77 caught Off Guard

The emptiness that I feel after dropping Harry off is strange in a pathetic way. After the short drive back to my room, I already feel as if I drop him off hours ago. Steph isn't in the room when I get there but I am glad, I really do need to study and prepare for my first day at Vance tomorrow, I haven't decided what to wear, what you bring, what I am going to say. Taking out my planner, I plan my week by the hour. I am going to wear my new black skirt and a red top and black heels, not too high but higher than I would have considered wearing two months ago. Then outfit is very professional but still feminine. I wonder idly if Harry will like the outfit.

To keep my mind off of him I complete all of my assignment that are due this week and then some. By the time I finish, the sun has disappeared from the sky and I am starving. Harry still hasn't text me so I assume he isn't planning to come over tonight so I grab my purse and head to find something to eat. I remember seeing a Chinese restaurant near the library that I found last week. By the time I find the place it is closed, I look up the closet restaurant to me and find a place called The Ice House. The ice House is small and looks like it's made out of aluminum, but I am hungry and the idea of finding another place to eat makes my stomach rumble even more. The small place is actually packed once I step inside, but to my surprise I find a small table in the back to sit. I ignore the glance of the people inside, they must be wondering why I am here alone but I always eat alone. I am not one of those people that need someone to go with then everywhere they go. I go shopping alone, eat out alone, and I even have been to movies alone a few times when Noah wasn't able to come. I don't mind being alone, until now. I miss Harry more than I should and it bothers me that he doesn't seem to care to even text me.

While I am waiting on my food, the waitress brings over a pink drink with a yellow umbrella sticking out of the top. "Oh, I didn't order this." I tell her but she sits it down in front of me anyway.

"He did." She smiles and tilt her head towards the bar area. I immediately hope that it is Harry, but it's not. Zayn gives me a small wave and a dazzling smile from across the tiny room. Niall walks up to behind him and takes the empty bar stool next to him and shoots me a smile as well.

"Oh. Thanks." I tell her. It seems that every place around this campus allows underage drinking, or maybe they only go to the places that do. She assures me that my food will be ready any minute and walk away from my table.

A few moments later, Zayn and Niall pull the chairs out from my table and take a seat. I hope Zayn isn't angry with me for what happened on Friday.

"You're the last person that I expected to see in here, especially on Sunday." Niall laughs.

"Yea, it was an accident. I was going for Chinese but it was closed." I tell him.

"Have you seen Harry?" Zayn asks with a smile before looking at Niall. Niall makes eye contact with him before looking back at me.

"No, not for a while. You?" I ask them. My nerves are clear in my voice.

"No, not for a few hours but he should be here soon." Niall answers.

"Here?" I squeak. My food arrives but I am no longer hungry. What if Molly is with him? I won't be able to take it, not after the weekend we just had together.

"Yea, we come here a lot. I can call and see when he will be here?" Zayn suggests but I shake my head.

"No, it's fine. I am going to go actually." I look around for my waitress to ask for my check.

"You didn't like the drink?" Zayn asks.

"No, well I didn't try it actually. Thanks for getting it for me, but I should go."

"Are you guys fighting again." He asks. Niall begins to say something but Zayn shoot him a glare from across the table. What is going on? He takes a sip of his beer and look at Niall again.

"He said what?" I ask.

"Nothing, he just said you guys were on better terms now." Zayn answers for him. The small bar feels even smaller now, and I am desperate to leave.

"Oh there they are!" Niall says. My eyes dart to the door to see Harry, Louis, Tristan, Steph and Molly. I knew it. I know they are friends but I don't want Harry around Molly. I also don't want to come off controlling or crazy but I can't stand Molly being around Harry.

Hen Harry's eye met mine he looks surprised and almost afraid? Not this again. The waitress walks by while they make their way to our table.

"Could I have my check and a to go box please?" I ask her. She looks down at my untouched food and nods.

"Why are you going?" Steph asks. The five of them sit at the table next to us. I refuse to allow myself to look over at Harry to see if he is sitting next to Molly. I hate the way he is so different around his friends, why can't he be the same Harry that I had all weekend?

"I...well I have to study." I lie. In my attempt to distract myself from thinking about Harry, I have done all my assignments for almost three weeks ahead.

"You should stay, you study too much!" She smiles.

And hope that Harry would scoop me into his arms and tell me he had missed me, is gone. I pay the waitress and stand up to leave.

"You guys have a good night." I tell them. I look at Harry and then back at the ground.

"Wait." He says. I turn around and look at him. Please don't let him make a rude remarks or kiss Molly again.

"Aren't you going to give me a kiss?" He smiles. Oh. I look around at his friends and they all look a little surprised but mostly confused.

"W...what?" I stammer. This is very unexpected. I straighten my shoulders and look at Harry again.

"A kiss, you're not going to kiss me before you go?" He stands up and walks towards me. I wanted this, but now I am uncomfortable with everyone's eyes on us.

"Uhmm..." I don't know what to say.

"Why would she?" Molly laughs. God I can't stand her.

"They are like together, obviously." Steph tells her.

"What?" Molly says.

"Keep your mouth shut molly." Zayn says and I want to thank him, but there is something behind his voice but that makes me wonder about his choice of words. This is beyond uncomfortable.

"Bye guys." I say again and walk towards the door. Harry follows me and grabs my wrist to stop me.

"Why are you leaving? And why are you even here to begin with?" He asks.

"Well I came here to eat, and I am leaving because you were ignoring me and I..."

"I wasn't ignoring you, I just don't know what to say or do. I wasn't expecting to see you here, it caught me off guard." He responds.

"Yea, I am sure it did. You haven't text me all day and now you're here with Molly?" My voice comes out much whinier than I wanted.

"And Louis, Tristan and Steph. Not just Molly." He points out.

"I know...but you guys have a history and that bothers me." I admit. I surely broke the record for the quickest jealous fit.

"It's just that babe, history. it wasn't like this...not like us." He says.

"I know I just can't help it." I sigh.

"I know, how do you think I feel when I walked in there and saw you sitting with Zayn?"

"That's not the same thing. You and Molly have slept together." Just saying it stings.

"Tess."

"I know, it's crazy but I can't help it." I look away.

"It's not crazy, I understand I just don't know what to do about it. Molly is in our group and she probably always will be." I don't know what I expected him to say but 'too bad' isn't what I wanted to hear.

"Okay." I should be happy that he basically told everyone we are dating now, but the whole thing felt so off.

"I'm going to go." I tell him.

"Then I am coming with you."

"You sure you want to leave your friends?" I snap. He rolls his eyes and follow me to my car. I try to hide my smile as we get in the car. At least I know he would rather be with me than Molly.

"So how long were you here before I arrived?" Harry asks as I pull out of the parking lot.

"About twenty minutes."

"Oh, you didn't meet Zayn there did you?"

"No, I had no idea he was there or that you would show up."

"Oh. So what did you guys talked about?" He looks over at me.

"Nothing, he was only at the table few minutes before you got there."

"Oh." He says as I pull onto campus.

"Why?"

"I'm just wondering." His fingers drum on his knee. "I mitss you today."

"I missed you too. I got a lot of homework done and I prepared everything for my first day at Vance."

"Do you want me to drive you tomorrow?"

"No, that's why I got my own car remember?" I laugh.

"Still, I could drive you." He offers as we walk towards my room.

"No, it's fine. I will drive myself. Thank you though."

Just as I am about to ask him what he did all day, why he hadn't text me if he missed me so much, my words are locked in my throat and panic takes over. My mother is standing in front of my door with her arms crossed and a deep scowl on her face.