Callum & Harper(11)
She blushed, every inch of her face covered in a rosy hue.
“MilliVanilli? How old are you?” She joshed.
I smiled before clearing my throat. “Um, does ‘Dream On’ mean anything in particular to you?”
“Yeah,” she said, quietly, looking introspective. “It reminds me how fleeting life can be and how those around you can steal you from yourself...if you let them. It reminds me to protect myself.” I wanted to ask her who she needed protection from so I could beat them to a bloody pulp but she distracted me once more with her lovely mouth as it began to speak. “Anyway,” she shrugged, “Enough about that.” She laughed nervously. “Depressing. Um, Barcelona’s my favorite band. Their lyrics are especially meaningful. They’re especially sweet, to me anyway. I mean, their song ‘Please Don’t Go’? I’ve always been a sucker for violins.” She meets my eyes. “Ever heard of them?”
I reach into my back pocket and pull out a flyer. “Oh who? Them?” I ask, nonchalantly, pointing at the name at the top of the flyer.
Harper snatches it from my hand.
“Where did you get this?” She questioned, her voice raising an octave in shock.
“Oh, they’re just touring with my buddy’s band.”
She shook her head in disbelief and swallowed audibly.
"They'll be here in two weeks," I continued. "Why don't you come with me?"
"In two weeks?" She said. "Two weeks?" She repeated.
Commit to knowing me in two weeks, Harper. Don't make me beg.
"I think I would love that."
"You think?" I joked as I exhaled an inward sigh of relief.
Chapter Three
Look What You've Done
Callum
“Tell me why you didn’t apply for college,” I asked her as we walked back to the studio at ten to midnight.
She narrowed her eyes at me. “How do you know I never applied?” She said.
“Well, I just assumed. You told me you weren’t going to school.”
“I did apply, to several schools, actually.”
“And?” I asked, both eyebrows raised, but she didn’t respond. “Don’t leave me in suspense.”
“I got into a few,” she added cryptically, a smile tugging at the side of her mouth.
“I don’t understand. Why aren’t you going to college then?”
“Honestly?”
“Honestly.”
“I can’t go.”
“Why, Harper?”
“Because...,” she sighed, her shoulders drooping in resignation, “because I wouldn’t be able to do it. I don’t think I can do it.” She suddenly steeled herself, standing tall, pushing back her shoulders and raising her head. “It’s too late now anyway. It’s nearly June. There’s no way I could even enroll.”
“How would you even know that Harper? Unless you tried?”
She smiled and ducked her face in her chest, her chin shook back and forth.
“Where were you accepted?” I asked, moving on to the most important part.
“A bunch of state colleges.” She cleared her throat. “NYU.”
I playfully push her as if to say ‘get out’ but she doesn’t expect it and almost toppled over. I reached for her clumsily, caught her by the waist, and brought her into my chest.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured into her ear.
She stared up at me, so beautiful, lips full, eyes bright with excitement. Her sweet breath smelled of the strawberry lips gloss she had a habit, I noticed, of applying every half hour. She was so close I could smell her hair again and I forgot myself, openly inhaling her.
“What are you doing?” She asked, straightening herself from my grasp, cheeks flamed.
“Smelling you,” I stupidly blurt, removing my grip from her small waist.
She bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing and wrinkled her nose. “Wh-what for?” She stammered.
“Because you smell like oranges, pineapples and the ocean. It’s the most unusual scent I’ve ever smelled and it’s addictive,” I confessed. Her face lost its playfulness. “I first smelled you in that lobby, Harper and I wanted to bury my face in your hair then, too.” Harper’s breathing sped up as she studied my face, looking for something but I’m not quite sure what. “Anyway, I’m sorry,” I continued. “It won’t happen again, I apologize.”
I started walking, the embarrassment too much to shoulder and cowardly hide through my false determination to reach the studio. Harper slowly caught up with me and we walked side by side for the majority of the walk in silence.