The Boy Next Door

Chapter 4

⠀⠀⠀After school on Friday of the first week of school, Wyatt is driving his truck with Hayden in the passenger seat and Dustin and Jessie in the back, choosing to squeeze into one seat in order to be closer to one another.

⠀⠀⠀"David asked me if I'd take you shopping for clothes today," Wyatt says to Hayden.

⠀⠀⠀Jessie scrunches her nose in distaste. "Why would he ask you to do that?"

⠀⠀⠀"Because he thinks I dress like a skank," Hayden explains.

⠀⠀⠀"You're hot," Dustin says. "You're allowed to show that off. It don't make you skank."

⠀⠀⠀Jessie slaps him. "I'm the only girl you're allowed to call hot."

⠀⠀⠀Dustin nods his head and kisses her. "Of course, baby girl."

⠀⠀⠀Wyatt pulls into the driveway of Jessie's ranch house and Dustin kicks open the car door. He jumps out and places his hands on his girlfriend's hips, helping her out. The two wave to Wyatt as he backs out of the driveway and on to the main road again.

⠀⠀⠀"So is that a no to shopping?" Wyatt asks.

⠀⠀⠀"Yes it's a fucking no," she growls. Hayden is never one to decline the opportunity to shop, but in this case, she'd rather fall face first into the pig pen than go. David wants her to change the way she is, and she's not going to. He's her step father; he has no right to try to change who she is.

⠀⠀⠀Wyatt throws his hands up in surrender. "I was just making sure."

~ ~ ~

⠀⠀⠀Hayden sits on the front porch swing, her legs crossed and her fingers tapping away on her phone, texting Brandon, when she hears the gate next boor slam shut. Her head snaps up in attention, and she sees a once again shirtless Wyatt carrying a bucket and a hose.

⠀⠀⠀He drops the bucket down on the driveway next to his car and turns the hose on, spraying down his truck, the mud that has been caked on it all week slowly disappearing.

⠀⠀⠀Hayden looks down at her phone, reading and replying to her boyfriend's text, and then looks back over at Wyatt. He's dipping a sponge into the bucket of soapy water and cleaning his car with it, the muscles in his arms flexing as he does, making it impossible for her to look away.

⠀⠀⠀Wyatt looks over his shoulder, very aware of the fact that she's staring at him, and she quickly tries to make it seem like she was looking at anything but him, busying herself with her phone. She can feel the heat in her face making it bright pink and prays that he can't see it from where he is.

⠀⠀⠀"Can I help you with something or are you just gonna keep creepin'?" he calls over to her.

⠀⠀⠀She feels like she's choking on her tongue, and her mind can't form a coherent thought. "Um... Uh... I..."

⠀⠀⠀Wyatt laughs. "I'm just teasin' you."

⠀⠀⠀"I changed my mind," she finally says, needing some reasonable explanation for her to be staring at him. "Can you take me to get a pair of boots and maybe a couple of flannels?"

⠀⠀⠀"It would be my pleasure," he replies. "Just let me finish up. Enjoy the show, Hay."