Free When Its Least Expected by Heather Van Fleet

you were feeling, that’s
     all.” A grin made its way to Harley’s lips as she listened to his rushed words. The
     calm, collected surfer boy was so anxious, that it was damn near adorable.
    “I hope you don’t mind that I called though. Abigail gave me your number earlier today
    because I felt I needed to um,” he paused again, clearing his throat once more, “apologize
     for earlier, you know, with the whole asking you to the dance the way I did, thing.”
    Harley narrowed her eyes as she stared at the dark shadows of her fingers. “So … you’re
    sorry you asked me at all then?” she snapped. Her hand gripped her comforter so as
     not to throw something. Once again, she was a basket full of moodiness, all because
     of him. She was also being dumb, ridiculous, and a whiny girl too, but that’s just
     how he made her feel. It sucked, but it was the truth. “Because you certainly didn’t
     need to bother me if —“
    “Damn it, little beast,” he groaned. “Quit putting words into my mouth, you stubborn
    girl!” His muttering filled her with an instant sense of relief, and Harley felt her
     shoulders relax.
    Okay, so she was a little over spastic tonight. She had to get over that.
    “Okay, fine, Mason. Jeez, don’t get you man panties in a bunch.”
    Secretly, she was the one with the major wedgie; it just felt good to put in on someone
    else for a change.
    “I do not wear man panties !” Harley giggled at his not-so-cool-now comeback. He sighed, her humor vanished.
     A teensy bit of guilt crept into her chest. He was obviously doing something he wasn’t
     comfortable with apologies, that is, so she should have been nicer. But on the other
     hand, making him squirm wasn’t so bad, especially since he’d been so jerk-ish earlier
     in the day.
    “Fine, I’m sorry. Totally listening now.”
    “Thank you,” he barked back. “Anyways, I never meant to ask you to the dance that
     way.
    I guess I don’t seem to have a filter with my words when it comes to you.” He was
     quiet for another second; the weirdness between them was seeping through the phone.
    Harley fidgeted with the end of her night-shirt and decided she’d be the bigger person.
    She’d accept his apology, move on, and end their little friendship once and for all.
     Well, at least that’s what she’d planned to do. “Listen, Mason, It’s no big deal.
     I know that you probably didn’t mean anything by the way you asked me anyways.” But it still hurt . She let that thought go. For some reason, being mad at Mason and arguing with him
     was too exhausting. “Can we just forget about it?”
    She had to get over her major emotional malfunction when it came to guys, so the best
    way to do that was by getting this boy out of her life permanently, and quickly, without
     losing any more emotions along the way.
    “It’s really not okay, Harley. I know it, and I know you know it too. I want to go to this stupid dance with you even if you don’t think I
     want to.” The nervousness in his voice was thick, accompanied by an unexpected confession.
     “You are whole hell of a lot different than any other girl I’ve ever met, and I want
     to get to know you,” he hesitated. Harley held her breath as she waited for his words
     to come. “As a friend of course. That is, if you don’t mind.” Just friends, yeah that
     was what she wanted. Yes, totally.
    But the other unthinking part of her body, the one not connected to her brain was
    saddened by his request. Maybe it was because she wasn’t the one who initiated the
     idea. Yeah, that was it. Maybe…
    No second thoughts, Har. This is what you wanted, remember?
    Ugh! This sucked! These constant rollercoaster emotions were draining. It was going
     to
    be one hell of a year. “No, Mason. I don’t mind.” Her voice screeched, going for a
     seriously high C note. She was nowhere near believable. “And as far as the dance goes,”
     she paused and held her breath in anxiousness as the