After

Chapter 56.

"What do you have planned for the rest of the day?" Hardin asks as he finally breaks our kiss. He sits on my bed and I join him.

"Nothing, just studying." I feel nervous now, like there is some way I should be behaving now that we are.. more, but I have no clue what way that is.

"Cool." He says and clicks his tongue onto the roof of his mouth.

He seems nervous too, I am glad it isn't just me.

"Come here" Hardin beckons me and opens his arms. The moment I sit on his lap, the door opens and he groans. Steph, Tristan and Nate all enter the room. They all stare at us and I climb off of Hardin and sit on the other side of the bed.

"So are you guys like fuck buddies now?" Nate asks and I squeak.

"No! We aren't" I tell them. I don't know what I should tell them, I will wait for Hardin to say something. He stays quiet as Tristan and Nate begin to talk to him about the party last night.

"It seems I didn't miss much." Hardin tells them and Nate shrugs.

"Until Molly gave us a strip show, she got completely naked, you should have been there." Nate tells Hardin. I cringe and look towards Steph who is staring at Tristan, probably hoping he isn't going to comment on Molly being naked.

"Nothing I haven't seen before." Hardin smiles and I gasp then try to conceal it as a cough. He did not just say that. His face falls, seeming to understand what he just did.

Maybe this was a terrible idea, it is already sort of awkward and now that everyone is in the room it is magnified. Why didn't he tell them we were dating? Are we dating? I don't really understand myself. I thought after his confession that we were but we never actually said we are. Maybe we don't need to? This uncertainty is already driving me crazy, the entire time I have been with Noah I have never had to worry about his feelings for me. I never had to deal with ex- friends with benefits, I am the only girl Noah has ever kissed in his life, and honestly I like it that way. I wish Hardin had never done anything with another girl, or less of them at least.

"We're going bowling after I change, do you want to come?" Steph asks and I shake my head.

"I have to catch up on my studying, I have barely gotten any done this weekend." I tell her and look away as the memories of this weekend flood through my mind. When did Hardin make the plans to go, probably before everything that happened.

"You should come, it will be fun." Hardin offers but I shake my head. I really need to stay in, I was sort of hoping he would stay with me.  Steph steps into the closet and returns a few minutes later with different clothes on.

"Ready guys? You're sure you don't want to come?" She asks me and I nod.

"I'm sure." I tell her. They all get up to leave and Hardin gives me a wave and a small smile before exiting the room. I am a little disappointed with his goodbye, but what did I expect? For him to rush over and kiss me, tell me he would miss me? I laugh at the thought. I don't know if anything will even change between Hardin and I besides we will stop actively trying to avoid one another. I am too used to how things are with Noah so I have no idea how this is going to be and I hate not having control over every situation.

After an hour of studying and attempting to take a nap, I grab my phone to text Hardin. Wait, I don't even have his number. I had never thought about it before, we have never talked on the phone or text before. We never needed to, we couldn't stand each other. This is going to be more complicated than I thought.

I call my mother to catch up with her, and mostly to see if Noah has told her what happened yet. He would be arriving back home soon from his two hour drive, and I am sure he won't waste any time telling her everything. She answers with a simple hello, so I know she has no clue yet. I tell her about my attempt to get a car, and the possible internship with Vance. Of course, she reminds me that I have been at college over a month and I still haven't found a car. I roll my eyes and let her continue to ramble on about what she has been doing the last week. My phone lights up while I am listening to her, I place her on speakerphone and read the text.