The Boy Next Door

Chapter 1- The Big "Honeymoon"

"Ahhh, summer!" I sighed as I strolled through the front door, flinging my keys onto my couch. With final exams over, I could finally focus on friends and family, something I hadn't had time for the past month. I gazed across my kitchen and living room, looking for my parents; however they were nowhere to be seen.

Out of the corner of my eye, something caught my attention. It couldn't be?! Freezepops! "Score!", I whispered under my breath as I darted to the kitchen counter, practically flinging open the box the second my hands made contact with the cover.

I rummaged through the container until I found a blue raspberry one, which were hands down the BEST freezepops to have ever been made. Now that I had a freezepop in hand, and I was out for the summer, it was safe to say that I was one happy girl. I scanned around my living room one more time to make sure that I hadn't missed my parents, but they were no where to be seen. 'Huh, that's strange...', I thought to myself. 'Where could they possibly be?'

Deciding to go find them, I pranced up the stairs as if I had taken on the role of a bunny. As I was rounding the corner adjacent to my parents room, my mom suddenly greeted me with a big hug while cooing, "Aww, My Mel is finally home from school!". I gladly hugged my mom back, stifling a giggle. She still treated me like a little kid; I didn't mind it much though. As soon as my mom began asking me how my day at school had been, my dad poked his head out of his room with a huge smile on his face. "Mel!" He practically yelled, while making his way over to join in on the hugging that was going on. To be honest with you, I felt as if I was being smothered by two huge bears, but I guess that's what happens when your parents treat you like you were still a baby, and when you are still practically the size of one too.

"You guys... Are... Killing.. Mmpfh.." I managed to breathe out in the middle of this group hug. What the heck were we even doing?

"Oh, sorry sweetie!" They said practically in sync with one another. We all looked at eachother and laughed for a little. Once I had finally caught my breathe again, from the hugging and laughing, my dad cleared his throat. I looked at him suddenly, he never did that.

"Honey... " He started, "Your mom and I have- well, I don't know how to put this, but we have something to tell you." He nervously looked at me, my mom, and back at me.

"Dad, what's going on-?" I had barely finished when he began to speak hesitantly again.

"We," glancing back at my mom, "Ahem- your mom and I, are going away for the whole summer." He finished the sentence with an awkward smile while continuously looking at both my mom and I.

Wait what? At first he said "We", as in a family, and then he corrected it to just "Your mom and I?"

"Dad.. I don't understand what you mean?" I asked, very confused about his particular meaning about: one) going away for the whole summer and two) just my mom and dad leaving?

My dad didn't respond to my question so I turned to my mom with a perplexed expression written across my face.

My mother sighed and chuckled a little.
"Sweetie, what your dad is trying to say is that him and I, well, we're going to be away for all of your summer vacation on a 'honeymoon', yes, I guess you could call it that..." She began to trail off thinking of the right words.

Gradually beginning to understand what they were implying, I proceeded on with my questions.

The first went something like: "You guys are going on a honeymoon? You were married 20 years ago." And then I went on to continue, "Wait... Am I not coming with you?" "Where will I stay? Here, all by myself?" "Why did you not tell me sooner? When did you even plan this?". I took a deep breath as I stopped frantically asking questions I was scared to get the answers to. Why were my parents going on a honeymoon and why the heck was I not invited?!

"Mel baby, please let us explain." My dad meaningfully said as I had finally shut my trap. I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, leading on that I was ready for him to explain this mess to me.

"Your mother and I thought it would be nice to get away for awhile. Since you're a junior in high school now, going on to be a senior, we thought you could handle being by yourself for most of the summer. You only have a week left of classes and there's a nice couple that lives next door. We already arranged that you stay with their family for the 2 months while we're gone, but we'll be back a week before school starts back up for you again in the fall." My dad explained to me in one large burst of energy. He exchanged a questioning look with my mom, and they proceeded to both look at me.

Well, what was I supposed to do here? I can't just tell them that 'NO, they have to cancel because their little baby girl would be too scared without them.' I mean literally, what was I supposed to say in this kind of situation anyways?

I had a million thoughts plowing through my mind, but instead I smiled and sighed, "You know what guys, that sounds great."

My mom gave me a shocked look saying, "Really? I thought you were going to go off on us Mel."

"Mom, really, you both do so much for me and you guys deserve a break once in awhile. I'm almost going to be a senior, like dad said, so looking after myself should be manageable." I finished off the sentence with a half-smile.

My parents immediately went back in to give me a tight hug, but I put my hands up and said " You guys almost suffocated me a mere 10 minutes ago, no thanks." I chuckled.
"Anyways" I asked, " When do I move in next door to the Burley's?"

There was an awkward silence and again my parents looked worried.

"What is it with you guys and not speaking? When am I moving in?" I repeated my question.

"Sweetie, your not moving in with the Burley's." My mom resolved.

Wait? Who else is my neighbor then? The Burley's live to the right of me, an old lady named Mrs. Harper lives across the street...

Oh.

Oh, no no no.

The house that's to the left of me, their driveway is practically a road in itself, and that's where the most popular boy in my school resides, Tristan Matthews.

"You guys wouldn't.." I gave them a horrified glance as we all realized we were on the same page here.

"Mel.." My dad trailed off.

I, Melanie Carter, would be spending my summer at the Matthews house.

Oh, fu*k me.