The Neighbors

Love Lost or Love Gained?

I had been sleeping in Dan's room with him for a week now and normally I slept soundly but tonight I woke up at four am and gently moved Dan's arm from around my waist and left to go back to my old place. I unlocked the door with my old key and tiptoed into the kitchen to make tea. Aviary still bought the kind I loved even though she despised it. I walked into the living room and sat in my old cream-colored chair with my grey knit blanket neatly draped over the side. I silently watched the rain fall until my tea ran out. I turned to put my mug back and I saw Caspar standing behind me in his black sweatpants and no shirt. 

"Hello." I said bitterly, passing him to get into the kitchen. 

"I love you." He said miserably, following me and trying to grab my hands which I snatched away.

"No, Love, you don't. If you genuinely loved me, you wouldn't ever decorate my eyes with tears, my ears with lies, and my heart with a wound."I said calmly, staring into his eyes.

"I would never." He stated and stepped closer. "Lie to me." He whispered, and I could feel his breath on my cheek.

"I love you." I lied through my teeth, just as he had asked and I had never felt so free.

Dan POV

I felt right next to Jennifer, as though we were two pieces of a puzzle that were put back together. So, when I awoke to find her nowhere in sight, I was worried. I got up and searched the entire flat, and finally went back to my room and sat down on my bed. Her guitar and bag was still here so I knew she wouldn't be far. I heard the door unlock and her sigh of frustration and ran to the door. When I saw her I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her cheek about twelve times. 

"I missed you too." She said before kissing me softly.

"Where were you? You scared me." I said, following her back to my room.

"With Caspar." She said emotionlessly. She must have noticed my disgusted expression so she said "I'm free." 

"Brilliant." I said before pulling her to me and kissing her again. "Do you want to go back to sleep?" 

"Only if you'll be there." She said with a smile before she face planted into my bed from exhaustion. I chuckled and lay down next to her, putting my arms around her and kissing her jaw briefly before I tried to go to sleep but I couldn't. I could sense that Jenni was awake too, but just to make sure I placed a kiss on the back of her neck to see how she would respond. She turned around and rested her forehead on mine, wrapping her arms around my neck. "Couldn't sleep?" I asked with a smile.

"Nope." She responded casually, and she sat up and sat Indian style, looking out my window.

"What's wrong Love?" I asked, sitting up. 

"Are you mine tomorrow? Or just mine tonight?" She asked, not moving but letting a tear roll down her cheek. I turned her so that she was facing me, and kissed her roughly.

"I'm yours for as long as you want me." I whispered.

"Prove it." She replied, laying back down so my duvet covered up to her neck. I could see her moving around slightly, and a moment later her arm snaked out from the duvet and over the side of my bed, where she dropped her shirt on the ground. 

My face turned red and my eyes widened, "Are you sure?" 

"I have never been more sure about anything." She responded as she kissed me again.

Aviary POV

I rolled over to see Joe soundly sleeping next to me and I woke him by placing a gentle kiss on the tip of his nose. 

"Morning" He said tiredly before giving me a kiss. 

"We're gonna get married today." I said happily, standing and opening the shades, letting the sunlight in.

"We're gonna get married today." He repeated, putting his arms around my waist and his chin on my shoulder. 

"I'll go make breakfast." I said happily walking out of our room with his hand in mine. We both abruptly stopped when we saw Caspar on the floor with six beer bottles around him and one in his hand.

"Caspar? Are you okay Mate?" Joe asked, tapping him with his foot. He groaned in response. I went to go get him a glass of water and Joe helped him to the couch.

"What's wrong Caspar?" I asked, handing him the glass.

"She really doesn't love me anymore." He said sadly.

"Aw, Mate. You don't know that." Joe said comfortingly, setting his hand on Caspar's shoulder.

"Yes I do. We talked this morning."

"What did she say?" I asked, wondering what my best friend had said put him into this state.

"I asked her to lie to me and she said I love you." He said sadly before he lay down on the couch, immediately passed out. 

"I'm going to go get Jenni and get ready. I would suggest you do the same." I told Joe, giving him a kiss on the cheek and grabbing my purse.

"Alright Love. See you at the altar." He responded, giving me a hug.

"See you at the altar." 

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"Jennifer! Where are you we have to go!" I yelled, searching around the kitchen, then living room, then the office. 

"I'm in Dan's room." She whisper yelled from a few doors down.

I walked into his room to see clothes strewn everywhere and Jenni snuggled into Dan's bare chest. Jenni's hair was messed up, from sleep or other things I didn't know, and Dan's hair seemed as though it had been combed through too many times. "Jenni," I whispered, careful not to wake Dan.

She sat up slightly, holding the duvet to her chest as Dan pulled her closer to him by the waist. "Hi." She whispered faintly.

"Did you?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

She  nodded happily and grabbed Dan's white circle shirt from the side of the bed and threw it on casually. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and whispered something I couldn't hear, which he nodded slightly to, and grabbed my wrist to lead me out. "what's up?" She asked casually, leading me to the kitchen where Phil was working on editing a video.

"Hey Aviary, would you mind if I vlogged your wedding? I think it would be nice to have someone you know taping it rather than some fancy wedding photographer." Phil asked, not looking up from his computer.

"Of course Phil. I have a feeling that most people will be doing it without my consent." I replied happily as I grabbed the cup of coffee Jenni handed to me. "So, what happened with Caspar this morning?" I asked as we walked out the door and onto the porch. 

"I went there to talk to you because I couldn't sleep but I ended up making tea and sitting in my old chair. When I went to go put my mug back, Caspar was standing there in black sweatpants and no shirt. He told me he loved me and I told him he didn't or he wouldn't have hurt me so bad. He said he didn't and asked me to lie to him again. So I told him I loved him." She said, pausing a few times to sigh or drink her coffee. "He'll probably pull something at the wedding too." She finished, looking to the skyline.

"Don't you get it Jenni?" She looked over at me, "The reason why he can't let go is because deep inside he still has hope."