Hooked || Harry Hook x oc

CHAPTER XII: CHICKEN SCRATCH AND GRAFFITI LETTERING

It didn't take very long for Harry and Rowan's friends to accept their budding romance. Melody had just about fainted with excitement when her roommate told her the news—though, not until after ensuring that her friend had earned the apology she was owed, of course. The VK's had made their own sarcastic comments, yet were thoroughly pleased to hear of the new development. A few—Jay and Carlos, namely—were a bit more protective of Rowan than anything. She'd quickly shut down their remarks with a sharp, "I'm a big girl, I can handle myself!" Uma and Gil were just glad to "finally have someone to keep the man in check!"

The weeks were flying past everyone, the semester coming to an end with just two more to come. Exams would be upon them soon, always finishing the day before the annual Auradon Prep cotillion. Evie had been a tornado of a woman in preparation. She'd had Mal and Rowan in her cottage at least twice a week over the past month, over-measuring and throwing around fabric in a hurry. Her poor boyfriend, Doug, had said he'd barely even seen her amidst the chaos. Her friends tried to explain that she'd have plenty of time to complete her projects, and were constantly trying to find excuses to stay away.

Mal had much better luck with that than Rowan did—able to excuse herself with her "Royal duties!" Rowan didn't mind all that much, however. Mal, Evie, Melody, and now Uma, were really the only girlfriends she'd ever had. Rowan had grown up with little to no attention span for feminine activities, and as a result, had either hung around males, or by herself. She was thankful to have a few ladies to confide in when it came to the new changes in her life.

"He still hasn't asked you?" Evie screeched, pulling a gold ribbon too tightly around Rowan's waist.

"Ouch! Relax!" Rowan cried out, rubbing her midsection where the blue-haired girl had nearly split her in half. "It's not that big of a deal. I'm sure Harry probably assumes that I wouldn't want to go anyways. I only went last year because you forced me to!"

"Hey, missy. Cotillion is a big deal for me, because like you said, I didn't have that growing up! And seriously, Harry may be oblivious sometimes, but he's not daft. He's heard us all talking about the dance for months now, so he has to know that you're planning to attend! He's your boyfriend now, he has to ask you!"

Rowan felt butterflies at the mention of Harry being hers. She was becoming accustomed to the feeling, after Evie and Mal had laughed at her and reassured the girl that it wasn't "constant nausea around the man." This was all new territory for the girl. Though she'd grown up surrounded by men, she'd never found romantic interest in any of them. She'd much rather grapple than kiss, and those who had dared to lay their lips on hers over the years had learned so the hard way.

Rowan was interrupted from her thoughts as her cell phone chimed from the pocket of her bag. She lifted it and read a single text: Hey doll, got any plans tonight? I'm having withdrawals.

It had been close to a month since their life-altering conversation by the enchanted lake, and it seemed that the couple had shared many firsts together. It was the first time that Harry had felt truly seen by another individual. It was the first time that Rowan had allowed herself to surrender to to the feelings bubbling in her chest. Rowan had taken Harry to his very first orchard, where he had picked an apple from a tree—a fruit he'd only ever seen in the academy's cafeteria until then. Harry had shown Rowan how to carve wood; teaching her to make a dagger out of a branch, and laughing as she struggled to whittle the thing into submission. They'd gone for nighttime strolls, and snuck into the enchanted lake for late night swims. They'd fallen asleep in the courtyard beneath the stars, tangled with one another. Just as Harry had hoped, he was learning what it meant to show someone the love that they deserved, and Rowan was learning the same, right by his side.