The Boy Next Door || Harry Styles

~flashback one. | i'm here for you.

VERY FIRST FLASHBACK! ENJOY! (: 

f l a s h b a c k. grade 3/primary 3. Harry 7. Melanie 7.

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“Harry?” I yelled as I climbed up our new tree house.

“Where are you?” I tried again. Harry wasn’t at school today and I was really worried.  I tapped on his window this morning, but no one was in his room.

“I don’t want to play hide and seek, Harry. Now, tell me where you are.” Growing frustrated, I looked behind the beanbags. He wasn’t there. I checked underneath the table and outside.

Where could he be?

“Harry,” I hollered again. I walked out of the tree house and hopped onto his balcony. Peeking inside his room, I noticed that the lights were on and his bedroom door was open. Carefully, I slipped out of my black dress shoes and onto the cold tile floor of the terrace.  My hands were buried in my pockets, as I had forgotten my mittens in my room.  Quickly, I pulled them out and pushed the sliding door open.

The warmth of the house quickly surrounded me, defrosting my fingers and toes. I called his name again, but there was no response. Walking out of his room, I went downstairs and was greeted by his mum.

“Mummy Anne, where is Harry?” She wasn’t surprised at all by my presence.  It looked as if she had been crying because her eyes were red and puffy. Sniffing she replied,

“What do you mean, darling? I thought he was with you.” Furrowing her eyebrows, she walked closer to me.

I frowned and shook my head. “How come he didn’t come to school today?”

Suddenly, her eyes grew wide and her hands began to shake.

“H-Harry didn’t go to school today?” I shook my head and stuck my hands in the pocket of my sweater. Inside, I felt for the pebble that Harry had given to me when I first moved in. He said that he got at his favorite place, the pond.

Then it hit me, hard.

“OH NO, Mummy Anne, I know where he is now!” She had been pacing up and down the living room looking for the house phone.

“You do?” She breathed a sigh of relief.

I smiled wide and nodded my head. Taking big steps to the front door, I yelled back to her,

“Don’t worry, I know where he is! I’ll bring him back home, okay?”

“Okay, honey, be careful, it’s cold out there.” I nodded and raced out of the house.

The pond was only a couple of minutes away. My dad lets me go there as long as Harry is with me and the sun is still out. Harry wasn’t with me, exactly, but I knew he was going to be there. We always go to the pond just to talk and throw some rocks. In just half a school year, Harry and I have gotten close and now I’m happy to say that he’s my best friend.

As I approached the pond, I pushed through the bushes and looked for Harry. I walked around the small lake to where the trees where bunched together. Behind one tree, I could hear someone sniffing.

“Harry?” I asked quietly, “Is that you?”

I heard some shuffling, but I didn’t receive an answer.

“Harry?” I called again, this time I walked closer to the tree.  Instantly, I spotted Harry’s green beanie. Running to him, I embraced him in a tight hug.

“Harry!” I shouted, “I missed you!”  When I finally let go of him, I realized that his eyes were red and puffy as well.

“H-Harry, what’s wrong?” Worry washed over my face and all I could do was think of all the horrible possibilities.

“I-I,” Harry stuttered, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

I nodded and took a seat on the thin layer of snow that covered the floor. Cheshire doesn’t really get a whole lot of snow.

We were quiet for a couple of minutes and then I spoke up,

“Harry, you can tell me anything, you know?” I smiled and tried to cheer him up. He nodded slowly, but didn’t say anything.

Drawing circles in the snow, I sat by Harry and waited. There wasn’t much I could do.  He didn’t want to talk about it and there was no point in pushing him.

Glancing to the side, I noticed that tears were still flowing out of his eyes. His arms were crossed and he was shaking uncontrollably.  Instinctively, I unzipped my coat and slid it off. Standing up, I shivered as the cold wind nipped at the exposed skin on the back of my neck.

“Here, Harry, I don’t need this.” I lied. I felt like he needed it more than me.  He stood up from the wet ground and wiped his eyes with his fingers.

Shaking his head and said, “N-no, you need it, it’s cold. I don’t want you to get sick.” He gave me a sad smile and I almost broke inside. I really wanted to know what was bothering him. I wanted to comfort him. I wanted to be there for him.

I slipped my left arm into the coat and walked towards Harry.

“We can share.” I smiled.

Hesitantly, Harry slipped his right arm into the sleeve. He was so warm. It could have gone unnoticed, but I saw a single tear slip. It fell onto the thin fabric he called a shirt.

I reached my free hand and dabbed the moist part near his vibrant green eyes.

“Harry, are you okay?” I asked again. This time, Harry shook his head.

“Mel.” He whispered before more cries escaped.

Without thinking, I embraced him. The coat stretched around both our bodies. He responded by wrapped his arms around me.  Continuing to cry into my shoulder, all I did was rub circles in his back and quietly shush him. 

“Tell me what’s wrong.” I said.

Harry breathed on my neck and then responded, “My dad. He’s leaving. He had a big fight with my mum and- and now,” he cried and I let him.

I knew exactly how he felt.  When someone you care about leaves you, it’s hard. They play a bit role in your life and then all of a sudden, they’re gone. Just disappear without notice. That’s how my mum left me. She didn’t care about how I felt. She just left.

I found myself crying too.

“Harry, it’s okay. I’m here for you.” I whispered. “It’s okay.”

Harry’s arms tightened around me, but I didn’t care.  I could hug him all day.

“Mel, can you promise me something?” He loosened his grip and moved his face in front of mine.

“Anything.”

“Don’t ever leave me.”

“Never.”

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YAY. CRAPPY FLASHBACK, sorry! I'l try to get the next chapter up soon! Sorry it took so long! (: