The Jerk Next Door

Chapter 24: Upside Down And Pizza Talks

Asher

"Do you ever just wonder what it would be like if we stayed friends after elementary?" I asked, dangling my head off the end of her twin sized bed. My hair falling in line with gravity as the blood rushed to my head quickly.

I heard the sound of a thick textbook closing before the bed began to dip near me. Looking to my right I was smacked with an orange ponytail. Once my silly neighbor finally settled in her place upside down beside me, a small smile gracing her rough lips.

"Why this question all of a sudden?" She asked, tilting her head causing her hair to whip around on the floor. Snowball, the cat, was somewhere under her bed, so I let my right arm dangle in between us and brought it up to brush against her cheek. She giggled before shifting closer. "I don't know, maybe we would have become the best of friends. But then I wouldn't have met Daniela the way I did."

I borrowed my brows in confusion. "Why would us still being friends have stopped you from meeting Dani?"

Her eyes shined as the lights hit them causing the dark and light greens to mix. Her lips were turning down, but she quickly brought them back up to a smile. She let out a shaky breath and looked down at the brown fur ball that was watching her hair dangle just out of reach.

"Seventh grade, about a year after we drifted apart, I didn't have many friends. Most moved or thought I was too geeky. I had just gotten my glasses and carried a new comic with me everyday. But one day, I realized there was this one girl I had almost every class with. Daniela. I didn't think she would like me  too much since most quiet girls thought I was too loud or annoying to be with, but about a week later she was put in the percussion section due to an issue with her playing her bass clarinet.

We both realized we were the same. Two girls who had friends move or leave because she was too nerdy or wasn't cool enough. That plus having most classes in command, we grew close in a matter of months. And here we are four years later." Her eyes finally shifted back up to meet mine. Glossy after thinking back to the memory. "If I still had you, I wouldn't have been looking for friends I guess. She still would've been put on in my section, but I wouldn't have been like her."

I let her hair go to reach back on the bed for her hand. It was silent for a moment as I brushed my thumb over the back of her hand. It was silent until Maksean let out a loud yelp.

"Ow, Snowball!" She reached back to grab her hair, but with her sudden clumsy movements, she slid too far. Her back was on the floor with her knees trying their hardest to to stay on the mattress. Her cartoon themed sock covered feet were frantic to find something to latch onto to steady her. "Asher!" She hissed trying to reach out for my laughing body. As soon as her hands uncovered her hair, Snowball resumed his attack.

I couldn't help but laugh at the scene. But when I hand grabbed my bicep, I knew I was done for. With a loud thud we both fell to the floor; the feline fleeting the scene not to be caught as the red head screamed in agony.

Loud footsteps made their way to the room. Mr. Smith stood at the door upside down in my eyes with an amused expression. His wife came into view, giggling at us.

I realize then how silly we must look. Maksean was sprawled out with her toes still clinging to the sheets, hair all over the place. A hand still on my arm that was reaching over her body in a protective looking manner. My own hair probably messed up, and legs still sliding down the side of the bed. From the rooftop view it might've looked like I was driving with my arm out like a mother hitting the brakes.

"What happened here?" The man asked in between his chuckles. Criminal cat waltzed in to rub against his leg as if he wasn't the reason we were in this predicament.

"Snowball! He-" We all watched as Maksean attempted to get herself up only to end up back on the ground when her legs finally hit the ground.

The couple at the door laughed at the clumsy act while I twisted around pulling my own legs off the mattress to help the silly girl on her quest to get the cat.

"Snowball!" She yelled once more dramatically earning a hiss from the brown creature.

I moved the covers that had fallen along with our limbs to prevent anymore falling. A soft smile sliding onto my lips when I see that Maksie has gotten herself up and was being stopped by her father from chasing after Snowball who most likely went to Emma.

"Asher? What kind of pizza do you like?" Mrs. Swift asked as her husband and step dad were having a conversation that involved some very dramatic hand gestures. "We decided to just order some pizzas since Mr. Macho here got hurt over doing some unpacking, and I am just too tired from my day at the hospital."

I didn't know Mrs. Swift worked at the hospital, but that does explain her attire.

"Just whatever kind, I just like pizza in its many forms." I respond politely. I felt like she was the only parent who knew about me and Maksie for sure. I wasn't sure if Mr. Swift knew since he didn't act any different from me. And with the way he talked about how I should watch her at the party, I'm sure he would act a little differently about me in his daughter's room alone.

I watched as her parents left us with chuckles on their lips. Maksean huffed before plopping down harshly, almost worrying me.

"Ow" she groaned, rolling over with a pained expression.

"Well maybe you shouldn't do such things, ya dork." I say pulling her to me. "Hey," I bring my fingers to brush against her hand. "Does your father know about us?"

I watched as her eyes widened and she quickly sat up. I followed her and together we sat cross legged facing each other. I still had one of her hands in my own, and she began to fiddle with it.

"Maks? I know your step mom knows, but does he?" I watched as she shrugged, the green sweater that adored her shoulders creasing. "We should let him know. I don't want you in trouble, remember?" I state referring to our conversation from a few weeks ago. How time flies. It feels like only a day ago I reunited with Maksean as her new neighbor, and now here we are a month later, on her floor a week into dating.

"Yeah, okay." She said with a playfully tired tone. "Dinner?"

"Dinner?" I confirm, bringing my hand to her face. We waited for the doorbell to ring signaling the arrival of our dinner by laying on the cool floor of her room simply talking about life and how things have changed.

Once we found our way to the average sized kitchen, we were greeted by everyone in the household. The two younger kids were already stuffing their faces with the pepperoni goodness while the married couple waited for us. Both gave a glance to our intertwined hands. I hadn't even noticed when we held hands, it had become such a normal thing for us to do. Mrs. Adrian had a controlled smile, but her husband's eyes grew comically as if in a cartoon.

Before I could try to retract to give Maksean some more time to figure out how to explain, Maksean gripped my hand tighter. A look of determination present and clear on her freckled face.

"Dad, Asher is my new boyfriend," and with those words, all Hell broke loose.