A Chance At A Time

Chance IX: Expect The Unexpected

Harper was dressed for the occasion that following weekend in a pair of stressed pale blue jeans and a forest-green scooped-neck sweater that hung over one shoulder. She had her hair in a low pony as she and the others made their way to the elderly center. Harper wanted to work with the elderly because she knew she wasn't physically fit for the renovations at the orphanage. She wanted to be relieved when she found out that Stefan was in charge of her team but that feeling never came. 

After the day at the cafeteria, Kristofer made himself scarce from her eyes. She saw him during the lectures with Dr. Adams but afterward, he would leave early, not making any conversation with anyone. Dr. Adams had not given out any more assignments so there was no reason to meet with him. Harper thought it was going to make her happier and let her concentrate better on her work but truth be told, she wasn't okay with how everything turned out. 

Clair had quickly recovered from her shock when Harper changed on Melody. She was back to her cheerful self but Kristofer wasn't. Harper didn't understand why it mattered so much that she wanted to explain to Kristofer exactly what she meant by what she told Melody but she didn't have a good reason behind it apart from the fact that she was upset with Melody. She began to realize that although she had told Kristofer that they weren't friends but merely acquaintances helping each other through school work, she had never been comfortable talking to a guy like the way she was with him.

Kristofer was blunt and sometimes his words hurt but it was because of the set of principles that he had put for himself. Either way, he was honest with her and in turn, she hurt him yet again. 

"Come on, Harper!" Stefan suddenly called to her, ripping her away from her dream world. 

She sprang into action, jogging a little to catch up with the others as they went to do an introduction to the elderly that they would be taking care of for the next six weeks. The place was decent with neutral colors and standard furniture and equipment. 

Harper was not an interior designer but she felt that they could have put a little more effort into the interior of the building since the elderly were spending more time there than anyone else. A little color, pictures on the wall, or plant in a pot wouldn't hurt. The elderly were supposed to be made comfortable enough not to miss their homes. 

Stefan made the introductions to the elderly and their caretakers and each student introduced themselves before they were asked to go around and interact with them. Harper stood behind awkwardly. She didn't know what to say to them. She didn't even know if they were going to like her! She didn't have a clean past with vulnerable people and it seemed as if that trend was following her everywhere she went. She was afraid to say the wrong thing and make the elderly miserable for the next six weeks.

"Having a change of heart?" Stefan came to her and stood beside her. 

Harper tangled her fingers together and said. "I am just trying to figure out what I can say to them that would not sound like an insult."

"How about you start with your name and what you are majoring in at college?" Stefan suggested as he gave her a little nudge towards an older woman who was sitting by the window looking out a large window longingly. 

Harper pursed her lips and refused to budge. "I am not going to be making conversation with the elderly, Stefan. Believe me when I say this is the best for everyone."

Stefan hummed lightly and said. "I refuse to believe that because if I remember correctly, you were the same girl who called Melody out for pushing you, not to mention the same girl who made it clear to Evans that she didn't tolerate his macho act."

Well, it seemed that the whole world knew about those two incidents. She rolled her eyes knowing it would take the college the entire year to forget what she did. "I was under the influence of adrenalin for both scenarios." 

"So, what happened to the adrenalin junkie who was outspoken and very confident?" He asked her.

Harper turned to her clasped fingers and shrugged. "She kept on saying the wrong things to people she cared about."

Stefan leaned back against the wall and said. "I am heading to see how the second team is holding up. I think you will fit better there than you do here."

"I have never used a hammer or paintbrush in my life," Harper assured him.

"But it's not too late to learn. Come on." He moved to where Maria, the leader for the first team was and muttered something lightly to her before he turned to Harper and motioned for her to follow him out with his head. 

Harper kept on wondering if it was a good idea to apply for the program in the first place. It wasn't anything like she expected. Usually, when she went for such things, she would take photos with the people, get a few selfies with them and upload them online before leaving the rest of the stuff to other people. Now, she was expected to participate in the different activities that were taking place. She didn't even know where to start. 

She followed Stefan out to the truck he came with and entered the passenger seat. She knew by changing teams, meant she was going to have to interact with Kristofer instead. She wanted to apologize again to him. She was always doing the apologizing and the worst part was that Kristofer never told her if she were wrong or not. He just kept it to himself. 

"What happened between you and Kris, Harper?" Stefan asked as he eased the truck onto the road.

Harper turned to him in surprise. It was as if he read her mind. "What are you talking about?"

"There is this awkwardness that is surrounding the two of you that makes it uncomfortable for the rest of us," Stefan said then chuckled. "I never took Kris for the type to sulk. I always used to think he was indestructible, that nothing could faze him but for the past week, it was almost unbearable being around his brooding mood." 

Kristofer was sulking?  

That was news for her too. With all that was happening around him, how did he get the time to sulk?

"What I am trying to say is that you two need to sit down and find a way to get along. Don't make these six weeks of community work to be agonizing for the rest of us." Stefan said then added. "I have known Kristofer for the longest time and when something is on his mind, he becomes disorganized and nothing goes right around him. He needs to get his head back on his shoulders."

Harper didn't know what to say so she decided to keep quiet and they drove for almost twenty minutes before arriving at the orphanage. The building stood in a large plot of land where there was ample space to position a play area for the children, sitting benches, and a botanical garden. Harper was shocked to see the team quite busy. Some carried around buckets of paint, while others had established a carpentry area where they were sawing pieces of timber for the renovations. Just a few feet from where all this was happening, the children were playing and some trying to help with the materials. 

Harper's eyes roved around trying to see where Kristofer was and caught his conspicuous stature and body art. As usual, he had on a black t-shirt and worn-out grey jeans. He stood with Helena, the team leader, and two other strangers Harper didn't know with what looked like a blueprint of the renovations. He was instructing the strangers on what to do and as he gestured his words with the actions of his hands, Harper caught the way the muscles on his back coiled and retracted with the movements. 

She cleared her throat nervously and jumped off the truck. 

"Hey, Kris!" Stefan called to him, interrupting him for a moment.

Kristofer turned to them and his broad locks dangled around his forehead giving him a boyish look although there was nothing boyish about his appearance. 

"I brought you extra help," Stefan said as he turned to Harper and chuckled. "I think Harper is better off nailing something than trying to strike a conversation with the elderly."

Kris' dark eyes turned to Harper and she rushed to look down at her feet. She could still feel the sting of his eyes on her head for a while before she heard him muttering something to the strangers and handed them the blueprint then made his way to where Harper and Stefan were standing. 

"She didn't insult anyone, did she?" He asked.

"I didn't!" Harper protested, wondering why he was referring to her as if she weren't there. 

"I wouldn't be surprised if you did." One side of Kris' lips went up as he slipped a paintbrush for his belt then placed it in her hand. 

"She didn't but I had a feeling that the moment she opened her mouth, it would have been a done deal for us," Stefan said.

"You two are such assholes!" Harper snapped.

Stefan and Kristofer shared a knowing look and Harper felt exasperated! 

"I need to get back to the elderly. See you guys in the evening." Stefan smiled then turned to Harper and added. "And take care of this one, Kris. Make sure she doesn't get into trouble."

Harper had a retort practically burning the tip of her tongue but she decided to swallow it instead. With an angry hum, she turned around and walked towards the other individuals on the team. 

                                                                    **************

"She was upset because you were ignoring her." Stefan suddenly said as Kris walked him to the truck. "The reason I brought her here was that I want you two to settle your differences. It doesn't matter what everyone else is saying about her. Harper might be a little uncensored but she is a good girl and she is trying her best."

"She told you to advocate for her? She and I are nothing more than group mates for Dr. Adams' assignments." Kris assured his friend.

Stefan scoffed and placed a hand on Kris' shoulder. "Kris, I have known you for four years. I have seen you and the way you interact with the girls around campus. That girl right there..." Stefan turned his eyes to Harper who went to help the others carry paint into the building. "That girl right there has done something to you that made you look at her like she is a human being. It's refreshing to see that because I was beginning to think that you might be gay--not that I have a problem with your s****l orientation--" 

Kris punched Stefan on his abdomen and his breath came out in a whoosh. Stefan leaned forward and clutched his stomach. 

"You talk too much," Kris growled at the guy and opened the driver's door for him. "Weren't you leaving?" 

To Kris' utter displeasure, Stefan grinned and in a pained voice, he said. "Take care of her,  Kris." 

"You want another one?" Kris tightened his fist and his knuckles popped at the strain. 

"Laters!" Stefan reversed the car as Kris turned back to where Harper was. 

So much for staying away from her. He groaned inwardly as he walked back to her. 

Stefan was speaking foolishly. Kris looked at the girls on campus like human beings and Harper was no exception. He was only paying extra attention to her because she was literally holding his future in the palm of her hands. The moment he cleared Dr. Adams' course, Kris was going to finish his research and graduate later that year. He was going to be out in the real world while Harper was still going to be in college and that was where their relationship was going to end. 

"Do you have any experience with the paintbrush, Harper?" Kris asked her when he got to where she was.

Harper straightened from her crouching position and shook her head. "Nope."

"Carpentry?"--shake of the head--"Any DIY renovations you have done at home?"--she shook her head ruefully.

"Alright, grab that bucket of paint and follow me." Kristofer made his way to the building where there were others placing covers over the furniture and plastic on the floor. Kristofer took her to the estate manager who was still viewing the recommendations they made for the renovations with his assistant. The renovations included rehabilitating the common room and several of the sleeping quarters for the children. 

"Richard," Kristofer called to the estate manager. "We have an extra pair of hands. This is Harper and she will be joining the team for the six weeks."

Richard turned to her and smiled before he nodded. "The more, the better," he commented. 

Kristofer showed Harper the common room and suggested that she helped the others move the covered furniture away from the walls that were going to be repainted. Harper gave him a small smile and went off as Kristofer followed Richard to the next room and listened as he commented on the changes that needed to be done on the proposals. 

By lunchtime, everyone was exhausted and they sat outside interacting with the children as they had their lunch. He saw Harper sitting on one of the benches near the tree and got hold of the carton of bottled water before he started passing them around the students then took one to Harper. 

He watched as she held her right hand up and one of her fingernails was in an awkward angle. Kristofer grimaced just imagining the kind of pain she was in. He once busted a fingernail while trying to hang up a picture for his mother back home. 

"Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital and get that checked?" He asked her when he got to her.

Harper looked up at him in dubiety then looked down at her fingernail and sighed before shaking her head. "Nah, it's a tip." She tore it away and held it up to him but he looked confused so she added. "It's a fake extension. They usually just come right off after some time."

"Oh," Kristofer answered then handed her the bottled water. "Stay hydrated."

"Thanks." She accepted the water and when Kristofer turned to leave she stopped him. "I--I wanted to apologize for the other day. It seems everything I say always comes out wrong and I am not apologizing for that--by the way--it's just the way I am. I just wanted to say I am sorry you had to hear it."

Kristofer took a moment to turn over the words she said in his head. She was sorry he heard what she said about him but she was not sorry for saying it. "That's a very interesting way of apologizing, Harper." 

Harper gave a little shrug. "I meant what I said. I didn't know why Melody insisted that I stay away from you when it should have been the other way round. She should have come to you and ask for you to stay away from me." 

Kristofer was rendered speechless for a moment then asked. "Why can't you stay away from me? Why should I be the one to stay away from you?"

"Because I am not the one she wants." She answered simply as if she didn't have to explain anything further but she was confusing Kristofer even more. 

"I don't get it?"

"And they call you Super Brain Kris for what reason again?" She feigned contemplativeness and said. "You have better control of the situation because she listens to you more than anyone else, including me so when you tell her you are not going out with me, she will believe it better than if I try to tell her that. Meaning it will make more sense if she asks you to stay away as compared to me. I don't have any impact on your relationship with her, you do."

"Melody and I aren't in any sort of relationship. I used to tutor her in the past and when I found out that she didn't approach me because of the lessons, I stopped meeting with her." Kristofer affirmed out loudly. 

Harper opened the bottle and drank the water then said. "Either way, I don't want to be a part of it. I don't want to go against Melody--not because I can't take her but I just don't want to tarnish my reputation yet again."

Kristofer saw the way her eyes widened when she realized she shared too much information with him then pursed her lips, a habit she loved very much and turned away from him. "Again?"

"Look, everyone has their past sins that they are not proud of. I am a person too and I am trying to repent for my past sins in peace. I can't afford any attention on me at this moment." She explained herself in the vaguest of ways that they left Kristofer with more questions than answers.

Kristofer gave her a nod because he, too, was not proud of his past but in a twisted way, that past was what had made him the way he was at the moment. He could still remember what he, his mother, and Philippa went through living with the man he called his father. Good thing was that Philippa was too young to remember back then but on the night Kristofer had had enough of his father's abuse, he made the oath to become someone better and he forged his own road to being that person.

"I will deal with Melody so don't worry about her." He said eventually.

Harper looked up at him and nodded then turned away from him and asked. "Why don't you just accept her. I mean she is from a wealthy family, she has connections and she is head over heels in love with you. Why won't you just accept her?" 

He leaned against the tree and scoffed. "Melody is not in love with me. She is in love with the thought of having me. I am like a trophy to her, nothing else. That is not an agreement I can readily accept. Even if she has good connections, there are other people out there with better connections than her." 

"How do you know her feelings for you are not genuine?" Harper asked because if Melody went out of her way to follow her to the cafeteria only to threaten her to stay away from Kris it meant there was more than imaginary feelings. "I mean, have you actually sat down with her and discuss exactly what she feels for you, Kris?"

"She doesn't wear her feelings on her sleeve like you. It is easy for me to look at you and know how you genuinely feel because you are honest with yourself but Melody isn't like that. If I sit with her and ask her about it, she will try to convince me that she loves me but she knows deep down inside, it is not true." 

Again, Harper's eyes widened and she had the expression of a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. "I don't wear my feelings on my sleeve." She muttered quietly to herself as he brushed back a stray lock that managed to escape the scrunchie holding her hair back in a pony. 

Kristofer scoffed as he straightened. "We still have a lot to do. Come on."

Harper stood up gingerly and walked ahead of Kristofer murmuring inaudible words to herself that she didn't see the shallow hole that was dug up ahead. Before Kristofer allowed Harper's foot to stumble into it, he reached forward and grabbed her arm before pulling her away from the hole.

"Watch where you are going." He scowled at her and pointed to the hole. 

Harper had both her hands on Kristofer's chest, balancing herself against him so that she didn't fall over. Her palms were warm and the warmth seeped into Kristofer's chest all the way to his bones. Her eyes were wide and her pupils had dilated in awareness. Kristofer saw the way her heart was thudding rapidly from that little dip under her neck. She licked her lips nervously and pushed herself from him then tucked her loose curls behind her ears and took a step back. 

"I'm going to help the others sand down the walls." She didn't wait for Kristofer to say anything and walked briskly inside.

A frown marred Kristofer as he walked slowly behind her. His life was just about to get complicated and he felt it all the way to his bones.