The Boy Next Door

Headphones in a Music Store

For the rest of the day I stayed as far away from my house that I could, I didnt really want to confront my mother or sister for the rest of the day. So I slipped my phone out of my pocket and sent out a mass text:

Rly bored. Dont no wat 2 do. Some1 txt me.

After a couple minutes one of my friends, Andrea, texted me back. She said she was going to the mall with Oriana and Isabel and asked me if I wanted to come along. I graciously accepted her offer and sent out another mass text:

Goin 2 mall with Oreo, Izzy, & Andi. Join us if ya want;)

I sighed and walked slid into my sky blue VW flower child bug. I shoved my key into the ignition and ran my hand down the Beatles key chain.

"How did you deal with this?" I asked the embroidered face of Paul Mcartney. He was my role model. A rich famous song writer in a band. A world wide heart throb. What else could you want? When he didn't answer I pressed my foot down on the gas pedal and swerved out of the garage and on to the street.

Soon I arrived at Andi's house and sure enough Oreo and Izzy were there. We all complied into my bug and drove to the out door shopping mall where we would be meeting their boy friends. I was the only person in the group that didn't have a boy friend. I think it's because I like being independent. I mean it's not like I don't want one, it's just that I could never think of dating any other guy in my school except for Josh, and we all know how that turned out.

I sighed as we arrived at the shopping mall. Andi had her mind set on getting a new purse, Oreo, zebra print shoes, and Izzy, a charm bracelet. All I wanted was a new set of headphones. We bravely stepped into the mall together but soon decided to go our own ways and meet up at a bookstore in a hour. So this is what shopping with friends has begun, I thought to myself as I headed toward the vintage music store.

"Hey Ali." the store owner, Marshal, called out. We knew each other by name because I worked at the store over the summer and visited it every time I came to the mall. Marshal had fizzy blonde hair that he always covered with hats that had the latest new band sewed on them. This week it was Hot Chelle Rae, who ever that was.

"Hey Marshal," I called back, "do you have any new headphones?" He smiled and guestured to the back of the store. Even though I had been working for years I still needed to ask where things were because Marshal moved things in the store around once every month. He said it was good for the Zen-Chi or something.

As I headed to the back of the back of the store I passed a bunch of old records and keychains. After a while I found my way to a large wall of headphones. I stared up at the myriad of them and excitedly started going through them trying to find which one to pick.

After a while I had gone through all the new ones and nothing screamed out Ali to me so I started to head out of the store. Then I saw them, in a box shoved into a dark corner. It was black and the ear pieces were studded with rhinestones. The head band part read rock on in silvery letters. I slowly walked toward them. Now this was what I was looking for. I picked up the dusty set and slowly evaluated it. It was absolutely perfect. I couldn't help to smile just by looking at it. I gladly skipped over to Marshal at the counter.

"Whoa there. Why are you so happy? Finally got a boy friend?" he asked as I tripped over a pile of vintage records, I guess skipping's not my thing.

"No, but I do have one in mind." I said setting my headphones down on the counter.

"Who?"Marshal asked not paying any mind to he devices. Marshal was always like an overprotective brother to me since I spent so much time with him.

"None of your business! Now check me out." I commanded. He rolled his eyes and picked up the headphones.

"Wow. Where did you find this Ali?" he coughed as a cloud of dust fell from the headphones.

"Just in the back." I said toying with him. He rolled his eyes again and handed me the headphones.+++

"Here," he said, "you can have them. No charge. Now tell me who this boy is."

I slapped a $10 bill on the counter, leaned in, and whispered, "I don't take bribes."

I winked and walked out of the store as he shook his head and muttered, "What are we going to do with her?" I laughed and headed to the book store. There I met Izzy.

"Any luck on that bracelet?" I asked. She answered by sticking her wrist out. On it was a black band with many gothic charms swinging around it. They made a sound much like bells when she moved her hand. "That's so cute." I complimented.

"I know right!"Andi and Oreo commented from behind me. I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of their voice.

"When did u guys come here?!" I practically yelled.

They both giggled as Oreo replied, "Dude we were right behind you when you walked in."

"Yeah right." I rolled my eyes. "No it's true!" Andi backed up, and then pointed to an article in a hot pink magazine. "Did you hear Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez are gonna break up?!"

I groaned and shook her, "That just makes you less trustworthy."

Andi laughed and said, "So...did you find your headphones?" I smiled and tapped the devices that now blocked my ears.

"Then today was a very sucessful day!" Oreo exclaimed pointing to Andi's dark blue purse and holding up a pair of zebra print Toms. Suddenly my friends laughing died down.

"What's wrong?" I asked as someone tapped me on my shoulder. I turned around to find, Andrew?

"Nice headphones." he said. I was in shock as my phone vibrated in my pocket, it was a text from Izzy.

Who's the cutie?

I rolled my eyes and turned to my friends, "Guys, this is Andrew. Andrew, these are my best friends, Andi, Izzy, and Oriana."I tried to stifle a laugh as they all fought to get to Andrew first. Finally Andi pushed past Oreo and stuck her hand out to Andrew.

"Hello," she said, out of breath, "my name is Andrea. It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too." Andrew uncomfortably laughed.

"Why are you here?" I asked him, wanting to know if he had just started stalking me or had been at it all day.

"Why, you texted me." he said a matter-of-factly showing me his phone. Sure enough that was my number. I must have put him in my contacts before I had had my melt down.

"Oh, well we were just leaving."

I smiled and took Andi's hand who in turn grabbed Oreo's, who in turn grabbed Izzy's, who in turn pulled away and yelled, "Don't touch me!" Then she turned to Andrew, waved girlyly, and followed me out the door.

When we were finally safe in the parking lot Oreo, Andi, and Izzy cornered me. The first interrogation I was put through was Izzy's.

"Who was that guy and why did we have to leave so fast?!" she asked shaking me.

"That was Andrew, my new neighbor." I answered.

She stopped shaking me to ask, "Wait, the psyco one moved?"

I laughed, "That's exactly how my sister phrased it."

"Don't you try and get me off topic!" she threatened. "Now tell me, how do you two know each other so well?"

"Um...we spent like all day yesterday and today talking across my balcony...and playing my songs."

"Wait! You let him read your song book?!" Oreo jumped in. "I had to be your friend for two years to even touch it!"

"Four years to read it!" Andi exclaimed with her.

"Well he's...different." I tried which caused them to explode on my even more. "Guys! Calm down. You know you could never be replaced, now let's go home." I lead them to my car and they had no choice but to follow me since I was their ride.

I finally got home at about two, after dropping Oriana, Izzy, and Andi off at their houses. Now I had one more problem to deal with, Andrew.

I headed upstairs to my room and slid my phone out of my pocket and searched my contacts for Andrew. Sure enough I found him right there. Wow. I should stop watching so much tv, it's making my brain decay. I laughed at my own joke, sar down in my chair behind my desk, and pulled out my phone.