wild [h.s./hariana]

twenty five

"Ok, everyone." Mr Fletcher says, clapping his hands together. "That's the end of the lesson. Pack up."

Everyone stands up and picks up their bags just as the bell rings out for the end of the day. I follow the class as we all frantically head out the door, eager to get out of school.

"Oh, Ariana? Come here a sec." I groan as I walk over to Mr Fletcher while everyone else leaves the class. "Chill, I just wanted to know where your science book is. If it has all your notes in it from your last class, it will be helpful."

I nod. "Yeah....ok?"

"So do you know where it is?"

I think for a while, wondering where I left it. I think I left it with Harry when I dropped the class. I didn't bother to go get any of my work back because I thought when I dropped the class, I was done with science work.

"Probably in my old class." I shrug.

"Well can you go and get it please." Mr Fletcher says. "You can't keep taking notes on random pieces of paper that you keep losing."

"But it's the end of the day-"

"Just go and get it."

"Why can't you?" I snap. "Instead of keeping me behind-"

"Ariana, go and get your science book or I will keep you back for a proper detention for not following instructions." Mr Fletcher threatens.

I huff and storm out to get the damn book, towards Harry's classroom. I hesitate, standing outside for a few seconds before I push open the door.

Once I step inside, I'm relieved to find that the room is empty. I walk over to the stack of books on the shelves at the front, searching for mine, flicking through the different piles quickly.

"Ariana?" A voice says from behind me and I jump, dropping the books I was holding onto the floor. I spin around to see Harry walking out of the storage cupboard with a few textbooks in his hands, switching off the light and closing the door.

"Shit, you scared me!" I say to him and he smiles slightly.

"I'm sorry." He says, watching me as I bend over to pick up the books. "What are you looking for?"

"My science book." I say, struggling to balance all the books and place them back onto the shelf, dropping a few on the floor again. Harry walks over and picks them up and then helps me put them all correctly in the piles before he dodges past me and shuts the classroom door without saying a word.

Then, he turns around and pulls a drawer open from his desk, grabbing my book before shutting the drawer again. He slowly walks over to me and then hands me the book.

"Why was it in the drawer?" I ask curiously.

"I was looking through it the other night. I was here late and I was marking, I just found your book in the pile. You never really took many notes, did you?" Harry says with a small smirk and I quickly smile.

"No, not really." I admit. "I found the class pretty boring and I would just sit waiting for it to be over."

"Really?" Harry asks, looking a little shocked.

"The truth hurts, right?" I say with a cheeky smirk.

"Then I'm surprised you didn't drop it much sooner." Harry says, his expression blank as his eyes lock with mine. "Aren't you?"

"Yeah...." I say in a whisper, my heart rate quickening as Harry gets a little closer. I tear my gaze away, unable to look into those tantalising green eyes any longer. I flick through the book slowly and Harry watches intently as I do.