"I can't believe it!" I argued with El. "I had to stay in a room with two jerks! And you know how things are!"
"I'm sorry, it just happened, and um, well," she blushed.
"I just wish it wouldn't happen again," I sighed, and she nodded vigorously.
"I don't want to go to the lecture without you," I whined.
"Me neither, but we can't change anything, so good luck! I'll see you in the courtyard!" she hugged me and dashed off.
Entering the classroom, everyone's eyes fixed on me. How popular I am! I laughed at my own thought and sat down in the second-to-last row as usual. I was playing on my phone when someone sat behind me and started kicking my chair. Turning around, I saw the person I least wanted to see: Niall.
"Get lost, Horan," I snarled.
The teacher arrived just then, but I couldn't concentrate on what he was saying because the blonde wouldn't stop kicking the back of my chair. After ten minutes, my patience snapped, and I quickly pulled off his shoes and threw them near the lecturer. Everyone turned to look at us. I simply leaned back in my chair and thought it was over, but he still kept kicking. I thought I was going insane.
Enraged, I grabbed his foot and gave it a hard tug. He slumped painfully under the desk. He whimpered in pain, and the girl next to me started laughing, covering her mouth so no one would hear.
"Luanna," I offered her my hand.
"Beth," she introduced herself.
"So, Beth, tell me something about yourself."
"Okay. I'm 18, I'm from Edinburgh. I'm a freshman, and I'm in love with a guy who doesn't notice me. I like sports, and I'm a cheerleader," she finished.
"If it's not a secret, who is the guy?" I asked.
"Yeah, who is he?" Niall leaned over the desk right next to us.
"Liam, if he keeps annoying me, it's going to be worse for him than it was for Josh," I growled at the blonde's friend, who was sitting next to him.
He tugged Niall back into his seat by his shirt. You could see how displeased Niall was.
"So?" I asked the girl. "Please don't tell me he's that jerk," I pointed behind me.
"No, it's not him. Well, I like his friend," she said shyly.
"If it's Louis, it's a no-go," I said seriously again.
"No, I like Harry," she said quietly.
"Don't worry, with my help, you can cancel your plans for Friday night," I chuckled.
"What do you mean? What's going to happen?" she was confused.
"Your date, duh," I laughed at her expression.
"Seriously?! And how?" she shrieked.
"Well, we have time to make him see you," I paused briefly. "And fall in love."
She just nodded.
Finally, when the lecture ended, we went to the college courtyard where we were supposed to meet El. Looking around a few times, I spotted her curly brown hair.
"El!" I yelled, and she turned my way. She quickly approached us.
"Meet Beth; and Beth, this is Eleanor," I introduced them.
"Call me El," she said, giving Beth a hug.
"So, El. We have a mission: 'Match another couple'," I told El, and she grinned.
"Well, girl, who have you set your sights on?" she laughed.
"Harry," she said timidly.
"Don't be shy! We're your friends, we'll help you! Now Lu, spill it, what's the plan?" she asked, and I started laying out what everyone needed to do.
Harry POV:
"Niall, are you sure you don't like her?" I snickered.
"Yes, Harry, I'm sure I don't feel anything for her," he said seriously, sitting down on the bench. "Probably," he muttered.
"No way!" I shrieked. "After almost twenty years, you're feeling love!" I squealed.
"Shut up! I'm not feeling any love!" he growled. "It's probably just some simple fascination."
"Well, you have reasons to feel your fascination for her," I chuckled. "She's probably the first girl to ever resist you, humiliate you, reject you, and ruin your reputation in three days."
"Shut up," he sighed heavily. "What do you think I should do?"
"I don't know, Niall, I'm not an expert..." I saw a stunningly beautiful girl.
"Harry. Harry! Hello, Earth is calling you," he shook me.
"Did you see that girl?" I asked. "The one walking with Luanna and El."
"Great, now you're in love too," he grumbled.
"So you admit it?" I seized on his words.
"Um, it's just, I... well, no, but—" he stuttered. "I... I do."
"I think the end of the world has arrived," I said. "Wait right here," I said and ran over to Luanna. "Hi, everyone!" I greeted them.
"Harry, get lost! We have a serious mission, so move it," Lu said, displeased.
"What's the mission?" I asked mockingly.
"To find Beth a boyfriend, so move," she said, pushing me aside and walking away.
A boyfriend? I quickly ran back to Niall and grabbed my phone.
"Dude, what's going on?" he laughed.
"Luanna is going to find Beth a boyfriend, and that's not happening," I said and pressed call on El's number.
E: Hello...
H: Give me Luanna!
E: Okay, okay, don't be so nervous," she chuckled.
L: Hello?
H: Don't try to find her a boyfriend! I growled.
L: And why not?" she sneered.
H: Luanna," I snarled. "She's mine!"
L: Wait!" she said, and I heard her take the phone away from her ear. I heard her words: "I told you he likes you." "So what do you want me to do?"
H: Don't find her a boyfriend!
L: Chill out! Don't make plans for Friday night; you're having a date," she said calmly.
H: Thank you!" I yelled.
L: I'll text you the details. Bye!" she said goodbye and hung up.
I started doing my happy dance.
"Well, spill it!" Niall laughed.
"I have a date on Friday!" I was ecstatic.
"But do you realize we're flying out for the match on Saturday, and we're celebrating at the club?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'll make it! Everything is perfect!" I jumped up and down.
"Also, add that your Beth is a cheerleader."
"What!?" I screamed, and everyone turned to look at me, but I ignored them. "My dreams are coming true," I pretended to faint.
"Harry, stop acting. It's getting annoying," Niall grumbled.
"You know, it's not my fault that you like a girl who hates you for some reason and keeps dragging you down," I muttered.
"Please, don't mention her casually in every single conversation," he sighed.
"I think you're deeply hooked," I said, and he looked at me angrily. "I'm just telling the truth."
"That's not true. I think I don't like her at all; she's just a good piece of eye candy," he shrugged.
"Yeah, a piece of candy you can't bite," I snorted.
"Just keep talking. You'll see, I'll succeed," he laughed.
"Whatever you say, just don't get involved in something there's no turning back from," I smiled at Niall.
"Since when are you so smart and serious?" he laughed.
"I don't even know myself. Love is changing me," I mumbled.
"Harry, you've seen her once in your life, you only know her name, and you're saying it's love?"
"Well, it's better than you," I said, and he looked confused. "You know nothing about her, and she knows you perfectly. It's magic!"
"What magic?" he started laughing. "She's a person from the past that I haven't recognized or remembered yet. I just need to solve the clue," he mused.
"What clue?" I didn't understand.
"Well, Luanna gave me a clue that I don't understand," he explained. I nodded, waiting for him to tell me. "6."
"Only that?" Niall nodded. "I think it's years. Who could you have known six years ago who would hate you that much?"
"I don't know, Harry. That's the point, but she won't even say when she's drunk! Drunk!" he panicked.
"First—calm down. Second—ask for another clue," I suggested.
"But that's what she's aiming for. To her, it's just a game, and I'm a doll. I don't want to be a doll! I was always the one who played the game!" he looked like he was about to break.
"Well, life changes. Especially yours now..."