For Worse Or For Better

Chapter 07

    Her response was meant to be cheeky and flirty, but it looked like it didn't have any effect on him whatsoever. It didn't matter that her gut feeling was that he was interested in her, because she was pretty sure he was. Unless Cassidy and her friends were lying about how he never talked to anyone or made an effort to interact with other students, why was he being different towards her? Perhaps her head was getting a bit too big, but she wasn't used to having to put much effort into getting guys to look twice at her. She saw the way that even Gunner had scanned over her with an appreciative gaze when they'd met. Maybe she'd gotten repulsive looking over night. Or worse, maybe she just wasn't Harry's type. 

    He was paused in her doorway still, unmoving, like a statue and he ignored her comment. Before she could let it bother her too much, she c****d her head to the side before she stood, taking a step towards him with the notebook in her outstretched arm, waving it in an attempt to give it back to him. 

    "Fine, you can have it back. I can catch up on my own anyway."

    "Can you? Good to know you're so smart." 

    She glared at him, letting her arm fall back to her side. His notes were detailed and organized, despite the drawings that covered the pages, she knew that realistically she'd do better if she had the notes to go off of. But she was stubborn and if he wanted to be an ass to her, she'd do it on her own just to prove it to him. 

    "Not that I need to prove it to you." 

    Liar. She winced internally at her lie. 

    "I'm not asking you to." 

    She noticed that he seemed to look past her for most of their interaction, but it didn't come across as being nervous or shy. It was more like indifference, like the way that she looked didn't affect him at all. Sure, she didn't look her best after a full day of school, but she didn't care if anyone else thought she looked like s**t. But she hated to admit, that maybe she cared what this virtual stranger did think of her. 

    "You don't seem like the type that would care anyway." She turned her back to him, slapping the notebook down on her desk once again, letting it hit a bit harder than she would've if he wasn't standing there. Blair couldn't get a good read on him, but she knew she was good at getting a rise out of people when she tried. It was a talent of hers, getting under people's skin and knowing when and how to push their buttons correctly. 

    "Observant." 

    His comment was sarcastic and it was the first bit of personality he'd really shown her. With her back turned to him, she bit her bottom lip hating to admit that she was always a sucker for guys who could dish it back to her. It was almost a toxic quality that she sought out because guys like that and her would usually clash, but when they lost that quick wit, that's when she was done with them. 

    "I've got good eyes." 

    "You do." 

    She froze. A quick shiver shimmied down her spine, a grin pulling at the left side of her mouth as she looked over her shoulder at him. He was staring back at her, but his features showed no sign that he had just complimented her. It showed no indication that he was flirting with her. 

    "I've been told," she shrugged, turning to fully face him as she rested her hand against the back of the desk chair, popping her hip out, trying to entice him to look anywhere but at her face. Despite trying, his eyes remained locked on hers and she wondered if he was the best self-disciplined teenage guy in the world. 

    "I bet." 

    Deciding right then and there that she wanted to making a small advance, she once again took a step forward, urging him to do the same with her thoughts, as if they could communicate that way. A moment of silence took over, but it felt comfortable, tension between them building. She took in a minute to let her eyes wonder over him if he wasn't going to allow himself to do the same with her. In the dingy light of the dorm hallway, his brown hair seemed darker, almost as dark as hers. It didn't take a genius to recognize that he put some effort into the way he looked. His hair was pushed back, but some pieces fell forward, giving it a very intentionally messy but collected appearance. 

    "You're quite the conversationalist," she pieced together her sentence slowly, sarcasm dripping off her words. 

    "I've been told."

    She nearly stopped breathing. A smile formed on his face. A genuine, dare she say flirty, smile. It reached his eyes, making the blue of his irises stand out, even in the bad lighting. 

    "I bet." Blair repeated his words back to him like he had to her, her tongue darting out to wet her lips, unintentionally. His eyes dropped to her mouth before quickly pulling back up to meet hers again, so quickly that it seemed like it could've been a figment of her imagination. Before she could doubt too much that it had happened, he moved, like he was going to take a step forward and her breathing hitched. Time started moving slower and she was sure that she could've heard a pin drop in that moment. 

    And then...

    "Blair?" 

    She wasn't sure if she let out an aggravated groan when she heard Cassidy's voice behind Harry, but she wouldn't have cared if she did. It took less than the amount of time that Cas said her name for Harry to turn on his heel and leave without another word. 

    "Thanks a lot," she growled at the other girl, rushing towards the doorway to see if she could catch which way he'd gone, but he was already out of sight. 

    Cassidy quickly noticed how irritated Blair was, apologizing over and over again, but Blair ignored her. She was pissed that she'd chosen to come back at that exact time, but while she was scowling on the outside, she couldn't kick the fluttering she felt in her stomach.