Practice makes perfect

Harri's POV

I knock his mad hatter hat off releasing his curls which cascade down by his face. I promptly run my fingers through the dark strands using them as leverage to pull him closer until I feel the entirety of his body weight on top of me.

We must have stayed like this, our lips connected, my body pinned beneath his for some time. I cannot tell you for exactly how long because I lost track of time, space and everything in between while still splayed out on the gravel path where we fell. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours, and not to be dramatic but there is even a very small chance that it could have been days.

"What, Jazz?" I exhale loudly through my phone frustrated that her incessant ringing has put an end to our kiss.

"OH. MY. GOD. Where have you been? I've called you like 20 times. I was having a panic attack. Low key I thought the mad hatter had flipped a switch and strangled you with your corset," she practically screams at me while I try hard to catch the breath that SJ had just stolen from me.

I look over to SJ who has moved and is now sitting next to me, also panting.

"That's oddly specific," I mutter.

She groans, "yeah well, I had a lot of time to think about things while you were ignoring my calls."

"I wasn't ignoring you Jazz. I was...err... I was busy," I reply smirking. "And to answer your question, no SJ hasn't murdered me.... not yet anyway," I say winking at SJ through the darkness. He raises a brow in confusion but smiles anyway.

"Busy doing what?" Jazz questions suspiciously from the other end of the phone.

"I'll explain later. Theo got you home okay?" I ask, changing the topic.

"Yeah, I'll explain later," she says imitating me with a giggle.

From her pleased tone, I have a feeling that something happened between them. I am not sure if I should be happy for her and Theo or repulsed. "Do I want to hear it?" I reply cautiously.

"I'll explain later, Harri. Now get back to you whoever or whatever was keeping you busy," she says as if knowing what we were up to when she rang.

"You don't need to tell me twice."

She laughs, "so I take it you're going to spend the night out? Need me to cover for you? Want me to tell Theo and your parental units that you're at mine?"

I think about her offer, "umm..."

"Okay, I'll take that as a yes. If you're finished doing whatever it is that you're doing before sunrise you can stay at mine. Just come through the side door," she offers.

"I love you Jazz," I answer in a mock dry tone.

"How could you not?" she sings ending the call without so much as a goodbye.

I text Theo and let him know that I 'plan' on staying at Jazz's. He texts back something along the lines of whatever, it's your life. With that all out of the way, I put away my phone and return my attention to SJ who seems to also be checking in with people on his side.

I sit there watching him while he texts and can't help but smile when I see that he is also now wearing half of my makeup and that it is smudged all over his lips and face. I have a sneaking suspicion that if it wasn't for Jazz's incessant ringing that SJ and I would probably have starved to death before we were able to pull ourselves together.

"Sooo," he hums as he pushes send on his text.

"Sooo," I reply with a snort and a shiver.

His brows furrow slightly, "are you cold?"

"A little," I confirm covering my knees with my dress which had somehow become bunched up around my thighs.

He stands up, puts his hat back on and straightens up his suit, brushing off the gravel from his knees. "Let's go sit in my car. It'll be warmer."

He offers me his hand, which I gratefully accept and am assisted to my feet. "Thanks," I mumble looking back down at the gravel.

"Harri," he sighs softly.

I look back at him. "Yeah, SJ?"

"About before..." he trails off.

"Yeah?" I query a little worried by his tone.

He squeezes my hand and we walk towards his car. "I am sorry if I took things a little far."

"What?" I ask in surprise.

"You know before, on the ground. I'm sorry if that's not what you wanted," he replies his voice quiet.

My mouth drops open, "why on earth would you think that?"

"No reason, just that I wanted to kiss you all night and I'm sorry if I took it too far."

"Too far? Don't be stupid. I wanted that just as much as you did." I answer shocked that he would even think that.

"Are you sure?"

How could he even think that? I think as I try to reassure him. "Yes, SJ I'm sure. That was... um...one the best kisses I've ever had."

He turns to face me, smiling. His dimple once again on full display. "Only one of the best?"

"Yeah... one of," I tease.

He stops just as we reach the car park, which is empty with the exception of two cars. I am deep in thought wondering which one is his as he places his hands on either side of my hips forcing me to face him. "What's it going to take to take out the number one spot?"

I wrap my arms around his neck and look up into his haunting green eyes. "I don't know but as they say practice makes perfect," I hum as I stand on my tippy toes bringing my face up to his.

"Is that what they say?" he replies kissing my forehead playfully.

"Yep, that's what they say," I confirm with a lighthearted pout.

He tightens his hands around my waist, lifting me closer until we are face to face. My feet barely touching the ground. "Good thing we have all this time to practice," he says in a hushed tone.

"Yeah good thing," I mutter as our lips reconnect under the dim light of the car park.

"Shouldn't you two be heading home now?" A familiar voice calls from the other side of the car park, startling us.

The vast emptiness of the space causes the sound to carry and echo making it sound amplified giving it an eerie effect as if the voice had spoken from the heavens.

I feel SJ loosen his grip on my hips as I turn to face the direction of the voice. A dark figure stands in the shadows of the halls entry. I notice that that they are not in costume, which tells me it's either a chaperone or a parent. "We're just leaving," I call back to the silhouette.

"Harri, is that you?" the dark being asks.

I feel SJ tense up as the shadowy figure takes large strides in our direction. 'Uh yeah?" I call out tentatively placing my hand over my eyes like a visor to try and see them better.

It is not until the man is within a few meters of us that I am able to identify them. "Ergh hi, Mr Grayson, we were just leaving."

"I'm guessing this is the boyfriend?" Mr Grayson questions noisily.

I can't help but roll my eyes at the inquisition. "Yeah, this is SJ."

"Well SJ, are you driving Miss Harlow home?" he enquires like an embarrassing parent.

SJ points to one of the two remaining cars in the parking lot. "Yeah, that's mine there."

Mr Grayson nods as if in approval of the red Mustang parked in the last bay on the right, "nice car young man."

"Thank you, it was my Dad's," SJ offers as Mr Grayson continues to stare at the car in admiration.

I look over the Volvo which is parked just to our right and back at Mr Grayson offering him a commiserative smile. "Well, thanks. SJ and I are gonna go now," I say leading SJ by the hand towards the car.

"Drive safe, young man. She's one of my best students," Mr Grayson states as SJ and I walk hand in hand to the much nicer of the two cars.

"See what I mean, SJ? He's... he's. Well, I don't know what he is. It's just odd."

SJ let's go of my hand and wraps his arm protectively around my shoulder. "Aww, Harri. He's not that bad."

"Hmm, well you don't have to sit in class with him," I mutter as we reach the car.

"Good point," he says with a smile as he opens my door. "Then again I don't have to take a class with anybody."

As I take my seat, SJ walks around to the drivers' side and starts the engine. The car roars to life burbling and spluttering like only a car like this can. "Don't worry, she's only this loud when she's cold," he offers.

"I wasn't worried. I like it."

He looks across at me, with one brow raised, "you're a car girl?"

"Well, I'm not an anti-car girl. Plus it sounds nice."

"I knew there was a reason I liked you," he teases. "Now do I need to take you home?"

"Not if you don't want too. Jazz is covering for me," I suggest with a cheeky grin.

He smiles again, his adorable dimples catch me off gaurd again. "So where is good to go around here?" he asks.

"Nowhere... Well, that's not exactly true. There is this café just down the road."

He puts the car in gear and rest his hand on my thigh. "Lead the way, my Queen."

"We should probably clean up if we're going to go out in public like this," I suggest, noting that both of our make up is wearing off and severely smudged.

"Good point," he agrees catching a glimpse of his face in the rear vision mirror. I hear him audibly gasp as a look of horror comes across his face.

"Aww come on. It's not that bad, I think it's pretty cute," I say blushing. "Plus it's almost worn off. I can almost finally see the face you've been hiding under there."

I could have sworn I heard him mumble, "that's what I am afraid of." But when I ask him he denies it and flashes me his dimple which god knows makes me forget all about it.

———-

Author's note:

Hello lovely people. Hope you all had an amazing and happy Christmas.

The funniest thing happened yesterday, I had a friend come over and she was eating a pack of 'Shiitake crisps.' I haven't told anyone in my real life about the book so now she thinks I need help because shiitake crisps made me laugh so hard I almost wet myself. lol

Sorry, it took a few days to get this up. Had a bit of writer's block, but hopefully, it picks up where the last chapter left off. Anyway, let me know what you think. Was Jazz right to worry? Was SJ? What will happen next? Can SJ keep his cover?

Basically all the questions.

-Trudz