Where Dreams Go To Die

Changing

  My worn converse hit the sidewalk loudly as I sprinted.Thump thump, thump thump, matching my heartbeat.The cool winter wind whips my hair against my neck. My knuckles ached and grew white as I tightened my grasp around the stolen sunglasses. Another stolen object to add to my collection of useless, stolen, crap. In my rundown town, nothing ever changes. I was born here, 17 long years ago, and will die here.

No one comes to this town to live and pursue their dreams. They come here when they are done with living. I sigh audibly as my house comes into view. It is a track home, just like every other home in this moth eaten town. When people hear California, they think of the lively Los Angeles and exciting Hollywood. No one bothers with Northern California, in the suburbs, where nothing exciting happens.

I stride through my lawn and up my front steps. I push my front door, and it opens reluctantly, unlocked, as always. My father is still at work. I walk into my room and toss the useless glasses into the "Stolen Items" drawer.

I throw myself onto my bed and instantly begin digging through my bedsheets, searching for my phone. When I find it, I click it on and am welcomed to only four notifications. 3 snapchats from unimportant friends, and a text from my best and only friend, Emma. Her text is short but urgent. Kate!! Please call me when possible!!! I dial her number and hit call. Before the call even rings, she has answered.

"Kate!" She shouts, giggling.

"Yes, Em?" I smile, wondering how on Earth she stays so excited in this lifeless town.

"My new neighbors moved in today," she pauses, allowing anticipation to build.

"And...." I prompt her.

"And he's a boy." She giggles.

"No way!" I say, my sarcasm obvious.

"He's in his senior year and he's gorgeous." We are both juniors at Aburrido High School. To be completely honest, all of the guys at our school are complete dogs and are the opposite of boyfriend material.

"Actually?" I say, surprised.

"No joke. I already introduced myself and I call dibs. But if you come over right now, I'll consider letting you meet him." Rolling my eyes, I picked myself off of my bed and towards my door.

"Be there in five," I smiled, and hopped on my bike.

***

I pulled into Emily's driveway and threw my bike onto her grass. A large moving truck was parked in her next-door neighbor's driveway, and people were moving in and out of the house. I made my way towards her driveway and typed in the code to open her garage door. I find her house empty.

Slowly, I make my way back out of her house and back to her front lawn and text her. Where the fuck r u?! She replies quickly: inside HIS house. He told me i could invite u inside 2. Come over right now.

I groan audibly and walk towards his house. Slowly, I enter through the door and creep inside. I instantly hear Emily's flirtatious laugh, and a deep voice, speaking in a low, almost seductive, whisper. I knock on the back of the door, to make an entrance, and slowly make my way through the entrance hallway, to where I hear their voices.

As I enter the room, their talking stops. 'This is Kate," Emily introduces me with a smile. I nod and the mystery boy smirks.

"Hello, Kate," He extends a hand and I hesitantly grab it. He holds it in his grasp for a moment, before dropping it.

"And you are..." I smile slightly.

"I'm Harry," he smiles, his thick british accent filling the small room. "Harry Styles."