Karma ||H.S||

Chapter 28

To my surprise, I apparently didn't miss much work while I skipped classes yesterday. Astrid text me while I was vegging in bed watching Netflix on my ipad, to let me know that all we had was History of Photography homework and asked to meet her in the library in the morning to work on it together, since Lighting Workshop was cancelled.

The only reason I woke in the middle of the night, was because my bladder felt like it was going to explode. It was a nice change, knowing it wasn't because of a nightmare. There was no sweat pouring down my forehead and my breathing was normal. I cursed my wretched bladder for interrupting the peaceful sleep that I needed, especially when, through the dark, my eyes fixated on the body sleeping across the room from me and I noticed it most definitely wasn't Nova, but instead a comfortable looking, lightly snoring Harry, gripping onto a pillow for dear life, with his mop of curls covering his face. Nova and Niall really need to get their own place, if they keep wanting to kick Harry out of his own room every night.

When my alarm sounded through the room this morning, I awoke to en empty room. I figured it was for the best, since he left me so awkwardly at the beach yesterday and I didn't really want to start this day off on the wrong foot, because tomorrow is today, which meant I needed to be able to think straight if I was going to look at things differently and let my walls back down. Today, I'm a new person.

There's no doubt in my mind that I actually feel better. The voice of Ed Sheeran sounds through my headphones as I slide my finger across the many books about Photography on the second floor of the library. History of Photography is my least favorite class, mainly because it's so boring, and my professor is about as old as the first camera ever invented. He even talks slower than normal in this monotone voice that makes it hard to stay awake. It makes for some really funny anecdotes out of Harry's mouth, but other than that, the class sure is useless and I'd gladly do without it if I could.

I find a book that seems useful enough for the work I have to accomplish this morning, and take it to a table in the corner that overlooks the bottom floor. I watch as Astrid slowly strolls across the floor and up the stairs to meet me.

It has been obvious to me that she feels bad for what happened at the roller rink, because unlike Harry and I, her and Blake worked things out. While we were falling apart, they were falling back together. It was hard to watch them act like nothing happened, while I couldn't even look at Harry without wanting to cry. I'm happy that she's happy, but it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, considering the whole reason Harry and I weren't in the same happy place as them, was because of them to begin with—or at least they played a good helping hand in it all.

"So you took the day off yesterday," she states, taking her backpack off and placing it on the floor as she sits down across from me at the table. "Are you okay?" Her bright blue eyes are wide as she stares at me.

"I'm good now, thanks," I tell her.

Her eyes don't leave me and she doesn't move, as she watches me get my laptop out and open the book I got from the shelf. I can tell that she wants to say something and I have no idea why she isn't.

"What is it, Astrid?" I ask, closing the book and looking at her.

"Harry said he met you at the beach yesterday morning," she finally tells me. I'm not sure I like the way she's looking at me, like Harry is a touchy subject and is really afraid of saying his name around me. "Do you want to talk about it?" 

"What did he say?" I ask curiously, dismissing her question completely.

"Nothing," she answers, taking her books out of her bag. "That's the thing. I asked him where you were and he mentioned the beach and he seemed so short with me like I did something wrong. You guys still aren't back together?"