The Other Side

Chapter 5

Thanks to Sunday I get to live the day Harry free. Sam and I text back and forth constantly, and he's no help to my situation. He just laughs. The babies keep me distracted enough to not completely stress over what will happen Monday, but when I get home I have nothing to do but worry.

"Don't stress," Dad says in his usual laidback way. "I'm sure the teachers won't allow you to be skinned alive on school property."

I am so glad he can laugh about my impending doom.

Sam meets me down the block from school today, as I told him I didn't want to walk into that place unprotected. I get heaps of looks - some of jealousy, some hatred, some admiration. But the best look comes from Stephanie. She looks like she's going to cry and she goes bright red as I walk straight past her, staring at her the whole time.

"Ok, so your little confrontation with Stephanie 'Queen Bee' Miles is going to result in one of two ways according to talk in the halls," Sam explains, filling me in on what I missed while I was suspended. "One - Stephanie will now have a fear filled respect for you and leave you alone. Or two - she'll make your life a living hell."

I scoff. "I'm not scared of her."

"Obviously not," Sam says with a grin. "But just in case, can you write up a will leaving me all your cool stuff?"

I laugh. "You obviously have me confused with someone else. I don't have cool stuff." We joke around all day, ignoring my new found fame. In the times where Sam isn't by my side, I feel totally exposed and I race between classes.

At lunch, no one approaches me, but I see Hope Morgan look up a few times, dropping her face every time I catch her in the act. She's a sweet girl, I got paired up with her for science last year. No one really talks to her, because her family is really weird. I tried to get her to hang with Sam and I, but when I asked her about the bruise I saw on her arm, she flipped out and wouldn't speak to me again.

 I just knew her dad was beating her and her mum, and I even called the police anonymously, but they obviously didn't find anything. It took Hope a week to come back to school after that, and when I saw her in the halls I went to say hi but she totally blew me off. She hasn't looked at me since. So why she's staring at me now I can only assume has to do with Harry Styles.

Out of nowhere I stand up, ignoring Sam calling after me, and I go and sit beside her at the small table.

"Hey," I say, not looking at her.

"Hey," she mimics, and I know she's not looking at me.

I go to ask how she is, but I know that's stupid, so instead I sit and wait for her to talk.

"Have you met him?" Hope asks eventually.

I know exactly what she's talking about, and I give a small smile. "Yeah, we had dinner at their hour Saturday night." I look at her now and she's wide eyed. "The family's really nice. He's really nice," I choke out, though I don't know if I believe it.

"You're so lucky," she says quietly.

I roll my eyes. "Not really, I'd happily trade places with you," I blurt out without thinking, and then immediately regret it when I see Hope's face.

Her delicate fingers place her lunch rubbish back on her tray and she stands up. "I have to go. Thanks for the talk." And she walks off.

I sit there, dumbfounded at my complete stupidity. I hadn't missed the fresh bruise poking out of her shirt collar, and I hadn't missed the spark of happiness she'd worn momentarily when I told her how nice Harry was.

"What was that about?" Sam asks, coming to stand beside me.

I look up at him, confused. "I have to do something."

I take off from the lunch room, running out of the school grounds and all the way home. I chuck my bag at the back door and then run down the yard, leaping over the fence that divides Harry's house and my own. He's not in the back yard, so I race up to the door, banging furiously until he comes to answer it.

"What's the deal?" he asks, standing bewildered and looking as though he's just woken up.

I'm puffed, but I manage to get out. "I need to ask you a favour."

Harry scoffs. "Of course you do."

"Not for me," I say, emphasising how important this is. "A girl, at my school."

"Oh what, you're going to start using me to get popular at school?" he teases, obviously remembering our conversation from the other day.

"No!" I say harshly, trying to get him to see how serious this is. "This girl, she's different. She needs this. She deserves this." I think about telling him about Hope, but that's not my secret to tell.

Harry seems to see it in my eyes though. "Ok, what do you need?"

I sigh, happy he seems to compliant. "I just need you to meet her. Only once, she won't want anything more. I promise."

"When?" Harry says immediately.

I shrug. "As soon as you can."

Harry holds a finger up to me as he pulls his phone out and holds it to his ear. "Yeah, need a favour. When can you and the other guys get here? It's important. Thanks." He hangs up the phone. When I look at him in disbelief he shrugs. "If she really deserves this, she's getting all of us. I'll let you know when."

I look at him and give him my first genuine smile. "Thank you."

Harry smiles back, his dimples giving his face the most innocent, boyish look, even though he's almost three years my senior. "No problem."

I walk out and jump back over the fence, and then turn to look at it and Harry's house. I'm glad I had the courage to make the jump to the other side. I know this will make a world of difference to Hope.