My Neighbor's Secret

Chapter 5: Rose

"What do you wear when you go to your hot neighbor's house for dinner?" I ask, spinning around in my wheely chair.

"Not a robe!" Caroline exclaims even though she's in one too," Pinterest it."

I stop spinning, using my foot as a break," how would you search that though? Neighbor house-wear?"

Caroline laughs," what about those dark wash capris with your anchor tank?"

I shrug, now rummaging though my closet," why not."
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Luke and Oliver grumble about going to Ashton's for dinner, but go willingly. Luke just rolls his eyes," why do we have to go?" He whines.

"Because cute guys are going to be there and you will behave!" Caroline warns.

"Hot guys?" Oliver and Luke say cautiously at the same time.

"Yes, so suck it up and let's go we're Late." I say, leaving. Without checking to see if they follow.
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The door opens before I even knock. A burly man stands on the other end, his mouth in a straight line. All four of us smile in unison, trying to look as innocent as possible in from of this scary man.

But then he smiles back," in Jon, nice to meet you!" He laughs and it just about causes an earthquake.

I laugh uneasily back.

"You four look like you were about to shit your pants when you saw me," in about to apologize when he cuts me off," its fine. Everyone does that. Even miss Jocelyn did when she first met me."

Ashton's mom plants a kiss on his cheek," well let the poor kids in Jon!"

Ashton appears behind them, taller than both. He smiles when we meet eyes," hey."

We all walk in, taking off our shoes by the other ones," this is Caroline, Oliver and Luke. And I'm Rose," I introduce us to Ash's dad.

"Well nice to meet you all," Jon says in a deep voice.

Sam comes rushing into the room," oh hey guys," he says breathlessly. Then to Ashton," you seen Mat? He took my phone."

Just then a broad teenage boy with buzzed brown hair runs past us and into what I assume is the kitchen. Sam growls, like growls, sounding guttural.

"MATT!" He yells, chasing him with a quite spectacular speed.

I raise an eyebrow at Ashton, who just shakes his head and laughs," they do this a lot." He explains.

Another boy walks in, his reddish hair sticking straight up," people?" He sounds quite awkward.

"This is Kayden," Ashton says," and the guy runic around over there is Matt and the surfer boy is Sam."

Luke and Oliver eye Ashton, as if seeing if they can take him if necessary.

"I'll show you guys around," Ashton decides.

When we walk into the living room, I muffle a gasp. I've never actually been in my neighboring home, always assuming it was architecturally similar to mine. But it's not. It has high ceilings with amazing expensive looking chandelier-type lights hanging from them. In the corner of the room is a flight of stairs.

But j the middle is a flat screen TV with black leather couches and love seats surrounding it. There are pictures everywhere, of Sam and Ashton in soccer uniforms, of Jocelyn and Jon, there are even other adults who don't look familiar. I smile, this is a home.

"This is the living room," Ashton says before moving across the mud room again and going into the kitchen.

It has name brand pots and pans scattered across the granite counter, a pampered chief mixer in the corner. Jocelyn squeaks and shoos us out, muttering something about how messy it is.

Next Ashton takes us to the dining room, where a shiny black table lies. It looks big enough to hold 20 people. Then he gestures to the halway," these are just people's rooms."

Caroline and I go back into the living room, where Matt is watching football and Sam is crooning over his iPhone. Matt is cheering for the Green Bay Packards.

I lean In close to her ear," they suck. Bears rule."

Matt points to me," I heard that!"

"How could he possibly have-"

Sam claps his hands, stopping me mid sentence," come on come on come on!"he leans forward, eyes glued to the tv screen. One of the Packards players was running down the field, close to the touchdown line.
(A/n I'm sorry I know nothing about football.)
But then a big man from the Bears tackles him to the ground and I can't hold in my victorious yelp,"ha!" I say loudly," told you bears rule!"

Ashton, who is now engrossed in the game, Sam and Mat all look at me and yell," SHUT UP!"

Caroline laughs and falls onto the arm of the chair Sam is in," come on. Bears do rule."

Abi comes running into the living room," Rosey!" She squeals.

Nobody really notices, all of them are too glued to the tv. Abi drags me into her bedroom, which looks like a cotton candy machine exploded in it. Baby blue and pink cover her room like a blanket of dust. Abi jumps onto her princess bed-spread," can you do my hair like your hair?" She asks sweetly.

I touch my two inside out French braids, I just messily threw them into it because I was running late. Shrugging, I sit behind her," tell me if I pull your hair okay?" I say.

She nods. I use the elastic I have on my wrist, moving her part to the middle of her head and separating it into to parts. As I work my fingers through it, Abi starts to talk.

"You know Ashton was talking about you after we went swimming today," she starts.

I smile even though she can't see me," oh really?" I say," what did he say?"

"He said you were soooo pretty and sweet and nice and pretty and cute and he wouldn't stop talking," Abi giggles.

"Did not," I turn and see Ashton smiling, leaning against the door frame.

I feel myself blush.

"You did too!" Abi protests.

But neither of us really acknowledged her, too busy studying the depths of each other's eyes. Ashton stands there, almost like he's frozen in place. My fingers have stopped braiding Abi's hair. His eyes are golden, flecked with Amber near the pupils. His eyelashes are long, dark, and amazing. Eyelashes any girl would die for. Then his eyes start to look at other details of my face, the crevices of my cheekbones, the curve of my lips. My cheeks redden even more.

But then he snaps out of his, shaking his head as if clearing away the fog. Ashton's stance goes uncertain," I'm um- I'm going to go watch the game if you need anything."

And just like that he leaves, as if nothing had just happened between us.