(ATLANTIS) - haylor au

chapter nineteen

(harry)

The next morning, I find myself awake at 5am. It's too early but my first thought is my secret admirer. She has to drop the notes some time so I decide today is the day I confront her. Find out who she is. When I'm getting dressed, I still find this entire situation a bit awkward. How would I even talk to her? What would I even say to her? I have rehearsed, or have fantasized, how it would go down but it never calmed me down really.  

Since it's still so early, I'm rummaging through the pantry for breakfast. I could go without breakfast but I think I deserve to treat myself for getting up so early without an alarm clock. 

"Harry, what on earth are you doing so early?" I'm startled when I hear mom's voice's looming over the quiet morning atmosphere. "Just, getting breakfast." I give her a cheeky smile, turning around to face her. 

Mom's still in her pyjamas, shaking her head. "I thought soccer practices were over last week." She yawns and grabs the pancake mix from the pantry. 

"Yeah, I just have some stuff to do before classes start." I pause, starting the coffee-maker. I glance over at mom and she's already started making pancakes. "I need my car though.." I trail off.

"Don't even think about it." She's busy pouring the batter onto the pan but I can still hear the stern voice. "I can drop you off on my way to work." She finally adds. 

It's not ideal because I have to wait for mom to get dressed and ready for work but it's better than walking to school. Dad's rushing out the door when he sees at the kitchen. 

"What the hell are you doing so early?"

"Gotta get to school early." I nod with a mouth full of pancakes. "You?" 

"Conference call." He raises his eyebrows, patting his briefcase. "Be good." He remarks with a cheeky smile as he takes a sip of mom's coffee. "Alright, gotta go now!" And with that, dad's out the door.

I take my time with my breakfast because it's still only 6:30 and mom's still not dressed. Now, I have process what I'd say to this secret admirer? How am I going let them down softly? Would I even be able to do this? 

I'm unbuckling my seat belt, eager to get off and get this over with. "Bye, mom!" I'm looking out the window, she hasn't even stopped the car yet. 

She's laughing but looking at me funny. "Harry, calm down." Mom looks like she wants to say something but doesn't and tells me bye and I get off quickly.

When I'm approaching my locker, I can see a ponytailed girl's back turned to me. I get closer but she's already walking away, I run after her. "Hey!" I shout. "Hey, stop!" I shout again and she stops. I don't even realise but I'm holding my breath when she's about to turn.

A familiar face is revealed in front of me and she's looking away from me. I'm barely containing my confusion with my furrowed eyebrows and my mouth slightly ajar. "Sarah?" I finally say. Her head shoots up and gives me a meaningful look when I say her name. "You remember me." She's smiling.

"You are Taylor's friend from the Art Club." I say slowly as she walks slightly closer to me. She's nodding and is beaming. 

She's small and stands in front of me, fumbling the straps of her backpack, not saying anything but with a small smile. Her small frame reminds me of Selena's but I don't say that. "The letters." I say, killing the silence. 

"The letters." She repeats.

"Yeah?" I raise one of my eyebrows.

Sarah closes her eyes and opens them back up.  She looks at me so fiercely with eyes that look too big for her. "Harry, I've liked you since last year." She nods. "I just didn't know how I'd get to you." Her eyes don't meet mine as she says the last part and I feel myself turning a bit red, surprised.

"Sarah," I pause. I don't know why I started the sentence and how I was even going to end it. Sarah seems like a nice girl and beyond that, I don't know her. 

"I just wanted to talk to you." She pauses and looks at me again. "I wanted you to know that I like you but I just didn't be any other girl who told you they like you." 

"Okay." I nod with my lips sucking in. "Sarah, maybe we should hang out." I'm talking softly and unsure myself but if she's been thinking this hard and noticing me for so long. I feel like this is the least I could do. Sarah is cute and feisty, I can tell. "Just to get to know each other though." I add with a small smile. She nods, ferociously with a wide smile which makes me turn red because I caused that. 

"When?" 

"Um, tomorrow after school?" I raise an eyebrow, thinking. "We can grab a cup of coffee," She frowns. "Or milkshake." I say and her face changes to a brighter one.