The Cat on the Balcony

2- Broken Sunglasses and a Missing Cat

It's been about a week since we first got here, everything has been mostly unpacked, and it's finally starting to feel like a home instead of just a house. Sadly, I haven't seen anything more of the boy next door, until today. 

I was practicing my drums for the first time in two weeks, I had missed it so much, when my mom shouted up at me from the bottom of the stairs. 

"Josh, can you go mow the yard? It's looking pretty rough out there, your father's at work and I'm still trying to set up the kitchen!"

"Yeah, just give me a sec!" I shouted back.

I walked in my room to grab my shoes, sunglasses, and a tank top before going down to the garage to grab our push mower. 

I keep telling my dad we need to get a ride-on mower, but every time he just tells me to buy one myself. Typical Dad stuff.

I opened the garage door and pulled the mower out onto the driveway before pulling my headphones out of my pocket and turning on some music to block out the noise of the mower.

About halfway through the front yard, "When Two are One" by Atreyu hit its guitar solo at the end, and I knew what I had to do.

I turned off the lawn mower and started playing air guitar, head banging, and jumping around. I have to every time that part comes on, there's just no way not to.

When I was done, and the song was over, I heard a slow clap. 

Oh dear God, please don't let it be him...

God was not on my side at the moment, because when I opened my eyes and lifted up my head, there he was. 

Today he was wearing black gym shorts and a pastel, water-colored t-shirt. He stood there with a grin on his face while he continued to clap, only making my embarrassment grow.

I stood up straight and awkwardly scratched the back of my neck, not really knowing what to do or how to react in this situation. 

I turned around and went back over to the lawn mower. I leaned over to pull the cord to start it up again, but because I was so flustered I didn't realize how close my face was. 

So, of course with my luck, I ended up punching myself in the face and popping a lens out of my sunglasses. I stumbled back a few steps and held my face. 

Please tell me the neighbor had gone inside...

Damn it, he was still there! And now he was full out laughing. 

Huffing indigently, I took off my broken sunglasses and shoved them and the lens into my pocket. 

I leaned back down, not too far this time, and was able to start up the mower without any further incidents. 

The boy thankfully went back inside, still laughing as he went; the whole while I'm wishing the ground will just open up and swallow me whole.

I finished up the front yard and then back without another hitch. Of course, things went well while no one was watching.

I put the lawn mower back in the garage and went upstairs to shower. I couldn't help but think of my neighbor. 

What's his name? Will I be going to the same school as him? What does he think of me?

When I got out of the shower, Jenna was sitting on the sink waiting on me like always. I wrapped a towel around my waist and reached out to rub her head, but instead she started licking the extra water off of my hand and wrist. I normally don't dry off all the way after a shower, it bugs my mom but oh well.

Later, around dinner, we heard a knock on the door. My mom answered it.

"Hello, I'm Kelly Joseph! I live next door. I just came over to welcome you to the neighborhood." She held a nice but cliche tray of cookies in her hands.

"Come on in! Thank you so much. You can put the cookies there on the counter. This is my son, Josh. He's almost seventeen." My mom said as she moved aside for Kelly to come in. 

I gave an awkward wave and smile; hopefully her son hadn't told her what he saw me do.

"Nice to meet you, Josh! You're the same age as my son, Tyler. Have you met him yet? Maybe you've seen him practicing his ukulele on the balcony? Wait never mind, he normally does that at night and I'm sure you've been way to busy and tired to stay up late enough to hear him. Maybe you guys will have some class together at school. Are you going to Briggs, the one a little way down the road?"

"Yes ma'am, I am." I answered, trying to take in everything she just said. 

She was talking so fast and saying so much I was having a little trouble processing everything she was saying.

"Maybe you and Tyler could car-pool! I'll send him over here one day to meet you so you'll at least know one person on your first day; make it a little less daunting. I remember first day of high school...of course that was a long time ago! Well, I have to go work on dinner, just wanted to introduce myself and say welcome! If you need anything don't hesitate to ask!" 

My mom thanked her, and with that she walked back to the door and left the house.

"Did she ever pause to breathe?" I asked.

"I don't think so." Mom answered. We looked at each other and second before shrugging and carrying on with what we were doing before. 

After Dad came home and we ate dinner, I went up to my room to be alone for a bit. I hope Kelly, or Mrs. Joseph she didn't say which to call her, does send Tyler over. 

Maybe then I can prove to him I'm not a total clumsy idiot. It would be nice to have one friend on the first day, like she said. 

I'm never very good with first impressions.

Obviously.

I lay back on my bed just thinking in silence and my thoughts drifted to starting school. 

I wasn't bullied at my old school, but I wasn't noticed either. I was just kind of...there. 

I had a few people I'd talk to every now and then, but not anyone I'd hang out with outside of school. It was a bit lonely, but hey it just meant I had more time to work on my drums.

That sounds so sad now that I think about it...

I looked down at the end of my bed where Jenna normally sleeps, but was surprised to see she wasn't there. I stood up and looked under the bed. 

Nothing. 

Getting a bit more confused I looked in my closet, sometimes she'd lie on the pile of dirty clothes I hide from my mom so she won't make me do laundry. 

She wasn't there either.

It was the middle of the night by now, around two I think, so I tiptoed down the stairs, trying not to wake up my parents. I looked in the kitchen. 

Nope. 

Dining room? 

Nada. 

The living room was my last hope. 

I walked in and what I saw made me want to bang my head against the wall. My mom had left the window cracked just the right amount for her to squeeze through.

I went out the front door without thinking to grab shoes or a shirt, I was just concerned with getting that stupid cat back inside.

"Jenna!" I called in a hushed voice, looking around the yard. "Jenna!" I tried a little bit louder. 

This time, I heard a faint meow. I turned in the direction the noise came from, and I wanted to beat my head against a wall for the second time that night.

There she was, on the balcony of the Joseph's house. 

The balcony outside of Tyler's room. 

Well shit.