The Boy Next Door
twenty.
Harry sat back on the dark leather couch, staring blankly at the TV screen. The boys were cheering beside him at some football game, but he wasn’t interested. He hadn’t been interested for the past two weeks since he broke up with Lisa.
“Come on man, cheer up.” Liam said, patting his friends shoulder and looking at him with worried eyes.
“I’m not in the mood.” Harry grumbled, crossing his arms and closing his eyes. He quickly opened them again when he pictured her. He always did when he closed his eyes.
“Right, I think it’s time for an intervention.” Louis shouted, flicking the TV to pause as they all turned towards him.
“I don’t need no fucking intervention, all I need is some peace and quiet.” Harry grumbled, folding his arm over his eyes.
“We all know what this is about.” Zayn said softly, causing Harry to remove his arm and look at his quiet friend. “She confided in me when she figured out she had fallen for you. El and I helped her out a lot and that meant when she was hurt, she came to us too.”
Harry looked at his friend, shocked and confused. He knew Ella had always gotten along with Zayn great, as well as Eleanor, but never had he thought she would have opened up to the boy. He had pressured Eleanor before for any information, but the girl stayed tight lipped. Harry didn’t know what to say, so Zayn continued.
“She was in love with you, man.” Zayn stated, “And I was sure you loved her, until you rejected her so badly. I just don’t get it, I really don’t.”
“It was complicated, Zayn.” Harry sighed, rubbing his face with both his hands.
“Look, I have something to say.” Niall spoke up from the corner. All eyes turn to him as his blue eyes look around nervously. “I took Ella out a few times- only as friends, before you eat my head- but on one occasion, we… We Uhmm.. We…”
“Spit it out, Niall.” Harry snapped.
“We kissed.” He gulped, playing with his hands and looking away at the wall.
“You what?” Harry was on his feet but Louis and Liam held on to him, to stop him doing something he regretted.
“It meant nothing and was a terrible mistake. We both even laughed after it. But the reason I told you is because after it happened, I mentioned your name and her eyes just instantly lit up before growing dark with sadness.” Niall moved closer, growing in boldness as Harry slowly calmed down.
“You can’t be mad at him, Harry, nobody knew how you felt for her.” Louis pointed out and Harry finally agreed, knowing Niall’s intentions were nothing close to malicious.
“If you do love her like I know you do, why the hell did you turn her down like that?” Liam asked. He knew more than anyone what it was like to lose the girl you truly loved. He would never get over Daniella, despite his love for Sophia.
“I don’t know. I made a stupid decision and then got with that witch to take my mind off of Ella. I guess I thought she deserved more than the life I could give her.” Harry admitted, standing to his feet and pacing the living room.
All the guys knew what he meant. All of them had gone through that moment when they questioned if they could give a girl what they deserved; Liam and Louis especially. Zayn was lucky to have found someone so alike and understanding as she was in the same boat, whereas Niall although had met girls he liked, hadn’t yet fallen in love. Harry hadn’t either until Ella.
“You need to speak to her, give her a chance. You can’t doom a relationship until you at least try. I know for a fact that’s what hurt her the most- that you didn’t even try.” Zayn said, heading to the French doors, opening them and lighting a cigarette.
“I need to speak to her,” Harry finally admitted out loud. He had wanted to say it for so long and do it as well, but something always held him back. “I need to speak to her now. Do you think she’ll listen?” He nibbled the skin around his thumb, looking at Zayn in particular.
“If she doesn’t, do whatever it takes to make her… of course, within reason.” He laughed a little. Harry smiled and hugged his friend, before rushing out the house.
It was stupid that it only took a little encouragement to get him off his arse, but harry knew it felt good seeing the hope in all their eyes that it gave him that extra hope.
He took the shortest drive through London, cursing the traffic, before finally smiling when he drove through the gates. The short drive to their street allowed Harry to finally breathe and when he parked up on his drive, he didn’t wait around. He almost ran to the door, though also spent this short distance to compose himself. He wasn’t sure how he would get her out or to not slam the door in his face, but he would try this time.
The door opened and Kye was standing there. Harry flinched back but Kye didn't seem to even know about what was happening as he greeted him with a smile.
“Hey mate, what can I do you for?” Kye asked, leaning against the frame.
“I’m here to see Ella.” Harry replied, relaxing only slightly until Kye’s face changed completely.
“She isn’t here, but even if she was, I’m not too sure I would allow you to see her.” He was slipping into that protective brother that Ella had once told Harry about. He stepped back and rubbed the nape of his neck.
“Kye, I need to speak to her. I need to make this all better. You don’t understand how desperate I am to see her. I need to see her.” Harry was growing crazier by the minute. He paced the lawn, pulling at his hair.
“Calm down mate,” Kye stepped out and held his hands out. “Why do you need to remind her of what she can’t have with you? I understand your reasoning but then I also think if you wanted to be with her, then you would have tried.”
“People keep reminding me how I failed to try and I want to change that. I want to try; so damn hard I will try because I love her.” Harry shouts, Kye watching as the singer’s chest heaves in and out in large puffs.
“You love her and you want to try?” Kye asked and Harry nodded.
“I will spend the rest of my life trying and proving to her.” Harry’s voice was etched with desperation.
“If you mean that, then you need to return here in two weeks.” Kye said, turning and heading for the door.
“Why two weeks?” Harry asked, following behind the older Watson sibling.
“Because that’s how long she is gone for. Ella has gone on holiday with her girlfriends, sort of a last minute thing since they ‘ve just finished exams.” Kye replied, telling Harry goodbye before shutting the door.
Two weeks?
How could he wait another two weeks to see her?
He could fly out to where she is, surprise her and get her to listen.
But then she could hate him for not giving her time to relax away from here.
This holiday may help clear her mind, bring her back feeling more open to talking to him. That’s if things with Flynn hadn’t gone too far by now. Once again, he could only hope.
“Come on man, cheer up.” Liam said, patting his friends shoulder and looking at him with worried eyes.
“I’m not in the mood.” Harry grumbled, crossing his arms and closing his eyes. He quickly opened them again when he pictured her. He always did when he closed his eyes.
“Right, I think it’s time for an intervention.” Louis shouted, flicking the TV to pause as they all turned towards him.
“I don’t need no fucking intervention, all I need is some peace and quiet.” Harry grumbled, folding his arm over his eyes.
“We all know what this is about.” Zayn said softly, causing Harry to remove his arm and look at his quiet friend. “She confided in me when she figured out she had fallen for you. El and I helped her out a lot and that meant when she was hurt, she came to us too.”
Harry looked at his friend, shocked and confused. He knew Ella had always gotten along with Zayn great, as well as Eleanor, but never had he thought she would have opened up to the boy. He had pressured Eleanor before for any information, but the girl stayed tight lipped. Harry didn’t know what to say, so Zayn continued.
“She was in love with you, man.” Zayn stated, “And I was sure you loved her, until you rejected her so badly. I just don’t get it, I really don’t.”
“It was complicated, Zayn.” Harry sighed, rubbing his face with both his hands.
“Look, I have something to say.” Niall spoke up from the corner. All eyes turn to him as his blue eyes look around nervously. “I took Ella out a few times- only as friends, before you eat my head- but on one occasion, we… We Uhmm.. We…”
“Spit it out, Niall.” Harry snapped.
“We kissed.” He gulped, playing with his hands and looking away at the wall.
“You what?” Harry was on his feet but Louis and Liam held on to him, to stop him doing something he regretted.
“It meant nothing and was a terrible mistake. We both even laughed after it. But the reason I told you is because after it happened, I mentioned your name and her eyes just instantly lit up before growing dark with sadness.” Niall moved closer, growing in boldness as Harry slowly calmed down.
“You can’t be mad at him, Harry, nobody knew how you felt for her.” Louis pointed out and Harry finally agreed, knowing Niall’s intentions were nothing close to malicious.
“If you do love her like I know you do, why the hell did you turn her down like that?” Liam asked. He knew more than anyone what it was like to lose the girl you truly loved. He would never get over Daniella, despite his love for Sophia.
“I don’t know. I made a stupid decision and then got with that witch to take my mind off of Ella. I guess I thought she deserved more than the life I could give her.” Harry admitted, standing to his feet and pacing the living room.
All the guys knew what he meant. All of them had gone through that moment when they questioned if they could give a girl what they deserved; Liam and Louis especially. Zayn was lucky to have found someone so alike and understanding as she was in the same boat, whereas Niall although had met girls he liked, hadn’t yet fallen in love. Harry hadn’t either until Ella.
“You need to speak to her, give her a chance. You can’t doom a relationship until you at least try. I know for a fact that’s what hurt her the most- that you didn’t even try.” Zayn said, heading to the French doors, opening them and lighting a cigarette.
“I need to speak to her,” Harry finally admitted out loud. He had wanted to say it for so long and do it as well, but something always held him back. “I need to speak to her now. Do you think she’ll listen?” He nibbled the skin around his thumb, looking at Zayn in particular.
“If she doesn’t, do whatever it takes to make her… of course, within reason.” He laughed a little. Harry smiled and hugged his friend, before rushing out the house.
It was stupid that it only took a little encouragement to get him off his arse, but harry knew it felt good seeing the hope in all their eyes that it gave him that extra hope.
He took the shortest drive through London, cursing the traffic, before finally smiling when he drove through the gates. The short drive to their street allowed Harry to finally breathe and when he parked up on his drive, he didn’t wait around. He almost ran to the door, though also spent this short distance to compose himself. He wasn’t sure how he would get her out or to not slam the door in his face, but he would try this time.
The door opened and Kye was standing there. Harry flinched back but Kye didn't seem to even know about what was happening as he greeted him with a smile.
“Hey mate, what can I do you for?” Kye asked, leaning against the frame.
“I’m here to see Ella.” Harry replied, relaxing only slightly until Kye’s face changed completely.
“She isn’t here, but even if she was, I’m not too sure I would allow you to see her.” He was slipping into that protective brother that Ella had once told Harry about. He stepped back and rubbed the nape of his neck.
“Kye, I need to speak to her. I need to make this all better. You don’t understand how desperate I am to see her. I need to see her.” Harry was growing crazier by the minute. He paced the lawn, pulling at his hair.
“Calm down mate,” Kye stepped out and held his hands out. “Why do you need to remind her of what she can’t have with you? I understand your reasoning but then I also think if you wanted to be with her, then you would have tried.”
“People keep reminding me how I failed to try and I want to change that. I want to try; so damn hard I will try because I love her.” Harry shouts, Kye watching as the singer’s chest heaves in and out in large puffs.
“You love her and you want to try?” Kye asked and Harry nodded.
“I will spend the rest of my life trying and proving to her.” Harry’s voice was etched with desperation.
“If you mean that, then you need to return here in two weeks.” Kye said, turning and heading for the door.
“Why two weeks?” Harry asked, following behind the older Watson sibling.
“Because that’s how long she is gone for. Ella has gone on holiday with her girlfriends, sort of a last minute thing since they ‘ve just finished exams.” Kye replied, telling Harry goodbye before shutting the door.
Two weeks?
How could he wait another two weeks to see her?
He could fly out to where she is, surprise her and get her to listen.
But then she could hate him for not giving her time to relax away from here.
This holiday may help clear her mind, bring her back feeling more open to talking to him. That’s if things with Flynn hadn’t gone too far by now. Once again, he could only hope.