The Boy Next Door

Chapter 11

"The Boy Next Door" (Chapter 11)
I groan at the sound of my alarm waking me up at 6:30 am, on Thursday morning. I glance up at the calendar beside my bed. October 1st. just yesterday, me and Thomas had ditched school and gone out to lunch. Holy shit, it still didn't seem real. I slowly get out of my bed, and grab my cloths I had picked out the night before. A black T-shirt along with a simple pair of blue jeans. I pull on a plaid flannel to top out the outfit a bit, then proceed to side-braid my hair. I walk towards my bed again, and start putting my homework into my school folder. As I'm about to put my folder into my backpack, I catch a glance at Thomas in his room. His back is to me and he looks to be rummaging around in his dresser drawers. I don't know what he's looking for, until he pulls out a pair of socks. He turns around before I have time to look away, and now we are staring at one another. He gives me a small smile, and waves. I smile and wave back, pretending not to be interested. Then I go back to putting my shit in my backpack. I finish putting my stuff away, and start to zip up my backpack, when I hear a pound. I look up to see Thomas pounding on his bedroom window, clearly wanting my attention. I roll my eyes, and walk over to my window. I open it up, immediately getting blasted with a not-to-cold, but breezy morning air. I take it all in, loving every bit of it. Thomas had opened his window as well, clearly he was loving the fresh air just as much as me. "What Thomas?" I say, maybe too harshly. "I need you to walk to school with me today." What the fuck. I raise my eyebrows. "Excuse me? You need me to?" Thomas rolls his eyes, then rubs the back of his neck. "Ok fine, will you walk to school with me today?" "Why?" I ask. He sighs, I could tell he was getting quite annoyed with my attitude. "Okay so here's the funny thing, me and my mom share this car, and this car, is with her at work. I have a motorcycle, as you very well know, but it needs a new battery." "And this has something to do with me because...?" He groans at me, leaning his head against the window frame. I slightly snicker. "Oh will you just walk with me? Please, I don't wanna be alone." He says that last part like a little boy, folding his bottom lip down, to make it look as if he's pouting. I can't take that lip, he looks so fucking hot. "Ok, I'll walk with you. Give me 5 minutes." He smiles as I close my window. I then turn away from him, heading to my bathroom to brush my teeth.

*

5 minutes later, I'm standing outside the front of his house, finishing up a granola bar. His garage door opens, and there he stands. His black backpack hangs over one shoulder. His hands are stuffed into his jean pockets. He is wearing a red T-shirt and black hoodie. Little strands of his wavy blonde hair hangs down the side of his face, covering part of his right eye. "Where's Ava?" I ask, stuffing my granola bar wrapper in my pocket. "She got a ride from a friend." He answers back, while grabbing something from the garage next to him. A skateboard. "Can you ride?" I shake my head no. I glance down at his skateboard, then back up to meet his eyes once more. "Well today you will learn." He says matter of factly. My stomach churns, I feel nervous. I've never ridden a skateboard before, and I never wanted to start either. "No, um thanks." "Your learning. No is not an answer." I gawk at him, what kind of fucking right does he think he has? I was starting to get annoyed. "Thomas, no-" "Trust me, it will be ok. I promise." Something about the tone of his voice makes me realize I can trust him. I sigh, and step one foot onto the skateboard, then the other. I wobble a bit, but he catches me from under my armpits. "I'll catch you if you fall, ok?" Why the hell is he acting all sweet and flirty with me? He's with Kati. He grabs me by the shoulders, and I feel him push me to the right. "Thomas, I don't like this" I say, about to hop off. He stops me short before I could get a leg down to the ground. "You will be okay." I give all my trust to him, and I let him guide me on the skateboard. After a few tries, I finally get it. I ride alongside Thomas, who has his hand on my shoulder, running beside me. "Damn Paige you little speed demon." I laugh, hoping off the skateboard, and hand it back to him. He takes it, and puts it in between his armpit. I pull my phone out from my pocket, and check the time. 7:42 am. School starts in 18 minutes, at 8:00.

*

"School is right down the block" I say. "Race you!" I take off running towards the school. I could feel Thomas right on my heel. I knew he was gonna pass me, he's strong, and seemed to be in good shape. Sure enough, Thomas raced right past me, stopping at the school as I kept running. "Well no need to show off." I say sarcastically, coming to a stop next to him. "Hey! Your the one who wanted to race." He says, lightly punching my arm. "I was joking around, come on take a joke." He doesn't respond, he's looking at something in the distance near the lockers. He's looking at Kati, and the rest of her little posey. Fuck. He looks back at me with a sad smile. "Hey, I uh, gotta go." He motions with his head to Kati and them, who are thankfully, not looking this way. "Yeah yeah I know, your queen awaits." Thomas rolls his eyes, then grabs my shoulders looking down at me. "I don't give a fuck what Kati or any of them say. We are friends, yeah?" The way he says "fuck", with his British accent, makes him 10x more hot. Quit it Paige! Stop thinking like this! I nod my head in response. He smiles, patting my shoulder. Then turns and heads towards the direction of Kati, and the rest of the group, who absolutely hate my guts.

*

THOMAS'S P.O.V

"Your late." Kati says, crossing her arms as I make my way to her and everyone else. She had a big purple bruise on the side of her cheek, from where Paige punched her. "I'm sorry." I kiss her forehead. "My motorcycle isn't working, so I had to walk." I didn't tell her that I walked with Paige, because then there would be hell to pay. She lets out a small, sarcastic laugh. "Please." She mumbles. I roll my eyes when her back is to me. "Dude!" I feel Aidan slap me on the back. "The whole school is talking about how much of a badass Paige is for kicking Kati's ass." As if what he just said was right on queue, Paige enters through those double doors. Everyone gets quiet, and turns to the source of where Paige is standing. All eyes on her, and only her. She shakes her head, rolling her eyes, and makes her way down the hall pushing past people who are blocking her way. I watch as she walks past me, with her head down. Probably avoiding contact with Kati who's face is a deep shade of red. "Fucking bitch." Kati mumbles, while turning to her locker to get the rest of her stuff out. She slams it shut afterwards. 'Your the fucking bitch', I wanted to say to her, but I keep my trap shut. I feel Kati tap me on the shoulder. "Walk with me." She pulls my arm, leading me to the middle of the hallway, away from the rest of the group. "I have a plan on how we can get Paige back for what she did to me."

*

No. No she can't be serious! I yank my arm out from her grip, and turn to face her. "What do you mean we? She didn't do shit to me." She rolls her eyes, then grabs my waist, pulling me towards her until she can whisper in my ear. "Because she's a slut who needs to be punished. And.you will help me." "No!" I scream in her face, maybe at little too loudly, but I don't give a fuck who hears. "I'm sick and fucking tired of being pushed around by you. You are not to do anything to Paige! Got it?" "Oh come on Thomas. She deserves it can't you just-" "No!" I scream louder. And this time, I know people hear it because the hallway grows silent. But I continue. "The only reason she kicked your sorry ass is because you started it. Because you are a rude little bitch to her! No wonder she kicked your ass, I would have too!" I push her away from me, and start to walk away, but she speaks again. "So what are you saying?" I turn to see her scowling at me, with her hands on her hips. I can feel my face getting hot, it takes all my strength not to punch her right in the face. "It means, we're done!" A few 'oohs' escape the hallway here and there. I ignore them, turning my back to Kati, and begin walking away. Leaving her, and her shocked, but pissed expression behind. As I'm walking to my first period class, a smile appears on my face. I felt nothing when I dumped Kati, in fact, I always felt nothing when I was around her. But Paige, she was something else. Paige, with the badass attitude, and smile to die for. Her shiny light brown hair, soft enough to sleep on. And her eyes, those beautiful, round, sparkling ocean blue eyes, you can just get lost in. I wanted to dance, I wanted to sing. My heart felt like it was gonna flutter and fly right out of my chest, Just like a butterfly. I felt something, something I've never felt before in all my 17 years of life. It was the most sickening, but most beautiful feeling in the world. I feel love, and I almost pass out at the conclusion of why I feel this way. I love Paige Johnson.