After sleeping through his first couple classes Harry realized it was time for lunch. Going to his locker he was putting his books away when the sound of heels caught his attention. Looking up he noticed Ben's girlfriend, Kristin, walking towards him. The only time he had been around her was his fight, even then they didn't speak a word to each other. He was shocked when she slammed his locker door, almost shutting his fingers inside. “Uh...hi?” He coughed scratching the back of his neck.

“You wanna tell me why your best friend was trying to fish information about my best friend out of me?” She asked, crossing her arms.

“Shit,” He mumbled dropping his head.

“Yeah, Liam's smart but he can be real dumb sometimes, plus he let your name slip.” She explained. “So start talking.”

“I just...I want to know more about her. I just don't want to screw things up before they even start.”

Her brown eyes narrowed at him. “What's your game Styles? You go through more than people change their socks.”

“Its different with her. I mean, she seems different.” Now he was stammering, 'What the hell is wrong with me?' He thought.

Tapping her foot she pointed a manicured finger at him. “I swear if you are even thinking about hurting you I will rip those piercings out and stick them somewhere else, got it?”

Harry had never felt more intimidated, and it was by a five foot four girl who he had never even spoken to. She was fiercer than any opponent he had faced in a fight. “I'm not going to hurt her, I promise. I just want a chance.”

Sighing she dropped her arm to her side. “Harry, she's been through a lot...the last thing she needs is another guy hurting her.” Closing her mouth she hoped she hadn't said too much.

“What do you mean?”

Looking around she ran a hand through her hair. “I can't tell you right now, there's too much to explain.” She sighed. “Um, I'm going to the park to watch Ben play basketball after school, meet me there?”

Nodding his head he watched her walk away. He just didn't understand what could have been so bad to affect the girl so bad. People get their heart broken all the time, what happened to make her any different? When he reached his friends the thought still plagued him. His face must have given him away because Zayn asked. “What's going on?”

“I just talked to Kristin...yeah great work there, Li.” He snapped glaring at his friend.

Liam held up his arms. “Hey, she's smarter than I gave her credit for. She tricked me!”

“Whatever, well I asked Liam to talk to Kristin about Abigail for me but he's about as smooth as Niall when he's drunk.”

“Hey!” Niall explained but shut his mouth when he realized the curly haired boy was right. “So what did she say?”

“She said Abby has 'been through a lot' and that she 'didn't need another guy hurting her.'” He quoted. “I just think everyone has gone through heartbreak or at least had a bad breakup, what the hell was so bad to make Abigail so afraid of...oh shit.”

Louis picked up on what he was about to say. “You don't think...?”

“Its definitely possible, mate.” Zayn cringed. “You said she acted different when you put your arm around her?” Harry nodded. “Well what else did Kristin say?”

“She couldn't tell me the whole story. I'm going to meet her after school.” He explained. “I have a class with Abby next period, what should I do?”

“Just be normal,” Liam told him. “Actually talk to her, don't act like you did this morning.”

“Right, thanks,” He mumbled, now that he had a clear idea of what might have gone on he wasn't sure how he could be normal around her. All he really want to do was help her in any way her could.

When he heard the bell ring he almost ran to the Home Ec room, hoping to get there before her. Inside the classroom he noticed he was one of the first ones there, something that never happens to him. Sitting down he anxiously shook his leg turning his attention to the door every time it opened. Finally after what felt like ages he saw her walk through. She smiled when she saw him, a good sign he thought. “Hey,” He said tilting his head up as she sat down.

“Hi, how are you?” Abigail asked dropping her bag onto the table.

“Good, good,” He mumbled. “You?”

“Fine,” She smiled opening her notebook.

Watching her he found himself staring at her every movement. He felt like a stalker but he felt captivated by her. The way she tossed her hair over her shoulder and focused on writing. He was startled to see how blue her eyes were, blue with silver surrounding the pupil. Mostly he watched her body language, the last thing he wanted was a repeat of Saturday night. From what he could tell she seemed relaxed, she acted like they had been friends for years.

“All right class,” Miss Brooks' voice almost made him jump in surprise. “Today I kind of have a fun assignment for you. Something I like to do with all my students.” She grinned walking in front of her desk.

Hearing her class groan made her tilt her head. “Ok its not teacher definition of fun, all you have to do is talk to your partner.” Turning around she picked up a small stack of notecards.
“On these index cards are a few questions. Your assignment is to just get to know your partner.”

Confused, a student raised her hand. “Uh...why?”

“Because, you all go to school with each other but how well do you actually know each other after all these years?” Miss Brooks asked. Pointing to one girl in the middle of the room. “You, tell me what Miss Parker's middle name is.”

The student sat in silence before shrugging her shoulders. “Um...I don't know.”

“Exactly, but if you guys don't want to do it I can always give you book work.” Everyone almost immediately had a change of heart. “That's what I thought. Now I have four questions here, once you finish asking these you're free to ask your partner whatever you want. Whatever you think will help you learn more about your partner. After all you're going to be working with them all semester. Plus this is your senior year, you won't be seeing these people again after this year, take advantage of this opportunity while you can. Now enjoy this while you can, tomorrow the real work begins.”

Harry was happy. Not only did he not have to do any real work but he got the chance to have an actual conversation with Abigail. Once they received their notecards he took two while Abby took the others. Reading over the first one he leaned back in his chair. “You want to go first?” She whispered reading over one of the cards, turning in her chair to face him.

“Sure...it says 'Where do you see yourself in ten years?'”

Biting her bottom lip she thought for a second. Honestly she hated questions like this, she hated even thinking about what she was going to be doing in one year let alone ten. “Uh...I want to be a counselor of some sort. So maybe I can be working as that but I guess...I guess I just see myself happy. Or at least I hope I'm happy. What about you?”

“Shit, I don't even know what I'm doing tomorrow. Your guess is as good as mine when it comes to ten years.” He chuckled tossing the card aside.

“Well what do you want to happen in ten years?”

Sighing he ran a hand through his hair. “I want to be out of this town. I know that much.” He mumbled. “All right, your turn, Angel.”

Reading the question in her head her eyebrows furrowed. “What usually wins in your decision making? Your head or your heart?”

Nibbling on his lip ring he thought for a second. “I'm more of an act on impulse kind of guy, my head or my heart doesn't really have enough time to register what I'm going to do.” He laughed. “You?”

“My heart, definitely.” She muttered. “Ok now you?”

“Oh this is good, what is your favorite childhood memory?”

Seeing her smile made his stomach flip, he swore her smile brightened an otherwise dreary day. “I remember one time I was at my grandparents house, me and my cousin wanted to play with Play-Doh but we didn't have any. Instead my grandmother sat us down at the kitchen table and gave us flour and water. I guess she got tired of us whining.” She giggled. “We were covered in flour from head to toe, I mean, we made such a mess. She didn't care though, she just laughed with us.”

After thinking for a second he laughed. “You remember when we had a White Christmas? It was probably the only one we've ever had. Well me and my sister made a fort on the side of our house and we just waited for our parents to come outside. When one of them did we would just ambush them with snowballs.” He grinned when he heard her giggle. 'This is going well,' he thought.

With the memory brought back other reminders. It reminded him that was the last Christmas they had as a family. Shaking those thoughts out of his head he looked over to see Abigail staring at him, her the look eyes seemed concerned. Coughing he told her to read the last question. His sudden change in mood surprised her. “Are you the same person you were last year?”

Playing with his eyebrow ring he nodded. “Pretty much, you?”

“I wish I wasn't.” She muttered turning in her chair to face the front of the room.

'Oh no, she's shutting down,' He thought. Not wanting to give up just yet Harry spoke again. “Um...what about the optional questions?”

Noticing how much time they still had in class she nodded, she didn't want him to think she was a baby. “Right,” She whispered turning in her chair to face him again. “You don't have to answer this but what made you start fighting?”
Nervously running a hand through his curls he sighed. “I'm an impulsive person remember? Plus I've been described as a punk ass kid with a lot of anger inside him.”

“So fighting is your outlet?”

“Pretty much, what about you? You have an outlet?”

Tapping her nails on the table she thought for a second. “I use to write everything down, whenever I was angry or upset I would just write. I kind of stopped but I need to get back into the habit of doing it.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Harry wanted to ask her so many questions but he didn't want to scare her off. He had to let her know she could trust him. After a while he couldn't take the silence anymore. Before he opened his mouth he hoped his next question wasn't too out of line. “I uh, I saw you at the hospital yesterday.” He began making her eyes snap up at him. “Everything ok?”

She winced making him worry. “I was visiting my grandfather.” She muttered, looking down at her lap. “He's...he's not doing so good right now.”

Immediately regretting the question he hesitantly reached out, brushing her hand with his larger one. “I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have...”

“No, no its ok.” She smiled softly, her small fingers connecting with his. “You didn't know, honest mistake.”

Staring at their hands he scooted a little closer to her. “I'm still sorry, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. If you do though...”

“Thank you Harry, but honestly we would be here a while.”

“Well...we could, if you want to, we could go out...”

“Hi Harry,” They heard making their hands separate. Harry mentally cursed seeing Vanessa stand in front of their table. “Are you coming to my party this weekend?”

“I don't know yet.” He answered.

“Oh, well everyone is invited, are you coming Abigail?” Her voice sounded harsher when she addressed the other girl.

“Yeah, me and my friends were talking about it earlier.” Abigail said, even if Vanessa was being rude to her she remained calm and sweet. It impressed Harry.

“Great, see you then. Bye Harry.” Vanessa smirked turning around to go return to her own table.

“Are you really not going?” Abigail asked turning her attention back to her partner.

“I am, I just don't want her to know I'm going.” He lied, he really had no intentions of going until he knew Abigail was attending. “I didn't think that was your kind of crowd.”

“Its not,” She chuckled. “I figure its senior year, what do I have to lose?”

“So I guess I'll see you there?”

“I guess you will.”
Both were smiling until they heard the bell ring. “All right class, your homework assignment is to write a paragraph on what you learned about your partner!” Miss Brooks yelled.

The class groaned again as they filed out of the room. “Since when do you have homework in Home Ec?!” Someone exclaimed.

In the hallway Abigail and Harry walked in silence. Whispers and finger pointing made Harry roll his eyes, him walking with a girl wasn't headline news, or at least he wished it wasn't. It had never happened before, the only time he was seen with a girl was when he was trying to chat her up. His reputation once again affecting every little thing he did. His anger was slowly starting to rise, balling his fists he kept looking at the floor trying to force himself to calm down. “You ok?” He heard a soft voice ask.

Glancing to his side he noticed blue eyes scanning his face for reassurance. “Yeah, I'm fine, people just love to talk.”

“Its a small town, what else is there to do?” She smiled, placing her tiny hand on his arm.
“Don't let them get to you, its not worth it.”

Just hearing her voice made him relax. It surprised him, no one had ever had that type of affect on him. Usually he hated it when anyone tried to calm him down, it angered him more to the point of recklessness. Unclenching his fists he gave the girl a small smile. “Thanks.” He whispered.

“You're welcome, but I have to get to class. See you later?”

“I hope so,” He smirked.

Blushing slightly Abigail turned on her heel to head down the hall, Harry's eyes focused on her until she was out of sight. Even when she was gone he still could feel her hand on his arm, her laugh was still ringing in his ears, she may not be around him but in such a short time she was already haunting his mind. And he was already wanting more.