Disclaimer: I do not own Wizards of Waverly Place

This is my first story EVER so I hope you enjoy it.

Harper looked at herself in the mirror while combing her hair, she had no idea what she was going to do all summer with out her best friend around, life was pretty much dull when ever Alex wasn't around. She couldn't very well ask her stay what kind of friend she would be if she asked Alex to give a trip to Europe for her. Instead she would spend the summer helping out Mrs. and Mr. Russo at the substation for the summer it was generous of them to give her a second chance. Although she had suspected that they need her more than she needed the job since both Max and Alex would be gone for a few months visiting some Mr. Russo's family, the only true plus side about the summer was the fact that Justin decided to take a college English course at the local university instead of joining his siblings on their trip.

"Well I guess this is it," she gave herself one last look in the mirror.

She had let her mother know that she was going to Alex and Max's Farwell party and that she wouldn't be back late. The party was going to be a few of their classmates from school Alex's parents had closed the substation down for the night so they could have some friends over. Once Harper arrived she notice that this wasn't just some small get together this was actually full blown party, as she continued into the restaurant nervously, she found herself thinking she had no idea that Alex had known that many people of course there are few of the obvious people who you would expect to show but that made up a third of the party. She spotted Alex and quickly made her way to her.

"Alex who are all of these people?"

"Ah I don't know actually they all just sort of showed up"

"Are your parents going to be okay with this?"

"Oh Harper … They said I can have a few people over."

' a few people,' she thought to herself 'this is more than a few people' Harper decided to shrug it off it was Alex's night typically she would bug Alex about it but tonight she wanted to hang out with her friend.

A couple of Hours passed by and Harper barely got to talk to Alex during her time there Alex seemed too busy talking to some of the more attractive male quests that where in a few of there classes. Every so often she would see Justin but he was talking to a few friends of his, she was trying her hardest to resist the urge to go and talk to him, Harper was really working on not being so weird around Justin. She was practically spend the summer at the Russo's last thing she need was to get a head start on getting on Justin's nerves. It felt as if she didn't really have any control over how she behaved sometimes around Justin, especially times when he looked really handsome like he did tonight. Maybe she should just give up any hopes of ever being with Justin she thought to herself as she walked over to grab a cup of punch and snacks, he only saw her as nothing more than his kid sister's best friend and friend.

"Hey nice outfit Harper," Harper heard a male voice from behind her.

She turned to see who it was the voice wasn't a familiar one. The voice belonged to guy from there biology class "thanks Eric, it has sort of European theme" she tugged at shirt to display it.

"Yeah I saw that, it looks pretty cool," His statement seemed to be sincere. Typically people would not say something like that about her clothing.

"So Harper, you having a good time?" he asked as he poured himself a drink.

"Not really Alex is spending more time with them" she pointed in Alex direction "Than with me"

"Well can you really blame her?" he said.

"I guess not" of course if she suddenly had the attention of some of the cuter guys of their year crowding about her she probably ignore Alex too.

"How about you, are you having a good time?" she asked trying not to be rude given that he had been polite enough to come and talk to her. In a way he was sort of doing her a favor he distracting her from both Alex and Justin.

"Eh… well yeah sort of, I don't know Alex well enough so I sort of feel like I am crashing. I'm here more for my friend he's talking to Alex right now"

"You're here for moral support?" that sounded really weird coming from a guy Harper thought to herself.

"Well I wouldn't put that way but I guess so, just don't say anything to Alex but my friend Robert has liked her for a while now. I guess he just wanted to spend some time with her before she left and apparently he is not the only one." He gestured with his drink in his hand in Alex's direction where she was talking to a few people.

"That's really nice that you're here for your friend, Eric." Harper said sincerely.

"Well Harper I am a nice guy," he said with an almost arrogant tone as they were both leaning against a wall near the snack counter looking out into the crowd teenagers. Justin caught Harper's eye and Justin sort of glanced in Harpers direction, she quickly turned to Eric as if he said something.

"You like him don't you?" Eric said as she turned to him "why don't you go talk to him?"

"How did you know that?" Harper asked

"Who doesn't know you like Justin Russo?" Eric said. 'Well that is true' she thought.

"You see unlike your friend over there I really can't keep my composure around Justin sometimes." 'Why was she telling him this?' she thought to herself. "My voice starts to get frantic and loud sometimes. Sometimes I make awkward faces almost weird." She looked a little tense at this last bet of information she divulged to Eric.

"Oh… well then maybe you shouldn't go talk to him, for your own good." He said with a bit of sarcasm.

"Thanks," she said meekly. She stood there quietly next to Eric for what felt like forever, every so often she looked around to the shop for either Justin or Alex. Alex would either be dance or talking to some guy. Justin seemed to be consistently chatting with his friends but every once in a while he'd look in Harper direction. 'Maybe I am making Justin feel little paranoid' she thought.

"Hey instead of both of us just standing around waiting on our friends why don't we dance… you up for that?" Eric proposed.

This question sort of took her by surprised.

"Come on just as friends that's all nothing else" he said, as if sort of sensed her uneasiness.

"I am not very good dancer" she said honestly

"Neither am I, so who cares?" he said

"..O-okay"

"Great lets go" he dragged her to the dance area luckily the music was mostly fast paced. She was now actually having a good time with Eric he really seemed like a nice guy who she could obliviously talk to and for some reason he felt sort of familiar to her. A slow song played and people began to come closer together to dance as the music began to play it sort of made her nervous.

"Harper, do you want to sit this one out?" Eric asked

"well" she thought about but sudden saw Alex was now slow dancing with Robert and for some reason she couldn't see Justin around anywhere on the shop. "No let's just dance"

"Okay" Eric seemed a little surprised and took both of Harpers hands in his and they step closer to her and he placed her hand on his shoulders and then his hands at her waist.

"Is this okay?" he asked.

"Oh yeah its fine," She responded back.

"So," Eric started off as to break the awkward silences "What are your planes this summer?"

"Well since both Alex and Max will be gone this summer Mr. and Mrs. Russo are going to be a little short handed so I'll be working here. Hopefully I make enough money to start saving on getting a car"

"Really that's cool, I am sort of doing the same thing except I'll be working in a bookstore a few blocks from here, hey maybe I'll stop by some time to have lunch"

"Be forewarned I am a little clumsy"

"Really? You know I hadn't heard that" he said in a sort sarcastic tone.

"So I am that clumsy, huh?" she said and sort of laughed.

"It is not a secret" 'that was true basically everyone school knew that she was balance-lly challenged.

A few more dances later and both Robert and Eric had to leave. As Harper was about to say goodbye to Eric and thank him for sticking with her the whole night; Eric interrupted her.

"Thanks for hanging with me Harper; you saved me from being bored all night." Eric said with an actual grateful look in his eye. He leaned closer to Harper's face and spoke into her ear "Hey Harper don't give up on Justin just yet he was kind of starring at us when we were dancing."

'Why would he saying something like that,' she thought to herself.

"Trust me," he said as he pulled away. Eric walked over to Alex and Max to say goodbye and proceeded to leave with Robert. By that point in the evening basically all the quests had already left. Mr. and Mrs. Russo came down to start picking up with Alex, Max, Justin, and Harper.

"Max get to bed you have to be up early tomorrow" Mrs. Russo commanded

"But mom that's not far" Alex whined

"Alex your brother needs to sleep I won't wake him in time if he stays up any later..." she said with a stern tone as she began to look at the state of the room. "Oh Harper your still here?! You should get home"

"Its okay Mrs. Russo I want to stay and help out that way Alex could get to sleep sooner" "Harper aren't you sweet, you know what why don't Alex and Justin walk you home that way your not by yourself."

"If its okay with them, I am fine with it." She said calmly.

"Its fine mom we can walk her home," Justin chimed in.

Mr. and Mrs. Russo took most of the serving dishes and any excess food back upstairs.

"So… Harper now that my parents are gone who was that boy I saw you with tonight? He was kind of cute" Alex asked eagerly almost hovering about Harper. Suddenly Justin became a little more attentive while picking up trash.

"Oh … That was Eric. He is just a guy from my biology class. He was nice enough to hangout with me tonight since my best friend was too busy to fit me in," Said Harper.

"Aw Harper I am really sorry ….do you forgive me?" Alex asked pleadingly after a moment of Alex clutching onto Harper's arm did she respond.

"Of course I will Alex… oh I forgot I made you a present." Harper quickly ran into the kitchen area where she had stashed her gift.

"Here you go Alex" she handed the gift to her best friend.

Alex pulled A wool red sweater with different little knitted monuments found throw Europe.

"Wow Harper I love it," Alex said with a sort fake excited tone.

"You hate it."

"No … Harper I love it!" Alex said a little more honestly.

"Really?"

"Yeah of course I do, I am going to miss you Harper." Alex came in for a hug.

"Me too Alex"

"If you ladies are done having your little moment I think you will see we are done." Alex look around the room a little bewildered

"Justin did you just use magic?!" she asked.

"Yes it's been a long night …. I don't think mom and dad will mind at least I hope not." He said as Alex yawned.

"Alex why don't you go ahead and sleep you . tell mom and dad that I'll walk Harper home."

"Really?" Alex was a bit surprised that her older brother would even offer to a walk Harper by himself given their history. She quickly turned to Harper,"is that okay Harper?"

"Yeah Alex its fine I am not the one with an early flight in the morning."

"Let me just grab my jacket and keys" Justin sort of bolted up the stairs. Harper hugged her best friend goodbye and started to walk out the entrance. Was Justin really going to walk her home on a dark and starry night? She thought as she looked at the full moon.

"You ready?"

"YEAH …." 'Easy Harper be calm down don't freak him out' "sorry you just… spooked me a bit."

"Oh ... I am sorry I didn't mean to I thought you heard me coming" he said as he adjusted his collar to his jacket.

God he was even more handsome under the moonlight.

"Uh… I was looking at the moon" she stammered

"Oh ... so you ready?"

"s-sure." She anxiously walked in silence with Justin half way to her house she decided to break the silence "so did you have fun at the party?"

"Nah ... it wasn't my type of party, you seemed to have fun though," the tone in his voice had a sudden change in the end of that sentence.

"Yeah I had a good time," 'had he really took notice of her' "I never really danced before but it was fun."

"So that guy Alex saw you with, are you friends?" he sort of asked hesitantly

"No I just sort of know him from class that's all"

"Oh… you know if you were bored you could have just sat with me and my friends. I mean it would have been okay I feel bad you were forced to talk to a stranger all night at Alex's farewell party.

"It's okay I liked getting to know Eric, he's a pretty nice guy," 'that and I would have probably embarrassed myself with your friends around' she thought.

"Oh … so do you plan on seeing him again?" he asked

"I really don't know … maybe," 'he did say he'd stop by the shop sometime' she thought.

Then there was the awkward silence again as they approached her building.

"Well good night Harper," she sort of waved at him.

"Goodnight Justin" she could help but think that there was a little something odd with Justin's behavior on her way home.