BOY NEXT DOOR

Tart

"There's no way!"

Jay's face breaks into a wide smile.

"Aren't you amused to find out that Mr buttface is your next door neighbour?"

"Amused? I'm shocked!" I stare at Zac who appears to be very happy with himself. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"You aren't happy that we're neighbours?"

"Of course I'm happy. Don't be silly. Why didn't you tell me when you found out?"

"I only found out last evening. I didn't want to interrupt your alone moment with Kain."

"It wasn't an alone moment. I was just giving him a notebook."

"You guys were holding hands, and Kain always comes for my notes whenever he misses class."

"Are you accusing me of something?"

"What do you think? Have you been sneaky?"

"I mean-"

He smirks at me.

"How come I didn't see you around the house these last few days after you moved in?"

"Because I happen to live inside the house, not outside of it?"

"Touché. We'll have a lot of fun, shortcake."

"Hey! Don't call her that!" Jay warns him.

Zac bursts out laughing as he raises both hands in surrender.

"Let's just head to class, shall we?"

"Let's go, shortcake." Jay grabs my hand. "I feel so bad for you."

"For me? Why?"

"You have a jerk for a neighbour."

"Two jerks."

Zac's brow creases.

"Kain is not a jerk."

"Right. My bad."

**

Kain is already seated at their regular spot when we walk in. George is not in yet so he is all alone. He glances at us briefly, his eyes lingering on me for a moment before he goes back to the thick book in his hands.

"Where's George?" Zac asks him, sliding into the seat next to him.

Kain shrugs absently.

"I don't know. He should be here any moment from now."

I sit next to Zac, then Jay lowers himself beside me.

"Hey guys?" Tatiana's voice surprises me. We all look up. She's standing on the aisle right beside us, her hair flowing over one shoulder, her lips painted a sinful red.

Zac rolls his eyes while Jay sighs in sheer annoyance. Kain just looks on, unamused.

"What do you want?" Jay makes a face.

"Not you, obviously."

Jay screws his nose.

"Get away, poptart."

Tatiana steps back, glaring at him. I briefly wonder if anyone has ever called her a poptart before? That would make my day so much brighter.

Tatiana comes to a stop a safe distance away before she turns back to Kain who's still giving her that uninterested look.

"Kain, can I talk to you?" She asks with a pout, her red lips puckering. In another world, she'd be the most beautiful girl I've ever met. Right now though, she's a giant pain in the ass.

"Of course you can." Kain says calmly.

"Really? I knew it! I knew I was irresistible!"

"I actually meant you can talk to me in your dreams."

Half the class, which is religiously following the exchange, wheezes with laughter.

"You love me, Kain. You just don't know it yet."

I watch as Kain bites his lower lip, to keep his laughter an distaste at bay I guess.

"Believe whatever will help you sleep at night. While you are at it, stay away from my friends."

"Is the Isabella girl one of your friends now? Is she?"

Zac starts to stand up but Jay beats him to it. He comes to a stop in front of Tatiana, glaring down at her. She's wearing high heeled sandals but he's still an inch taller.

Tatiana takes a backward step when Jay hovers over her, his expression hard.

When he talks, his voice has an angry rasp to it.

"Listen, tart, or whatever the hell the you like to call yourself. I can't stand you. I really can't, but I put up with you anyway. But, I'm not going to be a sweetheart any more if you won't leave Bella alone. Don't talk to her; don't even look her way, and everything will be fine."

"If I do? What will you do about it?"

"I'll whoop your ass so bad you'll need a nanny to take you to the bathroom."

"Why are you defending her?"

"Why not?"

My heart is leaping in my chest. In as much as I believe in fighting my battles, I've never had a friend like Jay, one who could actually stand up for me.

Tatiana rolls her eyes and takes another backward step.

"I want Kain. Not you. Stay out of it."

"What do you want? A speaker in your ear yelling that he doesn't want you? That you make him sick in the stomach?"

"Are you his spokesman or what?"

"That's one way to put it. My point is, stay away from Bella. In fact, get moving. Show's over."

Tart doesn't budge. She looks over at Kain, who is just watching them.

Tart looks from me to him then back to me. Her eyes are full of hatred, and she narrows them into slits when they meet mine. For the first time ever, I feel kind of scared. Without thinking, I reach for Zac's hand under the desk.

Zac doesn't pull away like I half-expected. He just gives my hand a reassuring squeeze.

I turn to Tatiana who is still looking at me.

"What do you want from me?"

"Don't be friends with them. That's what I want."

"We don't always get what we want, do we now?"

"In my world, I'm queen. I get what I want."

"Except this is not your world. It's a highschool, and you're sharing it with a bunch of students, so why don't you pull your head out of your butt and calm down a little?"

"Look here, you little s**t-"

Jay solidly stands in her way when she makes to advance towards me.

"Jay, step back for a minute." Kain finally speaks up.

Jay hesitates before he takes a small, backward step. By now, the whole class is watching us.

And where on earth is the teacher?

I watch on as Kain leans forward in his seat.

"Tatiana, I won't be talking to you again, so pay attention. I don't want you." He says the words slowly, like he's addressing a child. "I'll never want you. I don't want to see you anywhere near me, and I sure as hell don't want you getting close to my friends. And, I especially don't want you harassing Bella. Stay the hell away from her."

"Are you two together already?"

"Now that wouldn't be your business, would it?"

Tatiana flinches before she turns on her heel and starts to leave, stopping a few feet away to look at me.

"You won't win this, Isabella."

Kain speaks up before I do.

"It's Bella. Keep moving."

I turn to look at him. I can't believe he just did that.

I wonder what the catch is?

"You're staring, Belle. Again."

I blink, watching Kain as he goes back to his thick ass book.

I'm barely aware of Zac's thumb moving idly over my knuckles. It's kind of soothing so I let him keep holding my hand even after the teacher comes in. Jay is still pissed because, Tatiana, and he is not talking much which is so unlike him.

When the class comes to an end and George hasn't still shown up, we all get worried. Jay tries to call him but his phone doesn't go through. He want to text Jade to ask if she's seen him, but Zac counters, saying she'll get worried if she thinks that something happened to him.

Kain suggests that we check his apartment, a suggestion that is very welcome.

Again, we have to carpool. Zac's idea. He really does push his agenda of saving the environment.

We're using Jay's car since he claims that Kain drives like a maniac, and he'd die before he let him drive us. Kain just smiles at that and climbs into the back seat.

Zac calls shotgun before I can even blink.

I have to sit with Kain at the back.

Again.

He is watching me as I get in, his eyes alight with amusement. He's seated in the middle seat and he doesn't move over to give me more space. He seems to be having so much fun when he sees the annoyance on my face.

I sit as far from him as I can, which I can assure you is not very far.

Kain sighs and leans back into the seat, draping his long hands over the headrest, such that his arm is right behind my head.

I try to ignore him. I keep my entire attention on Jay as he smoothly pulls out of the parking lot. We have another class in about an hour so I hope we won't be gone too long.

Zac turns to look at us, instantly frowning at our sitting position. We're so close to each other, what with Kain's arm behind me and his leg brushing lightly against mine?

I wish he'd just move.

"Are you okay?" Zac asks me.

"Hardly."

"I figured as much. You look like a tomato."

"It's kinda hot in here, but I think that's just Jay."

Zac c***s an eyebrow.

"You think Jay is hot?"

"You don't?"

"Not really. I do think he has a nice butt though."

"His butt is flat."

"He likes to believe otherwise." Zac laughs as he shifts his gaze to Kain's arm which I'm practically leaning into. "Do you want to sit shotgun on the way back?"

When Kain scoffs, I nod all too eagerly.

"I'd love that. Thank you."

He nods and looks back ahead.

"You find Jay attractive?"

I nod, turning slightly to look at Kain when he asks that.

"I mean, yeah. He's easily the most attractive guy in the group."

I'm sure my answer would have been different a few days ago. Kain's good looks caught my eye the very first time I saw him but Jay, not so much. I've just been spending so much time with Jay, and he's easily the sweetest and funniest guy I've ever interacted with, so my opinion on him has changed drastically these last few days.

I think he's the cutest guy I've ever met.

"Do you think Zac is attractive?"

I narrow my eyes at Kain.

"Do you think you can move your leg?"

"What's wrong with my leg?"

"It's rubbing me the wrong way. Literally."

"Remember when you said I could sign your boobs?" He lowers his voice.

"Uh huh?"

"Does after school sound good to you?"

I realize what he's doing. He said I'm terrible at making him squirm, so he's just proving his point by making me absolutely uncomfortable.

But since two can always play the game, I casually lift my shoulders before I let them drop.

"Your place or mine?"

"You're basically grounded so I'll sneak in through the window at eight."

I turn to stare at him.

"Please be joking?"

"Of course I'm joking. I can't possibly sneak in through the window. I'm not a vampire."

"You're not? That's a shame. I was just starting to like you."

Kain starts to say something, but then he stops almost immediately. That's because three things happen at once.

First, Jay screams.

Second, a car which has apparently been trailing us hits Jay's car from behind, and third, I grab Kain for support when the car swerves off the road; clinging to him as horror and panic sets in.