I Hate Everything About You

After the everyday torture from Harry Styles for half of my sixth grade year, he sadly announced to me that he was moving.

“Miller,” He groaned one day in class. Again he’d been forced to sit next to me, and he bothered me the whole time. “Why don’t you answer me?” He asked, feigning hurt.

I ignored him, and I was proud of myself. He’d been going for about half the class now, begging for me to look at him, just so he can start making fun of me for everything I say and do.

“Natalie, I’m moving.” He finally blurted out, a sad expression on his face when I whipped my head so hard to look at him. He was serious, and my dreams had come true.

“Finally,” I said, smiling. I looked back at the board and was able to ignore him for the rest of the class, not that he didn’t keep trying to bother me.



My brand new bed creaked as I sat up, a deep set frown on my face. Today was the first day of junior year, starting in a new school. Much to my dismay, my parents uprooted us at the end of sophomore year, moving to this newer, bigger house. My brothers thoroughly enjoyed the move, one younger and one older, but both very open to change and new things. Me on the other hand - I liked things to stay the same. Routine was something that kept me going. Even the bullying was part of the routine. Although the routine changed for the better when he was gone, it was something I was used to.

“Wake up, sleepyhead!” My older brother charged into the room, pumped to start his senior year.

“Go away, James.” I groaned, plopping back down on my bed and covering my head with my blanket.

“Okay well just so you know, Lacey is downstairs and she’s ready to go already.” He patted my face through the blanket, probably aiming for my forehead but not being able to see it.

“Seriously?” I sat up and looked at the clock. “It’s not even eight yet.”

“She likes to be at school early?” He shrugged his shoulders and walked out less eager than he was when he bounded in.

Luckily when we moved here, the neighbors were a fantastic family with a daughter exactly my age, Lacey. We’d become friends right away, loving the same things and such. We’d spent the summer together, and we’d gotten close. I hadn’t really met anyone else yet, but Lacey had promised to introduce me to all her friends at school, guaranteeing that I’d love each and every one of them.

I got out of bed and straightened my hair quickly, having already taken a shower last night. I put my makeup on, and picked out an outfit for my first day of school.

I jogged down the stairs and sat down at the table with Lacey and the rest of my family, who were all already eating breakfast.

“Come on, we have to go now if we’re gonna get there on time,” Lacey smiled. “Thanks for the breakfast!” She thanked my parents who waved her off, explaining that she was welcome at any time for breakfast.

We all got into my brother’s Jeep Grand Cherokee and carted off to school, Lacey blabbing in my ear the whole time about how much I’d love our school. I highly doubted I would, but nodded along with her, trying to seem encouraging and up for the change. This school had seven periods instead of four blocks, like my old school had, so that would be just another thing I’d have to get used to. I groaned at the thought.



By the end of third period, I was ready to go home. I had only two classes with Lacey, but we had the same lunch hour, which meant I wouldn’t have to sit by myself for the year so that was definitely a plus. Fourth period was the first class with Lacey, Geometry. She sat right next to me and gushed about how she was so excited that I was gonna meet everyone at lunch.
Less than fifty minutes till lunch, I thought to myself. Hopefully their food wasn’t crap.

“Natalie, this is the lunch crew.” Lacey smiled widely as we walked up to a table full of people. There were exactly two seats left, and we were being encouraged to take them.

“Hey Natalie, I’m Gage.” He smiled at me, his gorgeous smile taking over the bottom half of his face, dimples caving in his cheeks. I returned the smile, mentally noting that I’d love to get closer to him. Everyone else introduced themselves, all smiling widely and seeming very friendly. There was Gage, Jenna, Kendra, Eric, Aaron, and then Lacey and I.

About halfway through the lunch, I was actually thoroughly enjoying myself. These new people had already welcomed me into their ‘group’ and I was laughing every two seconds at something funny coming from either Aaron or Gage. I learned that Kendra and Aaron had a thing, but everyone at the table was single. Gage pointedly smiled at me when he learned that I, too, was single.

His gaze moved from my eyes to somewhere over my head, and his smile dropped.
“There’s no room left?” A deep, very attractive voice said behind me. I turned around, already knowing that the face belonging to that voice had to be gorgeous.
I almost spit out what was left of the pbj sandwich I was chewing.

I turned back around quickly, thinking to myself that this was not really happening.
Harry Styles was not at this school.

“Oh!” Lacey exclaimed, her face turning red. She looked up at him with a goofy smile on her face and scooted closer to me on the bench, pushing everyone closer to one another. I was highly tempted to just get up and walk away, but then I’d have to explain myself.

I kept my eyes down on the table, trying to draw as little attention to myself as possible. Maybe he wouldn’t notice I was there.

“Harry!” Lacey turned towards him when he sat down and I groaned inwardly, knowing what was coming next. “This is Natalie.” I didn’t look up when she said my name, just pulled out my phone and texted my friend from back home.



“Hello, Natalie.” He sang, and I could see the smile on his face even though I refused to look at him. My stomach filled with knots and I thought about having to spend the rest of my high school years dealing with him, someone I thought I’d gotten away from a long time ago.

“Natalie,” Lacey elbowed my arm and whisper yelled at me, trying to get me to look up. He’d figure out it was me sooner or later, if he hadn’t already.

“Hi,” My lips pulled up for less than half a second as I locked eyes with him. He already knew who I was, as soon as my name came out of Lacey’s mouth.

“Nice to meet you,” He smirked, his voice coming out low and dangerous. He reached across Lacey, his forearm brushing across her boobs, and her face got bright red. He held his hand out for me to shake.

I wrapped my hand in his large, warm hand for the shortest time I could without seeming strange.

“You too,” I almost growled. He pulled his hand away and went to eating his lunch quietly, engaging in conversation with Eric. I scowled at my remaining lunch, begging that bell to ring so I could find my next class and hopefully some peace.

“So how are you enjoying your first day, Natalie?” Gage smiled at me happily. He could see that I was upset for some reason, and his encouraging smile was just what helped.

“It’s been pretty good, I guess. Just gotta get used to the new routine.” I smiled back, trying to show him that he really was helping, even though he had no idea what he was helping. In the middle of Gage and I smiled like idiots at each other the bell rang, sending everyone in their own directions.

“See you later,” Gage smiled, turning and walking into the crowd of people.

Lacey told me she couldn’t walk me to my next class because hers was on the other side of the school and she’d be late, something she obviously couldn’t do. So I walked out of the cafeteria by myself, completely intent on going to my next class when someone’s large fingers wrapped around my elbow, pulling me back to face them.

“Long time no see, Miller.” Harry chuckled down at me. He released my arm and stepped back, and the mischief filled eyes I was expecting were not there.

“It was nice not seeing you every day,” I tried to push past him, but his frame stood like a statue in front of me. He had bulked up a bit since the last time I saw him, he’d grown a few inches and his hair had become slightly less unruly and more adorable.

“Listen, I’m not the same person that I was back in middle school.” He promised. He then looked me up and down, taking in every inch of my long and lean body. “And neither are you, obviously.”

I felt such a strong urge to slap him right in the face, but I resisted.

“I’m walking away before I hit you.” I said, making to walk around him once again, and him stepping in front of me for the second time.

“Just-” He seemed to think for a second. “Can we just start over? Pretend like nothing ever happened?”