Brooklyn sat down in her last lesson of the day and pouted.
Math.
She despised math.
Violet had told her she was also in this class, but she had been called into work early so she couldn't make it today.
"So it's true," a guy said confidently, sliding into the seat next to Brooklyn.
"Um... What's true?" Brooklyn asked, eyeing the guy cautiously.
"That you're even hotter close up," the guy smirked and Brooklyn laughed, rolling her eyes.
"Flattery will get you everywhere," she said sarcastically.
The guy smiled and held his hand out. "I'm Josh, I just wanted to meet the girl who has Stacy throwing a fit."
Brooklyn looked at Josh's hand and fidgeted awkwardly. "Sorry, it's not you... I'm just not a toucher," she said.
"No problem," Josh shrugged.
"What do you mean about Stacy?" Brooklyn wondered.
"She doesn't like you. She thinks you're a threat," Josh said and looked Brooklyn up and down. "I don't blame her."
"Keep the eyes up or my threat will become reality," Brooklyn warned and snapped her fingers.
Josh simply shrugged his shoulders and smirked. "Feisty," he chuckled.
"Why does she think I'm a threat?"
"You're new, you're hot, you're making friends quickly, she can't intimidate you and you attracted the attention of them."
"Them?"
Josh rolled his eyes. "Particularly Harry."
"W-what!"
"Come on, it's obvious he wants to get into your pants."
Somehow Brooklyn knew that wasn't true.
"And what do you want?" Brooklyn asked and arched an eyebrow.
"Just to get to know you," Josh said innocently, but his smirk said otherwise.
Brooklyn rolled her eyes. "Well, since you've taken it upon yourself to come sit with me, you can do me a favour."
"What will I get in return?" Josh wondered.
Brooklyn batted her eyelashes, knowing what sort of guy Josh was.
A pig.
"You'll get my gratitude," she said sweetly. "What more could you want?"
"Alright, babe," Josh said and Brooklyn's stomach churned at the name.
It didn't seem right coming from Josh's lips.
"What's the favour?"
"Harry," Brooklyn said and pursed her lips her lips, rubbing her head when the pressure returned. "Tell me about him."
*
Brooklyn closed her locker and smiled, grateful that it was the end of the day. Two more days and it would be the weekend.
I wouldn't see Harry, she thought and frowned.
That was a good thing?
Wasn't it?
Brooklyn adjusted her bag on her shoulder and made her way down the corridor.
She spotted Brandon waiting in his car and made her way down the steps, walking past Josh who was standing with a rowdy bunch of guys.
"Hey, Brooke," Josh called and Brooklyn raised her eyebrows questioningly.
"Yeah?"
"You doing anything tonight, babe?"
Brooklyn had to bite her lip to prevent her from pulling a disgusted face. "Sorry, I promised my aunt I'd make dinner," she lied.
There were hoots from Josh's friends as he got rejected, but he shrugged it off. "Don't sweat it, another time, babe," he said smoothly and Brooklyn nodded awkwardly before rushing off.
"Babe?" Harry's deep voice appeared in Brooklyn's ear and she gasped in fright, looking up at him in shock.
"Where the hell did you come from?" She snapped.
"Babe?" Harry said and looked over his shoulder to Josh. "He's such a dick."
"You call me babe," Brooklyn pointed out.
"But you like it when I do," Harry shrugged.
Brooklyn quickly looked at her feet, surprised that she didn't immediately respond with no.
"Stay away from him," Harry said sternly.
"I can do what I please," Brooklyn said, although she had no intention of getting to know Josh. He was your typical player.
"Stay away from him," Harry repeated.
"You can't tell me who I can talk to," Brooklyn frowned.
"But I am telling you," Harry said.
"I've got to go," Brooklyn said as she neared Brandon's car.
"Do as I say."
Brooklyn stopped by Brandon's car and looked at Harry, placing her hands on her hips and arching an eyebrow. "Get the hint," she said and opened the car door. "No."
Harry's eyes darkened and he narrowed his eyes as Brooklyn got into the car and slammed the door.
"I told you not to speak to-"
"Brandon," Brooklyn cut him off. "Please don't order me around. Just drive."
"I don't like him, B, stay away from him."
"People need to stop telling me what to do!" Brooklyn explained. "I can talk to who I want, nobody can tell me not too. Now drive the damn car!"
*
Brooklyn stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a towel. She yawned tiredly and walked into her bedroom, dropping the towel she was using to dry her hair when she saw Harry sitting on her bed, his back to her.
"What the hell are you doing!" She gasped and Harry turned round, his eyebrows rising when he took in Brooklyn's attire.
"You wanted the hard way," he said and stood slowly. "You've got it."
"Who let you in!" Brooklyn spluttered and clutched her towel slightly.
"Your aunt. She's a lovely woman."
"You need to go."
"But I've just arrived."
"Go. Now."
"I'll let you get changed and then we'll start studying," Harry said and Brooklyn's mouth dropped.
"Are you deaf or something?" She asked. "You're not tutoring me."
"But I am. I can also help you with math, it seems you're struggling with that too. Although I wonder if that has something to do with Josh," Harry said and crossed his arms over his chest.
"How... How did you-" Brooklyn stopped herself and grabbed a bunch of clothes from her wardrobe. "I'm not talking to you in my towel."
"Then drop it."
Colour flushed to Brooklyn's cheeks and she retreated back into the bathroom. She dressed quickly in a pair of leggings and an oversized jumper and then cautiously made her way back into her bedroom.
"Harry-" Brooklyn's words got caught in her throat when she saw what Harry was looking at.
It was the shoe box.
"Don't look at that!" Brooklyn panicked, hoping to God that Harry hadn't seen it. She snatched the box from his hands and looked into it. Momentos from her childhood were in there, but something was missing. "Shit," she breathed and looked at Harry's hand where he was holding part of an old newspaper.
"Shit indeed," Harry said stiffly, his eyes scanning the page. "This is why you don't like being touched."
Brooklyn stayed silent. She didn't like talking about it.
Harry folded the newspaper up and placed it in his pocket. "If you want to talk about it I'll listen," he said stiffly and picked up his bag, throwing it on the bed. "We have work to do, babe."
Brooklyn stared at Harry in shock. He knew. He knew but he wasn't asking any questions about it.
"W-what... You... I..." Brooklyn didn't know what to say.
Harry stepped closer to Brooklyn and gently pried the box from her hands and placed it on the side. "I know your secret, but it's down to you if you want to talk about it," he said quietly. "I want you to talk to me about it."
Brooklyn quickly shook her head.
"Let's talk French instead, shall we?" Harry wondered and sat down on Brooklyn's bed and reached into his bag, pulling out the French book.
"Um..." Brooklyn coughed. "O-okay."
*
"This is fucking impossible," Harry groaned and Brooklyn smiled sheepishly.
"I think I'm destined to fail at school. Fail at life," she joked and Harry turned to look at her.
"You're destined for much more than," he said lowly and his eyes flickered from Brooklyn's eyes to her lips.
"Um... Okay," Brooklyn coughed and edged to the side. Her and Harry were leaning against the side of her bed with books scattered all over the floor. Harry had kept his distance, but they were still close.
"Shall we try math?"
"Do you want me to die of boredom?" Brooklyn wondered and pushed her text book away. "I need a break."
Harry nodded. "Do you want to talk about-"
"No, I do not," Brooklyn said sharply. "What I do want to talk about is why you and Brandon don't get along."
"He's an idiot," Harry shrugged.
"And he's my cousin so watch what you say," Brooklyn warned.
"I only tell the truth," Harry smirked. "He's never liked us and we've never liked him."
"Many people dislike you."
"Like who?"
"Josh."
"You need to be able to distinguish between dislike and intimidation," Harry said. "And stop talking about that dick."
"You need to stop telling me what to do," Brooklyn said.
"You need to stop arguing with me."
Brooklyn smiled. "Never."
"You don't like Josh," Harry stated. "You think he's a pig. How hard can it be to stay away from him?"
"When you've got a bossy guy telling you too... I think it can be quite hard," Brooklyn said. "I'm going to talk to him if I want too."
"No, you're not," Harry said.
"If you're going to boss me about then you can leave," Brooklyn shrugged.
"No."
"You go from being normal and sort of nice one minute to an ass the next."
"It all depends on you," Harry said. "If you behave then I've no reason to argue with you."
"Behave?" Brooklyn scoffed. "Who do you think you are? You can't say that to me!"
"Why not?"
"Because it's not right! You're being an ass!"
"If I wanted to be an ass then I could make you tell me about the newspaper," Harry said.
Brooklyn narrowed her eyes. "Speaking of that, give it back."
"No."
"It's mine, give it back, Harry."
"It's not healthy to dwell on the past, babe."
"Don't call me that," Brooklyn snapped. "And I don't care. Give me it."
"I'll be keeping a hold on it," Harry said and Brooklyn looked at his pockets. "Go ahead, you've only got to touch me to get it."
Brooklyn chewed on her lip and glared at Harry's smirk. "Harry. Give it to me."
"Come get it."
"You're infuriating!" Brooklyn scowled.
"No, I'm just making it difficult for you. You can still get what you want," Harry said and Brooklyn took a deep breath.
She quickly reached over Harry to grab the newspaper sticking out of his pocket, but hands on her waist suddenly spun her over and in a second Harry was hovering above her, hands on either side of her head, his body close to hers, but not touching.
"You didn't think it was going to be that easy, did you?" Harry said and Brooklyn gulped.
"You touched me," she whispered.
"Briefly, yes," Harry nodded.
"Get away from me," Brooklyn demanded.
"Not just yet," Harry murmured and Brooklyn slowly reached up and slid the piece of paper out of his pocket, clutching it tightly. "Talk to me about it."
"There's nothing to tell."
"I can help."
"No one can."
Brooklyn squeezed her eyes shut when Harry brought his hand to her face. "I'm going to," he said and his finger grazed her cheek ever so slightly, his touch was as light as a feather.
"You can't," Brooklyn mumbled.
"I can."
"H-how?"
"Open your eyes," Harry ordered and Brooklyn did. "Like this." Brooklyn went into a state of shock when Harry moved closer to Brooklyn and his lips brushed hers.
A small explosion of sparks formed and Brooklyn gasped. Alarm bells were ringing in her head, telling her to get the hell away from Harry and to not let him touch her. However a small part of her mind agreed with the way her body was feeling.
Harry caused something within Brooklyn to feel funny. A good funny. It was different and Brooklyn didn't hate it.
Harry looked into Brooklyn's blue eyes and smirked slightly. "I can help," he said lowly and ran his thumb over Brooklyn's lips. "Let me babe.”