You Cheated on Me Remember?

Chapter Three

"First things first, how'd you get in my house?" I curiously eyed her. "The front door was locked. No one but my grandma has the key."

"Oh yeah!" She stuck a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth and I had to wait for it to melt. "You aren't very good at keeping your windows locked." She smiled.

"Huh? W-wait, I l-locked i-it too."

Right? I never keep it open.

"Before I left the house. Plus, I don't even open the windows. That's what air conditioning is for."

"Sure. There was a little slit at the bottom because last time I was here you locked me out because you say I cause "damage". So, when you let me back in, I knew better than to keep it closed." She was about to stick in her last spoonful of ice cream in her mouth but instead said, "Being stuck outside at night is not the highlight of my evening. I learned that the hard way."

I threw away the ice cream cups right before there was a knock at the door. " I got it." I stuck my head in the living room and Nikki didn't even flinch. Nor move.

I shuffled my feet toward the door. Looking through the hole, I saw nothing but a round curved head. I flung the door open. There standing in front of me was a guy I've never met.

The pre-summer air instantly picked up his obsidian strands of hair and swayed it with its wind. I caught onto to his staggering 6-foot figure along with his nice biceps. I scolded myself for ogling him so openly, but I also couldn't help noticing his flashing emerald eyes gazing back at me.

"H-hi," I stuttered. "I've haven't seen you here in the neighborhood." I smiled politely, hoping that I didn't mean that offensively. "Can I help you with something?"

"My name's Kane Douglas," his melodious voice answered. "My family's moving in and we're having a hard time finding our house," He informed and smiled back at me. His strong jaw line jutted out, allowing me a view of his cute and handsome face.

"My name's Amber Vivern," I breathed. "And it'd be a pleasure if I could help you find it. What number?" I asked. His face was so beautiful I had a hard time concentrating on his words.

"1571."

"That's right next door to my house." I pointed to my left.

His face flushed a bright red.

"Oh. Right, that makes sense." He laughed and blushed adorably. Since your house is 1570." I nodded my head.

"Yeah," I said softly.

"I guess that means you’re my first neighbor I've met so far."

"Yeah." Oddly, I found myself saying, "We should hang out."

He looked at me straight in the eye. His eyes were so piercing that my knees almost buckled.

"Um sure, I could use as many friends at this point." He chuckled.

At the mention of 'friend', I twitched inwardly.

"Yeah?" I nervously switched my balance from one foot to the other. "There's a carnival at my school next Friday night. South Pacific High. We should go together. Are you going to go there...perhaps?" I questioned with a shy smile.

Oh, dear lord, Amber. What are you doing? You just met the guy for crying out loud.

"Yeah, that's where I'm going." Yet again he smiled that dazzling smile. "Does eight sound good? Or do carnival times work a little differently here?"

"Psh, it's not like we're medieval people who walk around in rags or something," I joked.

Oh my god, did I just say medieval people?

After scolding myself for being such a bad flirt, he said something that made me blush furiously.

He chuckled than said, "You're cute."

"Uh-um- thank you."

And just like that, my view of him changed. Now standing in front of me was no longer the new next-door neighbor who happened to be cute but the hot next-door neighbor who made my knees buckle to no end.

His eccentric green eyes studied me like a hawk, leaving a trail of heat on my skin.

"I'll see you around," he said.

I waved and mustered up a smile that was supposed to radiate confidence but who knew what I looked like after this little encounter. I locked the door once he was out of sight and collapsed back sighing. Are all boys so heart fluttering?

The gears turned in my head. This is how I'm going to make him jealous isn't it?

In the corner of my eye, I saw Nikki still leaning against the window.

I slowly crept up behind her and yelled, "HEY!" She squealed and fell backwards, hitting the floor.

"Hey, that's dangerous." She sat up on her elbows with a scrunched-up face. "And it hurt."

I smiled, trying to stifle my laughter. "If you want those eyes of yours, I suggest you keep them off Kane's ass." I said as I helped her up.

"I saw the way you looked at him. Don't deny it." Nikki teased, then she turned serious. "Are you going to use him?"

"I am not." I said as I conjured up his face. "We're going to go out and have a good time without any disruptions."

"Oh right. The carnival at school. The same carnival Jake happens to be going to, am I wrong?"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "I'm going with Kane and, hopefully, Jake sees us hanging out and gets jealous. There, lesson taught."

Then out of nowhere she jumps up, gets all up in my face, and blurts, "Aren't you worried that you might fall in love with him and he'll find out that you used him out of revenge?" Her voice slowly escalated each word that escaped her mouth.

"Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that." She raised her eyebrows at me. "Geez, you always do that. Ok, I am a little worried that it might happen. But falling in love are for dopes. I'm not a dope." I

She scoffed and mumbled "whatever".

"I have faith in this plan but using Kane...eh...doesn't it sound mean?" Now that I think about it, it does sound...mean.

"It's not mean unless he finds out." I sighed. "And he won't find out. Not on my watch anyway." My words were meant directly to Nikki.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure he won't ever get an idea like that." She got up and stuck out her hand.

"What?" I eyed her suspiciously.

What's she up to now?

"Come on. We're going up to your room and pick out an outfit. Buddha knows you do everything last minute." I scoffed at the ridiculous remark.

I let her haul me up and pick out outfits that are baby steps of my plot. I must admit, using someone was kind of dark but even the best of us have it in us.