The American Next Door

Chapter 5

*Harry’s POV*

                Charlie’s house was packed. Random kids were everywhere and when I say everywhere I meaneverywhere. His parents left for the long weekend, which meant four days of drinking and partying with every kid in the town.

Jack, Charlie, and I were the three musketeers. We had known each other since birth practically and were hit it off immediately. Sure we had other friends in our little crew but the three of us ran the show. We were co-captains of the football team and I hate to brag but we were pretty fit. Everyone knew who we were and every kid wanted to be us or if you were a girl wanted us. If we were interested in a girl we just snapped our fingers and they were ours. Every party one of us threw ended up being legendary. Tonight would be no different.

Wild Ones was booming through Charlie’s speakers as we walked through the doors. My ears were buzzing and my chest was vibrating. People were dancing all over his house and the smell of alcohol burned my nostrils. Beth and El disappeared into the kitchen and I followed Jack to the corner of the room towards Charlie.

“Harry! Jack! About time!” Charlie yelled throwing us a beer. “Sorry I got held up,” I answered scanning the room to see if El appeared. No sight of her. Frowning Charlie nudged my arm making me snap out of my daze. “Mate, Allie is looking for you. I tried but I couldn’t get rid of her.” I groaned throwing my head back. “Fuck me now,” I mumbled. “She would…in a heartbeat,” Charlie and Jack chuckled. I pushed them back stumbling into a group of girls.

“What the hell did you do to her? She is obsessed with you,” he yelled over the music walking back towards me. “I said no.” Jack and Charlie both laughed and downed the rest of their beer. Two girls from the year below came over and were practically asking for them right then and there so I left.

I went back to the kitchen to grab something stronger than a beet and that’s when I saw her. Usually I don’t get mad or jealous or competitive or any of that stuff, but something about her made me all of those. Charlie was all over her and from the looks of it the feeling was mutual.

He had his hands all over her body and she looked like prince charming was standing right in front of her. “Hey babe,” someone purred in my ear wrapping their arms around my upper body. I turned to see a wasted Allie and she was attempting to kiss my neck. I shrugged her off trying to get away, but she wasn’t having it.

“Harrrrrrrrryyyyyyy,” she whined chasing after me as I kept my eyes on El and Charlie. Damn I knew Allie was crazy but I never thought she was the clingy type. She kept touching my shoulders and trying to grab my hand as I continued to ignore her.  

“Damn it Allie! Just leave me alone!” I yelled pulling away from her. I glanced over at El and Charlie who had all eyes on me. Shit. Not only do I have a clingy stalker, but I also now have created a scene. I looked back at Allie whose eyes went ice cold. Her lips were pursed and I thought for sure she was going to slap me.

“Fuck you Harry Styles,” she spat in my face. Turning around she walked directly out of the house with Kim and Alexa chasing her. I was still boiling with anger. Charlie was still all over El and after what just happened with Allie I needed to get out of here.

Running a hand through my hair I made my way to the backyard. I could cut through neighbor’s yards to get home and it would be quiet where I could think.

“Harry! Slow down!” someone yelled at me. The right thing to do would be to stop and wait for the person. I just kept walking towards my house.

I pulled out my phone texting Jack to bring El home and Charlie to say sorry for leaving. “Harry! I hate running!” they yelled again. Continuing to ignore the person I picked up my pace and jumped the fence. After five minutes of walking no one called after me. Finally I was by myself.

Walking through my yard to my house I saw my mom and El’s sitting on the patio. “Harry, where is El?” my mom asked giggling with El’s. “She stayed at the party. Don’t worry she is in good hands.”

They were buzzed enough to be satisfied with that answer because when I run up the stairs they didn’t call after me. I slammed my bedroom door shut and threw myself onto my bed.

“Harry what the hell happened tonight. You have never gotten jealous over a girl and seeing Charlie all over her tonight made you sick to your stomach. Snap out of it,” I mumbled to myself running my hands through my hair.

“Hey uhh so are you okay?” a small voice came from the door. My eyes shot open towards the door and standing there looking amazing was El. “How did you get in here?” I snapped getting up from my bed. “Your mom let me in.”

I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She stepped towards me closing the door with her foot. “Why do you care El? I just met you,” I whispered stuffing my hands in my pockets. I sat back on the bed leaning against the headboard and shutting my eyes.

“I don’t have many friends here and the ones I have I care about and want to keep.” I looked at her to see if she was actually saying that. I cocked an eyebrow at her and she laughed. “It’s true. Not everyone is nice you know,” she responded sitting next to me.

She put her head on my chest and snuggled into me. My heart started to beat a million miles an hour and I could feel my face heat up. “So what is up with you and Charlie?” I asked trying to distract myself from her laying on my but I didn’t really want to know the answer.

She looked up at me with an amused look on her face. “Nothing,” she laughed sitting up and crossing her legs. “It didn’t look like ‘nothing’ at the party.”

“Yeah I know. Let’s just say I stopped drinking after that,” she blushed fiddling with her fingers. Laughing I got out of bed and grabbed a pair of pants and a shirt throwing it at El. “You look uncomfortable and we are going to watch a film,” I told her wiping the puzzled look off her face. Nodding she went to the bathroom and returned a couple minutes later.

She looked good in my clothes. Climbing into my bed I held the other side of the cover open motioning for her to join me. Snuggling into my pillow she looked at the film. Processing it was a scary movie she looked at me with worried eyes. “Harry I don’t do scary movies ,” she mumbled shutting her eyes as one of the characters fell off a cliff.

I opened my arms and she cuddled into me. I wrapped my arms around her body holding her close to me. “I’ll keep you safe. I promise.” “Pinky swear?” she asked holding up her pinky for me to take. “Pinky swear.”

Three hours later the movie ended and it was 2 in the morning. “I think I should go,” El said getting up and grabbing her clothes and heading out. “I’ll walk you home.” She smiled and led the way to her house.

“I will wash these and walk them over soon,” she pointed to my clothes. I laughed and told her not to worry about it. “Well this is me,” she laughed opening her door.

“I had fun tonight. I hope you feel better.” “Me too and thanks to you I do,” I smiled looking at her. It was quiet as we both just looked at each other. Taking a step forward I put my hand on her waist and pulled her into me. I placed my lips gently on hers and pulled away.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I blushed walking back towards my house. I think I am falling for the American next door I thought to myself as I fell asleep.