A/N: Finally, able to post this! I have about half of it written so I can post consistently for a bit. Reviews make a writer very happy! This is a high school AU and takes place more modern than when they actually would've been in high school for the sake of references I make.
Elizabeth juggled her books in one arm while taking out her wallet to pay for her coffee. She poured the coins into her palm, as she was a little short on cash today but desperately in need of coffee. Too many came out, and she huffed when they rolled across the courtyard, setting down the books so she could kneel down to pick them up. She stood up when she picked up the ones closest to her, deciding the students had enough of a silly image of her without scavenging for coins.
"Here, I stopped the runaways for you." Elizabeth turned around to see whom the voice belonged to, although she already knew.
She managed a small smile for the first time in months. "Thank you,"
"I'll have a large coffee and this should cover hers as well."
"No, you don't have to do that."
"I can't risk you taking out that wallet again." He joked but it didn't pierce her mask. He took note of the sadness that filled her eyes, he knew in this moment this girl has been through a hard time. "I insist, really." She relented when nothing but sincerity reflected in his eyes.
She stuck out her hand. "I'm Elizabeth."
"Henry." Electricity ran through them when their hands met.
One side of her lip turned up, "My stalker has a name."
He choked on his coffee. "Stalker?"
"Oh come on, like you haven't been following me around since my first day here?"
He laughed, his first memory of her forever seared into his brain.
He was working in the front office, work study job to help pay for boarding school, she walked in wearing blue sweater that swallowed her small frame and complimented her hollow eyes. After that first sighting he was captivated; he needed to get to know her. He began by looking out for her around campus, hoping to run into her and show her around but every time he saw her she was already in front of her class with a book in hand. After a month of miss opportunities, he asked around, surely she would have a few friends but other than exchanging pleasantries with her roommate she kept to herself. He didn't have the courage to actually approach her until now.
"You noticed?"
"You're not exactly Mr. stealth. Hope you weren't planning on joining the CIA."
"I meant I don't know how you noticed with your nose constantly in a book. Unless…" Heat flooded her cheeks. "You were! You've been observing me too."
"Well it's kind of hard not to notice you when you show up practically wherever I am."
"Fair enough." He checked his watch, "Oh crap! I have to get to class, can I see you later?"
"Do I have a choice?
"Nope!" He called out as he took off for class.
Elizabeth maneuvered her way through the sea of students in the hall; she had to get to her dorm. She jumped when a hand landed on her shoulder.
"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."
She shook her head, "My fault I should've expected you."
"I was thinking we could grab lunch today."
"I can't. Sorry." She felt bad for being so short with him but really needed to get back to her room before the anxiety became too much and she became a spectacle.
"What that's it? I don't even get a chance."
Distress flickered across her face before a wall came up, "I have to go. I'm sorry." She left him there wondering what just happened.
She made it back to her room in record time; quickly shed her coat and scarf, not bothering to hang them up nicely right now. She paced back and forth, energy running through her, fighting off the heavy weight threatening to crush her. Closing her eyes she counted her breaths, 3 in…3 out. The panic dissipated but it wasn't enough. She needed a distraction; homework always worked for her, having something in front of her to read and understand forced her brain to compartmentalize.
Damn she thought she was doing better; it had been about a month since her last panic attack. The last one caused by the stress of being at a new school and leaving her brother, her last remaining family. Despite controlling her anxiety; the reminder of her loss was still present. It slowly got easier day-by-day but it wasn't enough. When she came to school she decided to keep her head down and grades up. It was easier to live in her own little world, allowed her to ignore the chaos around her so she could deal with her own. She did a pretty good job of that, she was polite and friendly with her roommate, her parents didn't raise her to be rude, but other than that, books were her best friends. Then Henry came along, she noticed him her first day in the front office then again in the halls, in front her classes and anywhere she went on campus. At first it freaked her out, who was this creep following her around? But then when he kept his distance she became fond of him, considered him a guardian angel of sorts. It was silly, logically he wasn't a gift from her parents but something about him made her feel safe almost as if he was her parent's way of watching over her. Because of that she convinced herself for just a moment that she could be normal, but then Henry startled her inadvertently triggering a panic attack and she had to get into the safety of her room. She flung herself onto her bed, god she was so screwed up! He would never talk to her again after the way she acted. She blew her one chance at normalcy.
Elizabeth kept an eye out for Henry all morning but he was nowhere to be seen. Great she really had scared him off. She hoped to apologize for yesterday it wasn't his fault she panicked. He seemed like a nice guy, not like some of her other classmates; her roommate confirmed that last night when she asked about him. The look on Kristin's face when Elizabeth asked was priceless, not that she could blame her, it was probably the longest conversation they've had. Kristin gushed about him, apparently he had the attention of practically every girl at this school, he just never noticed or if he did he was a great actor. What made him notice her she wasn't sure; she only wanted a chance to make it right. She made her way to the library instead of history; perks of going to boarding school classes were canceled. Entering the last row, seeking silence to study but was pleasantly surprised to find Henry already tucked away and books spread out around him.
He immediately felt someone's presence and somehow just knew it was Elizabeth.
"Are you stalking me now?" He asked, unconsciously sitting up straighter.
She laughed, "No just came here to study."
Henry deflated slightly, "Oh right of course."
"I was looking for you earlier actually." That caught his attention. "I wanted to say sorry for yesterday."
"No it's my fault, I shouldn't have followed you. Although in my defense it's a small school and my classes are down the hall from yours so most of the time it really was a coincidence."
She quirked an eyebrow, "And the other times?"
"I may have seen you sitting the courtyard a few times and hung around while trying to gather the courage to introduce myself."
"I also was hoping to invite you to lunch today, you know to make up for yesterday."
"I'd love too!" he said, a smile spreading across his face.
"Great, I'll meet you at the cafeteria around noon?"
"Why don't you stay, there's enough room for both of us."
"Thanks," She sat down, pulled out her lit book, and began reading.
"How are you liking Ms. Harris' AP U.S. History class so far?"
"I really like it, it's tough as hell but it helps that I love history, especially U.S."
"I think you're the first person I've heard had something nice to say about that class."
She shrugged, "Now if you asked me about Frost's chemistry class that's a different story."
"Do not get me started on Frost! Do you know who Billy Sanders is?" Nodded, she maybe a hermit but she didn't live under a rock. "Okay well we had Frost Chemistry class together."
"How did he make into AP Chem?"
"His father is a big donor, anyways one day in class he changed the words to the Frosty the Snowman to Frost the Snowwomen had a very bitchy soul, with a corncob pipe and a button nose and a heart made out of coal." She tried to control the giggle fit, but couldn't stop as he went on with the story."Oh it went on longer than that, he sang it under his breath the entire class period! Well until she heard him."
"Oh no…"
"Oh yes! He was sent to the principles' office and never came back to class."
"Did he just drop it?"
Henry shook his head. "Transferred to a different teacher."
"How do you know what he was singing?"
"I sat right next to him, heard the whole thing."
"That would've never happened at my previous school."
"What school was that?"
"It was a private school in Virginia."
"What brought you to Houghton Hall?"
She tensed up, her face hardening up and blocking any emotion from coming through. "Just family stuff."
Getting the hint, she didn't want to talk about it he told her about the time Billy got in trouble for dropping water balloons off the gym roof.
