Author's Note: Here is the next installment of Some Kinda Love. Thank you to everyone who is reading!
By mid-October, Harlow had adjusted completely to life – both academically and socially – at Eden Hall Academy. True, she was busy, what with school, ballet and work, but the constant action suited her. She also enjoyed the freedom from her parents that the boarding school offered. While they weren't overbearing, they had a tendency to be just a smidge overprotective; they also sometimes had the habit of mistaking their opinions for hers. The biggest difference that Harlow noticed was her (admittedly somewhat reluctantly) attraction to Dean Portman. He was her opposite, almost in every possible way. He was loud, aggressive, and spoke without thinking; she was quiet, calm, and thoughtful. Even their sports were opposites: hockey was fast and combative while ballet was serene and graceful. But still, regardless of their differences, Harlow liked Dean. He was, in his own quarrelsome way, charming and Harlow suspected that underneath the bravado there was a sweetheart. Given that she wasn't even two months into the school year, she was a little concerned about how far the infatuation would go. She was at that age where relationships carried new expectations and she wasn't sure how ready she was for that just yet.
"Hey." Harlow glanced up from her seat on the floor where she undoing her soft shoes.
"Hey Fulton." She greeted in surprise. "What are you doing here? Don't you have practice?"
"Yeah," Fulton replied as he slid down next to her on the floor, his eyes lingering on the other ballerinas packing up around them. "But it ended early 'cause Coach Orion had appointment. How was your practice?"
"It went well." Harlow replied. "So what brings you here?" Her eyes darted around looking for Dean and her disappointment at not finding him was obvious to Fulton, even if it wasn't obvious to her. "And without your other half?"
"Actually he's why I'm here." Harlow paused with her flats poised just above her bag.
"Oh really?" She hated how squeaky her voice came out.
"Yeah. Look I don't want to get involved between whatever game you two are playing – I mean I really, really, really don't want to get involved." Harlow snuck a glance at Fulton and he did indeed look really uncomfortable. "But I think you should go to our first game on the 31st." That caught Harlow off guard.
"Really?" Fulton nodded. "Why?"
"Yeah. I know it would mean a lot to him."
"Well, to be honest," Harlow flushed as she played with her bag strap. "I was already toying with the idea of going to watch him play."
"Well you should go." Fulton nodded again. "Yeah."
"Okay, I'll go."
"Good." He stood abruptly, clearly itching to leave. "Hey Fulton?" Cringing ever so slightly, he turned back around to face her.
"Yeah?" He asked cautiously. Harlow, having slipped on her flats, got to her feet, and slung her bag over her shoulder.
"Can I ask for a favor?"
"Um, I guess."
"I am not getting this week's Geometry homework at all. You seem to have a knack for it." Harlow tugged on her lower lip. "Could you help me?" Now it was Fulton's turn to be surprised.
"Uh yeah, sure. Maybe you can help me with our French class 'cause all of it's going over my head." They shared a laugh.
"It's a deal." She held out her hand and Fulton shook it before they laughed again. "When do you wanna start?"
"I'm free now." Harlow smiled.
"Me too. I just have to change and get my books."
"Yeah, I need to get my books too."
"Okay, so, meet you in the library in a half hour?" Fulton nodded.
"Okay." Harlow smiled.
"Okay." Fulton left and Harlow waved goodbye to Penny before leaving the studio herself. A light rain was starting to fall so she jogged all the way to her dorm room. Julie was the only one in the room; she was stretched out on her bed, reading The Great Gatsby for English.
"Hey." She greeted when Harlow entered.
"Hey. Connie with Guy?"
"You know it." Julie watched as Harlow pulled out jeans and a blouse. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"
"I'm meeting Fulton at the library in a half hour to exchange French help for Geometry help."
"I could've helped you."
"I know." Harlow said as she switched her yoga Capri's for her jeans. "But I want to get to know Fulton better."
"If by Fulton you mean Portman then okay." Julie giggled. Harlow blushed.
"Is it really that obvious that I like him?"
"Only if you're paying attention." Julie teased.
"Does Connie know?" Julie shook her head.
"No and I won't tell her. I think you should take your own time; Connie would only rush you."
"Thanks."
"No problem." Julie swung her legs over the edge of the bed and sat up. "So not to be pushy, but when are you going to make a move on Portman? Or let him make a move on you?" Harlow's blush deepened.
"I don't know."
"He's a decent guy, you know, underneath all his 'babe' and 'Bash Brother' stuff."
"I know." Harlow stood up from lacing her sneakers. "I catch glimpses every once and a while." She shouldered her bag and grabbed her French and Geometry stuff. "And just so you know, I do actually want to get to know Fulton better for his own sake. He seems like a sweetheart."
"I know." Julie smiled.
"Alright. See you at dinner."
"Okay. Good luck with Geometry." Harlow tossed her a smile as she headed out the door.
"Thanks, I need it."
~*~BREAK~*~
The library was pretty full when Harlow arrived, but she could tell by the way the majority were hovering near the door that they were just waiting for the rain to stop. She herself had been caught in the downpour only seconds after leaving the dorm. The fringes of her pixie cut were wet and she grimaced at her somewhat sodden appearance when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror near the entrance. Shrugging off her wet jacket and brushing her hair from her forehead, Harlow fixed her appearance as best as she could and set off to find Fulton.
She found Fulton sitting at one of the long tables near the full length side windows. He smiled, somewhat shyly, as she approached.
"Hey Fulton."
"Hey." Harlow removed her books from under her wet bag and placed them on the table before hanging up her coat on her chair.
"Who're the Velvet Underground?" Fulton asked, his face scrunched up as he read her t-shirt. Harlow glanced down.
"Oh, they're a band that started in the 60s. They were managed by Andy Warhol." Fulton only looked more confused.
"Who's Andy Warhol?" Harlow giggled with a shake of her head and sat down.
"Never mind." She glanced towards the window. "The rain's really coming down." Fulton nodded.
"Yeah. I'm glad we get here before it started pouring."
"What 'we'? I was halfway here when it started."
"Oh no, Dean and me." Harlow furrowed her brow and tugged at her lower lip as her heart started to beat just a little bit faster.
"Dean's here?" Fulton nodded.
"Yeah."
"Why is he here?"
"He said he needed help with French too." Harlow glanced around, her eyes searching for her crush.
"Where is he?" Fulton shrugged.
"I don't know. What are you having a problem with in Geometry?" Personally, Harlow wanted to ask more questions about Dean, but she refrained. And she really did need help with her math homework.
"Um, well, all of it?" She said, trying to sound more cute than stupid. Fulton chuckled.
"Let's start with the first question on the homework." They both opened up their textbooks and notebooks. "Suppose a water tank in the shape of a right circular cylinder is thirty feet long and eight feet in diameter. How much sheet metal was used in its construction?"
"Who cares?" Harlow muttered. Fulton shrugged.
"I don't, but it's not hard to figure out."
They spent the next half-hour going over the math homework. Harlow was easily frustrated by her lack of understanding, but she found a patient teacher in Fulton who could explain things in a clear and easy manner.
"You know, you'd make a decent math teacher." She said after they finished the last problem. Fulton blushed.
"Thanks." He grumbled.
"I mean it. You're really good at explaining this stuff and you didn't even hit me when I spazzed out over question six." Fulton's blush deepened.
"I wouldn't hit a girl."
"You know what I mean. I really appreciate your help."
"Well now it's your turn."
"Hopefully I'll be as good a teacher." They shared a smile just as Dean fell loudly into the seat next to Harlow.
"Bonjovi." He drawled sarcastically.
"Bonjour." Harlow corrected, flushing at his closeness. Dean shrugged.
"Same thing." Harlow rolled her eyes, but it was Fulton who snapped at Dean,
"If you aren't here to work then go away because I need to concentrate." Dean opened his mouth to retort, but Harlow placed her hand on his arm and said,
"Je pense que tu es mignon." Dean scrunched up his face in confusion. Fulton had a similar look.
"Huh?"
"You need help with French too." Harlow said, sliding her French book towards him since he clearly hadn't brought his.
"Is that what you said?" Harlow shook her head. "Then what'd you say?" Dean pressed.
"Learn French and figure it out." She replied, though secretly she hoped he never figured out that she had said that she thought he was cute.
"Fine." Dean declared firmly, pulling the French book towards him. "I will." Harlow bit back a smile as Fulton rolled his eyes. "I don't even want to learn French."
"Then why did you sign up for it?"
"Because I didn't want to take Spanish either and since Fulton decided he was going to take French, I figured that I mind as well take it with him so at least the class wouldn't suck completely." Dean sent her a flirtatious sideways smirk. "And since you're in the class too, I'm thinking I made the right decision." Harlow blushed and focused her attention intently onto the French book between them.
"What are having the most trouble with Fulton?"
"Uh, counting above twenty and phone numbers." Harlow nodded before glancing at Dean.
"What about you?"
"Dude, it's all Greek to me." He snickered at his own joke before a shuffle under the table lead to him cringing and then glaring at Fulton. "Don't kick me."
"Don't be a jerk." Once again Harlow had to nip the fight in the bud.
"Okay, so let's start with counting and go from there. I can help with the other stuff after we're done." She looked between the two of them. "Does that sound like a plan?" Fulton nodded; Dean briefly bobbed his head. "Okay. Let's get to it."
Dean, despite several loud and aggravated sighs, managed to keep his attention on the work for the next hour which Fulton and Harlow were both grateful for. But work came to a halt for good when the dinner bell sounded. The three teens stood and stretched.
"I hope they aren't having that grey lump of meat they call meatloaf tonight." Dean muttered as they packed up their things. "It tastes like chalk."
"You eat chalk, Dean?" Fulton teased. Dean smacked him upside the head. Harlow rolled her eyes, but smiled. It was clear the two were very close and that the only way they knew how to show their affection for one another was through violence. "Anyway, I think they said that tonight was spaghetti." Dean shrugged.
"Better than meatloaf."
"I'm pretty sure that their meatballs are going to be made out of the same meat concoction as the meatloaf." Harlow pointed out. Dean threw an arm around her shoulders and pulled her, somewhat awkwardly since Harlow suddenly stiffened, up against his side.
"Babe, why do you have to bring the mood down?" Harlow's face was bright red as she slipped out from underneath his arm as they stepped outside of the library.
"Just stating a fact." Seeing Penny and the rest of the ballet troupe waving to her, Harlow excused herself and left the Bash Brothers alone. Dean stared after her, perplexed.
"I think she likes me, but then again I could be completely wrong." Fulton shrugged.
"I don't know. I don't get girls." Dean shrugged too and then rushed forward to put Averman in a headlock.
"Give me your lunch money, Howdy Doody!" Averman shrugged him off.
"Do you even know who Howdy Doody is, Portman?" Charlie asked as the Ducks headed into the cafeteria.
"Yeah," Dean replied, "A creepy puppet with red hair that Averman happens to look like." He started to whistle the Howdy Doody theme.
"Shut up Portman!"
Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Reviews and (constructive) criticism are most welcome! Thank you!