Fighting Desires

67

Harriet POV

It's been three weeks.

Lifes shit.

I've been avoiding Clayton like the plague, knowing it was only a matter of time before he demanded an explanation.

And I simply don't have one that I can tell him. So, therefore, I'm on a mission to avoid him for the remaining month.

In the mornings I get up earlier and go to the library. During lunch, I go to the library.  After school, I go to the library. In summary, the library is my new home.

I'm currently heading there now, with the intent of studying geography.

I fucking hate geography.

A hand suddenly covers my eyes, and I immediately shove my elbow back to hit the attacker in the stomach.

"Ow!" I hear a familiar voice groan, and I turn and see Elijah clutching his stomach while Ezra is in stitches laughing.

"I'm so sorry" I immediately mumble as I put a hand on my forehead. Ezra walks over to me while chucking and side-hugs me. "It's grand" Ezra tells me and Elijah glares at him.

"Did you just accept an apology on my behalf?" Elijah asks and Ezra grins before nodding. Elijah rolls his eyes before throwing an arm around my shoulder, while Ezra links arms with me.

"You're forgiven" Elijah tells me and I chuckle.

"So...how've you been?" Ezra asks and I sigh. "Fine" I lie, and they nod.

"Haven't seen you a lot lately" Elijah says and I lean. "Sorry. I've been busy" I mumble.

"No, we get it. You and Clayton broke up, you're trying to get through it. I guess we kinda thought we were more than just your boyfriend's brothers" Ezra chuckles awkwardly. I push away from them and turn to face them directly.

"Of course you are more than just Clayton's brothers. Why would?- Wait is that what it seems like?" I ask in shock, and Elijah nods his head slowly while Ezra scratches the back of his neck.

"Fuck I'm sorry! It's just I've been trying to give him space, and you two are his brothers. And I know that if I hang out with you guys, he won't. And the last thing I want to do is get in the middle of you three. I've already done enough-"

"Harriet" Ezra chuckles and I blush as I look down. "That's the stupidest logic ever, but I get it," Elijah tells me and I smile.

"Of course you get it" Ezra snorts as he spins me around and we start walking again. "What's that supposed to mean?" I hear Elijah shout as he runs to catch up with us.

"Don't you two start" I groan, and Ezra chuckles while Elijah glares at him.

A phone suddenly goes off, and Ezra pulls out his phone before groaning.

"We have to go. Bye Harrietta" Ezra mumbles and I scowl at them as they walk away.

I make my way to the library and sit down at one of the tables in the back. I take out my geography books, before putting my head down and trying to concentrate.

But I swear everything was going in one ear and out the other.

"There you are," Someone says, and I turn to see Quinn and Julian walking towards me. They sit down beside me and I groan. "Geography will be the death of me" I mumble. Julian chuckles while Quin rolls her eyes.

"Julian and I both got asked to prom" Quinn squeals and I smile. "Well you both are seeing people so I'd sure hope they'd ask you to prom" I snort causing Julian to roll his eyes playfully and Quinn to slap my arm.

"Shut up" She mumbles and I chuckle.

"I got my dress! It's white, I love it" Quinn grins before turning to Julian. "What about you?" I ask.

"I'm just wearing a grey suit. Nothing much" Julian shrugs and we nod.

"Harriet?" Quinn asks, and I chuckle. "I'm not going Quinn," I tell her, and she stares at me in disbelief.

"Why the fuck not?" She asks and I shrug. "I have no interest in watching horny teenagers grind against each other" I tell her and she snorts.

"You and Clayton were doing exactly that on the night of my birthday," Quinn says and Julian snickers.

"Yes, me and Clayton. Why would I want to watch a bunch of couples be happy, while I'm miserable?" I ask, and Quinn goes quiet trying to come up with a response to that.

"You don't need a man" Julian answers, and Quinn nods.

"You're right. I don't. But I'd prefer one. Preferably Clayton" I mumble. "I don't see why you broke up with him since you obviously still love him" Quinn sighs and I groan as I put my elbows on the table and rest my face in my hands.

"I'm not telling you two why we broke up," I tell them and they sigh. "Was worth a shot" Julian shrugs.

"Anyways, you have exactly nine days to decide" Julian smiles, and Quinn slaps his arm. "She has nine days to accept the fact that she's going" Quinn corrects, and Julian snorts.

"I don't even have anything to wear"I mumble, and they both roll their eyes. "Get something when you're home this weekend" Julian tells me and I nod.

We get to go home this Friday and we're not back in school till Tuesday. Quin told me they do it every year so they can fix up the school, before letting parents in to see if they want their kids attending there in the future.

Not like they have much choice.

There isn't a lot of schools made specifically for teens who broke the law.

"Yeah, I'll see" I shrug and they nod.

"I have to go. Track practice" Julian says as he stands up. "Try not to miss us" Quinn shouts as he walks away.

"What are you studying? Maybe I can help" Quinn asks as she reads one of my books. "I'm shit at geography, sorry" Quinn chuckles and I smile a bit.

"You know who's not shit at geography-"

"Quinn fuck off" I groan as she smirks.

Clayton is a fucking genius. He gets over seventy percent in all his tests and all he has to do is ten minutes of study. While the rest of us have to study for hours to get over seventy.

It's so unfair.

"I'm meeting up with Alexa now. Wish me luck. All she talks about is college now" Quinn groans, and we say our goodbyes before she walks away.

College..

I haven't thought about it much.

I put my name down for a few places, mostly because Lilian would kill me if I didn't.

She was adamant about me going to college.

I would like to go, but it's so bloody expensive to go to college. And the only person making money is Lilian. She has a good job and insists that we can afford it.

But I can't tell whether she's lying or not.

My phone suddenly buzzes, and takes it out to see who texted me.

Lilian

Have your train ticket booked for 3pm.

I take a minute to appreciate the fact she listened when I told her I hate getting up earlier, before replying and turning off my phone.

I hate geography.