Girl Next Door

Chapter 2

We’ve been here for a week now and we’re almost completely settled in. Thankfully, my classes start next Monday. Four days until I step foot onto the new campus. Four days until I’m submerged in a sea of faces I’ve never seen before.

A knock at the door woke me up and I lay in bed, waiting for my parents to answer it.

Knock knock knock.

Ugh. Why weren’t they answering it? I got out of bed and grabbed my glasses from the nightstand, putting them on my face. I ran a hand through my messy hair, in an attempt to make myself look presentable. With my sweatpants and T-shirt, I’m sure it was null and void anyways.

I swung open the door and let out a quick hello that sounded more like a question than a statement. I was greeted by an older blonde woman, a man wearing a flannel and jeans—presumably her husband, and a young woman. I had to double-take the latter. She was a hot young woman. Sandy blonde hair, tan skin, green eyes, tight jeans, and a black band T-shirt. She was looking into my eyes and I shifted my weight, getting nervous under her gaze.

“So, we wanted to give you a chance to settle in, but we wanted to welcome the new neighbors!” The older woman snapped me back to reality and I smiled at her.

“Thank you. My name is Emily. My parents, David and Anna, aren’t here right now, I don’t think. But I’ll tell them you stopped by.”

“Great! My name is Theo, this is my wife, Hannah, and our daughter, Charlie,” the man said as he beamed at the two women. They were a very cute family.

“Yes, Charlie is a student at the U of A and we saw that you were going there, by the stickers on your car. So if you need anything at all, let her know,” Hannah said, warmly. I liked her.

“Yes, anything.” Charlie stared straight through me and I felt my cheeks getting red.

“Thank you all so much. I’ll, I’ll tell my parents you stopped by. Thank you,” I blurted out and wanted to die. Charlie was smirking at me and I felt like a blubbering fool.

After closing the door, I nearly collapsed against it. My heart was pounding and my face was flushed. What in the world was going on? I had never been such a fool in front of a girl. I was normally flattered, but never flustered. I knew how to play it cool with girls, and to stay focused on my studies.

I heard a whimper and looked over at Layla, who had her head c****d at me. “What, girl? Did you witness that?” She wagged her tail and came over to me, jumping on me. “I’m an i***t, huh?” She licked my face and I laughed. “But she was hot, what can I do?” I asked her, half-expecting an answer. I received none, unsurprisingly.

She stepped on my heels as she followed me out of the back door. I sat on our porch swing and pushed myself back and forth as I watched her romp around the backyard. A lizard caught her attention and she was off.

I halfheartedly paid attention to her as my mind wandered back to Charlie. Was she messing with me? Was she gay? Would I see her a lot at school? Would she interfere with my schooling? I couldn’t let that happen. I had to stop this madness. I had two more years to focus on my studies. After that, I will give her a chance. Oh my God, I’m so full of myself. What makes me think I have a chance with her?

I shook my head and called myself an ‘i***t’ out loud.

“What?” I heard my mother’s voice from the doorway.

“Oh, nothing. Just thinking out loud.”

“Uh huh.” She sounded amused and walked over to the porch swing, sitting down beside me. “Your father and I got Filibertos for lunch, it’s Mexican food. Seems like a lot of food for each portion, but I guess we need to get used to the Arizona way,” she chuckled.

“Oh good, I’m starving.” I stood up, starting towards the kitchen. “Oh, the neighbors stopped by. They wanted to welcome us. They seem really nice.”

“Oh really? That’s very sweet of them. We should invite them over for dinner maybe.”

“Yeah, that would be cool,” I blurted out and wanted to kick myself. My mom could see right through me.

“That was a very quick agreement, Em,” she said knowingly. “Do they happen to have a daughter?

“Uh, maybe.” Ugh. And my cheeks were flush again. I was an i***t. I would never hear the end of it.

“I think I’ll just go invite them right now,” she slyly said to me, making her way to the front door.

“Mom, oh my God. Don’t make us seem desperate.” Please, stop this madness.

She came back over to the kitchen table, grabbing the various burritos out of the bag. “Okay, but I am inviting them over tonight. I want to meet this girl who has you all gaga.”

I swallowed up my embarrassment and a big bite of my burrito, ignoring her.