The Boy Next Door

Chapter 2

~Duncan~

I couldn't believe it when my parents told me that I was coming back here. At first, I thought it was a joke, but then the empty boxes came and we started to pack. Normally, I would be annoyed, maybe even a little angry, but I was excited. As I finished packing, I looked at the picture on the mirror; a picture of Courtney that I took from fifth grade. I've always wondered if she noticed that I took it. Taking the picture, I put it in my wallet and grabbed the last box and went down stairs. After help putting the rest of the furniture and boxes in the moving truck, we all squeezed into our car and drove to our new house.

Our new house is on this dead-end street, right next to the woods. It looks kinda wore down, but it has character. It's white, with a small front porch. I helped my parents bring the furniture in, and helped put them where my mom wanted them. After bringing in my bedroom furniture, I brought in some of the boxes and started to unload them.

~1 hour later~

Finally, after finishing putting away the plates and bowls, and other kitchen appliances, I started to unpack my clothes and my other bedroom stuff.

~2 hours later~

After putting up my soccer awards on the shelves, I checked out the time: 5:30 p.m. Since the house was pretty much done, I decided to walk around the neighborhood. I put on my black basketball shorts, my favorite Bob Marley t-shirt, and my black low Converse.

When I walked out of the house, I was greeted by gray cat with black spots. It looked at me with green-golden eyes before meowing and running next door, where it entered through the doggy door on the side of the enclosed porch. As I passed by the house, a small, tan girl, with blonde hair piled on top of her head exited out of the house and grabbed a Coke from the fridge and disappeared back into the house.

Man, I have to figure out who that is.

When I passed the last house on the corner, I ran into Trent and Gwen. They were all tangled up with each other and laughing. While I was thinking about saying something, Trent was the one who startled me by saying, "Duncan! Dude! Your back?" I laughed, and said, "Yeah. Ya know I had to come back to start trouble!" Trent and Gwen laughed and rolled their eyes. Man, you woulda thought they were married by the way they were so in sync. Gwen was on the volleyball team and softball team. Her once blonde hair was now black with blue highlights. Trent was on the football team and could play the guitar like Elvis. Like Gwen, his once blonde hair was now black.

I did say they were in sync, right?

After about a few minutes of talking about nothing, Trent asked if I ready for school tomorrow. Thinking about Courtney, I felt a slow, small smile appear on my lips. Trent and Gwen shared a look like they knew what I was thinking about. Before I could answer, my cell phone rang. It was my mom. I answered my phone, and within seconds, I hung up. I told Trent and Gwen that I had to go home to eat dinner. They smiled and said that they would see me at school tomorrow.

Walking back to my new house, I glanced at the house next to mine; it was blue-ish gray with a dark oak deck. In the driveway were a black Dodge Charger and a silver 1966 Mustang. It looked a little beat up, but other than that, it was in perfect condition. With a slight shake of my head, my eyes landed on the window above the enclosed porch. The figure had her back towards me. Her long, blonde hair looked wet, so she just have gotten out of the shower. Her window was slightly open and I could hear her sing a little off tune to Ke$ha's "Your Love Is My Drug." I laughed and started to walk away. I could watch her all night.

I walked in my house and headed towards the kitchen. There was a pizza on the counter, and I could hear my parents trying to decorate their room. I grabbed a plate and three slices of pizza and went to the living room. The tv was turned off, so I turned it on and flipped through the channels until I found Family Guy. While eating and paying somewhat attention to the show, I started to think about tomorrow; the start of senior year. The first time in over a year, I'm going to see Courtney. Will she want to talk to me? Will she want to see me? Will she even notice me? All of a sudden I start to have all these negative thoughts. Putting the now empty plate down, I put my head into my shaky hands and take several deep breaths. Taking one more controlled breath, I stand up and put my plate in the sink and looked at the time: 7:30 p.m. Walking up the stairs, I head for the bathroom. After kicking off my shoes and clothes, I tossed them into my bedroom, not caring where the landed, I went in the shower.

~30 minutes later~

I turned the water off and grabbed a towel. I roughly towel-dry my hair and wrap it around my hips. I clean off the mirror and begin to shave.

~5 minutes later~

After I was done shaving, I brushed my hair and walked into my bedroom. I trip over one of my shoes and staggered into my closet door. With a shake of my head, I lightly kicked the damned thing somewhere else. I pray that I don't trip over it again. Pulling on a pair of boxers, I put the towel on the hook outside of the bathroom door and climbed into my bed. Laying in the middle of the bed, I closed my eyes and start to think about Courtney. She's always on my mind. She's always the one girl I have ever dreamed about. She is the melody to every song I listen to.

Courtney.

The girl who stole my heart. She was always there for me, but my stupid self-pushed her away two years ago and haven't spoken to her since. She tried to talk to me over Facebook, but I froze up. All these emotions rushed right through me. I only replied back one letter only, "y." I felt like the biggest dick ever, knowing that she wanted to talk. I still feel like a dick. I mentally screwed with her and made her feel like shit all because I couldn't man up and tell her, "I love you." I shouldn't even be thinking about her at all, but I can't help it.

I sighed and turned on my side. I started to think about the good times with her instead of the bad. With a small smile, and nice, slow hazy coming over me, I made myself a promise. A promise that I refuse to break. I will do whatever I can to get Courtney back. To make her see that I am really here, and that I love her and I don't want to ever let her go. And with that, I fell asleep.

I woke up and found the house silent. I looked at the clock by my bed: 7:00 a.m. Jumping out of bed, I rushed into my closet. I pulled on a pair of blue shorts, a plain black t-shirt, and my old red Converse. I went into the bathroom and made my bed-headed hair into a low mohawk. I went down stairs and put a couple of waffles into the toaster. After the second time they came up, I put some butter on them and started to eat them. After I forced them down my stomach filled with butterflies, I took a swig from the orange juice cartoon and raced back upstairs. I brushed my teeth and put in my eyebrow and tongue piercings. I went back into my bedroom and grabbed my backpack, cell phone, keys and skateboard. When I went down stairs, I looked at the time above the tv: 7:20 a.m. I told my mom I loved her and left. I hurried up and skated my way to school.

~15 minutes after~

Thank God my gel made my hair stay up, or I would've been pissed. I walked to the underpass and saw my good, old friend, Owen. I smiled and waved at him before I leaned against one of the walls that support bridge. After about a few minutes of talking to Owen and some of my old friends, Owen smiles this big grin and points to someone over my shoulder and waves. Without hiding my curiosity, I turned around and locked eyes with the most beautifulest girl in the world. And in those onyx eyes, I knew exactly who they belonged to.

Courtney.

My heart started to beat erratically. I watched Owen walk over to her and hug her. Jealously and envy swirled in my mind as I watched them hug. Ignoring my negative thoughts, I walked over to them. Right when I was almost in front of them, they broke apart. When I was standing next to Owen, I watched her big, onyx eyes look at me like they couldn't believe what they were seeing. I know this because I was doing the same. She changed from the last time I saw her, yet again, so did I. I re-met her eyes and smiled. I walked closer to her and said hi, as I felt myself bend down and hug her.

I have no idea what came over me, but I'm glad it did. I felt her tense up for a brief second before, hesitantly putting her arms around me. I hugged her tighter before sense came over me. Right as I was about to release my hold and apologize, she let go and gave me a small, bashful smile.

Gosh, she was so beautiful.

She opened her mouth and started to say something until the first-warning bell rung.