"So Veronica said she'd bring her cousin to the party. You know how wild those college girls get when you keep handing them shots. . .bro! Harry, man, let it go! She can't even speak English for fuck's sake!" Kurt belched out.

"Yeah, alright!"

Harry shifted in the passenger seat of his friend's car, looking out the window to not be bothered. His birthday was all he could think about, he was finally going to get his dad's boat and not to mention a night of full on thrashing, no matter who he'd wake up next to. That was until...Nell.

The length of her straight hair aroused thoughts of him lying beneath her, watching her locks sway playfully while covering her snow white chest. His index finger slid across his lower lip as he then imagined the feel of her full ones, not too thin but perfectly shaped and ready to be bitten. The thought of him even holding her tiny frame in his arms led him straight into that tunnel vision where she stood at the very end.


Meanwhile not too far away, Nell had been picked up by her mother who was eager to hear about her first day. Sara could sense her daughter's state of shock but didn't see her intentions of allowing Nell to go to school as something wrong. They waited at the red light when Nell saw her mother rubbing her stomach and smiling. Finally she broke the silence.

"Is she moving?" Nell asked and placed her hand by her mother's.

"Yeah, she's been going non stop today. I think she knows I'm stressed. . . Are you going to tell me how it went?"

"It is very different, like you said it would be."

"Were they nice to you, sweetie? I know it's too soon but did anyone make an effort to talk to you, or did you?"

"They stared at me. . . I understood everything in class and the teachers were nice to me but the students were not as friendly."

Nell wanted to say something about the one boy that had talked to her but she still feared that her grandmother would somehow find out, especially after all her warnings. Having been strictly taught not to let her eyes wander but stay focused on achieving academic excellence. Even though Sara didn't agree on many of her mother-in-law's traditional teachings, there was little that she could do to intervene without her husband's consent. . .when they lived in China.

"I know what will make this day better, how about we continue shopping for decorations for your room. We can find a nice bed set and I still need to buy you another pair of shoes with a few more outfits."

"Mom, it is not necessary."

"Nell, I know it's going to take you some more time to adjust but you must realize things are so much easier here. This is our new home. . .you've been robbed of a childhood that every kid deserves to have. I'm not saying I want you to go crazy and go to every party and have all these boyfriends but enjoy life as a teenager while you're still only sixteen."

"It is okay to have a boyfriend at my age here?"

"Of course. And it would have been fine back at home too, your grandmother is just-just . . . one of a kind," Sara said shaking her head in resentment.

"I would like greens and blues."

"I'm sorry what, hun?"

"For my bed. . . Greens and blues."

Sara smiled having peace in her heart that the transition wouldn't be as agonizing as she dreaded.

---

Kurt laid back on his bed, strumming his guitar while Harry scribbled in his song book at the desk. Kurt's parents were long time friends of Harry's father, back when he lived in Maine for a couple of years. In a moment of desperation, they took Harry into their home and treated him like one of their own. It's no wonder the boy's friendship had grown into a brotherly bond, having similar features and tastes.

In a daze, Harry had stared at the stain on the wall for the past six minutes. It wasn't until Kurt had thrown a rolled up sock that he finally snapped out of it.

"What the fuh-?"

"Stop it! It's annoying and its only the first day. I swear Imma punch you if you turn into one of those hippies and start writing poetry and shit!"

Harry scowled at his notebook and raised it high so his buddy could see. "And what do you think this is?"

"You know what I mean. If you're going to be a puss . . . just ask her out!" He argued and continued to strum.

"You don't get it. She's not like Lynn or Grace, all they speak is English and bullshit about Gossip Girl. I saw Nell writing in a journal or something and it was in Chinese. Like, she's legit man," Harry tried to explain.

"So if you have this Asian fetish why haven't you ever hooked up with those two?"

"I thought Lynn was pretty but, this is gonna sound lame. . . she wasn't very nice."

"I was right," Kurt stopped playing. "You're too far gone bro, you're a fucking hipster!" Kurt laughed.

Harry threw the sock back at his friend and shook his head. No matter what names Kurt slammed him with, it didn't exclude the fact that there was only one Asian girl he had his sights set on.

---

Sara and Nell had settled into their new duplex home. Sara began to cook while her daughter put her new items away, including a pair of sneakers for her physical education class she was quite nervous for. Having sat out the first day, Nell watched the girls fool around on the court playing volleyball, a sport she wasn't familiar with until today.

Within the next hour, Nell had showered and reviewed her first day's notes. Her mother then called her down for dinner and continued to inquire about her day. Other than the particular boy, Nell had another spark of interest but also knew that her grandmother wouldn't approve; still she spoke up about it.

"Today I sat outside and watched a few students running on the track."

Sara sat up straight, very interested in her daughter's observations. "Do you like to run?"

"Sometimes, grandmother would make me upset and I would run barefoot down to the pond. I loved how I felt once I got there, out of breath and defeated. All my anger would vanish."

"I didn't know this."

"I kept it a secret."

"You should try out for the track team," Sara said as though it were that simple.

"I am scared. What if I am not good enough? What if they make fun of me?"

"I should have warned you that high school can be a dream as well as a nightmare. You can be praised one minute and teased the next, no matter what race or social ladder you're in. But the only way to gain their respect is to try your hardest and prove them wrong. Let them see. And you can start by showing that lovely smile of yours, I know you kept that well hidden today."

"Yes, mom."

"Now, I got a few movies and while they are teen flicks, you'd be surprised how accurate some things are."

After they watched two films, Nell decided to go to bed. The superficial dialogues and friendships in the movies did look accurate like her mother had pointed out. But what Sara made clear was that she didn't have to be that girl to fit in, though that was the least of Nell's worries. Instead, she focused on the parts where the handsome main character crushed on the girl. The way he looked and flirted, reminded her of Harry's friendliness.

In the morning, Nell prepared her gym bag. Unsure if she would try out for the track team or not, she still had to endure the P.E. class. She laid out her outfit that her mother suggested the day before and grew nervous at the skirt.

"Oh, good you're up! I'm going to make breakfast. . . what's wrong?"

"I do not know if I want to wear this."

"That's fine, then don't wear it. I think it's pretty though. Why don't you like it?"

"It is. . .never mind, I will."

Her mother smiled before leaving the room. Nell took a deep breath and dressed in a thin dark V neck sweater with her black and beige plaid skirt. She stood in front of the mirror and brushed her fingers through her straight black hair, observing her complete frame.

"There, look how beautiful you look," her mother interrupted. "So are you too old to let me play with your hair?"

Nell grinned at her mother and shook her head childishly. The front portions of her hair got pinned back and soft waves were curled at the ends. Nell felt beautiful and eager to see a particular boy's reaction.

"I wouldn't be surprised if some cute boy talked to you today, you are quite the vision my lovely Niri."

---

Harry parked in their usual spot, throwing Kurt the keys as they walked to the school's entrance. He wore his favorite pair of black jeans, white converse and blue flannel shirt. All the faces that passed him held no significance like the one he longed to see that day.

He stood bored against the lockers, pretending to care about some girl's dilemma as she talked their ears off. Kurt was quick to take advantage and hug her while Harry looked straight ahead, watching each person who entered the halls. About to give up, he looked in the opposite direction towards the office when he spotted her.

Eyes locked on her like a target, Harry's mouth parted at the once angelic image she held the day before but today she wore his favorite color. . .black. His heart wrestled within his chest not knowing how to contain his feelings. The fluttering produced in his stomach made him anxious, unable to think clearly. Surely he could wait ten minutes till class.

Nell thanked the office assistant for her assigned locker. Looking at the card given to her, she memorized the numbers to her combination but didn't get it on the first try. Her hands dropped as she checked the card once again and made a second attempt. Once the locker popped open, she smiled and placed her gym bag inside.

Remembering where her first class was, she turned to walk down the hall while gripping the strap of her back pack. Determined to raise her head and make eye contact with those around her, she glanced around and smiled politely at some passing students. Nell held her smile until a blue shirt made her eyes widen. She was no longer able to carry on the friendly task, too nervous to look at Harry again.

She sat silently in the classroom and looked up towards the doorway every time a blue shirt approached. Shaking off her nerves, she took out her notebook and pen, placing it neatly on top of her desk with her textbook. In a matter of seconds, another student had sat next to her and refused to face the board.

"Hel-lo," Harry greeted her kindly.

Nell froze, caught off guard yet again by the same person two days in a row. She wanted to say hello back, smile and carry on a conversation like she so easily did with her mother. Then she became self-conscious, thinking her English wasn't clear enough or would sound off to him. Nell simply looked back down at her desk, trying to avoid those green irises that made her feel so uneasy.

Harry wasn't backing down. The only way he would was if she verbally told him to stop. He had to think of another way to communicate with her, so he ripped out a sheet from the back of his notebook and wrote her hello once again. He folded it and waited till Mrs. Beachler turned towards the board before placing it on Nell's desk.

She widened her eyes again, carefully opening the folds to find his pen writing. Nell thought how persistent he was in trying to get her attention. If she could pick anyone in this room that she found attractive, including boys she had seen in the halls, it most certainly was Harry. The temptation to reply was there but she feared getting caught and disrespecting the teacher, so she slid the paper under her book.

Harry didn't take that as a good sign. Maybe she just wasn't interested in him, he wondered. But he refused to believe that, otherwise why would she have smiled yesterday. He turned in his chair to look at Kurt and shrugged his shoulders. The teacher began writing a list of essay questions on the board before dismissal time and when Harry looked back down on his desk, there was the piece of paper.

Stunned, he looked at Nell briefly as she began copying the board, then opened it to read her response.

"Hello, how are you?" he read and shifted to face her again. "Much better now."

Nell couldn't help bounce her eyes from the board to his happy expression, making her smile timidly.

"I know that's a smile. I see it trying to come out."

Then finally, Harry saw her first genuine smile, teeth and all.

"Will you sit with me during lunch hour?" he blurted impatiently.

The teacher turned around and faced the students, though this put a damper on Harry's mood as he thought he was getting so close to hearing Nell speak. Throwing himself back in the chair, he looked towards his friend again and shook his head in disappointment.

Mrs. Beachler began looking through her drawer and Nell saw it as an opportunity to answer her friend. She looked straight at him, seizing his attention immediately and whispered a mere "yes". That's all it took to paralyze him. Even when she sat straight up and fixed her eyes on her desk for the rest of the class. Harry couldn't believe it.

When the bell rang, he waited till Nell was just about to pass him to follow on after her. Seeing her tiny body only inches from his made his hands shake with a desire to touch her. His fingers reached out and hooked on to a small bulk of her hair, allowing it to fall through so he could enjoy the satin texture for a few seconds.

Nell felt that instant when someone had touched her, the gentle pull of her strands made her skin wake in goosebumps. She stepped further into the hallway before looking back to see if Harry was behind but he stood close to the exit still, confronted by his friends. Not that she expected to say more at the moment but then again, she didn't think she'd finally say a word to him at all.

She took straight to her locker to switch text books and carry on to her advanced Math class. Still not used to the riot of English chatter, she steered clear of the aggressive students and walked closer to the walls than in the middle. Before she could reach the doorway, a warm hand touched her elbow, making her spin around in alarm.

"Do you want to meet upfront at noon?" Harry asked hopeful.

Nell withheld any signs of relief as soon as she saw him, however she did nod and display a flat smile before continuing in. It was easy to be emotionless, she had to be, it kept her grandmother from hounding her with questions. And while it was taking her some time to adapt to all the new rules here, or lack there of, she particularly enjoyed the luxury of being near this curly haired boy.


When lunch period finally came around, nerves were intensified on both ends. Harry got rid of his friends and quickly jogged over to the school's entrance, hoping not to have kept her waiting when he saw her sitting there. She sat neatly on one of the steps, with her plastic container full of rice, vegetables and chicken. Picking away with her chopsticks, she manipulated her food with such expertise.

"Did you come here straight from China?" Harry asked biting into an apple, the only lunch he brought.

Nell gulped down the pieces that remained in her mouth before she could answer. She rapidly remembered the words her mom had spoken about being more open and friendly with the students, and her silly comment about some cute boy talking to her today. Well Harry was that cute boy, Nell could attest to that.

"Yes. . .from a small village in Shandong."

"Wow, so how long have you been here, in America?"

"For five days."

Harry's eye brows shot up in disbelief. The questions kept pouring into his head but he had to fight the compulsion.

"Do you like it here? Or do you miss your homeland?"

"I like it, it is very different too. I do miss China but this is my new home."

Harry threw the core of his apple onto the grassy area not too far from them, receiving a disapproving glance from Nell the moment she saw where it landed. In fear of ruining his progress, he jumped to his feet and fetched the piece before dunking it in the nearest bin. For a second he thought his actions and paranoia were just plain stupid but that went to prove how keen he was on impressing this foreigner.

"Sorry bout that. Ummm, so are you allowed to go out . . .to places?"

"What kind of places?"

"Like, I'm turning 18 tomorrow and we're having my party at friend's house. I'd like you to come. You should come."

"To your birthday party. . .I do not know anyone."

"That's the point. You could meet people and make some friends. I promise it won't be too scary."

Nell placed her food down on her lap, giving this heavy consideration. Her instinct told her to decline the invitation but her intrigue took over.

"I will ask my mother."

"Great!" Harry said a little too eager, fisting his hand in the air. "I can pick you up, if you need a ride I mean."

Nell smiled and finished what was left of her lunch before carefully putting everything back in her bag. Extending her legs to stretch from her previous position, she placed her hands on the concrete at her sides. Harry's eyes immediately drew to her pale and delicate fingers, about a foot away from his leg. He felt as if an alarm had gone off in his head. The irresistible urge to touch her was driving him to the point of partial insanity.

As smooth as possible, Harry shifted so that his body faced her directly, even if she remained gazing down at her black ballerina shoes. His hand fell over his knee at first. With extreme caution, his gaze bounced from her eyes to her hand to his. Not wanting to make any brash movements, keeping his hand steady, suddenly he gained interest in a pebble that was found only an inch away from her pinky finger.

Nell sensed his tension, for being one in tune with her own body and methods of meditation, it was fairly easy to tell when someone was struggling with that kind of intensity. Yet this didn't frighten her for she felt some of her own to a healthy degree. She saw how he cautiously calculated each movement and waited to see what his final one would be, acting oblivious to what was going on.

Although she turned her gaze away from him, the electricity that combated the air in between their proximity could not be ignored. Harry was so close, less than half an inch to go. But fear was a tricky thing, a handicap. He began to doubt, not wanting to lose all the terrain he had gained these first two days. Closing his eyes and swallowing the dry knot that had formed in his throat, he extended his index finger to touch the tip of her nail.

His eyes soared to see her reaction, biting down on his lip. Enduring the heat that surfaced within his chest and the millisecond drumming of his ecstatic heart. He slowly hunched closer, wetting his lips and focusing back on the ground. The pad of his finger patiently soothed each centimeter of her skin, careful not to press too hard, especially as he traveled across the knuckle.

When Harry looked up, something struck his curiosity. She remained in the same position, looking far off. He thought surely she had to feel him touching her and as he leaned his head to the side, his heart raced even faster. Her eyes were closed, as though she were enjoying the little contact they were sharing. Instead of satisfying his nerves this sent him into a panic.

"Well, we should be getting back," he blurted out.

The silence was slain by his unexpected words, startling Nell out of her daze and giving them both reason to jump to their feet. Harry felt the need to flee, not because he wanted to get away from her but he needed a minute to process his feelings with out her judging him.

"I'll see you later in class and give you further details on the party. Okay?"

Nell watched him take off in a hurry, picking up her bag she replayed the scene and couldn't understand his change in behavior. Then she felt something strange on her hand. Her pinky had tensed, separating itself from the rest of her fingers. When she paid closer attention she realized, her body hadn't gotten over the sensation of his touch.

Notes

Finally, picking up the pace here. I hope you like this chapter and give this story a chance. I know the rating is NC-17 and it will get to that at some point but I'm sure you can appreciate why things have to flow the way they do.

For those of you who have read any of my other stories, I hope you can tell the different approach I've taken with this Harry. I'd love to hear your thoughts, likes and dislikes.

Have a great week amigas! :) -Ciao ciao xoxo

P.S. And if you happen to like what you read, please don't hesitate to vote :) It's just a click away from making me smile and writing the next chapter sooner.