Chapter 2.|The Way He Looks At Me?|

h.a.r.p.e.r.’.s....p.o.v.

The next day wasn’t much different. Although he tried to make an effort to sit with me, Justin still ended up at his usual table with Casey Stevenson by his side, laughing at some joke he had made.

It wasn’t like I cared, though, after all, I had Toby. Wasn’t that enough?

“Harper?” I turned to look at my dear boyfriend as he watched me carefully. “Everything okay? You’ve been kind of spacing out today...”

“Yeah, just got a lot on my mind.” And it was true. I couldn’t, no matter how much I tried, get the image of Justin ditching me last night out of my head.

“It wouldn’t have to do with that jerk, would it?” He gestured over to Justin who was now sitting with Casey on his lap, who couldn’t stop giggling at something he said.

“Maybe.” Toby gave me a look that told me to spill. “Okay, we got into a little bit of a disagreement last night, no big deal.”

“Harp, if it’s affecting you that much, then it is bound to be important. What happened?”

Thankfully, the bell rang as I opened my mouth. “I’ll tell you later,” I said before heading out to go to class. Toby gave me a quick hug before we went our separate ways.

For some reason, I felt like I was being watched. I turned to look over my shoulder only to find Justin’s eyes trained on me. Was that rage and... jealousy in his eyes?

I shook my head. He needed to drop the big brother act and get over it. I was with someone else, and he couldn’t always be there for me.

“Okay, spill!” Carmela said as soon as I sat down beside her for one of our last classes of the day. Mr. Langston always showed up late, so it gave us the opportune time to just chat.

“There’s nothing to talk about,” I said, brushing a loose strand of hair out of my face as I tried to look occupied by my notebook.

Seeing my move to avoid the conversation, Carmela pulled the books away from me, getting my full attention. “You know very well what I’m talking about! Have you seen the way Justin has been looking at you? I get you’re with Toby, but...”

“But nothing. I’m into Toby, so Justin can just get over himself!”

“You’re not going to give Justin a chance?” Carmela sounded surprised.

“A chance at what?! To let him rip apart my ongoing relationship for his big brother act?”

Carmela shook her head. “You really don’t know how he looks at you, do you?”

“Who? Toby?”

Carmela simply sighed and shook her head before Mr. Langston came in and class started.

I wanted to question her further, but Mr. Langston sent me a warning glance before going back into the lesson. I sighed, paying attention to the textbook as best as I could while juggling the thoughts floating around in my brain.

Justin only saw me as his little sister, right?

“Look!” Just an hour later, and Carmela would not leave me alone about the Justin situation. No matter, what I tried to say, she would always bring the subject back to him. “Have you seen his hairstyle today?! It’s just so... gorgeous!”

I rolled my eyes. I was used to the rest of the girls looking at him like he was the last drop of water on the face of the planet, but Carmela too? This was getting to be a little much. “You know what - if you’re so obsessed with him, why don’t you ask him out?! Huh?!”

Carmela tapped her chin, smiling. “Hmm... I don’t know, should I?”

I shook my head at her childish behavior before continuing to read my book. We were in last period, and as the day slowly ticked by, I grew more and more frustrated. I didn’t understand what she was trying to get at. I was with Toby, and that was all. I wouldn’t just suddenly tear what we had apart because another friend didn’t agree with it. Although it hurt me to say it, maybe Justin wasn’t really much of a friend if he didn’t support who and what made me happy.

“Anyway, you have to admit he is hot.” I looked up at her, to see her book discarded on the table and a smile gracing her zoned out face. I fake gagged at her star-struck expression, and she chuckled, before giving me a serious look. “Admit it, though.”

I shrugged, playing with a bracelet on my wrist. Sure, I’d been around girls that practically worshiped him, that was nothing new, but to be asked to be one, even if it was for one moment? I felt indecisiveness swirl in my stomach. I had known him since we were old enough to walk, and talking about him like this just felt, weird. I mean yeah, he had the looks, but to admit that truly to myself... I wasn’t sure if that was the path I wanted to go on.

“Well, Toby doesn’t look that bad, either.”

Carmela rolled her eyes, catching my attempt to divert the conversation. “Harp, I know you’ve known him forever, but please just admit that Justin is hot. That’s it.”

“Sure, whatever, he’s hot.” She looked like I had just bought her a bundle of all her favorite chocolates. “But that doesn’t mean I’m necessarily into him.”

“Sure, sure. Whatever you say.”

I looked toward the front of the room, hoping to catch sight of how much time was left. But instead, my eyes traveled to the guy a few seats in front of me, who turned around just to smirk. Justin looked smug as he caught my eye, and my breath hitched. Okay, so maybe he was kind of hot. But it wasn’t like I was into him - I had a boyfriend already! I broke the stare to put my head in my hands.

Of course, being him, he heard the whole conversation, beginning to end.

A blush spread across my cheeks, and I touched them, the feeling foreign to me. Since when did I act like this?