So, do you like me?

When I finally got home, the first thing I did was text Karen and tell her what had happened. She kept insisting I still liked him and I didn't feel like denying it. She knew, anyways.

"Well, tomorrow you'll just have to be nicer! You're already one of the nicest people I know, Jen. You'll do fine"
I took her advice and made a small plan in my head. Then I hung up because the next day I'd have to get up early.
"See you tomorrow, man eater" Karen said with a giggle and I tucked myself into bed.

*****

Next morning I chose my clothes carefully because I didn't want to look like a frump if I was going to spend time with Harry.

After breakfast my mom drove me to school and there was a bus waiting for us to go to the museum.
I got into the bus and spotted Karen, already sitting next to one of the girls in her group. She waved at me and moved her head slightly, pointing at the seats at the right back.
There he was. Kind of sleepy and with his hair still wet from a shower. He was wearing a nice green plaid shirt which made his eyes stand out. I walked over to where he was, thinking I could seat next to him on the way and start a conversation.

"Hey" I said, smiling a bit, trying to look friendly. It took him a second to look at me. He did not move his head. Only his eyes made their way to mine, but he did not move a single muscle.

"Hi", he said and it seemed it had taken him some effort to do so.
"Hello!" someone else said. I looked up to see Gordon seating right behind Harry.
"Why aren't you guys seating together?" I asked, immediately thinking maybe Harry had saved me a place next to him.
"Well, I thought you would like to seat next to Gordon", Harry explained.
Why the hell would I want that? I thought. But naturally, he couldn't read my thoughts.
Gordon moved next to the window and I sat down. I sighed. I didn't want to spend the whole way on the bus only looking at the back of his head and wishing he'd turn around and talk to us, which actually he did, but not to me, to Gordon.

"What time is it?"
"I don't know" replied Gordon and I immediately looked at my phone and blurted the hour out before he'd turn around, but he only nodded and looked away.
I can try later, I told myself. Maybe he's still sleepy.

*******

After about one hour and half we arrived at the museum and we were just waiting for Mr. Whitman to say we could go on. After a few minutes Karen decided to join us and I looked at her worried, not knowing what was on her mind.
"The trip was so boring!" she said happily. "You are so lucky that you're in the same group. You must have enjoyed the way, right?"
"I did" said Gordon.
"Yeah" I replied, trying to play along to Karen's attempt of a conversation. She focused on Harry, who hadn't said a word.
"What about you, Harry?" she added. I waited for his answer.
After a few second he finally answered. "Yeah, it was.... ummm. Well, I Like my partners". It seemed like he had emphasized the word 'like' while at the same time he looked at me and I froze. I felt my cheeks burning, even though I didn't really have a reason to do so.

Finally, Mr. Whitman assigned every group where to go. Harry, Gordon and I were the only group on the fourth floor and we had to do some research about the 20s and 30s. I was amazed by the size of the building. It had tons of information about every event that ever happened from the XVI to the XX century. I wouldn’t have been surprised if I had found information about my own family.

So, we were on our way. On one hand I was really excited to be alone with Harry… and Gordon. But on the other hand, I probably was going to need some help from Karen and I wouldn’t spend the whole time texting. No, no. I had to take a chance to talk to him and make him realize I do care.

On the way up Harry was whistling a song I’m sure I had heard before.
“Nice song”, I said. “Who is it by?” He turned around to face me and I froze again. We really made me feel stupid, but I guess it was in a good way.
“Isn’t She Lovely by Stevie Wonder”
“Oh, that’s right! My mom used to play it all the time, that’s why it seemed so familiar”. For a moment there I thought he was going to smile, but then Gordon interrupted.

“Nah, that song’s horrible”.
At the same time the elevator doors opened and he had to step out.
“I say we should see the 30s first. I know a little more about the 20s, so it’d be good to start with something new”, said the green-eyed boy. And for some reason I didn’t agree. Not because I wasn’t conform with it, it only popped in my head and I automatically was contrary to his idea.
“No”. I replied. “I think we should see the 20s first. 20s go before 30s, that’s how we should do it”. I guess he made me so nervous I tried to play it cool, like if what I did was cool at all. Karen once told me that on the first date with her ex she started saying nonsense that she thought would make her look cool, so that probably was what happened to me.
He raised his eyebrows and took the map of the fourth floor that he had taken at the lobby.
“Okay, as you wish” he said and I could feel Gordon giggling, though I didn’t know why. Maybe it was just some kind of joke between boys.

“Arts or culture first?” asked Gordon.
“Arts”
“Culture”
Silence. Harry looked at me, I looked back. Why am I doing this?,I asked myself. Just agree with him.
"Ooookay... So, Harry, what first?"
"Arts" Harry said slowly, almost carefully without looking away from me.
"Why does Harry have to decide?" I asked indignant, without looking away either. "I say we do culture first". It actually sounded worse than I wanted it to, it was almost rhetorical.
"Why? Because culture was before arts just like the 20s were before the 30s?"
I could feel Gordon's eyes going from Harry to me and back to Harry.
"I just don't think you should make the decision of where to go first" i simply said.
"Okay guys, let's just do some history first, agreed?" Cool. Gordon saved the conversation. Harry and I both sllowly nodded and followed Gordon to wherever he was going.

It was kind of tense for a while. Harry wanted to do some research of the economic crisis in Germany and I wanted to do some research about Lenin and Soviet Union. He wanted something, I wanted something else. It had all started thanks to a weird reaction I had had, but then contradicting Harry became like a habit. He wasn't being really nice, either. It almost seemed like if he was enjoying the fact that I was upset. And it was not until the fifth (or so) argument that Gordon complaint.
"Guys, I'm not willing to work with you if you continue acting like that". Harry and I almost looked grounded. We remained quiet and listened to what Gordon had to say. "I don't even wanna do this work, so one more argument and I'll just go downstairs and wait until we're ready to go home".
"Sorry" we both mumbled.

We continued walking and reading, taking some notes and just when it like we were in harmony and my anger was gone, an argument about Hitler started.
"I'm telling you, he became the leader of the NSP in 1921"
"No, it was much later".
"I'm right! I wrote an essay about that last year"
We were so into the fight that we didn't realize Gordon had walked behind us.
"GUYS!" he yelled. "Come over here". We didn't hesitate, we just did what he said while still arguing. I didn't even realize he was holding a door open until it was too late and Harry and I were both inside a room. He tried to open the door, but it was impossible.

Notes