The New Girl

Jojo's P.O.V:

I looked down at Ridley, unsure of what to say and do. Rid's my babe, my girl, my best friend. She can’t move. No, she can’t leave.

I saw Harry stand up in the corner of my eye. “Alex, Ridley, come with me” he said, grabbing his keys from the window ledge.

He looked too determined to care about anything else. “Why?” Ridley asked, breaking our eye contact. I frowned, but turned my attention back to Harry.

“I’m going to have a little talk with your parents” he said and Alex shot up.
“Oh god, don’t swear at them” he pleaded and Harry chuckled a little.
“I’m not” he said, looking him dead in the eye.
“I wanna come” I said, standing up besides Ridley.

“It’s up to them” Harry said, nodding to Simon before walking past him. Ridley looked desperately at me before following behind Harry. I ran out after them.



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The car ride to theirs was silent and tense. What's going to happen? Are they really going to have to move away?

I caught Rid sneaking glances at me through the rearview mirror, each time I smiled at her, hoping to cheer things up.

Harry pulled up next to Alex and Ridley's house, quickly turning off the car and getting out.
“It’s best if you let me do the talking” Harry said and I nodded as Ridley, Alex and I got out, not arguing with him. I notice Alex shaking as we walked up to the door, his emotions getting the better of him. I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and crushed him against my side. I felt his shaking notch down a bit, but it didn’t stop completely.

It was sad, seeing him so torn and the possibility of not seeing him again. Harry knocked on the door, standing tall like a brick wall. Seconds later, a tall, blonde man opened the door and smiled pleasantly at Harry. "Well hello Harry” he said, then looked over at Ridley and Alex. His smile faltered and I guessed that this was their step dad they tell me about.

“Hello Brian, may we come in?” he asked and Brain moved aside.

“Of course” he said, watching Harry stomp past him.

He gave me a curious glance as I walked with Alex into his own house. I looked ahead and saw a dining table a few feet away. There was some food on the table, but it looked as if no one has touched it in a while and the two people at it were kind of just sitting there.

A little, blonde girl that was sitting at the table jumped up and latched herself onto Harry's leg, a bright smile on her face. “Harry!” she squealed.

“Hi Maddie” Harry said, not paying much notice to her.

“What a pleasant surprise” a woman who I’ve seen in many pictures smiled at Harry.

Ridley and Alex's mother was prettier in person, but I didn't have time to think about that.
“Don’t just stand there, come on in” Brian said, encouraging me to proceed to the table. I noticed Alex unable to meet any ones eyes, causing me to tighten my arm around him and cautiously step up to the dining table.

Their mother looked over to me, scrunching up her nose a little.
“And you might be?” she asked, standing up from her seat.
“I'm Joanna, one of Alex and Ridley's best friends” I said, holding out my hand. She took her hand in mine and shook it with a pinched smile.
“Oh yes, I’ve heard quite a bit about you."she said, looking down at Ridley and Alex. I felt Alex stiffen before reluctantly pulling away from me.

“Where’s Grandma?” Ridley asked, looking at the dining table to avoid looking at her mother.
“She left early” she said before turning over to Harry.
“Where’s the other boys?” she asked.
“All together at my house" he answered, rather unhappy. Their mother nodded and took a step back to bring us all together in one big line of sight.

“So, what are all of you doing here?” she asked, but didn’t look at us as she spoke. She was too busy throwing arrows at Ridley and Alex with her eyes. “We’re here to talk to you, Mrs. White" Harry said.
“About?” she said rather casually.
“Ridley and Alex moving" Harry said and Maddie removed herself from his leg. Mrs. White opened her mouth, but I spoke before she could utter even the slightest noise.

“They can’t leave. They're like family to me and the boys” I said.

“Mum, we can’t leave” Rid croaked. Their mother sighed and scratched her scalp.

“Well...I mean, you could live with your birth dad. He doesn’t live far from here” she said, but Alex quickly protested. “We will do anything other than that. I refuse to go there. How could I live with a man who hits Ridley?” Alex said, and I could tell he was getting angry.

“Can’t we stay with Grandma?” he asked.
“Absolutely not. She shouldn’t have to take care of you” she said, frowning at Alex.

“They could live with my mum and I!” I piped in, breaking up the fight that was about to start between Alex and his mum.

Ridley's eyes slightly widened and she completely lit up with hope. “Oh, I couldn’t burden you with that” Nicks mother said, waving her hand. “Really, It’s no problem” I said.

“They could also spend some nights at my place” Harry said. I think he knew that Simon wouldn’t mind. He likes Alex and Ridley just as much as the rest of us.

“I don’t know...” she said, sighing again and raking her fingers through her hair. Maddie looked back and forth between all of us, not sure what to do.

“Just think about it” Harry said and Mrs.White nodded, then disappeared upstairs with Brian. Maddie scurried up the steps after them. Ridley and Alex turned to me, hope and wonder coating their eyes.

“Do you even know it it’s okay with your mum?"They asked and I nodded.

“Positive?” Alex asked, and I became unsure. Mums a sweetheart, I’m sure she would let them stay with us “I’ll call her” I said, whipping out my phone and calling her on speed dial. After two rings her voice greeted me through the phone. “Hey mum” I said.

“Hello darling, what's wrong?" I quickly explained the situation, and I could tell she was basically tearing up on the other end of the line. “I’m okay with that. They're good kids, and you and the boys' good friend” mum said and I smiled.

“Thank you Mum" I said, and hang up, just as their mum and Brian came down the stairs. “I guess there’s not much else we could do. if it’s okay with you, than alright” she said. Ridley squealed and literally jumped on her mom. Me and Harry looked at each other and smiled with huge relief and happiness.

“Thank you!!!” they gushed and she smiled a little sadly. They were staying, I didn’t have to lose my best friends. “Is it okay if you stay here until we leave?” Mrs. White asked them and they nodded. “When do you guys move?” Harry asked. “Next week” Brian answered her. Harry and I’s mouth hung open, shocked that they would have moved so soon.

“So soon” I said and Brian nodded.
“I got a job offer down in Texas” Brian explained.
“Congratulations” I said to him. He smiled and nodded his head as if to thank me. My phone rang in my hand and I apologized as I answered.

“Hello?”
"Hey, what's going on?" I heard a worried Liam's voice down the line.
"THEY'RE STAYING!" I shouted down the phone, and was greeted by a lot of shouting and cheering from the rest of the boys. "Okay, we'll be back in about 5 minutes!" I told him. "Alright, see you then!" "Uh, Mrs. White, Brian, we need to go now so..."

"Oh of course go ahead! Alex and Ridley, you go with them, you can start packing tomorrow!" "Okay mum!" They sung together "thank you!"

And we ran out the door and jumped in Harry's car. We didn't even look back once.

Notes

Umm... sorry.
I blame school. If it weren't for school, we would have updated sooner, and I wouldn't be dying from guilt right about now!

But anyway, New chapter! We hope you like it! Vote, subscribe and comment because it means allot =)