Page 52 of Harmony

I shake my head. “No way. He’s an asshole. I’m going to cut him off for good. I swear.”

I don’t know if I’m making the promise to her or myself.

“Your secret’s safe with me. Let me walk you home. Maybe that hot foster brother of yours will drive me home.” She winks.

I smile at her. Jacob probably would because he is that good of a guy, but he’s in love with his girlfriend.

Walking home, I let Katie dominate the conversation. I find myself smiling a real smile for the first time in a long time.

Willow is still my best friend, but maybe there’s room for Katie to be a best friend too.

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Twenty-One

“You’ve been quiet today,”Katie says from beside me.

I give her a tight smile as I continue to play with my yogurt. I’m not even hungry, but I’m expected to be here. To sit with my team and be happy. To do whatever they need me to do.

My chest tightens. The weight of these expectations are killing me. I knew when I agreed to do this that it would be hard, but I didn’t realize it would break me.

My eyes glance to where Nate is holding court with his people. He doesn’t spare me a glance as they laugh.

My heart cracks.

Nate is what is killing me. Having him, but not having him. Ever since the locker room three days ago, he has ignored me. I thought I could handle it, but the rejection is too much. The tears well up in my eyes.

“I can’t do this right now,” I whisper to Katie, before pushing back.

I feel his eyes on me then, but I don’t look his way. I rush from the cafeteria. Once the doors close, I take off running. I run all the way out of the building until I’m at Willow’s spot.

I gasp when I find her sitting there.

“What are you doing out here?” she asks in a bored tone, but her eyes hold concern.

I gasp for breath. “I can’t. I just can’t.”

Before either of us can say anything else, Nate is right there. He’s glaring at me, then Willow.

“What the fuck are you doing out here?” he yells at Willow.

“I’m a big girl, Nate. I can take care of myself.”

I ignore them, sliding to sit on the ground. The panic in my chest is only heightening. The whooshing in my ears makes me grab my head.

“Go inside, Willow. Let me handle this,” Nate says, sounding as if he’s above water and I’m sitting on the bottom of a pool.

“You better not hurt her,” she hisses before turning to me to whisper, “You’ll be okay. I’ll get you out.”

Once she’s gone, Nate kneels in front of me. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

I keep taking deep breaths, trying to focus on the fresh air coming into my lungs.

“Hailee, what’s wrong?”

When I still don’t answer, he grabs my face until I’m staring at him.

His eyes are beautiful. I love them. Maybe that’s why they calm me. My breaths come easier as I look into him.

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