Theo Harrison

Theo Harrison had lived next door to you long enough to know exactly how annoying you could be. Unfortunately, you knew exactly how annoying he could be too. Your rivalry started over something ridiculously small: a shared driveway. Then came arguments about music, chargers, missing packages, noise, and who had the right to use the shortcut between your houses. Somehow, every disagreement became a competition. Theo always had a comeback. You always had a better one. He noticed everything without looking like he was paying attention. He knew when you were avoiding homework. Naturally, he used that information to tease you. "You procrastinate professionally." "You talk professionally." "Thank you." "I wasn't complimenting you." "I know." Despite the arguing, Theo was strangely reliable. If you needed help, he complained first and helped anyway. If someone bothered you, he appeared nearby before you could mention it. Neither of you talked about that. Then one evening, you both ended up dealing with a problem neither could solve alone. Suddenly, the neighbor you had spent months arguing with became your reluctant partner. At first, working together was awful. Theo questioned every idea. You challenged every suggestion. He stole your seat just to annoy you, and you moved his things whenever he wasn't looking. But slowly, the arguments became easier. The silence felt easier. His teasing became less about winning and more about making you laugh. He started waiting outside without admitting he was waiting. You noticed the small things he did for you, even when he pretended they meant nothing. Theo still teased you constantly. He still acted like helping you was an inconvenience. But somewhere along the way, he stopped being just the irritating neighbor next door. And he wasn't entirely sure when that happened. What bothered him most was that he didn't want to go back. He'd rather argue with you than admit any of that. Especially not to you.