The Girl Next Door

~5~

"Not really sure how I feel about it, something in the way you move..."

Robyn Fenty

I watch Mel's back as she opens the door.

Once she opens it enough to peek out of, the voice of a girl comes through.

"Hey... Are you the one who just moved in?" The girl questions.

I furrow my brows as Melissa replies, "uh... No, actually, my friend just moved in. I'm helping her unpack."

I watch as she motions behind her back for me to come to the door.

Reluctantly, I walk to the door. As I do, I hear the voice chirp, "oh! Is it the girl I saw playing basketball earlier, 'cuz ..."

She stops when I appear behind Melissa. I too stop and for a moment, we're staring at each other, taking the opposites looks in.

(Character in MM)

The girl is so adorable in her own masculine yet feminine way. From her brown curly hair, to her smile, down to the way she's dressed which is so much like me. I can't help but to stare. Her bright, brown eyes and her facial structure is breathtaking. I can slowly feel my chest tighten up at the sight of her.

The quiet staring goes on for about a minute before she actually speaks.

"Um... You left your, uh..." She trails off again and I look down to see my basketball placed delicately in her long, slender fingers.

"You play?" I ask, slowly taking the ball out of her hands.

She shrugs, "eh... A little."

"oh?" I ask, eyeing her physique," wha' your name be?"

She shrugs again, rolling her neck slightly, "I don't know. What's your name B?"

A chuckle escapes my mouth at her childishness, "Robyn. Wit' a Y."

She nods, "my name's Zen," she says, reaching out her hand. I quickly shake it, and continue resting my hand by my side.

"I-is tha ya real name?' I question.

She shrugs, "I don't know. Is it?"

I raise an eyebrow questionably and gawk at this girl standing in front of me, unable to hide the surprise of her mysteriousness and boldness. The whole thing that she's doing is throwing me off , no one has talked to me like that before.

I feel a hand on my shoulder, snapping me out of my stare.

I turn and see Melissa walking through the threshold of the house, staring to leave. That's when I remember that we never finished talking on the subject about her leaving me.

"Aye, wait," I call after her, walking past Zen to her.

Melissa stops in the middle of the driveway and turns around, stamping her foot,"what? I said that I'm leaving."

I groan,"there's no way to change ya mind?"

"No. Not really," she replies.

I sigh and my eyes drift away to see Zen starting to walk across the street.

"OK. Y-you can... go," I reply blankly, already starting to chase after Zen.

I guess she noticed that I was behind her because she turns around in the middle of the street, a smile on her face.

We meet on the sidewalk in front of my house and stand there, awkwardly.

"Hey," I say, rubbing the back of my neck, somewhat nervously. I don't know why anyone has me feeling this way and to be honest, I usually don't associate with people, but she's changing that.

"Hey," she says, a smirk evident in her face.

"So... Ya wanna play later or somtin'" I ask, finally starting to process words in my brain.

"Sure but... Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"Aren't ya?" I retort, a smile playing across my face.

She shrugs,"I don't know. Maybe."

I nod,"same hea."

Zen laughs and the sound alone sounded like heaven flowed from her mouth. Once again, I find myself staring at her, my mouth slightly open, amazed by this person in front of me.

"But yet... I'll be over at sunset," she says, pulling me out of my gaze.

I nod,"yea. I-"

The sound of a horn stops me and I turn to the source of the sound. I see that Melissa honking with a hand out of the window, flicking me off.

I raise my hand and copy the gesture as she speeds past me, laughing. Zen and I both burst out laughing as Melissa shouts out,"see you later, bitch!"

It takes a minute before we calm down and when we do, Zen breaks the ice.

"So... 7:45-ish?" She asks, clearing her throat.

I nod,"yuh. I just have ta finish unpackin'..." I say, my voice trailing off.

"Cool," she replies, starting to walk backwards across the street.

"Hey, " I call after her, just remembering something.

"Hmm?" She asks.

"Who's da gyal ta live in ta house?" I motion to the two-story Victorian house that overlooked the whole neighborhood from it's place at the end of the roundabout.

"Oh..." Zen draws out, a smirk falling onto lips. I can tell she is thinking the same thing I'm thinking.

"That's Onika," she informs, chuckling. There's something about the way that she's talking tells me that she knows her personally.

"Y-you... You and her..." I struggle, trying to find the right words.

She waves her hand dismissively,"just a once upon a time. She was curious and I was willing. But hey..." She raises her hands in a surrender-like motion," never again."

"Hmm..." I ponder," she cute though."

"Drop dead. I wouldn't if I were you though. She has a lot of options. Boys and girls." She informs, shaking her head.

"Wha' 'bout ya?" I ask, the thought coming through my lips before I can stop it.

"I know wait around. But there is this one girl in waiting around for..." She drifts off, a smile coming to her face.

I feel my posture droop a little and I can feel myself crawl back into my little shell I've been in, "oh. Okay."

"Yep. So I'll see you at 7:45?" She asks, finalizing her plans for the third time.

"yah," I say, backing away, "make sho ya bring duh ice fa this beatin' ya gonna get."

She laughs at my joke, "that was terrible!"

I shrug, "I'm deadass."

"Ok, we'll see," Zen challenges, smiling.

I shake my head and turn around, making my way to my house.

Somehow, I feel satisfied for myself, knowing that I made a new friend. But the girl, Onika, crosses my mind again. The way she started at me in class gave me a boost of self-confidence. It's like I can tell I was affecting her and I loved it.

I shake my head, killing my thoughts and walk into my house. Once I do, I close the door and the silence kicks in.

I walk over to the stereo by the TV and turn it on, blasting Migos. I then walk back to the couch and sit down in the chair I was previously in, the snacks still spread across the table.

Rapping along to Quavo, I pick up the game controller and start a new game with the Golden State Warriors.

As I play, I finally feel my body relaxing for the first since I arrived in the U.S., and it feels wonderful. I sigh, settling into the couch, ready to relax for the rest of the day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~