Three

I wouldn't say that the town I lived in was some kind of booming metropolis. Quite the contrary. The town I have lived in since I was born is a quiet little town situated in the hills. It was not one of those small and remote towns too, where everyone knew everybody.

Arada was a moderate-sized town and had two high schools three primary schools and several kindergartens. There was also a small prestigious college on the outskirts of Arada, which didn't accept many applications, and thus had fewer students compared to any big University.

Arada was surrounded by thick woods on three sides. The forest was shaped like a crescent moon if you were to look from above, high in the sky. The abundance of trees in the area made the town colder than other nearby cities and made it rain quite often. 

The nearest city was almost six hours away and was more industrialized with big businessmen and buildings and a bigger population.

The second nearest city was half a day away and was more of a quiet little town. If you stayed overnight and traveled another six hours east of the town, you would come across a budding coastal town that had the most beautiful beaches ever. The coastal town, Mylta was a favorite spot for us Aradans to vacation.

I drove my car out of the school premises towards my home. My house was a twenty-minute drive from my school.

I kept humming the tune of a hit pop song while I parked my BMW in my house's driveway. My car was my baby as I had paid for it all on my own (with a little help from my parents), with the paychecks I got weekly after working at Monique's Bakery. I have worked there since I was legally allowed to work, so yeah, almost three years.

I got out of my car and opened the door to my house. I stepped into the two-storeyed, light blue painted house and headed towards the kitchen.

And there behold, I saw my parents full-on making out on the kitchen slab. That's a site you don't want to see. Like ever.

Gross. They acted like horny teenagers. I think, sometimes, they forget that they were parents to three hormonal teenagers. 

My parents were high school sweethearts and have been going on strong since their college years. They loved each other so much, that it sometimes made family dinners unbearable. You seriously don't want to watch your parents make googly eyes and seductive gestures when you are sitting with your brother at the same table.

But I guess I was lucky since I had two parents who loved each other to the ends of the world. They made me believe in love. As I stood here, I couldn't help but wish to have the same chemistry and love with my husband when I was pushing my forties.

"Hi", I said, in the loudest voice I could muster, with which I was sure I would get their attention. As soon as I said it, both of them sprung apart from each other with wrinkled clothes, flushed faces, and nervous smiles.

My dad cleared his throat awkwardly and smiled at me nervously. "Uh, I was just, uh, helping, um y-your mom make dinner." 

I couldn't help it, my lips stretched on their own accord to a full teasing grin. "Oh, I am sure Dad, that's exactly what you were doing."

He scratched the back of his neck nervously and practically ran out of the kitchen while coughing.

I looked at my mom and both of us burst into giggles. 

"You need to go easy on your dad, honey."

"Oh my god, but that was so funny."

My mom giggled again. "Yeah, but don't tell your dad I said that."

I mock saluted her. "Call me when it's time for dinner."

She nodded and I began climbing the stairs to my room. On my way, I checked on Cory, my fourteen-year-old brother, to see how he was doing, only to find him sleeping in his room. That boy sleeps all the damn time. 

I shook my head as I smiled. My family was far from normal but we loved each other so much. Sure, we had petty fights now and again, but I wouldn't trade them for anything else.

***

The next morning, I woke up late by forty minutes. I am not going to take the blame for it, N*****x is.

My parents leave for work before I leave for my school and my little brother, Cory was the least dependable person ever, so they couldn't have woken me up. And now, I was going to be late and miss my first class. Great.

I have had the best first two days of my senior year already!

I hurriedly got up from my bed and got fresh within minutes. After I showered and shimmied into my clothes, I raced down the stairs and out of the house. 

I got in the car and zoomed out of my driveway. I drove like a madwoman, so I could at least be in the school fifteen minutes before the second class. In record time, I found myself parking my car in the school's parking lot. Hastily, I got out of my car and ran from the parking lot to the front doors of the school. I barged through the doors and checked the time, while desperately trying to control my breath. 

Yes! I had fifteen minutes before the second period started. I did a little happy dance before I realized that I needed to breathe to compensate for all the running I had been doing. Yeah, not an athletic person.

After I made sure I was not going to die from lack of oxygen, I walked leisurely towards my locker. The hallways were deserted as everyone was in their respective classes.

I dialed my locker combination and began sorting everything in the tiny space because I had made quite a big mess in it last year. I rearranged my books and cleared all the junk I didn't need anymore.

Just as I was taking out the books I would need for the next class, I heard the sound of someone's rapid footfalls. Isn't running in the hallways prohibited? Someone was running like their life depended on it.

I craned my neck to get a better look at the person blindly running as if hounds were chasing them.

The person was getting close and would probably end up walking straight into a wall.

Harper Cain came into my view at the end of the corridor and he was not even breathless. I mean, I knew that he was on the school's football team and he had good stamina, but still, not even a little out of breath?! I would have been panting if I had been running like that.

When Harper came to a stop, after running like a madman, he just stood there for some time and looked straight at me. I don't know why, I just couldn't look away. He just kept looking at me with an unreadable expression on his face and stood there, looking all dark and brooding. 

But he looked handsome as always. I may say he is a playboy and an asshole but even I can't deny how sexy he is. Ah! But that wrecked personality of his! Dressed in a grey V-neck and blue ripped jeans, he looked intimidating and sexy as ever.

For a brief moment, I wondered if he was just looking at someone behind me, but I quickly banished the thought when I remembered that all the students were still in their classes.

He started walking towards me in calculated and even steps. He walked like he was a predator and I was his prey. I gulped. I had no idea as to why, Harper Cain of all people, would take two minutes out of his playboy life to come to talk to me.

He came to a stop when he stood close to me. Too close. Our boots were touching and our chests were a few inches apart. Okay, too close for my liking. 

Even though it was too close, I just couldn't seem to take a step back to increase the distance between us.

His minty breath fanned my face. I wanted to move away. Take a step back. I did. But, somehow his eyes held me in a trance. They were magnetic and demanded all my attention. And they were really beautiful. They were a soft color of green and when light hit them, I could see the flecks of gold in them. 

They were more than beautiful, they were simply enchanting.

"What's your name?" Harper's gravelly voice brought me out of my thoughts.

That question broke me out of my trance. Is he fucking serious?! Honestly, I was offended.

I have been living in the same town as Harper and have been going to the same middle school and now, high school. We have even sat together all these years and have done various assignments in our sophomore year. He even flirted with me yesterday. But what exactly did I expect? Him to remember every girl's name he sleeps and flirts with?! He could probably write his book of GIRL'S NAMES.

I broke the eye contact, shoved my books in my bag, closed my locker, and muttered "asshole" under my breath. 

I turned to leave when Harper grabbed my wrist and turned me around to face him.

What was the matter with him?

"What?" I hissed.

"Okay, I am sorry for not remembering your name and not calling you. But I swear, give me your number again and I will give you a call." Desperation laced his voice and his eyes pleaded with me. His pink lips were puckered into an adorable pout which I was sure, made girls fall at his feet, left, right, and center.

"What?" Okay, I was genuinely confused now. What the hell was happening?!

He scratched the back of his neck and laughed nervously. "I slept with you and didn't call you back the next day. I mean that's why you are so angry with me, right?"

Wait, what?

The nerve of this man-child!

Anger coursed through me at his ignorant and arrogant attitude.

"I never slept with you, Harper, and I am never going to. Now it's best if you leave my hand and let me go" I hissed.

He looked taken aback and I wondered for a second, what he was thinking. That there were still some girls left in the school, who he hadn't slept with, yet? Or that I would reject him when I had never even slept with him? Or why I didn't want him like every other girl in this town?

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as if what I was saying was completely unbelievable.

I scoffed.

Harper was lost in his world and I felt his grip on my hand loosen.

I jerked my hand away from his, as the bell rang and headed towards my class.