COUNTING STARS

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Ariel’s P.O.V
I slid the key into the hole underneath the knob to the house, it was about 11:30 which means that daddy’s still up probably walking around the house worried or how I like to say being over-protective. The door opened before I could stick the key in, daddy stood there with his arms crossed over his chest looking down on me like I did such a bad crime. “Where have you been?” I pushed my way pass him he let me through reluctantly. “I was at Joe’s shack daddy studying with Barney” I made my way lazily up stairs but timed each step knowing daddy was going to ask me a million more questions before I can actually leave. “Then why didn’t you pick up your phone?” I rubbed my eyes; trying to keep them awake “It’s was dead….and so was Barney’s…” He stood there; I could tell he was thinking of another question. “Have you seen the new boy in town?” I was about halfway up the stairs. “Yes daddy I have” “Then stay away from him, that boy has trouble written all over him, even the way he dresses and he’s always wearing them shades, I think the devil is a walkin through here….”

I bit down on my tongue holding back my smart mouth. “Daddy just because he’s not a preacher like you doesn’t mean he’s bad and-and he wears shades because it’s sunny outside, or how about you pray to your lord savior to cast rain on this town and maybe just maybe he’ll take off his glasses hum daddy?” He was speechless, I continued my way up the stairs, and this conversation was over now. I walked down the hall taking a turned at the door all the way at the end. I opened the door happy to see my room again another place I can hide out from everybody without all the questions and judgmental stares and being ridiculed by daddy.

I walked over to my closet and grabbed out my baseball jersey I slipped off my corset and shorts throwing them into the hamper and pulled the long shirt over my body. Then I slipped my tie into my mouth while I scrambled up pieces of my hair and tied it into a messy bun on top of my head. *Tap Tap* I jumped at the sound of something tapping against my window – scared out of my mind I scrambled over towards the door to grab a baseball bat. I took short brief tip-toe steps towards the window with the bat in a getting ready to hit stance. *Tap Tap* I flinched back just a bit then I neared closer to the window I looked down and I let out the breath that was congested in my lungs and dropped the bat down onto the floor. I looked back over my

shoulder, the hallway light was now on and I could hear soft footsteps going towards the room down the hall, my parent’s room. I looked down and I was surprised and excited at the same time “Harry….what are you doing here?” As I whispered a dog howled from a far like he was signaling that an intruder was here. “Come here love….” He sounded attractive even when yelling. I struggled with a decision; I hope this won’t take long. I grabbed my loose Nike shorts off the ground and slipped them on and made my way over and out the window I tip toed down

towards the edge of the house. How am I going to get down? Harry saw me struggling as well. He cuffed his hands around his mouth “Jump…” I stared at him like he was crazy. “No! Are you crazy?” He walked closer to the house. “….I’ll catch you……” I struggled to breath, what If he doesn’t catch me? What if he let me fall and break a bone? “Trust me…..” I lift my head and erased the question of what if’s out my mind, just that word slipping out his mouth spoke sincere and truth, oddly I trusted him. I sat down on the edge and jumped down I closed my eyes; the wind around me zoomed past my body till I wasn’t falling anymore. I opened my eyes to be looking up at Harry. “I told you….” He let me down; I was still kind of shocked. I tugged on my shirt trying to pull it down more over my legs.

He nodded towards his car, I followed behind him. I stood in front of the hood, he came off behind me “I’m going to touch you…..is that okay?” I nodded. He brace fully wrapped his arms around my waist helping me up onto the hood of the car. He put me first, he let me go first. Jesse always went first, if he wanted the first seat at the restaurant he’ll get there first leaving me in the car, if he wanted to go down the slide first at six flags he would cut me and several other people I think I just noticed another flaw in Jesse. Every time I’m with harry I notice a flaw about Jesse, before Harry I thought Jesse was perfection from above or better. Harry helped himself up onto the hood as well, I lay back against the window with my legs extended across the hood he did the same as well. “Why am I here?” I looked across at him; I didn’t notice that his glasses were off. Looking at him was like watching something unattainable; unreachable something that I can’t have which made him more attractive. “I didn’t want to be alone

tonight…..or…….ever…..” The last part he whispered, thinking I didn’t hear him. I wish I could just reach across and hold him, something so beautiful – how could he not have a girlfriend? Better yet all the girls that throw themselves at him at school, why haven’t he selected one? “So….you came here because you didn’t want to be alone?” I was actually honored that he came to me first but he knows I have a boyfriend that I love, or I think I love so this is….weird. “I’m lying….” He clearly stated without one sign of hesitating I breathed a little bit deeper my heart picked up speed. Then what are you here for? He outstretched his arm over my head “Do you mind….” He was asking permission, he was respectful geessshh where did he come from? “N-No…” I lift my head so he could slide his arm underneath my head. I still withheld a great distance between us, but he didn’t care I think he was just happy that I was even laying here with him. “Will you stay here and watch the stars with me?” Hell yes, don’t have to ask me twice! “Um….Sure”

He lifts his thumb up to the sky. “What are you doing?” I looked up at him he had one eye closed. “Lift your thumb, and put it in front of the moon did you know your thumb is bigger than the moon?” My thumb over shadowed the moon, he was right. “Um….Have you ever…..” He dropped his thumb and turned his head to stare at me, I could feel his eyes watching me closely like I fascinating. “Watched the stars? Tracing a pattern into the sky with your finger?” I showed a demonstration, I looked over at his hands but they were doing it all wrong. Without thinking I reached over and grabbed his hand “No like this….” His eyes dropped away from the sky, they were dancing across my face I could feel them making out every feature on my face. His hands were soft as ever, this feeling built up in me, this anticipation that I was holding in. Right now right here right in this moment I wanted to forget Jesse and show Harry how much I adore him. “And…..then….you….” My words were slipping out minutely and softly like I was

preparing for something. We both felt something, but we had to keep it unsaid we couldn’t cross this boundary of being friends. “And then….” His husky inviting whisper voice brushed against my cheek while he kept his gaze on me. I was trying my best not to turn and look at him or that boundary will be crossed. “And then….” “Are you cold?” He interrupted. “N-No, maybe just a little” My body was getting cold but only because I was fearing of what could happen next. “Hug me….” I whipped my eyes towards him, I stopped focusing on his hands but I knew we were still touching. “What?” He opened his arms wider. “Your cold…..hug me then….” I hesitated, his offer was very tempting and technically it’s not like cheating on Jesse right? I scooted closer to him fitting my body next to his lean side, he smelled so good I closed my eyes taking a slight whiff of his scented shirt. I looked up at him; my eyes ran down his jawline and to his neck where a vein poked out slightly. “Uhh….” He creased his brow while looking at

something, I followed his gaze. He lift up his hand but oddly mine was lift up too, so caught up in trying to cuddle next to him that I forgot about our hands. He lift them up higher, our fingers were entwined together. Waves of emotions floundered my stomach I couldn’t think straight, I didn’t know what to say I looked at him for an excuse he was speechless as well. Maybe because we both knew how amazing this felt how, I knew I wanted to stay like this. He quickly removes his hands away from mine “Sorry…” We both said at the same time.

I sat up. “Maybe I should go…..ya know schools tomorrow” I turned around to climb off the car, but his soft hands wrapped around my boney wrist. “Can you stay just a bit longer?” His voice sounded more like vulnerability then permission. “Harry….” I exhaled in and out slowly. “I won’t flirt with you…..anymore, I understand my boundaries now….friends?” I stared down at the hood of the car. No, no I don’t want to be friends; I would like to be more than that. He wasn’t going to flirt with me anymore, he’s probably not going to call me love either, am I prepared to let something so perfect go? “…..Friends…” I turned around giving off a tight smile; he did the same as well. I fell back on to the hood and he didn’t look at me nor touch me for the rest of the night, we just talked about life, out futures our past I finally gathered up some courage to tell him about Bobby.

Now I felt useless, it’s over Harry doesn’t want me anymore and I couldn’t blame him.

Notes