CHAPTER ONE
Nine years Ago
“Harley!” the voice echoed down through the entire classroom, the red headed girl looked up from the journal she was scribbling in, tongue licking her dry lips. She watched as new pair of eyes from the front dart to look at her, seated alone in the back like she always does.
“HARLEY MARIA ANDERSON, THE PRICIPAL OFFICE NOW!!” rising to her feet abruptly, knocking her journal to the floor. She picks up her book fixing the peeking tinted pages which had been detached back inside the confines of the book. Satisfied, she keeps her hair down, heading towards Mrs. Coleman her English teacher, who was waiting at the door.
Many thoughts ran through Harley’s mind as she wonders what she must’ve have done this time, staring at her dirty chuck Taylors she blindly follows through until they reach the large oak doors.
Knocking on the door, a come in passing as a grunt sounds from inside the office. Pushing open the door, Harley’s eyes meet the woman seated inside, typing profusely on her keyboard, pausing half way her eyes lands on Harley’s own, a weak smile forming on her lips before facing the computer again.
Harley is certain that she didn’t do anything wrong but something wrong must’ve happened when she spots her next door neighbor, Mrs. Lane seating opposite her principal.
“Harley…” Mrs. lane trailed off, her groggy voice making her heart beat in her chest.
The next few words said to Harley puts her in a daze, her eleven-year-old self-trying to comprehend what was truly going on. Getting home in the back of Mrs. Lane Volvo, she watched as the apartment she used to love turned sour, the trees by the side, wilting as the winter wind comes by blowing her hair into her face and taking her back to where she was.
End of flashback
“Miss. Anderson, MISS. ANDERSON!” Harley felt the nudge on her side, blinking rapidly, a small blush creeping up her neck as she watched the whole class staring at her.
“Miss Anderson, I know I said we’re supposed to be day dreamers, but not especially when a class is ongoing.” Mr. Sal said, earning a few snickers from the class. Harley couldn’t do anything but nod, her hair falling in her face trying not to die from humiliation.
“Now back to the board, come on.” The professor directed, drawing the rest of the class attention to the front.
“must’ve been something good.” A voice beside her whispers.
If her eyes weren’t wide before they were now, she had always sat alone at the back of the class, never having trouble seeing the board or her lecturer. It was better for her. Safer actually. And now, she had company, a boy something she didn’t want.
“oh its fine if you don’t want to talk, you can just nod instead.” he said again. She ignored him, moving a seat away to distance herself from the new being.
“ouch.” His voice sounded hurt.
“that would be all for today class, by next week, your project is meant to commence so get ready, good luck and have a great day.” She stood up from her seat as fast as she could, avoiding the gaze of the stranger beside her. Bursting into the semi empty hallway, it was only a matter of time before she the rest of her course mates would leave the lecture hall, and she wanted to hide and quickly. Three, two, one. The door bursts open and the sea of college students bursts out from every side, loud chattering, happy young adults floods everywhere.
“red!” the familiar voice that had spoken to her earlier called out. She quickens her pace, not sure if he was talking to her but she needed to leave and fast.
“RED, WAIT UP!!” He yelled again, this time louder than before, Harley didn’t bother to look up or back.
Finally reaching the outside, she dashed towards the road, flagging a cab, she gets in and lets out a breath she had been holding.
“Hectic day?” the young man driving asked. She leans her head backwards and nods.
Walking up the stairs, due to the broken elevator, she huffed out frustrated on getting to her room. The almost empty space welcoming her, she had tried her best to fill out the space but being the type to always place things in order, there was nothing more to do than accept it.
Plopping down on her bed, her auburn hair sprawled out behind her, she watched the ceiling, the white light hanging from it flashing into her eyes. Not bothered a bit, she closed her eyes, falling back into the trance she was in twenty minutes ago.
“what do you mean?” she asked her voice shakily. “does that mean dad would come back too since mum’s sick?”
“Harley…” her aunt tried to explain. Fell at words on what to tell the young girl as she watched her mother under the tubes.
“your dad isn’t going to come back. But it doesn’t matter since you have me and uncle Jared, and then Glen, Rose, and Mark. We’ll be with you.” Her aunt said.
Harley just stared, watching her mother, eyes closed, breathing almost unnoticeable but it was there. She watched as the only woman who loved her lay on the bed, at the mercy of tubes and machines.
The vibration of her phone brings her back to the present, snaking her arm around to find it. She turns groans when she doesn’t find it until she gets on her feet. She swipes on the screen.
“hey, aunt.” Her monotonic voice answered.
“hey, Harley. How are you doing?” the chirpy voice from the other side answered. “I hope you’re settling down nicely.”
“I’m good. My class has been going great. My rooms are great, I don’t see why I should get a roommate though.” She said walking towards the window.
“Harley, it would be nice to have someone to keep you company.” Her aunt tried to explain.
“I have books to keep me company. I’ll be fine on my own.” She responded.
“Harley, remember you really can’t afford that room by yourself. Even if you do now sooner or later you might need someone who you can split the bills with.”
“I’ll think of something before then, don’t worry.”
“think about it. Take good care of yourself, I love you.”
“love you too.” She murmured ending the call.
Sooner or later she would have to agree that her aunty was right and starts searching for a roommate.
Chapter TwoThe next morning, Harley woke up to her blaring alarm which made her wince as the sound reached her ears. She blindly looked for the clock on the bedside table and punch it off when her hands touched the plastic material.She groaned as she rolled out of bed, she threw her blanket to the side exposing her legs to the fresh cold air coming from her window which was slightly ajar. She must have forgotten to close it after finishing up her homework which also explained why her room was somewhat cold.Her sock cladded feet moved towards the window to shut it when she saw the apartment caretaker talking to some random guy."Must be someone looking for an apartment." she thought.Speaking about roommates, she was supposed to meet with hers by 3 p.m today at the Black Winx cafe before they head back to the apartment together.Apparently, she had put it on the rent-an-appart app and a couple of minut
Roommates 3 She was two hour into reading the art of story telling when the scraping of chair from close by gained her attention. It was annoying that anyone would do something this aggravating in the library. She tried to ignore it and focused on the writing on the book but then something else got her attention. From her peripheral vision, she could see someone seating opposite her clumsily putting out text book in front of them making a clattering noise. She choose to ignore this also trying to believe that this was the persons first time in a public space and that the person was just nervous. By the time she heard the numerous dinging of the notification bell from her neighbours phone she had had enough. Slamming her book shut, she glanced up at the stranger. A sweet bitter smile on her face. "Don't you think you should put that out." she said through her tight teeth. The boy in front of her looked up from his phone, his face
Chapter 4"Are you stalking me or something?" she asked irritation filled her voice."Surprisingly no, this is just fate bringing us together." he replied charmingly."I won't be surprise if you were a stalker though." she muttered under her breath."So why are you here?" he asked her like they were friends."I should be asking you that." she retorted folding her hands over her chest."Well, I'm here to see some guy name Henderson." he shrugged his eyes scanning the cafe. "He told me he was here and for some reason he said he was seating just right where you are." he said turning back to face her.Harley frowned, she had not seen any guy come seat inside here except the bald dude who kept typing on his computer on one of the center tables in the cafe. She on the other hand decided to send Grey another text to see if she was still outside the cafe. The notification bell of the guy opposite her rang out."Weird?" he frowned
The rest of the week had gone by smoothly without her setting eyes on Grey even in class. She had bumped into Brad once or twice when she was coming back into the library. He was in a hurry and always waved her bye as he rushed to wherever he was going.Now Harley was still without a roommate and no one had taken up her offer. Grey on the other hand had not texted her concerning the apartment and she was glad for it.She spent most of her day time studying and staying healthy and at night she was completing home work or watching video seminars on writing.She was finishing up her home work that night when she heard the tumbling in the hallway. It was eleven p.m and she wondered who it might be, scared out of her mind she sat still until she heard the banging on the door opposite to hers. She jumped in her seat trying to push the fear bubbling within her.Before she could calm herself down, her feet were already taking her towards
Grey paced around her room waiting for her to step in. He was beyond pissed with her arrangements and had to confront her about it. "You know...." her voice died down when she saw Grey in her room and her face became straight. "Grey, you should stop coming to my apartment unannounced. I get that we're close but coming to my place without any form of invitation is you trespassing." Skylar said. "What did you tell her?" he asked glaring at her. Skylar walked past him, placing her bag and scarf on her desk. "The truth." She answered taking off her shoes, followed by her jewelry. "You told her that I was out fighting." He said. Skylar turned to him, her full brow raised. "Were you not?" she asked before sighing. "You came to my apartment last week beaten and bruised, was I supposed to lie to her?" "I didn't start anything up," he muttered. "Those guys asked for it." he seemed through his teeth. "W
Roommates 7 Harley stared at him as he cleared up his relationship with the girl living opposite her. She's his older sister. "Oh." she muttered. "See, it was an absurd thing to say, Skylar being my girl friend..." he shuddered. "So you mistook my room for your sister's and you're here now." she stated out and nodded walking towards the door. "Since you're not unconscious, I think you should head to skylar room instead." she said unhooking the locks. Grey watched her motioning him to leave her room, not in the bit disturbed that he was injured. "You really are kicking me out, even in this state, wow. Hospitality: zero, Red: one." he said dryly. "I don't have to host a stranger I'm not comfortable with." she argued. "Oh come on. I'm the least harmful person you can ever know." he defended. "Yet the most annoying." she added. Grey seemed tired from all the bickering, he opened his mouth to sa
"Turn that thing off." Grey groaned turning to his side at the unpleasant sound of the alarm clock. His eyes peered open as the annoying sound only continued, groaning her rose up from the floor when he laid. Stretching out his stiff bones, his sleepy eyes moved towards the window glaring outside which was always still dark. Shit, he must've slept off. His eyes darted to the phone making the noise, sighing when he spotted Harley's phone he turned off the alarm. It was just four a.m, he wondered why she would want to wake up this early. Grey studied her sleeping form, lying on her stomach, Harley's red hair which was packed in a bun had several strands pulled out from the black scrunchie holding them together. Her shirt had ridden up a bit revealing her waist and a bit of her back. He couldn't help himself but stare at her exposed tanned skin, even though he wanted to look away he couldn't. His eyes eventually drifted downwards to her cotton shorts which hugged her peach butt.
CHAPTER 9 “So there is a party coming up this weekend, are you coming?” May asked Hayley as she placed her order on the table. “No.” Harley answered before muttering a thank you. “Oh come on, why not!” May said excitedly occupying the space opposite Harley. “Because I don’t want to go. Attending parties are not all there is to life.” She answered strictly while May stared at her with amusement. “What are you, the boring nerd from high school?” May joked and Harley didn’t laugh. “Sorry.” She cleared her throat. “Come on, it would be the best thing you’ll ever attend all through fresher year.” May pleaded. “No May, I’ll rather stay in my room reading or watching harry potter than drinking and dancing with random horny teenagers who will regret it the next morning when they realize how sick they are to do anything.” Harley pointed out in one go. May’s eyes were wide at her words and she let out a sigh. “Spok
CHAPTER 19HARLEY POV“Are you seriously not going to talk to me?” May pleaded following closely behind Harley as she walked to her seat inside the café. Harley stayed quiet taking out her notes from her bag as she finished making her study notes.“Come on Harley, I apologized a million and one times.” She added glancing down at Harley who yet again ignored her.“You’re not being fair right now Harley.” May added and Harley glanced up at her closing her book at the same time.“Talk to me.” “No May, I won’t talk to you.” Harley said returning back to her note.“I won’t let you study then; I’ll keep on disturbing you until you speak to me.” May said firmly.“Is this one of the café’s policy? Invading customers private space until they give into personal request.” Grey said from behind May who whip
Chapter 18 GREY POV His eyes fall on her red face, with Harley still standing against the wall he winked at her slowly pulling away. “Cute.” He said, turning away from her as he moved towards the window. “Why do you fight?” he heard her ask, his eyes roaming through the dimly lit street. “From the super car you drove that day and Jane’s manner of speaking, I am guessing that you are like rich, so money is not your number one reason why.” She stated and he chuckled. “What do you think? I could’ve gotten the car from the money I make from fighting, jane could just be plain rich and maybe I actually do need the money.” Grey shrugged pulling out the seat from the desk and slowly settled down in it. “Whatever, why do you do it? You get bruised all the time and end up on my door step using my first aid kit.” she huffed. “Which I think it’s about time that you started paying for my services.” “It shouldn’t be an issue nurse Re
CHAPTER 17HARLEY POVHe was livid.Standing from behind the door, all she could do was watch and be in awe. It all happened so fast, Grey coming out from the elevator, Brad words, Grey’s charge towards him and the hits from his fist against Brad. When she finally came back to present reality, a loud gasp from her mouth which seemed to get his attention. His hooded eyes stared back at hers, it scared her that Grey who would tease her could be like this. He turned back to Brad landing another hit to his face. If she didn’t do something, something bad could happen to Brad.“Stop...” she muttered in fear. “Grey stop.” She said louder but he ignored her.“Grey!” she yelled coming out from her room, her chest heaved up and down as her anxiousness builds up. Reaching for his hands, her slender fingers touched his shoulders which tense at her touch. Grey paused mid-air, as if controlled by a remote. Harley p
CHAPTER 16Grey POV“Get him.” A man yelled from the crowd.“YES!” another from the crowd cheered with several others as he managed to secure a punch to his opponent torso.Grey bounced on his feet as he waits for the bloody man opposite him to regain his stance, with a glint of determination in his eyes, the man lunged forward with a yell trying to place a hit to Grey’s side.“Bad Move.” He smirked to himself dodging the incoming hit and landed a swift jab on his jaw, making him stumble back to the ground.“And we have a winner, our all-time favorite, the Grey hound!!!!” The spectator commented and the entire hall goes wild in excitement, the referee walked into the ring, raising Grey’s hands in victory. Grey turned his face towards the lights enjoying the praises from the crowd. He stepped outside the ring to see his manager waiting for him at the entrance to the locker r
CHAPTER 15HARLEY POV“What!” She said loudly before she could control herself. Jane and Grey stared at her.“I… we are n- “she tried to explain“Harley is a bit drunk right now.” Grey covered up and Jane stared at Harley like she was mental.“I am not drunk- “Grey yanked her backwards into him where she wobbled in his hold.“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Harley turned to him her eyes glaring red. Grey doesn’t answer but she could tell he wanted to say something to her and he couldn’t do it while jane was there.“You mean to tell me that your roommate is a girl?” Jane asked folding her hands across her chest suspiciously.“NO!”“Yes.”Both grey and Harley answered simultaneously. Jane stared at the both of them with her eye brows raised in confusion.“Which
CHAPTER 14GREY POVHe watched Harley from the side of her eyes as she remained quiet and rigid in the leather seat of the car. Her face when she saw his car was priceless but after she got in, she had lost the excitement and it kind of bugged him.“Have you been taught how to appreciate good things?” he asked with his eyes focused on the road. Harley ignored his question as she leaned her head on the window wanting nothing more than to get home and out of the unruly dress. His hands clench tightly around the driver’s wheel at her attitude and he presses on the brakes which lurched her forward in her seat.“Are you trying to kill me?” she gasped turning towards him, her eyes wide opened in fright.“So you can talk? For a minute I thought you were a mute.” He said sarcastically, he pressed on the throttle and they continued on with their journey.“You’re a nut job.” She
CHAPTER 13 HARLEY POV Never again. “I am a cute rainbow.” She muttered to herself, stirring in her sleep as her hands hug on to the thick substance underneath her body. The light chuckle that reverberated through the figure beneath her made her to slowly open her eyes. “Of course you say such cute things.” Her head snapped towards Grey who was already staring at her with his hands behind his head, with her straddling him and say random things. “You!” she shrieked trying to get away from his grip but his hands moved quickly holding her down in place. “Let me go.” She struggled to get away but he wouldn’t even budge. “You shouldn’t do that.” He muttered. Her face flushed red when she realized what he was saying. “Stop being a pervert and let me go.” She demanded huffing out in anger. “I am the pervert?” he chuckled. “Says the girl who straddled me last night and wouldn’t let me go.” Harley could barely remember wh
GREY POVWHAT THE HELL WAS SHE THINKING WEARING SUCH A DRESS LIKE THAT? He muttered to himself as he moved by the people in the living room. The image of her in the black halter neck dress came back to his mind as fresh as he first saw her. Her bare legs that stood out in the short dress ignited thoughts, thoughts that he didn’t want to exit. Shaking his head, he climbed up the stairs to find a spare room to relax. A distressed filled family dinner was nerve wrecking and he needed sometime to cool off.TWO HOURS AGO.“It’s nice of you to show your face Grey.” His step mother said when she spotted him holding Anais in a hug. The smile on his face faded out and his body became stiff.“Jane.” He said curtly shoving his hands into his pocket as Anais dashed off somewhere leaving the two of them alone.“I heard you’ve finally gotten a roommate.” She said her eyes narrowed in on
Harley POVMaybe this was all a bad idea.“She shouldn’t have to prove anything to that stuck up asshole”. She muttered to herself while staring at the girl in the mirror.“Oh my God! Harley, do you guys feel that heat?” May gushed dramatically fanning herself with her hands.“Harley!!” Hannah squealed in excitement as she came out of the bathroom.“I definitely agree with May on this one, and just so you know, we don’t agree on so many things too often.” She remarked.Harley stared at herself in the mirror trying to figure out what the entire fuss is all about. The black halter neck dress she wore complimented her curves in way she never thought possible, She wouldn’t lie to say she liked the dress, its length settled just above her knees which was a bit too much for her but thanks to May she convinced her that it was anything but short.