The Other Side

Chapter 3

Thursday I wake up late, because, hey, I don't have school and I can do what I want. The sun shines through my window, and I'm glad the weather's nice for my suspended days. Last night Mum, Dad and I talked about what happened in the lunch room, but I didn't tell them how it all started, as it seemed ridiculous now.

So instead, I now focus on making the most of my four day weekend. Probably the wrong attitude to have when you've been suspended, but I don't really care. I grab my tattered copy of 'The Magician' from my bedside table and head outside with it. I lay on my banana lounge in the sun, still in the shorts and tank top I wore to bed. Life is grand!

I reach the part where Pug is captured by the Tsurani, and though I've read the book multiple times I'm captivated.

"Mum!" I hear someone cry, and it totally ruins the serious moment I was having with my novel. I peer over the top of my book, trying to figure out what is going on.

"Harry!" the woman from yesterday, Anne, calls, rushing out to hug someone.

I stare at them for a moment, and watch as they pull away from each other. Anne's son stands above her, with a head full of curls and - wait, Harry? No frigging way! I put my book down and stand up, staring obviously at my neighbours. They start walking, chatting away, and I can hear bits of the conversation as the volume rises. But as they make their way to the back door I see it clear as anything. My neighbour is Harry Styles. Anne is his Mum, and Joe is obviously a stepdad hence the different surname.

Anne opens the door, not noticing me, but as I'm standing there in my pyjamas, staring away, Harry just has to turn around and look at me. He brings his hand up to shield his eyes, and kind of half waves. I don't return the gesture, I grab my book and head inside in a huff.

"Of all the houses in England they could have bought!" I rant as I go back into my room. I throw myself on my bed, wondering how I will now survive the remainder of school when it is confirmed that Harry Styles lives next door to me.

"No!" I shout out, sounding like a lunatic. "No, I won't let him ruin my life. I don't even know him. Whatever! I'll just ignore him, and the stupid girls at school." I sigh and face plant onto my bed. "Or I could just stay here forever and rot," I mumble.

Mum gets home from work just after lunch, and she's surprised to see me still in my room at that time.

"What are you doing?" she asks in a sing song voice.

"Preparing to live out my days as a hermit," I groan.

"What's wrong?" she asks, sitting on the bed beside my lifeless form.

I shuffle around so my face is free from my pillow. "Did you know that Anne's son is Harry Styles, from that band One Direction?"

"She mentioned he's a musician," she says with a shrug.

"Yeah, well, he's a really famous one," I say begrudgingly.

"And?" she questions, not understanding how this has turned me into an emotional wreck.

"And all the girls at school know I live next door to a member of the hottest boy band around," I explain. "And that's how I ended up getting suspended." Mum stays quiet til I elaborate, she just rubs my back like she normally does when I'm upset. "All these girls I don't even know are coming up to me, asking to come to my house, just so they can catch a glimpse of him. Popular girls that hate me want to be my best friend because of him living there!"

"Sweetie, I'm sure this isn't his evil plan in life," Mum says as a joke.

"But why did they have to pick that house?!" I sigh. "Why couldn't it have been any other house?"