, “We are at a coffee shop. Many people come alone.”
He turns his face to the side and glances around, “Oh so you are alone?”
I don’t even think before I spit, “No. My boyfriend should be joining me soon.”
He sits back and crosses his arm, “Boyfriend huh?” I nod and he looks at the books I have out, “You’re a student? Me too, how old are you?”
I take a look at his outfit and can guess he’s probably in Pi Rho Omega. His cockiness fits it and so does his style. He is wearing blue frat shorts along with boat shoes and a white button-up tucked in. His haircut styles perfectly without one strand out of place. He’s the boy that probably spends as much time in front of the mirror as I do, if not more. He’s attractive, but his personality ruins it for me. I avoid his question and ask, “Are you in Pi Rho?”
He smiles at this, “Yes I am. Are you in a sorority?” I nod and he adds, “Let me guess. Kappa?”
I simply shake my head, but thankfully the door opens and Harry walks in. “There he is!” I play off and walk towards him, “I missed you, baby!”
Harry gives me a questioning look, but I buldge my eyes out at him and he smiles and hugs me. “Hi babe.” Once we release he puts his arm around my waist and kisses my head before addressing the man, “Who’s this?”
The man stands up before I can reply, “I’m just leaving. Have a good day.” Once the door closes I can’t but laugh and Harry joins along.
The barista calls Harry’s name and hands him his drink while replying, “Figured you were the one she was waiting on.”
“Yes, thank you.” He gives the barista a smile and finally sits down across from me, “So. Boyfriend? I knew you loved me, but didn’t realize how much.”
I laugh awkwardly at this, “Ha. Yeah. Sorry, Harry. Guess you’re my boyfriend now. Surprise!”
He shrugs and takes a sip of the coffee, “So. Who was that?”
“Some kid in Pi Rho. I tried to get him to leave by saying I had a boyfriend, but nope.”
“Yeah, we don’t normally believe that anymore.” Harry laughs and I raise an eyebrow at him, “What? It’s true. Women say it all the time, whether men are trying to flirt with them or not.”
“Shut up. We are not having this conversation.”
Harry pretends to zip his lips and then he lets out a laugh, “Look at us, we just fixed our first argument as a couple”
You just roll your eyes, “Thanks for playing along. He bought it, but I’m surprised he ran away so quickly. Think you scared him.”
“What? Me?” He looks confused
“I don’t know. He didn’t even mention his name to you, or to me for that matter, but he sure left quick when he saw you. Think he knows you?”
Harry shrugs, “He didn’t look familiar. Maybe he’s seen me at parties.”
I think and then it clicks, “Oh. What if he saw you beat up that guy? Maybe that’s why he’s scared.”
Harry looks worried, “I don’t want people to fear me.”
I smile at him and can’t help but adore his kindness, “Don’t worry Harry. We know you had a reason, maybe that guy didn’t want to give you another one.”
He huffs, “Maybe.”
We both begin to study and before I know it, I feel a rumbling in my stomach and Harry chuckles. “Don’t laugh at me,” I whine.
“Come on. Time for dinner.” I give him a cheesy smile and he just laughs as he packs his stuff up, “You, Kennedy Matthews, are a goober.”
“Why thank you kind sir. I do appreciate you kind words.” I put on my worst british accent and he only shakes his head.
“That was god-awful. I hope you know that.” He tries to sound serious but I see him fighting his smirk as he eyes me from the corner of his eyes.
“I’m sorry. It’s hard to imitate your accent because your voice is so deep and husky and soothing.” I pause as I’m putting my book in my backpack and try to fight the blush on my face. I zip up my back and clear my throat as I sit up. He has a huge grin on his face, “What?”
“You mean to tell me, that you were imitating me?” a smile creeps on my face as I’m glad he didn’t call me out on my description of his voice.
“No. Yours is far too hard.”
I stand up and put my backpack on and he follows me, but as I push the door open I feel his breath against my ear, “Because deep, husky, and soothing? Yeah?” My own breath hitches in my throat at the lowness of his whisper and clear my throat.
“I’m sure I’m not the first person to mention it.”
He shrugs, “First person to mention it to my face.”
“Oh. Well. What are friends for?” I mentally face palm and try to ignore the smile that dropped on his face, but he quickly recovered.
“Yeah. Of course. Um. I’m actually going to head home and eat something. Raincheck?” He opens his car door as I walk over to mine parked next to his.
“Oh okay. Sure.” I try to hide my disappointment, but stop at McDonalds on the way home and call it a day. As I walk into the house I trudge up the stairs while munching on my fries. Throwing my backpack on my bed before I see Alex and Tanner in my doorway.
“What’s wrong?” Tanner asks as she slowly enters the room while Alex sits in my desk chair and swivels around.
I sit on the floor against my bed and eat another fry. I hold the bag out to Alex, knowing she’ll want some, which she does. “Holy shit. Is this bag full of fries?” She takes it and shows Tanner.
“Okay. Yes. I may have ordered 5 large fries and told them to just put it in a bag. Okay? And it may have cost me over $10, but I needed it.” I huff.
“Hey. I’m not judging. This is genius. But.” Alex puts a fry in her mouth and continues talking, “Any particular reason you did this?”
I put my hands on my face and groan and said all in one word, “HarryPretendedToBeMyBoyfriendAndIThinkILikedit.”
Alex looks at Tanner, “Did you get that?”
Tanner sits beside me and places her hand on my knee, “Okay. Start from the beginning. Why did Harry pretend to be your boyfriend.”
I explained what happened at the coffee shop and the way Harry’s words made me feel, but also how he felt distant afterwards and weird. “And I just. Gah. I know Justin likes me, and he’s great. Like, amazingly great. But Harry. I think I have feelings for Harry.”
Tanner sighs, “They are both amazing guys. And clearly Justin is after you, but if you’re worried that Harry might not feel the same-”
“That boy feels the same. No doubt about it.” Alex cuts her off as she messes with her nails.
“But, I need to focus on school.” I sigh as I pick at my rug I’m still sitting on.
“And you will.” Tanner reassures me
“Yeah. Like you two study all the time anyways. You’ll just you know. Study each other as well.” She snickers at this and Tanner throws a pillow at her, “Ow!”
“Shut up.” She hisses and turns back to me, “What Alex means to say is that nothing will change besides the closeness. It will increase. I know you’ve never really dated anyone in college, but you two already seem to have a system down to where you make time for each other. And that’s important in college relationships.”
I put my hands on the floor and push myself up, going to stand in front of my dresser. “Yeah. I don’t know why I’m even freaking out. Gah. He might not even want anything from me other than friendship.” This time Alex throws the pillow at me and I yelp.
“What did I just say? It’s so obvious he likes you. Whenever you’re in the same room, he constantly watches you. Whenever you’re not, he’s texting you or asking if anyone knows where you are. Whenever you’re with Justin, it’s so obvious he’s jealous. But not in a bad way, he just looks… sad? That it’s not him.”
“What?” I look at Tanner for confirmation and she nods.
“That’s why we always laughed whenever you would say you two were ‘just friends,’ because it was so fucking clear to everyone else that you two had feelings for each other.”
Tanner adds onto Alex’s statement, “Even Louis mentioned that Harry couldn’t shut up about you.”

Notes