Claire's POV

Do you ever wonder how curly hair works? Like how does one shower, dry their hair straight with a towel, and then it just magically finds the power to bounce into the most perfect and voluptuous curls? I feel like if I had curly hair, I'd look like a rat... Actually, a sewer rat, with like frizzy hair and a matted tangled mess always following behind me. So I wonder, how does Harry do it?

But then I look at his lips, and my heart flutters. How do people get such pretty lips, or are they just Harry's? The way they move when he speaks and his tongue pokes through slightly makes my skin ignite. Do other people get these feelings when looking at their math teacher? And oh my god, when he smiles, it's like the sun is drooling rays of peace. I cannot get enough of that smi--

"Claire, are you even listening to me?" My whole body jerks forward in my desk and I feel a blush form over my cheeks rapidly.

"Y-y-yeah. Sorry." I mumble, quickly opening up my notebook and copying down the notes that Harry has been writing on the board for the best... Yup, I've been distracted by him for twenty minutes. Maybe if I could just tell my dad that I'm extremely attracted to my math teacher and that's contributing to my failing grades he would lay off?Good one.

I look around the room at the extra help class, and only myself and Anna are left.Over course Anna is still here. I think Anna would follow Harry into the gates of hell if she could, she's that obsessed. Am I jealous? Fuck no, because she's not the one who get's to date him outside of the school if she wants to... But I wouldn't mind if she kept her distance.

"Claire,Mr. Stylesis asking you a question." Anna nudges me, saying his name in the most infuriating way and I blink a few times before snapping back to reality once again. Like I seriously fucking hate math, and I had to chose to fall for a math teacher... and an art teacher also, but we don't have to get into that right now.

"Uh yeah?" I smile, tapping my pencil down on my almost completely blank notebook sheet of paper.

"Claire." He sighs, shaking his head. I watch as he looks to Anna, the clock, out the window and then returns his focus to me. His brown boots take a few ginger steps towards Anna's desk, and he crouches down in front of her almost as if he is going to share a secret. I roll my eyes and she leans in closely to him, giggling like the little school girl annoying bitch she is.

"What?" She giggles, looking up at me, then back at Mr. Sty-- Harry. His name is fucking Harry.

"I think Claire is going to have amuchharder time at this then you, so I think you're better off just getting out of here now. We're going to be taking things really slow, and since you'resoadvanced..." He whispering voice trails off just loud enough for me to hear, and Anna laughs even louder.

She stands like a fool, dazed at Harry's compliment and smile and exits the room without another word. I guess he thought that was cute. I think Anna thought it was really fucking adorable. I, however, am not amused.

"Thanks for all the help today, Mr. Styles but since I'mso slow, I think I'll just hire a tutor." I growl, slinging my bag over my arm and heading towards the door. I'll admit it, I should have been listening. I shouldn't have drifted off. I should be trying to do better considering the fact that my brothers will be arriving to town tonight and could possibly be conferencing with Harry, but that just pissed me off.

"Oh come on Claire, obviously I only said that to get her out of here!" He laughs, and I stop in my tracks.

"You're just annoying!" I whine, turning to face him but when I do, he's already standing a foot away from me with a smirk on his face.

"You're also annoying." He smiles, and I scoff, trying to hold back the bubble of laughter growing inside of me.

"How the hell am I annoying? You're the one who is," I look in the hallway to make certain no one is passing by, "who is flirting with Anna right in front of my damn face in the middle of extra help!" I whisper shout, now letting the laughter fall from my lips. Harry is looking at me, the same stupid grin on his face but pure amusement in his eyes.

"Jealous?" He asks, and I furrow my brows at him.

"No!" I shout, rummaging around in my tote to find my keys, but more so to hide the embarrassment that is probably strewn across my face. It's so weird how things have changed, because just a few weeks ago I was hardly jealous that he kissed Cassidy but when so much as flirts with Anna--

"Yes you are! And it's ok, I know you want me." He teases me, and I look up in surprise.

"Cocky jerk!" I slap his arm and making him burst into a fit of hysterics. "I am leaving now, good bye Mr. Styles." I say, grabbing onto the door handle but he stops me.

"Wait." He says, tugging me backwards. "I have an idea." I look at him in confusion, but I'm all too curious.

"Idea?" I ask, and he nods, running over to his desk. I take a few slow steps into the classroom to and watch as he scribbles something down on a post-it note, rips it off and hurries back over to me.

"Meet me here in an hour." He tells me, putting the post it note in my hand and flashing me an adorable grin that only he can make.

"Are you going to make me drive to some math factory? Or a gang house? Or a--"

"Why don't you just shut up and meet me there?" He laughs, and I roll my eyes and nod.

"Fine... But what if I get lost?" I ask as he nearly shoves me out the classroom door.

"You won't! You've been there before! 59 minutes!" He blows me a kiss and vanishes back into his classroom, presumably to gather his things.

As I make my way to my car, I check my phone for any messages. Alex and Mark both got here midday and I should probably be heading home to see them, but I don't want to skip this... date? With Harry.

I've kept my dad cool about my grades for the past 3 days, but not too cool. This morning he basically told me that if I didn't start going to extra help, he was coming in to meet Harry and I want to avoid that at all costs... but then theres that lazy senior side of me. Like I really don't feel like trying, after all it's my senior year and I don't want to be doing all this and working super hard. Crunch time was junior year, and I flew threw that but of course, that isn't good enough.

When I slide on my seatbelt and turn on my GPS, I finally look down at the address Harry wrote down for me.

The park in Needham.




Harry's POV


Needham is where it all started... It's the place where I really felt my first real, love-like, sincere feelings for Claire even though the circumstances were horrible. Why not plan a first date there?

And am I nervous? Not really because I kind of forced her into this randomly, but that was all part of my plan... the element of surprise. Creative and efficient, right?Right?

As I drive down the highway to Needham, my mind is fixated on Claire. I have so much work to do, so many papers to grade and so much work to get done before winter break rolls around a few weeks, but I’m too happily distracted. I’ve sent Niall to set up the park for our date immediately after school, and like the lad he is he agreed. I’m relieved that she said, yes but I knew she would. My confidence in our relationship has been growing more and more with each passing day, and I can tell she isn’t as interested in Zayn as she used to be. She doesn’t hang around his room as much, and he’s grumpier than usual which could only mean one thing… They’re growing apart.




After driving for 40 minutes, I finally pull up to the park and what I see instantly puts a smile on my face. Niall had done exactly what I asked-- he set up the blanket and picnic basket right where I told him to. The only thing that surprised me, is the girl laying on the blanket with a bag of grapes on her stomach and music playing from her phone.

I feel lucky that it's not freezing cold out side, but just to be sure, I grab an extra blanket from the backseat of my car. I hop out of my car and make my way over, and when I do she has a little smile on her face.

"You couldn't wait for me to get here?" I squint at her, and she throws a grape at me.

"This is really cute." She giggles, looking up at me. Her green eyes are glowing in the most beautiful way, and I kneel down so I'm face level with her. "How did you set this up? I mean... Like how did this come?" She wonders, and I shake my head laughing.

"Magic." I shrug, sitting down criss cross beside her. She looks at me curiously for a moment, and then a wave of realization hits her.

"Niall." She says matter of factly, and we both burst out laughing.

"Well I would have set it up, but I had this annoying student holding me up in extra help and--"

"Hey!" She shoves me, a smile evident on her now stubborn face. "Can we not talk about school?" She sighs, running her hand over her hair. "Can we talk about anything but school, grades, college, family..." Claire begins to say, but her voice trails off. I reach over and grab her hand, slowly brushing my thumb over the back of it.

"Something bothering you?" I ask, my voice low and concerned. She shakes her head and opens her eyes widely, as if to shut it out.

"Nah, we don't have to talk about it. This a date after all, isn't it?" She chuckles, sitting up and looking me in the eyes. When she does, I notice the smallest sense of sadness, but not too sad. She just seems stressed, maybe a little worried.

"I suppose... but we can talk about it when you're ready, yeah?" I don't press her for details, and she lightens up instantly at my suggestion.

"Definitely." She smirks, reaching into the picnic basket and pulling out to little wrapped up sandwiches, taking one herself and handing the other to me.

"Let's eat then?" I laugh, and she nods, unraveling hers and taking a huge bite into it. I do the same, taking an overwhelmingly large piece into my mouth.

"Twins!" She says with a mouthful, and we both burst out laughing, clutching out stomach.

I could live like this forever, and I think that she could too.

Notes

hi everyone! i'm SO SORRY I haven't updated in over three weeks, i've been so friggen busy it's unbelievable.

i will try to get around to it more, but no promises. i will not be just leaving the story hanging , i promise you that! x

sorry this chapter was eh, drama is coming soon!