The Girl Next Door: A Niall Horan Love Story

The Girl Next Door: The Morning After....

Rissa's POV

        The birds sung brightly outside my window, flying in loops as the golden sunlight flooded the calm streets of London. The beautiful hum of a guitar echoed from the house next door, mingling with the lull of people's voices walking around enjoying the morning. I hated it all. 

        My room was a dark pit of silence that hid the crumpled form of my shivering body. The blankets were piled around me, attempting to block out the glorious sounds of morning, and I glared out like a vicious monster. How do people do this all the time? I wondered briefly. My temples pounded and a pained groan escaped from my barely-parted lips. This is why I never drank.

        As I wallowed the door to my room opened and a bright eyed Clare stepped in. Her fiery hair was in a messy bun and she had on a cute dress, signalling that she was off to work. I hissed as the light flooded my dark cave and shrank back on my bed. "Clarissa, its time to get up," Clare laughed before turning on the light.

        "Ahhhh," I shrieked covering my eyes and writhing like a demon sprayed with holy water. The sound of the guitar faltered next door, but I hardly paid attention. "It burns, it burns," I moaned.

        "Oh, get up and get ready. You're going to work with me today," Clare answered. She opened my closet and pulled out a pair of dark-washed jeans, a red and white tank top, and a faded leather jacket. I shoved the covers off my body and hurried to get dressed.

        Clare was an well known fashion designer with several lines of gorgeous clothes. She had her own company, though she left all the grueling business work to her partner in crime Jim, and several stores across the globe. I had never been to one of Clare's fashion shoots, so naturally my curiosity overcame my painful hangover. Clare laughed at my excitement, threw me a pair of red converses, and then pulled me to a chair. As I tied my shoelaces she braided my hair into one of those waterfall braids.

        "When Chloe and I were younger we used to braid each other's hair like this," she said pulling a strand over, "We would do it on long car rides, on rainy days, in the middle of class--oh god, I remember our English teacher used to get so aggravated. One time she gave the two of us detention, saying we were disrupting class."

        I smiled. I could see my mother, her hands deftly braided Clare's fiery hair, glaring up at the stern faced teacher. She would have stuck out her tongue, revealing the small golden ball at the tip, and just went right back to her sister's hair. She was always like that, rebellious and daring. "I like it when you tell stories about her," I answered and I honestly did. Clare knew my mother in a way I never had, in a way that exposed just how wonderfully flawed and amazingly real she had been.

        Clare laughed and patted my shoulder, then pulled herself up. "Come on, we don't want to be late."

        The two of us walked to her purple slug bug and jumped into the worn leather seats. I snapped my seat belt happily, and just as we began rolling backwards I noticed a familiar blonde boy walking out to his mail box. I waved excitedly, causing him to laugh. Clare beeped her shrill horn and then we were off, leaving Niall coughing in the cloud of dust.

*****

        "Hey there, Sunshine," Clare exclaimed. Jim hardly had time to turn around before my aunt had launched herself at him and engulfed him in her embrace.

        He let out a deep, rumbling laugh and patted her back affectionately, "Morning Boo." He was a handsome man, with dark mocha colored skin and thick ebony curls. His dark eyes gleamed behind his dark green glasses as he peered down at Clare. I stood watching from the door the studio, completely enthralled by the obvious friendship between such a man and my aunt.

        "Alright enough with the affection," Clare huffed after a long moment, "Jim-boy this is my niece, Clarissa." Jim turned his attention to me and before I could wave I found myself swept off my feet in a crushing hug. I think I squeaked, but the sudden lack of oxygen was somewhat distracting.

        "It is so great to finally meet you! Clare's been talking about you nonstop, practically every other word is 'Clarissa this, Clarissa that', I feel like I already know you. How do you like London? What about the neighbors--that Irish boy toy giving you any trouble? Oh, what do you think of the new line?" Jim boomed.

        Clare laughed, the sight of her huge friend having lifted her niece in one swoop rendering her incapable of saving me. She out a single loud snort and Jim turned to glare at her, upon seeing her shaking in a fit of silent giggles he realized I had been suspended a good foot off the ground. He set me down politely, his dark cheeks darkening in a blush. "Sorry," he muttered.

        Once I could breathe again I smiled up at him. "I can see why you and Clare are such good friends." Jim beamed down at me, his white teeth a stark contrast against his dark lips. "So do I get to see the new line or what?" I asked causing both adults to laugh.

*****

Niall's POV

        "...and then I got to try on some of the new summer dresses. I was so nervous that I accidentally tripped and sent a cart full of clothes rolling down the hall. Jim tried to catch it, but it was going to fast and it rolled right into some woman's cubicle. I was so embarrassed," Rissa groaned from her window. She hung her head over the small balcony, hiding her deep blush as I broke into yet another fit of laughter.

        She shot me a glare, her green eyes smarting like hot embers. "I'm sorry, Rissa, but at least I'm not rolling on the ground like Harry." I tried to argue. We both looked at Harry who was sprawled on my floor, pounding the floor with his fists. His wild brown locks had slipped from the bandanna he always wore and tears streamed from his green eyes. 

      "We were supposed to be friends, Harry," Rissa shouted to my best mate. Her outburst sent Harry into a another fit of barking gasps. She grabbed a small metal cup from her bedside and chucked it into my window, nailing Harry in the stomach. "Yes," she whooped as he yelped in surprise. 

        "It's not polite to throw things," I reprimanded her with a grin.

        "Yeah, control your anger issues," Harry added. Rissa stuck her hand out the window, flicking the pair of us off. "She's so saucy," Harry whistled. His eyes gleamed mysteriously and I noticed a familiar smirk forming on his face. With a pang of panic I realized that Harry was beginning to fall for Rissa. 

        The memory of her lips flashed across my mind. Harry couldn't win her heart, because if he did mine was certain to break. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

        Hey guys! So it's been a while....I'm sorry about the delay. So I hope you guys like this and I would really appreciate it if you could help spread this. It would certainly inspire me to write faster :) Anyway, along with this story I'm thinking about writing a Harry Potter story, if you have any tips or cool ideas tell me. I already have a plot but everything is welcomed. Alright done ranting. I hoped you like this chapter!

        -Rach! <3