Heart Stopped

Chapter 1 - Down in the mud.

Carly's POV:

"Hurry up! We're gonna be late!" Harry, my darling brother, yelled at me through my bedroom door as I hurriedly applied my makeup.

I don't wear much - just mascara, concealer, a hint of blush and sometimes eye liner.

"I'm coming! Don't yell at me!" I screamed back. Harry and I have never gotten along. Ever since I was able to speak.

I hate him so much. Just because he's older than me, he seems to think I'm his personal assistant and I should do everything he tells me to, including letting him use me to make himself look good in front of all his mates.

I quickly finished with my makeup and grabbed my bag before dashing out of my room and through the front door, straight past Harry.

"Oi Carly, got a rocket up your ass all of a sudden?" He laughed from behind me. "You don't have to make fun of me to make yourself feel better you know." I grumbled.

We only live a 15 minute walk from Truham - Higgs, so we don't have to get the bus. Thankfully. I hate the bus.

But not as much as I hate my brother. He's ruined everything in my life: everywhere I go people avoid me because he's given me a reputation for being an asshole, he uses me as a way to show off to his friends by picking on me and I don't scream at him like I used to after seeing the way he treated Charlie Spring after he was outed.

My mental rant of my hatred for my brother lasted me the full journey to school. I saw my friends sitting at the bench outside of the gate.

We're only a small group, it's me, Imogen, Sahar and Chloe. But it works.

I sat myself down next to Imogen and joined in the conversation. "He's so cute." Chloe exclaimed. "I know, he's actually gorgeous!" Imogen giggled. "Who are we talking about?" I asked Imogen.

She showed me her phone screen. "Elliot, the new boy. I'm in love!" Chloe sighed. I mean, he wasn't bad looking - beautiful green eyes, freckles, light brown hair. Not my type, but not bad at all. "He's okay." I shrugged.

Imogen looked at me as if I'd just dropped from the moon. "Just okay?! He's gorgeous!" She squealed. "Who you lot talking about then?" Harry smirked, walking over.

I groaned. "It's none of your business Harry. Piss off!" Sahar started laughing. "Oi what's your problem? Were you talking about someone I know?" He continued to wind me up.

"No! Now leave us alone!" I shouted. "Alright alright! Fine! We're having words later though Carly." He said as he walked back over to his friends.

"Anyway, back to before. How is he just okay? He's beautiful!" Chloe said. "He's good looking, don't get me wrong, but just not my type."

"Good to know." A voice said from behind me. We all froze. I slowly turned around, and sure enough, the boy from Chloe's phone screen was stood in front of us. "She doesn't mean it in a bad way." Imogen stuttered.

He smirked. "I know." Jeez. Cocky much? I rolled my eyes. "You wanna get down from that cloud of arrogance and join us in the real world or are you gonna keep dreaming of yourself all day?"

He looked taken aback by my outburst, but quickly regained his confidence. "Sorry princess, looks like I'm staying up in my cloud. I don't want to get dirty in the mud down there, especially if I'm not even your type." He smirked again before walking through the gates.

"Ugh. What a dickhead." I put my head in my hands. Sahar was looking at me in awe. "I love you." She giggled. "He hasn't been in this school for 10 minutes and you've put him in his place already." I smiled.

"I just can't stand arrogant people. I live with one of them, I don't need another in my life."

"I don't mind them." Imogen said as she watched him walk away. I laughed at her. "Good luck. Arrogant people get annoying after just 2 minutes of talking to them."

The bell rang, and we all headed our separate ways to form.

"B25," I sighed as I reached the door. I walked over to the teacher. "Morning Sir, where do I sit?" He looked down at the seating plan on his desk.

"Carly, you're sat by Elliot. The new boy." He smirked. Evil man. I knew he hated me because of my brother. Now he has to stick me next to Elliot?

I groaned. "And what table?" I decided against putting up a fight. "Back right corner, the one with Nick Nelson on. You're opposite him." He smirked again.

Great! Not only am I next to an arrogant snob, I'm opposite one of my brother's best friends. Fantastic.

I huffed and trudged over to my seat. "Hi." Nick said, very awkwardly. "Hi." I said. I don't like any of my brothers mates. They're all too scared of him to tell him he's a homophobic prick and a bully.

"You okay?" He asked me. "I'm fine." I said shortly, giving him a look. I don't want to speak to him. I watched as Charlie Spring was pointed in our direction too.

I sighed. This teacher really does hate me. Charlie's avoided me since Harry bullied him last year when he was outed. He sat down, more awkwardly than I did, and looked to the floor.

I tried to catch his eye to smile at him, but he wasn't having any of it. The late bell rang and Elliot walked through the door.

"Are you Elliot Forester?" The teacher asked. "Yep." He smirked at me. I rolled my eyes. I hate him so much already. "You're sat over in the back corner by Carly. She will be taking you to your lessons and it has been arranged for you to sit together in form so she can answer any questions you may have." He smiled at him.

I groaned. Of course I have to spend time with him. I'd rather spend time with my own brother! He sat next to me, smirking.

I rolled my eyes again. "Still on your cloud up there?" "Still in the mud down there?" He grinned. "Want me to join you princess?" He smirked.

"Definitely not." I said, disgusted. He chuckled. "I wouldn't mind it. You're not too bad yourself." I glared at him.

To make things even better, everyone on our table heard everything Elliot had said. Meaning Harry will know soon enough too.

My brother was evil, yes, but he was a protective bastard when it came to me and boys. Especially when the boys were just as rude as him.