Stephanie pov

"Steph, Jed can you both come down here please?" My Dad calls. I sigh as I close down facebook and place my laptop on the end of my bed. I jump and walk out of my room and I meet Jed at the top of the stairs. I follow him down as we head towards our dining room.

"What's going on?" Jed asks as we see Mum and Dad leaning on the breakfast bar. Jed and I take a seat on the stools.I study them closely as they look to one another.

"We've got something to tell you." Mum says with a smile. I frown as I've got a bad feeling to what she is going to say next. Those six words never sound too good when put together.
"Do you remember Anne, my friend from school who you used to see and her kids?" She adds.

Her name rings a bell and her face springs up in my mind almost instantly. I go to answer but Jed has beat me to it.

"Yeah Harry and Gemma?" Jed says and their names bring their faces back to me. It's been at least ten years since we've seen them.

"Harry's been having a bit of a hard time lately, he's been involved with fights and Anne is really worried about him." Dad stops as he looks at us. Harry and fighting? That's two words I would never have put together, but then again I only remember the ten year old Harry who always wanted to play football.

"So he's going to come and stay with us for a couple of months. Just to help him get a fresh start and hopefully help settle him down" Mum adds. I look at them speechless. A couple of months? Are they crazy!?

"Oh right okay, cool." Jed says as he smiles to them. They both smile at him pleased by his reaction. How can he be so unfazed by this crazy bit of news?

"Stephanie? How do you feel?" Mum asks as they look at me. Dad frowns as he waits for me to answer. I look away.

"I feel that this idea is crazy!" I stop as I look at them. "Why do we have to look after some guy who keeps fighting? What if he brings trouble on our doorstep?" I ask as the last thing I need is troubled guy bringing unwanted attention to our house. I thought my Parents of all people would have known better.

"No trouble will be brought to us. Just give him a chance and try to make him feel welcome" Mum says and it feels as if this only a big deal to me. We don't really know Harry anymore."He needs a friend, and that's something he can gain from you two." She adds.

"But what if we are complete opposites? Do you know how hard it is to be friends with someone who is so different to you?" I ask and Mum looks at me in a pleading look.

"Look, if things don't turn out and we really can't have him here, then things will go back to how they are. Harry will go home, okay?" My Dad says. I nod as I suppose that's fair enough. But I'm still not completey convinced on this.

"Dad is meeting him in half an hour." Mum says as she glances at the time and looks to my Dad who is nodding.

"Great, well I'm heading to football practice but I'll see him when I get back." Jed says as he stands up and say goodbye. I watch him leave and I question myself how can my brother be so laid back? Dad gives Mum a kiss on her cheek as he leaves to get ready.

"Are you okay?" Mum asks as she looks a little worried. I force a smile and nod.

"If you think this will be good and that it won't affect us, then yeah. " I look down at my phone as it vibrates. It's a message from Amy.

"You know you can trust our decision" Mum smiles. She takes her phone from the counter and leaves the room. I look at my phone an open the message:
Hey, you free tonight? Thinking Cinema??? xxxx
I sigh to myself as I text my reply:
Hey I'll see what I can do, give you a ring later. Xxx

I put my phone down and sit quietly as I think about how different these next couple of months shall be. All I can see is a picture in my head of a ten year old Harry. Will I even recognise him?

---

"Okay his room is ready, I've placed clean towels on his bed." Mum says as she walks into the living room and pulls a thinking look. I stop watching tv as I look at her and can't help but laugh.

"Mum calm down, he will appreciate what you've done. Plus I think I just heard someone pull up outside." I say as I stand up and peer through the window.

"Come away from there, we don't want him to think we're staring at him!" Mum says as she pulls me back. We stop as we hear Dad opening the door.

"Come on in Harry." Dad says as we hear the door click shut. I look to Mum and the living room door opens. "Oh hey!" Dad says as he slightly jumps at us. "Harry, do you remember Susan and my daughter Stephanie?" He asks.

I discreetly gasp to myself as I watch Harry walk in. He's changed, a lot. His thick curly hair is the first thing I notice, it's perfect. I'm quite shocked how tall and handsome he is. And his fashion style, containing grey skinny jeans and a blue and white checkered t shirt, it definately works for him. But I stop studying him as I notice a few cuts and bruises on his face. I instantly snap back to reality remembering why he is here.

"Nice to see you again Susan" Harry says in a voice that could make your legs tremble. Mum gives him a hug and he looks at me. "Hi Stephanie" He adds with a smile. I can see in his smile that he's not too pleased to be here, he's just being polite.

"Hi.." I force a smile back. My dad soon interrupts and offers to show Harry to his room. I watch him leave and I feel a little confused to who I've just greeted. My Mum smiles to me as she leaves the room.

---

It's been a couple of hours since Harry arrived here and we haven't yet seen him come out of his room. Mum and Dad are discussing whether to check if he is okay, so I head up stairs towards my room. I stop as I go to open my door and Harry opens his.

"Hey.." He mumbles loud enough for me to hear. "Is your bathroom that one?" He asks as he points at the door on the end. I look over and then back to him nodding.

"Yeah that's it." I say as I look away from him. He smirks as he makes his way past me but he stops and turns to me.

"You haven't changed much." He says and then turns away as he walks towards the bathroom. I watch him feeling a little bit shocked that he does remember me well enough to know I haven't 'changed' much to him. I quickly open my door and step inside, I close it and lean back. Why does he have to come and stay with us?

My phone goes again, I stand away from my door and it's from Amy:
So tonight?? xxx

I stare at the text, debating to myself. Should I? Shouldn't I? I quickly stop as I hear my Mum talking to Harry on the stairs about dinner tonight. I look down at my phone and hit reply:

Can't tonight, I've got something on with the family. xxx

Notes

So, if anyone has read so far, what do you think? I know I'm not great at writing, but I'm hoping to improve as I go!