the boy next door /a.i/

chapter three: alana

The sound of my dad’s exhausted voice wakes me from my trance.

“Lani, come on, the taxi’s waiting!” he stresses grabbing the last bag and placing it into the boot of the car. After a tedious 24hour flight, we had finally arrived to the place I was now expected to call home. Despite the ache I felt in my heart, a part of me was relieved to finally be here.

My eyes scan the busy streets of Brisbane as the taxi driver chats absentmindedly to my father, discussing the current world affairs. I watch masses of people pass by, all from different areas, all with different purposes, and realise how truly selfish life is. The whole world revolves around you, and as much as you deny it, it always will.  I observe as day turns to night and light turns to dark, and people illuminate the busy streets. Somewhere in my philosophical thinking, I must have dozed off as I am awoken by my father’s cheerful face.

“Baby, we’re here!” he whispers as he helps me out the car. I scan the area I am now expected to call home, and watch as my father unloads boxes into the house. I have to say, I’m impressed! A coldersack of houses are surrounded by a small forest, and a few elegant looking houses crown the area. I look directly at the house next to mine and admire the garden they have created. My eyes catch with someone in the window; a boy, no a teenager, but he’s gone too quickly for me to take anything from it.

After a long night of sleeping, or should I say not sleeping, on a broken mattress, I awake to a warm ray of sunlight shining on my face. For a moment or two, I forget where I am, entering a state of panic, but the delectable smell of bacon causes me to bring myself back to earth. This is it; this is the beginning of my new life. I drag my self off the mattress and head downstairs, following the smell of the food.

“Jesus Christ Lani, you look awful!” my dad laughs, then his face turns to a state of shock. I look behind me, checking to see if anything insidious is behind me, but find nothing.

“Wh-“ I start but am interrupted almost immediately.

“Why the hell are you not dressed?” he shouts, dropping the frying pan onto the stove.

“Why would I be dressed? I don’t think I even function until at least 12pm!” I laugh, taking a seat at the table.

“Because you have school, that’s why!” Dad stresses, raking a hand through his hair.

“It’s a Monday Lani! It’s your first day at school! You can’t afford to be late!” he moans as he practically pushes me up the stairs.

Jesus Holy Shit, I think to myself as I throw on the first thing I see – some skinny jeans and a sweater. ‘How the holy fuck am I suppose to make myself look presentable when I look like I just survived an exorcist’ my brain asks, as I rip a brush through my hair. I barely have time to put some food in my mouth before the doorbell rings. I check my watch; I have two minutes to leave the house and now some dickwad is trying to stall me.

“I swear to God, if you’re here to sell cookies, I will fuckin…” I groan as my eyes catch a hazel pair. My mouth drops open as I see the most beautiful human being I have ever set my eyes on – oh come on, I’m a seventeen year old virgin, I’m allowed to stare!

“Oh believe me, if I made cookies they would definitely be worth your time” the boy smirks. I feel my dad place his hand on my shoulder as he beams down at me.

“Lani, this is Ashton, he goes to your new school. His mother offered for him to drive you last night”

It takes everything in me not to have a mental breakdown right here, right now. Instead, I grab my coat and head towards his car.