Chapter 10: Chapter 10

Monday was.. different. I had spent practically the whole weekend with Harry. We had spoken. And gotten to know each other better. I felt like our relationship had evolved and was evolving.

I didn't know how I was supposed to act at work. Did I smile at him? Kiss him? Or wave and pretend none of what had happened during the weekend had actually happened?

Turns out I didn't even have to make the decision myself. I spotted Harry in the morning and all he did was send an absent smile and a nod my way.

My heart felt strangely empty at that moment. I knew we weren't together or anything, but I don't know, I had expected some kind of show of affection.

I found myself in a bad mood and it got even worse when those same nosy co-workers came to propose lunch once again.

"Um, hey we're really sorry for the other day. Can we start over?" It was Josh who was asking. And I sighed. I didn't want them. I didn't need them. And I was so pissed that I didn't even care whether they thought I was rude or anything. I just wanted to be left alone.

"No thanks. I'm really not in the mood right now," I replied honestly, hoping they would understand. But it was apparently not that easy.

"Are you sure?" It was Melanie this time around.

"Yeah. I am sure," I answered coldy and I could tell they were taken aback. I noticed them leaving through the corner of my eye but I didn't pay them any attention.

They were probably going to go and tell the whole office I was a stuck up bitch. But I had more important things to think of. And to do.

I stood up and as I was about to leave my cubicle, Harry got in. I was excited for a moment, thinking he was coming to see me and maybe even apologise. But to my greatest surprise, he passed my cubicle without even sparing a glance at me.

I watched him head to some girl's cubicle. He smirked at her, said something and she laughed. I felt like walking towards them and maybe beating both of them up. Harry for sharing the smirk that was supposed to be mine and only mine, and the girl for laughing at whatever he had said.

A few seconds later, the girl stood up and slipped her hand into his. They walked out, still smiling and laughing at each other. And to top it off, he had still hadn't noticed me.

I picked my bag angrily and went out of the office. I didn't even care whether anyone was looking at me and if it was obvious I was jealous.

Wait. Jealousy. Where had that come from? I really didn't understand. My brain was very well aware of the fact that Harry and I were nothing to each other. And just because we had kissed didn't mean a fucking thing. But my heart was refusing to accept it.

I don't know why I always managed to attract either the players or the assholes.

Parker had turned out to be asshole sure. But I didn't know why I could not develop feelings for someone like him. Well, someone a little bit like him. Apparently dedicated to me and who respected me enough to treat me well.

I walked to the parking lot before realizing I had forgotten to call a cab and I didn't have a car. I removed my phone from my bag and called my mom. She always had words to make me feel better about myself.

Unfortunately, at that moment, it kept on sending me to her voicemail. I guess she was busy. I wasn't going to bother her.

I looked around then walked back into the building. I'm sure people were looking at me like I was some idiot.

It wasn't so much the fact that Harry was being affectionate with some other girl that hurt. It was the fact that I had thought we had actually shared something real these past days. He was allowed to be attracted to whoever he wanted to be and to bone whoever he felt like boning. But he had made me hope.

I got into the elevator and pressed on the button impatiently. As soon as the doors were about to close, Harry got in. I was out of luck then.

He smiled warmly at me and I stretched my lips into what I hoped passed a smile. He frowned a bit then leaned in front of me to input his floor.

I took in a breath unconsciously and sighed under my breath. Men who smelled good were a huge turn on for me. And did Harry smell good!

He smiled again and I prayed to all the gods on earth and elsewhere that I didn't fall once he opened his mouth and threw smooth words my way. I really wanted to stay mad.

"So we're in an elevator. Care to make this the most memorable ride you've ever had?" Harry asked.

I was tempted. Really tempted. But the image of him and the girl came to mind again. I kept staring forward, a frown implanted on my face.

"Iris?" He insisted and I sighed, an actual expression of my supposed irritation.

"Little flower?" I still didn't answer. He pressed the stop button on the elevator and I turned towards him, still frowning.

"You're going to make me late," I stated, the frown still in place.

"It's your lunch hour," he said and I cursed him silently for being smart.

"Well, you're going to make others late if you don't put me out of my misery," he said with a tentative smile.

"Fine. What do you want?" I asked and felt bad when something like hurt showed on his face. But I had surely imagined it. Cause he wasn't the vulnerable type. I didn't think so anyways.

"Tell me. Why the sudden disinterest, little flower? Found your other half?" Harry asked with a joking tone, but I got the slight impression he was actually serious.

"I- who was the girl you were with today," I asked instead, trying to avoid his question.

"What girl?" he asked with a slight frown. To be honest, it was kind of adorable.

"The girl you spent the whole morning with," I said and I was surprised at the bitterness my own voice contained. I kind of regretted saying anything.

Harry's lips spread into a slow smile and as he opened his mouth to speak, I kind of already dreaded what he was going to say.

"So all this because you're jealous?" He asked, coming to stand directly in front of me. There was no way I could avoid him. He was literally everywhere.

"Of course not!" I exclaimed which was a total lie. I was of course jealous as fuck.

"Tell me the truth, Iris," Harry started, placing one hand on the elevator wall behind me and bending to meet me eye level.

I tried to avoid his gaze. But it was extremely hard to do so. I finally met his eyes and I realized for one of the first times their beauty. They were hazel and right now, the teasing glint in them made them even more attractive.

"I- I wasn't jealous," I said finally and Harry raised his brow. "Fine. I was, just a little bit. But can you actually blame me?"

"Do you know who that girl is?" He asked and I rolled my eyes.

"Obviously not, dumbass." I was already comfortable enough with him to tease him.

"Someone's learning," he said and laughed. I blushed a bit and looked away from him before meeting his eyes again. "That's my sister."

"So it's because of your sister that you did not even spare me a second glance all morning?" I asked, raising a skeptical brow.

"Would you have preferred I kissed you good morning? Tell me. I'll oblige you if you wish," he said and I could feel his breath on my face.

It was not the uncomfortable feeling I was expecting. It made me feel kind of closer to him. It felt so personal.

"No. No. I don't want that. I just.. I don't know." And I really didn't know. I was confused.

We stared at each other for a while and then suddenly, our lips were on each other. I didn't know who had initiated the kiss and I didn't even care.

It was like the connection we had was even stronger. The kiss felt like... Actually I did not know how to describe it, but if heaven was real, I was sure it was present in the moments I spent in his arms.

We pulled away from each other and I knew my lips were swollen from the kisses. I touched them with awe.

"Are you okay now? Still jealous?" he teased and I slapped his chest playfully. He was such an idiot.

"Can we please get out of here now?" I asked.

"Nah. Maybe I haven't gotten enough of you yet," he teased and I rolled my eyes again. He was a freaking cornball.

"Harry, stop,"

"You won't be saying that for much longer," he said with a wink and I rolled my eyes for the like, millionth time that day. He placed one last kiss on my lips then pressed the stop button again.

I looked at him through the corner of my eye, then without warning, dragged his head down and kissed him passionately. Then I went out as soon as the doors opened.

I risked a glance back at him and he looked dazed. I laughed to myself and walked to the office, ignoring the curious glances. I was sure they could guess what had happened in there. But honestly, I didn't care. Not as long as I felt so liberated.