The Girl Next Door > jariana (COMPLETED)

twenty-five

Ariana

I was in the middle of the loveliest Justin dream, when I was awakened by a door slamming and my sisters muffled rant about who knows what. It was 9:15 a.m. and the air was too warm and thick. I kicked off the covers and let the breeze of the ceiling fan roll over me. Lying there I tried to make out my sisters words. She must be on the phone with either my mother or her boyfriend. My eyes were gooey.

I glanced at my window and could see through the cracks in the window shade that it was sunny, no marine layer to deflect the heat today. It would be another day lounging by the pool and I was getting sick of it. I was sick of watching Nadine and Chris play kissy face and Nicole and Grant disappearing to be alone. Matt seemingly fell off the face of the earth when he found out about Justin and I still felt terrible about how it all went down.

Lying there thinking of the dreams I'd been having of Justin embarrassed me. I never knew I could dream such dreams. He consumed me all night long, and it all seemed so real. Waking up dripping with emotion was driving me crazy. Justin had been in the studio until two every morning, and we hadn't seen each other in days.

I closed my eyes and let my mind wander. I could picture Justin sprawled out on his bed, lying on his stomach with one arm under the pillow and one leg bent out to the side. I wondered if his back door was unlocked and what he would think if snuck over and woke him up. It gave me chills just thinking about it. He called me his muse in the last text he sent at twelve-thirty a.m. I would never delete any of the messages for the rest of my life. I even took screen shots and emailed them to myself, silly I know, but I couldn't help myself.

I grabbed my phone and read them over again to remind myself they were real.

***

My brother was chilling in front of the TV catching up on Entourage in the adjacent family room. I shuffled over to the fridge and took out the strawberries and rinsed them off in the sink. The cool water ran over my hands and felt refreshing. It was already way too warm in our house. I stared at the back fence in a daze, watching the leaves on the bushes rustle in the breeze. The swimming pool shimmered catching my eye and I daydreamed I was wrapped around Justin in the cool water.

My daydream screeched to a halt when Kyle's voice broke in. "Hey!" he shouted at me and I jumped. "Hello, turn off the water, we're in a drought."

"Oh, shut up!" I spat playfully, stuffing a strawberry in my mouth, glaring at him for scaring me.

I wondered where he'd been. I hadn't seen him in days. "Where have you been lately?"

I noticed he was a little tanner than he normally was.

He picked up the remote pausing his pre-recorded show on the DVR and stared at me blankly. "Now what do you want?"

"What have you been doing this week, you look tan, Mr. Non-beach-goer."

"If you must know, yes, I have been going to the beach."

"Really." I said marveling in exaggeration. "Who paid you and how much?"

"I don't mind going to the beach."

"Alright, who is she. It has to be because of a girl." I snickered.

I loved teasing him.

He ignored me.

"Want some strawberries?"

I obnoxiously held the bowl right in front of his face.

"Yes...thank you," He said grabbing the bowl out of my hand.

I contemplated telling Kyle about Justin. I wanted him to go to the party with me on Saturday, if I was with him my sister would have to suck on it. If Kyle knew, it would kick her off her soapbox. I watched my loving yet annoying big brother eat my strawberries. He was coming into his own good looks. I'd never thought of him as good looking, probably because he was my brother, but yes, he was definitely cute. I could see how a girl could like him. He was kind and thoughtful. A "nerd" in my book who only sported polo shirts but whatever, I knew I could trust him.