Sam wasn't at school on Monday or the following day.
His normal cheerful presence was gone from corridors and cafeteria. The halls seem somewhat less loud and more relaxed. Emma, Jack and I still continue to sit at his table even though the whole school now knows that Sam and I are no longer a couple. Emma and Jack like it there, seeming to have made new friends and since Sam isn't there. I still haven't told anyone but Harry about what he did to me. I don't think I'm ready to share it again. The memories are still too raw.
But sitting at his table does feel a bit weird. Sitting with his friends when he's not there. Staring at the empty seat across from me where he once sat.
A heavy fog has settled over the city like a misty, smothering blanket. The sky is yet again overcast. This morning I could barely see a short distance in front of me. Winter is almost here and I watch my own and Harry's warm cloud of breath float up into the sky as we step out of his warm lavish car.
Harry's been taking me to and from school ever since Monday. At every chance that he can, he's there by my side. Only absent at lunch when he has to return to his own table across the other side of the room, but even then I can feel the comfortable weight of his gaze on my shoulders.
For the first time since he returned to the city, I feel safe around him. I feel warm and... relaxed? Soothed? I feel like, if Sam came along and with Harry there with me, I could deal with him.
Maybe.
Possibly.
But there's the problem about my whole drowning incident that I shrill haven't cleared up with Harry. Was he lying about what happened that day? Was my mum? Why would either of them lie about this, what's there to hide, if there is anything?
Harry crosses his arms and leans against them over the top of his car just as I'm pulling my bag out of the front seat.
"I have somewhere to be during home room and first period." I look up at his words, his green eyes holding mine. "I don't think Sam's gonna ever show up at this school again. So I think you'll be okay whilst I'm not here."
I swing my heavy bag onto my back and nod once. Is it sad of me that I don't want Harry to leave me? Am I acting like a pussy? I mean, what if Sam showed up? The next time I see him I'm probably going to freak out and go into shock again or do something totally uncool.
Like vomit.
"Okay," I say and smile nervously. Things have been different between Harry and I ever since Friday night. I'm starting to feel, kinda weird around him.
A good weird but also a concerning weird. My face seems to blush whenever I hear him knock on my door to pick me up in the mornings. My blood heats when he holds my gaze for a second too long. I'm also incredibly aware when we accidentally brush skin or bump knees.
I took me only a day to realise that I have a small, tiny, itty bitty crush on him- just a little one. I know it's wrong, Harry isn't good for me as much as Sam is. Plus Harry infuriates me most of the time, all we can do is fight.
But the boy is hot for Christ's sake! And that's hardly of my fault. He's also been super nice to me and is no longer so insensitive and crass all the time. Scratch that, it's only sometimes that he's somewhat gentlemanly. But still.
Stupid Harry and his good looks and beautiful green eyes. Stupid me for falling for them and his husky voice and gorgeous dimples. Stupid insides for churning every time he looks at me. Stupid heart for caring so much for his comments. Stupid, needy Mia who gets aroused every time he stands too close.
Dammit. Curse you hormones!
And it's hardly fair that I'm attracted to the boy seeing as the only reason why is because he saved me from a crazy rapist. I feel like I'm moving on too fast.
"I'll see you later then?" I ask Harry as I close the car door.
He nods distantly, his thoughts someplace far away. I wave goodbye to him and head on up the stairs to the front doors. I immediately feel cold without his newly familiar presence beside me. God, you're not even dating, Mia. Stop being so fucking clingy and helpless. I give myself a mental slap before dumping my bag in my locker, grabbing my books and heading into home room.
I take my normal seat between Jack's (empty) seat and Emma just as Mrs Kelly calls the roll. Emma gives me a smile and a hushed greeting. When home room finishes I gather my books to my chest and flood out the door with my fellow classmates. As I turn to walk down the hall, I am stopped by a small hand grasping onto my elbow.
I twist around, expecting anyone but the pretty, dark haired girl standing in front of me.
"Molly." My voice is surprised. Molly is one of the popular ones, she's a close friend of Sam's from what I've seen. She's real nice, always talking when no one else does. I like her.
"Hey, Mia. Can I talk to you for a sec?" I nod slowly, caution warring through me. Molly leads me over to the other side of the corridor which is less crowded. We smile at some of Sam's other friends that know us, when they bustle past she leans in close.
"Did you know Sam's dropped out of school?" She says in a hushed voice, her eyes wide with her own disbelief. The initial reaction is utter relief, then followed by suspicion. Why'd he leave? Because he failed at 'getting' me? Because he's afraid that I might tell someone?
Harry was right when he guessed that Sam wouldn't be coming back to school and at the moment I'm too happy to even care why he's dropped out.
I try very hard to mask my relief. I look at Molly with a face full of shock and sadness.
"Oh my gosh," I gush convincingly. "Really? Why?" Molly slumps against the wall behind her. "I don't know why, that's why I wanted to ask you. You were the last dating him."
I tell her, "I have no idea. We broke up on Friday and I haven't seen him since." It isn't a lie, but I still feel so guilty saying it.
"Shit," Molly curses. "No one's seen him since Friday afternoon. I think you were the last to talk to him." I frown at the news, no one? At least that red head, Ryan kid would have talked to him at least. What about Jack? They always seemed so close.
How can I be the last to have seen Sam?
"What about Jack or Ryan?"
Molly shakes her head, "Nope, I've spoken to both of them. I spoke to everyone. No one has seen or talked to him in the last five days." She makes it sound like a problem. Sam can disappear off the face of the earth and never return for all I care.
I'm happy because this is what seems to be happening.
"He hasn't contacted me since Friday night, I'm sorry." I'm so not sorry. "You'll be the first to know if I hear anything." The police will be the first to know if I hear anything.
Molly nods and thanks me, giving me a tight hug before disappearing into the throng of students making their way to their classes.
I finish first period sluggishly. The day already seeming to have dragged on too long. By the time I sit down at my table amongst Sam's friends, I feel it's already 5 o'clock in the afternoon. I eat my food leisurely, flicking the pasta around in my container. The tomato sauce making squishy, sloshy sounds. Jack and Emma talk to everyone on the table, enjoying themselves immensely.
"Mia," someone addresses me. I look up surprised that one of Sam's friends are actually talking to me. I smile at a blonde haired kid I think is named Patrick.
"I heard about Sam and you breaking up." He smiles at me kindly. I blink back at him, wondering where he is going with this. Does he just want to talk or does he want some sort of information?
During the first couple of days I was with Sam at this table, I held the popular kids attention. It was after the first week had passed that they grew bored of me and didn't talk to me, with the exception of Jack, Emma and Molly. I'm not too sure how I feel about talking to these people again when Sam isn't here. Are they going to be mean and rude? Or nice and kind?
"Emma told me he was real dick to you." Patrick looks concerned. I had told Emma and Jack about Sam and my break up. I had dumped him because he wasn't treating me right. Not a lie, just not the whole truth. Of course Emma didn't need details, she just wanted Sam's golden head on a spike. Jack was a little less dramatic about it, he was upset but seemed quite odd about it. He lacked the reaction I was expecting when I told him the news. It makes me really want to figure out the mysterious relationship he and Sam shared.
"Yeah, in the end it just didn't work out," I manage to choke out. Patrick nods understandably. Shelby, the pretty girl sitting next to him, speaks up. "To be honest I think he's a prick."
My eyebrows raise in shock. Aren't these people his closest friends?
"Sam can be nice if he likes you. But he's a real shit when he doesn't," Molly beside me adds in. I turn my shocked expression onto her, wasn't she this morning asking and worrying over him?
She smiles at me, "I'm still his friend. But you can't not see how rude he is towards some of the girls here at this school. He can also be a massive bully."
"Why do you guys like him so much if he's such a jerk?" Why did you like so much him when he was such a jerk? A nasty voice at the back of my head asks me.
By now the whole table is paying attention to the conversation. I notice that Ryan isn't here today and that makes me feel a lot less guilty as I'm pretty sure Ryan is Sam's bitch man. I don't think he'll take much liking when he hears what we're saying about his master.
Jack also isn't here for the second day in a row.
"He gets a fuckload of hot ass and that's something to be admired," a kid called Jordan yells across the table and Shelby smacks him on the back of the head.
"We all know you're gay, Jordan. So just shut up." The table erupts in laughter and I try to hold back my giggles as I watch Jordan's face redden and he starts getting flustered.
Shelby flicks her platinum blonde hair over her shoulder and shrugs. "He threw great parties. And he's hot and rich."
"He had his good moments," Molly claims, "when I first moved here he was really nice."
"But majority of the times he's a massive douche," Emma retorts. "He cheats, dumps and picks up girls like it's a fucking game. Plus, before we sat with you guys not a day went past when I wasn't asked for a titty-fuck. It was disgusting."
I feel myself shrink into my chair, this is how Emma really felt about Sam before I started dating him? And she was okay with me going out with him? Why didn't she tell me how she felt about him before?
Shelby nods her head in complete understanding. "I'm kinda glad he's gone."
"I always felt like I had to be a bitch to people when I was around him." Molly confesses.
"You are a bitch," Jordan quips.
"Shut up, Jordan," the whole table choruses.
"Yeah, I found him a little... strange," Will says in his very quiet voice of his. We all turn to him, surprised he spoke. William is tall, dark and handsome. The silent type that a lot of girls fall for. We've spoke little to each other but I know that he is one of the nicest guys you'll ever come across.
A hush falls over the table as everyone takes this in. After a minute, a unison of agreements ring out. They all thought he was a bit weird as well.
I relax a bit, finding comfort that that I am not the only one that feels uncomfortable around my ex. These people, even his closest friends, seem to know there's something a little bit... off about him
"He was always so mysterious about his parents," Shelby gushes, leaning in on her elbows, "I know they died, but how?"
My minute of peace is ruined at the mention of Sam's late parents. My shoulders tense under the burden of knowing what actually happened.
"He didn't like speaking about it," Patrick says, his warm brown eyes flicking around the table.
"They died in a car crash." Molly shrugs and Patrick shakes his head. "Nah, he told me they were murdered."
Everyone at the table is leaning in closely, speaking in low voices. Afraid Sam himself might be overhearing.
"No fucking way," Emma rudely states.
"You'd have to be mentally screwed or something if your rents were offed." Jordan shakes his head like he knows what he's talking about. The rest of the table ignores him as I mentally applaud and don him with medals.
Sam is as mentally screwed as you can get.

~~~

I find Harry waiting outside my classroom door when the bell rings for lunch.
I spot him before he sees me. He's resting against the wall, his hands buried in pockets, white shirt sleeves pushed up his strong forearms, his blue and silver tie loosened around his neck. His curls are disheveled and untidy and yet so completely sexy.
My heart pangs uncomfortably against my ribs. It's bitterly cold outside and here is Harry is, making me feel so incredibly hot and flustered.
I step up to him, making my presence known. His green eyes find mine, they twinkle mischievously.
"Aren't you cold?" I ask him, not allowing my inner mess of emotions to show through. I walk past him to my locker. He breaks away from the wall and matches my quick, short strides with his long, slow ones.
"No," he replies, his voice all husky and low, "I'm hot." A cheeky smile and a pair of dimples are directed at me.
"And arrogant, so it seems." I jerk my lock open and swing open my locker, stashing away my books and retrieving my lunch. I close the metal door behind me and look expectantly up at Harry.
Where was he this morning?
"Mia, I want to ask you something." Harry looks down at his feet, his eyes ripping away from mine.
Oh?
"I'm not like Sam. Okay? I'm not anything like the twisted fuck-" a lot of hate directed at Sam going around today "- you know that right?" His eyes slam back up to mine and to my surprise I find nervousness and concern churning in the emerald depths.
"Yeah," I respond slowly, not sure where he's going with this. When has Harry ever appeared to be nervous?
"So, you know that I'd never do anything hurt you." He looks like someone's just stabbed him with a knife and is currently twisting it into his stomach. Is really he that nervous?
"Yes."
"Never," he repeats more firmly and I nod slowly. "What, Harry?"
His eyes drop again and I watch as he grits his teeth and angrily scuffs the shiny floor with his shoes. He won't meet my gaze, what's tearing him up so bad?
"This Saturday my mate's got a gig, would you, would you want to come down and see him- with me?"
I blink in surprise, and then my cheeks flush with embarrassment. Did Harry just ask me out? Like, for real this time, not to just fuck with me? Do I want to go? Hell, of course I do. But should I? I just officially broke up with Sam five days ago and I might look bad if I just pick it up with Harry. Plus it'sHarry for crying out loud. It doesn't matter if I'm attracted to the guy, he could be just as bad for me as Sam was but in a totally different way.
"I know you just broke up with Sam. It doesn't have to be a date thing if you don't want it to. If you feel like you're moving on too fast," Harry grates out, still not looking up at me. But at least he's stopped kicking the bloody floor.
"O-okay," I answer, surprising myself. Harry looks up this time, blue meeting green.
"Okay to not doing the date thing?" He asks, his face screwing up in confusion.
"Okay to going," I reply, my voice breathless. What the fuck are you doing? That nasty voice asks. "I'm okay with making it a date thing." My face reddens even more.
Harry squints a bit at me, probably wondering if I'm being serious or not. "Okay."
"Okay." I repeat. Bidding him farewell, I walk down the corridors to the cafeteria.
Going on a date with Harry Styles. Should be fine right?
Oh god, who am I kidding. I think I'm going to throw up again.

Notes

This is the actually authors notes on this chapte, thought it might be usuful:


Okay, just for undertsanding the pops:
Sam- dickhead, bitch, fucker
Mia- idiot
Emma- idiot's friend
Jack- idiot's other friend
Molly- dark hair, brown eyes, pretty & nice
Will- babe, cute and silent. Mmmhm (ORIGANLLY WILL WAS CALLED MAX BUT OBVOUSLY I COULDN'T DO THAT BECAUSE I ALREADY HAVE A MAX. STUPID ADELE. I HAD TO CHANGE HIS NAME, SORRY GUYS)
Shelby- probably looks like the cliché bitch in stories that everyone hates. You know blonde and hot. The classic bimbo. But she's nice and ain't a bitch
Jordan- manwhore (well he tries to be) he's a bit of a dud. But he's hot
Patrick- a sweetheart really
i think that's it yep