Between Two Worlds (Wattys 2016)

Chapter 46

                 

„Do you need help?",  a familiar voice asks behind me. I know this voice so good, little by little and I actually don't dare to turn around.

Maybe I didn't need to, because he did it on himself, by tipping on my shoulder.

„Is something wrong with your car?" he asks again  and I finally spin around.

„Uhm, Hi." I say, and fully turn around to see him. His curls are looking somehow adorable how the bounce up and down, as he takes a further look to my engine. He wears skinny black jeans, and somehow it wonders me how he is even capable to walk with them.

„Hello" he says, abruptly looking back to me and smiling. He is only a few feet away from me, and this lack of space isn't something I desire the most.

I turn back to my, or better say, the car of my mother and curse for having so much bad luck. Why the hell does my car- okay, the car of my mother- has to break down, now?

The smell of patrol is bearable, but his presence bothers me a bit.

„Since when do you have a car?" Harry sarcastically remarks.

„What are you even doing here?" I ignore his question.

„Well, my house is very near from here." He says, pointing with his thumb somewhere behind his shoulder.

„Oh." I say, not very convinced, but whatever.

„Since when do you have a car?" He asks again, bowing his head down, so he can have a better view from up. I don't know if he really knows anything about cars, or he is just pretending to annoy me a tad more. Since the last time I saw him, I couldn't help to think about his statement, well actually his question and to be honest, I still don't have the answer.

„I just got my license, this car isn't mine. It's from my mother." I inform him, and he nods.  „Do you know, what is wrong with this car?" I ask him, leaning a bit forward, but immediately regret it. As he wanted to turn around and answer my question our head bang together. How embarrassing

„Ouch!" I quickly flinch back and cover my forehead with my hands.

„Ouch!" Harry says as well, and as I open my eyes – (when did I close them?)- I see how he covers the other side of his forehead.  „I think you tend to either hurt yourself, or to hurt me whenever I see you." He complains.

„It's not my fault, how was I supposed to know you'd turn around?" I snap back.

„Sorry, it's my fault, to look at someone's eyes, whenever they talk to me. The next time I will examine my hands, when you talk to me." He adds sarcastically, and even though my head hurts a tad, I can't help than to bite my lips not to laugh about him.

„Okay, you're right." I quickly say and he looks at me in confusion.

„Is something wrong with you today, you are nice to me. Should I be scared?"

„Very funny, but no, you don't have to be scared." I tell him, and he acts like he is relieved to hear this.  „So tell me, what is wrong with the car?" I ask, standing a few feet away from him, preventing to band our heads again.

„Don't worry it's something normal." He says, focusing back on the inner side of the car. Seriously, I never thought I would use that ever.

I just nod and pace back and forth not knowing what to do or say. Harry seems to be in his element, because he neither asks me anything nor talks any nonsense. I take out my phone and check the time. It's a bit after five o'clock, so even if this would take more time, I wouldn't be in a hurry.

Minutes felt like hours, so I decided to climb back into the car and turn on the radio. That was when Harry started to talk again. Perfect timing, curly one.

„So, the inner side is okay, Abby, can you try to turn on the engine." He demands, and I obey. I turn the ignition on and wait until the engine comes alive, but... it goes back off? I try once more, but the engine just sounds, like losing power and giving totally up. Did I just wreck the car of my mother? I swear I didn't do anything wrong, just drove to the library and back.

I look at Harry, totally confused and he pinches the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index.

Somehow that makes him look, much older and mature. Not that I would think he is immature, I don't know him, but he just has this effect on me.

„What is happening?" I ask, not recognizing my own voice, full of panic and fear.

„I think your tank is empty. We need to call someone you can drag your car to the next gas station, otherwise I don't know how to handle this as well." He says, looking as confused as I. Why does he even care, what is happening to my car? A normal person here would not even glance over to me, even though I look very desperate for help.

„Oh gosh, this always has to happen to me. I'm so lucky." I complain, throwing my hands in the air. I'm so blessed, really I always fall down on my bum, whenever it's not the right moment. There is never a right moment, to fall on your bum.

I hear how Harry bursts into laughter after he saw my little scene.

„What's so funny, huh?" I ask turning around to him.

„You are funny." He chuckles, showing off his dimples. Okay, that looks cute. No, it doesn't. Okay, somehow it does.

He shuts the engine bonnet and sits down on it, like it's something he does every time. Well, I don't doubt that.

„Hey, come over here." He pats the empty place next to him and smiles widely. „Come here, take a seat."

I look at him in disbelief, not getting if he is serious or just joking.

„What?" I ask, acting like I didn't hear something.

„Come here, take a seat next to me, and just relax. I'm thinking about a way to get you out of here, but first of all you owe me some time together." He winks, grinning again, showing off his dimples. Stop, that's really cute!

„I owe you that? You serious?"  I ask.