Next Door Lover

9.

Katie's POV
I rush up the stairs of my empty house with a huge smile on my face. I kissed her. I finally laid my lips on her oober-soft, delicious lips. And she kissed me back! Okay, yes it was rushed and unexpected, and maybe she was in shock but she definitely reciprocated the kiss. I expected her to push me away, yell at me even, but for that couple of seconds it felt like she enjoyed it.

I stay up pretty late that night, imagining what it would be like to hold her, to taste more of her, and I don't realize how late I'm up until I hear a loud crackle of thunder that makes me jump and almost drop my iPad on the floor. I glance at my clock seeing it's already 4:30am and my picture editing is just about done, so I email Melanie some copies of the photos so she can choose and also offer to print any photos for a small additional fee. The prints that I develop for people always come out amazing because I use this little area in the basement that is tucked away under the stairs as a black room. Using a black room to develop prints makes the colors really pop and the no-light makes the picture develop streak free. It's my favorite way to print photos, but does take more time to do and most people do everything digitally now so they usually don't want that.

I decide that I've been up long enough and try to snuggle into my blanket and get comfortable but between the flashes of lightening and insistent down pour of the rain it's hard to do so. The trees around the back yard and the sides of the house start to sway and each branch that sways makes a creepy creeking noise. It's quite nerve wracking how a storm appeared out of nowhere and is really starting to pick up.

When there's a big crack of thunder that shakes the whole house I sit up in bed and clutch my blanket closer to me. This is one of those times where I hate that I'm alone. What if a tree falls on the house, it's definitely possible. The trees are already bending so much I fear they may snap out of the ground. Then I hear a low banging. Wait... thunderstorms don't bang? I get out of bed and head downstairs to find the banging coming from the front door. I swing it open, wondering who's on the other side and am shocked to see a soaking wet Scarlett standing under an umbrella.

"Katie get dressed. You're coming by me." She yells over the roar of the storm.

"What-"

She steps inside to escape the rain for a minute while closing the umbrella before speaking, "please, the kids are home alone and I'd like to get back to them quickly."

"Whats going on?" I say as I'm running up the stairs, fully aware Scarlett is following me up and I'm just in my underwear with a large shirt.

"Hurricane Steven arrived a couple days early." She says glancing over my room. Her eyes fall on my Nirvana and Guns N Roses posters. Then, the emeralds fall on my small bulletin board that's full of photos. They're mostly of Leah and I making stupid faces with different backgrounds but I see her eyes linger longer on the photos of me and Gabby, my ex. I never took them down because our break up didn't bother me. we knew we had to end it and we did. It's not my fault she turned crazy and ran away.

"I'm ready." I say dressed in a hoodie and shorts, with a small bag for my laptop, chargers and toothbrush.

"C-cool. Let's go." She clears her throat and leads the way to my front door. "I only brought one umbrella" she turns to me before opening the door.

"It's okay. Just run for it." I shrug my shoulder and she nods. My front door opens and we both step out and squeeze under her umbrella while I close and lock my door. Her hand is around my waist, holding me close to her and out of the rain. Her touch is burning me, and to anyone else I wouldn't act like this but to her, I can't feel my heart beating out of my chest and pray she can't hear it.

"Go go go!" I squeal as we run across our lawns, through the gates and into her front door. The wet drippings drip all over her floor as we slip out of our shoes and she stores the umbrella in the side closet. I go into the kitchen grabbing a towel and cleaning up the front entrance for her.