From the next two days after the competition, everyone started preparing for their exams. As I was so involved in my studies I didn’t get chance to spend my time with Harry. I didn’t want to neglect my studies so I stopped being with Harry. Whenever he was with me, he always consumes time. I wouldn’t understand how time pass when he was with me. To avoid that I stopped meeting him.
I was not with him physically but my thoughts always wandered to him. Our laughs, talks and mainly our dance. I missed our dance more than anything. It was the time I loved more when I was with him. I wanted to be with him but I decided to do the opposite when I noticed my assessment marks. I scored very low. It was the first time ever I got much less score. My mom said I was not concentrating on my studies and I was changed. She was right. I had been neglecting my studies and I didn’t want to do it more.
After having my lunch, I sat on my study chair to read. On weekends I started focusing only on my studies avoiding all other activities. While I was reading, my cell phone buzzed. It was a text message from Harry. I tried to not open it but I couldn’t restrain myself from seeing his message.
“It’s been nearly a week since we went out. Want to go out with your handsome prince?” – Harry.
My face lit up and my lips curved up with smile looking at the message. I began blushing. My fingers went to keypad to text him back but my books pleaded me to not do that as we wouldn’t stop chatting for many minutes if I reply back.
I put my cell phone aside and continued reading. My cell phone vibrated. A message from Harry again.
“You there?” – Harry.
I again ignored it and kept doing my work. This time, he decided to not text but called me. I let out a sigh looking at his name on my screen.
“Hello Harry!” I answered.
“Gosh! You picked up the call. Didn’t you see my messages?” he asked like yelling.
“I… I was about to reply, Harry. I don’t want to go out with you.”
“What? Why?” he shouted.
“I’m performing low in my studies. I want to focus on it for few days, Harry.”
There was a silence from the opposite side. I thought the call was ended but he was on call.
“Harry?” I spoke.
“Are you avoiding me, Stella?”
I scoffed hearing him. How can he think that I was avoiding? I would never do that.
“No. I’m not avoiding you, Harry. I will never do that. I’m telling the truth. I… I just want to concentrate on my studies. Trust me, Harry.”
After a moment, I heard laugh from the other side. Harry spoke in between his laughs “Come on Stella! I was kidding. Don’t be afraid. I wouldn’t be much dramatic in my entire life.”
Hearing his sentence, I felt irritated. I shouted “You know what, go to hell.” With that I cut the call. I put my hands on my forehead while cursing him under my breath.
I got a text from that idiot again. “Oh Stella! If you accompany me, I would go anywhere irrespective of whatever it is.”
Damn Harry! I was smiling instead of getting angry. I slammed my head with my palm and texted him back.
“Harry! Don’t disturb me. I want to read.”
Immediately he sent a text with stupid emoji. “Fine. Go to your study world, you nerd. Bye.”
I switched off my cell phone and continued focusing on my subjects. The next few days were same. I tried to concentrate on my studies but he didn’t allow me to do it as he kept irritating me with his stupid texts and calls. Whenever I switched off, he visited home. He never left me alone.
It’s time of exams. They were started and I was attempting good. Anna and Roman too was doing good. About Harry? He never cared about them so I forced him to study. I thought he wouldn’t listen to me but to my surprise he started focusing on his exams. I kind of liked it. His father always worried as he wouldn’t listen to anyone but when he was giving importance to my words, it made me feel great.
After finishing my exam, I kept talking to Anna near college canteen. It’s the last exam and most of the students would be leaving to their natives who came from outside. I feel proud of my town sometimes as even guys from city would come here to purse their education. Harry would be leaving the next day and stay in city for few days. I didn’t like it. I wanted him to stay in the town with me.
Anna and I started to our houses that’s when I saw Harry talking to an unknown girl near the parking place in college. I halted my walk and gritted my teeth while looking at their close behaviour.
“Stella! What happened?” Anna asked when I stopped walking.
I pointed my finger at Harry. She asked “Who is she?”
“I don’t know.”
Harry was laughing with her. Looking at him, I got angry. Their closeness was infuriating me.
“Stella! Let’s go. It’s not new. Harry is close with most of the girls. I mean almost all the girls.” Anna rolled her eyes.
I knew that. He was close with many girls. If it was many days back, I might had ignored it but I couldn’t now. I was jealous. I didn’t know when I changed like that.
After a minute, Harry walked away from her. I started strolling to her but Anna held my hand stopping.
“Where are you going?”
“I’ll be back.” Saying that I removed her hand from mine.
I walked towards the girl who was previously talking to Harry. I stood beside her crossing my arms. She was looking at me with a questioning face.
“What were you doing with Harry?” I raised my eyebrow.
“It’s not your business.” She rolled her eyes.
“Yes it is. I guess you heard Harry is Stella’s boyfriend and I’m that Stella.”
She didn’t reply anything. She kept her gaze away. I pointed my finger at her saying “He is my boyfriend. It’s better if you maintain your distance.”
I kept looking at her angrily. She said “I… I’m sorry. I just said he looked handsome and talked to him for a while. That’s it.”
“Stay away from him.” I gritted my teeth.
She nodded her head and walked away from there. Wow! I warned a girl. I never warned anyone and of course I had no idea I too could warn someone.
I walked to Anna who was looking at me with her mouth dropped opened. She stood like a statue till I patted her.
“Let’s go.” I said.
She crossed her arms saying “I need answers.”
“What answers?”
“What was that?” she raised her eyebrow.
“How can she talk to Harry in such a close way? I hated that.” I gritted my teeth continuing my walk.
“Someone is possessive.” She rolled her eyes.
“Whatever you say. Harry is my boyfriend and I hate seeing him with any other girl.”
Yeah I know I was acting like an in secured real girlfriend but I couldn’t help it. After all he is my boyfriend. Our relationship might not be real but my feelings on him was real.
“Boyfriend? I thought he forced you to be the one. Are you sure you don’t feel anything for Harry? I saw myself in you, when I struggled to keep girls away from Roman, a minute back.” She replied.
I kept silent hearing her. What happened to me? Why the hell was I acting strange? Do I… love him? For the first time, a question streaked my head. I stopped walking and put my hands on my face.
“Stella!” Anna patted me.
“I think you are right, Anna. I feel something for Harry. Harry and I have something. But I need to think about it.”
“Take time.” She smiled.
We then reached our houses and I ran to my bedroom thinking about Anna’s words. I lay on my bed and kept thinking about Harry. Though he irritated me always, he kept me happy. My thoughts wandered to the day I met him. I started smiling while thinking about the moments I spent with him.
The way he always be around me, the way he makes me irritated and smile at the same time, our dance, his care on me and everything. He treated me as a princess though I was not his real girlfriend. How would he treat if I become his actual girlfriend? With that thought my cheeks got heated.
I love it when he was with me. I love when he was talking to me, laughing with me and going out with me. I love his eyes, his words, his actions and his everything. What more can I express except to say that I love him. Yes, I love him. I love Harry. I will be his real girlfriend.