The Other Side

Chapter 10

"Hey Gem," Harry calls out as we walk through the back door. "I want you to meet someone!"

The girl that I've noticed in the yard this week meets us in the living area.

"Hey," she says with a smile, and she has dimples, just like Harry. "I'm Gemma, Harry's sister."

She's really sweet, and it makes me feel bad for the things I've thought about her, just from seeing her in the yard with Harry. "Alexia, the neighbour," I respond with.

"Ah," she says as she's just clued on, and her face lights up.

"Ok, so we're gonna go upstairs. Bye sis!" Harry says quickly, and grabs my hand to pull me up the stairs.

"What was that?" I ask, noting his weird behaviour to remove me from his sister's presence.

"You know, she's just a little crazy. Just ignore her," Harry says with a nervous smile. He stops outside of a door. "Uh, so this is my room," he says awkwardly as he pushes the door open. He holds out his hand so I can enter first.

"It's messy," I blurt out, and then realise how rude that was. "I'm sorry," I quickly add.

"No, that's ok. It is messy," Harry says with a shrug. "Don't normally have visitors. Except my sister," he says cheekily.

I roll my eyes but say nothing, just taking in his room. It's really cool, messiness aside. Posters and music memorabilia cover the walls, trophies, awards and books are on a shelf on one side, CDs and DVDs on another shelf, and a huge TV opposite his bed. I turn back to Harry and he's closing the door - I raise an eyebrow.

"So we can talk," Harry says defensively.

I go to sit on his bed, but then stop myself. I'm not judging, but I don't know that I really want to sit on the bed of an 18 year old boy. Especially since it's unmade and really messy looking.

"Here princess," Harry teases, pulling a chair over to face his bed. "Though I must say that's probably a good move, as I do sleep naked."

My eyes pop. "Too much information."

Harry just wiggles his eyebrows and plops himself on his bed, and I can't help but roll my eyes and shake my head. I sit in the chair, and he's pulled it so close that our knees are crammed together. Harry separates his legs a little, and I do the same, so that now my right knee is sandwiched between his two, and his right knee is sandwiched between my own.

"Perfect fit," Harry chuckles softly.

"Harry," I start, at the exact same moment that he says, "Alexia." We both laugh softly.

"You go," Harry insists, and I feel like that may be the better option. I have a lot of things I need to sort out with him.

But when I try to say them, I seem to lose the capacity to find them. Another moment of silence and Harry decides to try and get the ball rolling.

"I came over the morning before I left," he says, watching our knees. "But you had already gone."

"I came over as soon as I got back," I say, also watching our knees. "But you had already gone."

It's Harry's turn to speak again, because I'm out of words again. "I wanted to let you know I was going. And to apologise for that night. I didn't mean to upset you, I just didn't think it should happen like that. It would have felt wrong."

"I get it," I say, picking at the hem of my shirt. "I came over to apologise for getting upset over it. I know I shouldn't have tried to kiss you. And that morning I was so grateful you'd stopped me. I didn't know how I felt. I still don't know how I feel," I conclude with a sigh.

Finally we look up at each other, and we're both wearing small, sorry smiles.

"So," Harry draws out. "You don't want to kiss me now?" The smile that he's so famous for appears on his face, and it really does take everything I have not to kiss him.

"Not right now," I smirk, and stand up. I wander around his room, really taking everything in now that the weight of our problems has been lifted.

"That's the thing we got when our album went double platinum," Harry explains as I'm looking at the framed gold record that hangs on his wall.

"Trying to impress me?" I say over my shoulder, and I'm surprised that he's directly behind me.

"Just making conversation," he says quietly, so close that I feel his breath tickle my cheek.

I clear my throat and look for something else to talk about. I spot some balls on his desk. "What are these?"

"A ha!" Harry cries out, getting excited. "They're another way for me to impress you." He winks.

I bring my hand up to my face, his slight cockiness and flirtatious behaviour is cute, but he's laying it on a bit thick. But when he started juggling, I was definitely impressed. I laugh, and 'ooh' and 'ah' as he does fancy little tricks, throwing the balls up, catching them behind his back. Then he catches all three and takes a bow.

"Ok," I giggle, "so I was a little impressed by that."

"I can play the kazoo too," Harry says proudly.

"Ah, the kazoo," I say in fake awe. "The instrument that gets all the girls."

"Hey, don't be hating on the kazoo!" Harry says, faking hurt.

A knock on the door interrupts our laughing. Anne pops her head inside Harry's room.

"Good God, Harry," she says, looking ashamed. "How can you bring someone in here with the state of this room? Excuse my disgusting child, Alexia." Harry just shrugs, so his mum continues with what she obviously came in here for. "Don't forget we have to leave soon to drop Gemma home. We're meeting Jason for dinner too, and then we'll drive home tomorrow."

"K, Mum," is his reply, and she waves to me as she closes the door.

"I should let you go," I say, distancing myself from Harry.

"You don't have to leave right now," Harry urges.

"No, I should," I say with a shrug.

Harry opens the door and leads me back downstairs.

"Nice to meet you," I say to Gemma as I walk past her, and she returns the sentiment.

"So what are you getting up to tonight?" Harry asks as we make it to our departing point.

I shrug and climb over the fence. "Studying. I'm home alone and exams are coming up."

"Well, have fun," Harry says, leaning against the white post of our divider.

"You too," I say, and walk up to my house.

"Still think boys are idiots?" Dad asks as I walk inside.

I laugh, thinking about the short time I spent with Harry today. "Maybe not all of them," I conclude.

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Woo, the kids are finally deciding to play nice!! haha. sorry it's taken so long for them to get to this point, they just wouldn't play nice til now!