The Boy Next Door

getting to know him

I really need to search for my favorite bikini, the black and white spotty one, my dresser is very organized... But maybe too organized for me! I finally find it and try it on. I control my curls into a french braid that wraps around my neck and hangs down one shoulder to cover the scar. Perfect. Caleb is so adorable, I can't believe how lucky I am I have someone my age living right next door. My heart is beating fast. I'm going swimming with my new friend in America. This is pretty great. I grab my phone and head downstairs.

When I walk outside I see Joseph chasing Annie and Hayley around our yard. I'm so happy he's found himself playmates. "Aye! You having fun over there, Joey?" I shout to him.

"I've made some friends!" He says, as he catches Hayley. "You, Ebony?"

"I've made friends with Annie and Hayley also!" I shout back. Then Caleb comes out. "And Caleb!" I add. He's wearing navy striped swim shorts and he's carrying an inner tube on each arm. He waves at me, and one of them slips down his arm, hitting him in the face. He stumbles to the side and blushes at his mistake. I laugh and give him a thumbs up.

"Dangit. I'm so clumsy!" He says, giving an embarrassed smile.

"You're fine," I say giggling and taking my glasses off.

"Lez go!" He says, and we run to the dock. Caleb and I set the tubes on the water and climb into them. We float around for a few minutes and look at the sky. My eyelids drop and I yawn. "Are you tired?" He asks.

"The time change has got me. At home I would be fast asleep by now." I say.

"You know what will wake you up?"

"Hmmm?"

"This!" He says, flicking water at me.

"Caleb!" I say, flicking water back.

"Geez that's cold!" He says. I giggle and splash more. "Okay, fine Ebony, we can play that game... But remember, you asked for it!" He says, and kicks the water, soaking me. I shriek and kick some back at him but he ducks to the side to avoid the spray. I'm impressed at first, but then his tube goes slightly off balance and he falls into the water. I can't stop laughing. His head comes up and bobs in the water.

"You think that's funny, don't you?" He says, grinning.

"Just a bit!" I say.

"Let's see how you like it!" He says and tugs on the side of the tube, flipping it. I scream and splash into the water. I swim back to the surface to find Caleb laughing just as hard as I was. When he sees me he stops, looking stunned. His lips slowly spread into a grin that he seems to be trying to hold back.

"What?" I say.

"Um..." He says, still grinning, and points to his eyes. Oh no! The eye makeup. I touch under my eye and my fingers come off black. Crap. I knew I was forgetting something important.

"Do I look like a sad clown?" I ask.

He nods slowly, "well, at least your face matches your name, Ebony." I laugh and flick water at his face again. We continue to float around the river on the inner tubes, joking about flipping each other's tubes over.

"So are you going to the public school?" He asks.

"Nah, I'm homeschooled."

"Really?" He says, his face lighting up.

"Yeah, public school didn't really work for-"

"Me too! I'm homeschooled also!"

"What? That's so funny! I'm going into year ten, you?"