The Girl Next Door

3. Monday Again

Monday. Again.

It's the kind of day that hits me with that feeling of ugh. You know, the kind where you just know the week is about to drag and you're not exactly pumped to start it. But, hey, I've got no choice but to power through.

Matt's already pressing his horn outside my house, the usual start to the morning.

"He's early today," Mom says, laughing as she does when she knows I'm not exactly thrilled about it.

"He always is," I say with a grin, rolling my eyes.

"Alright. Take care for the day," she adds, her voice soft with that hint of care, even though she knows I've got this. I nod back and give her a quick wave as I grab my things and head out the door.

I throw everything into the back of Matt's car—textbooks, gym bag, whatever I grabbed this morning. I'm not in the mood to be neat about it.

Well, Matt's not just any guy—he's loaded. His dad's a businessman, and his mom runs her own company. Matt's the only kid, the only son, and while I never really think about it, it's hard to ignore how different his life is from mine. But we've been friends forever, and I can't complain about the perks of his life, like the sweet ride he drives me around in.

We're cruising down the street when Geoff pipes up from the front seat. "Dude, you're the captain, you should be early every day," he says with a teasing smirk.

"Yeah, yeah," I mutter, not really bothered. I'm usually on time, even if I don't always act like it. Blaine, sitting next to me, just grunts in agreement. He doesn't talk much, but when he does, it's usually short and to the point.

As we turn the corner, I catch a glimpse of her. The girl next door. She's standing outside her house, wearing her hoodie today, headphones in, probably zoning out. For a split second, I think she looks... breathtaking. But I know it's not really that. It's just her presence that catches me off guard.

She looks up, and for a second, our eyes lock. That's it. No smile, no nod, no greeting. Just a blank stare, like she's studying me. I hold my breath for a moment, unsure of what to make of it.

She doesn't even look away, just stares at me, expressionless. And I can't help but keep looking back. There's something magnetic about the way she holds that gaze, like she's challenging me to figure her out. But before I can get too caught up in it, Geoff's voice snaps me out of it.

"So, you're still keeping your eyes on the prize, huh?" he jokes, looking back at me with a grin.

I shake myself out of the daze, barely acknowledging it. "Yeah, whatever, man."

But I can't shake the feeling that her stare is still lingering in my mind.

"Astrid O'Brien is the kind of chick you want to forget. She's trouble like everyone else," Geoff says, half-laughing, half-serious.

I know he's not wrong. I've heard the stories, seen the rumors flying around about her—how she's the type to stir up drama, the kind of girl who keeps people on edge. But somehow, I can't stop thinking about her, even if I know it's probably a bad idea.

I snap out of it, shaking my head with a grin. "Dude, are you insane? I would never," I say, rolling my eyes like I'm not even considering the possibility.

We all burst into laughter. The kind of laughter that fills up the car, making everything feel lighter for a moment, like the world's not asking for too much. Geoff's voice cuts through, his usual teasing tone in full effect, but I can tell he's just messing around.

But still, I can't shake the thought of Astrid.

Astrid O'Brien. Yeah, I know her. She's the girl next door. That's all I know, really. I've never actually spoken to her, never had any real reason to. We've only crossed paths a few times at school, and she's not exactly the type to start conversations with anyone. Always keeping to herself, always a little on the outside.

But there's something about her, something that pulls me in and makes me wonder what's really going on behind that indifferent stare. Everyone says she's trouble, and maybe they're right. But for some reason, I can't stop looking at her. It's like she's got some kind of hold on me that I can't explain.

I try to shake it off, but it's like trying to ignore the sun in the sky—it's there whether I want to look at it or not.

"Come on, you're not thinking about her, are you?" Blaine asks, his voice gruff, but his eyes are watching me from the rearview mirror.

I blink, snapping back to the present. "Nah, man. Just messing with you guys," I say quickly. But inside, I know I'm not fooling anyone.

I'm already thinking about her more than I should.