The Boy Next Door || Harry Styles

chapter one.

First chapter, whoop! Remember to vote! Thanks!

[GIF ON THE SIDE]

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I saw him standing there. He wore the animal beanie I gave to him years ago, along with a Jack Wills sweater and some loose pants. He turned around and spotted me. It made my heart flutter. If only he knew how much he meant to me, how much I loved him.

I raised my hand and waved, smiling that he had noticed me. For a second, his green eyes became smaller as he squinted, trying to identify my features. When he realized it was me, his grin formed, dimples caving in and perfect white teeth shining through. I resisted every urge I had in me to run and kiss him. I raised my hand a little higher, hoping he would come over. The boy lightly jogged towards me. My heart was beating faster and faster with every passing second.

When the curly-haired boy was less than five feet of me, he shouted,

“Oh my god! I’ve missed you.” I furrowed my eyebrows for it had only been a couple hours since I’ve last seen him.

Then, it all made sense when he ran past me. In the process, he bumped my right shoulder causing me to spill my drink onto my clothes. I turned around. He was running to his girlfriend, his girlfriend that he’s loved for 5 months now.

My vision blurred and tears escaped my eyes, trembling down my cold cheek. Quickly, I wiped them with my free hand. I was used to this pain.  I was supposed to feel nothing at all, but it’s hard, you know? Seeing the boy that you love so much, love someone else. I wanted to tear my eyes from the scene, but I couldn’t. The boy was so captivating.

His beautiful girlfriend jumped on his waist, wrapping her legs around him. He hugged her back as he supported her weight. I saw him close his eyes and absorb her presence. Every little thing he did was like a stab to the heart.

He set her down on the floor and clutched her face gently. Pressing his soft pink lips to hers, I could feel myself choking on air. It felt as if I was going to throw up my heart. Turning around for a moment, I brushed away more tears. I’ve never been kissed before and I’ve always wanted him to be my first. I wanted to be his first.

“I’ve missed you so much, Felicity,” his raspy voice spoke.

“Me too,” Silence, but I knew they were kissing again.

I heard Felicity speak again, “Why are you wearing that dorky hat? It’s rubbish.”

I turned around just in time for her to rip off his hat and throw in the nearest trash bin. He said nothing to stop her. How could he? He loved that hat. I wept some more, but kept my distance so they wouldn’t see or hear me.

He grabbed her hand and nudged her closer, “Come on, lets go enjoy the fair.”

They walked away and he didn’t even glance back at the hat. When they were gone, I ran to the trash bin and pulled it out. Just looking at the beanie broke my heart.

I couldn’t contain these tears anymore. They fell and clashed to the floor as I sprinted off back to my house. It was dark and people were partying, so no one seemed to notice. Unlatching the backyard gate, I pushed my back up against the white wooden wall of my house. I slid down, not caring about the splinters left in my shirt.

I couldn’t handle this anymore. Taking one more look at the animal hat, I threw it off into the dark and pulled my knees in. I cried and cried because I couldn’t stop. It just hurt so much. And it kills when you give it all to someone and they don’t even notice. When you try so hard, but they couldn't care less.

After what seemed like hours, I stopped crying.  The knee parts in my jeans were soaked and my eyes were stinging. I had lost my appetite and was in no mood to enjoy the fair. Slowly getting up, I brushed the leaves off and trudged to the tree house’s rope ladder. The tree house was clean and tidy, as always. Safely inside, I shut the door and went to the open side where the bridge was. It connected to the balcony of my room and ‘his’, whom should not be named, room. It’s been like this for years, ever since grade 3, where it all started.

It was the first day of primary school, grade 3 actually, and I had just moved to Holmes Chapel just a couple of days ago. I was terrified. I had no brothers or sisters and I lived alone with my father. When we got to the school, I was trembling and my palms were sweating. I kissed my father goodbye and gripped onto my lunch pail. After adjusting my little uniform, I walked inside and was completely overwhelmed with the atmosphere. Kids all the way from grade 7 down were running around everywhere, trying to reach homeroom, I presumed. Completely unaware of what to do, I started to wander around. My father was in a rush this morning and didn’t have time to drop me off at the main office. Whilst walking around, I bumped into a boy around my age. He had bright green eyes, short brown hair, and dimples that were the size of craters on the moon. I didn’t know then, but this little guy was going to be my best friend for the next ten years of my life.

“Ello.” He said in a very perky voice.

I smiled back and said, “Hi, I’m Melanie, but you can call me Mel.”

I grabbed onto my lunch pail with both hands and began to rock back and forth on my heels.

“I’m Harold, but you can call me Harry.” He smiled again. I was a stupid little child, and to me that was the funniest thing I had ever heard.

I giggled, “Harold? That’s such a funny name.” Doubling over in laughter, I didn’t notice Harry’s reaction until I straightened myself out again. 

“It’s not very funny.” He said in a serious tone.

Laughing again, I replied, “I’m only joking.” His craters were back.

“Here, let me show you around.” Harry held out his hand and I took it. Probably one of the best decisions I’ve made in my lifetime.

That’s basically how I came to know Harry Styles. Since I was only about six or seven years old, it wasn’t love at first sight, which by the way, I do not believe in.  Anyways, over the years, Harry and I became very close and around grade 7 I found myself falling for my best friend. How cliché, right?

Well whatever, don’t do it. He’ll only break your heart. That’s what Harry did. He’s really clueless about my feelings for him. But it’s okay though, I guess I have to suck it up and move on. I know he’ll never love me. He doesn’t look at me the way I look at him, but when he sees Felicity, oh, it’s another story. His eyes get dilated and its like he’s in another world. Every time I see them together, it just really hurts.

All in all, I’m pretty happy. Every day I hope and dream, but I know he’ll never think of me like that. I’m just his best mate. Sometimes, just sometimes, I’m happy just seeing him and knowing that he exists.   Knowing that I can like him from far away and never face rejection.  Knowing that he’s happy, makes me happy, because that’s all I ever wanted, right? To be happy?

Well no, not exactly.

I want to be happy, but with Harry Styles, the boy next door. 

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Okay, thanks for reading! I just messed up somewhere and I changed the girlfriend's name to Felicity! (: