Neighbors

E L E V E N

BECKETT

I was left standing at the bottom of the stairs, shocked by Piper's response to my question. I had never thought about her in a romantic way. To me, she was just my next door neighbor who babysat my sister from time to time. We were nothing but acquaintances. Up until now, at least. At this point in time, I guess you could consider us friends but we weren't all that close. Our friendship was nothing like the one her and Bryce shared. They were basically attached at the hip 24/7. They had grown up together and had probably been through Hell and back.

I attempted to shake these thoughts from my brain and walked upstairs to Sadie's room. When I got there, she and Piper had already set everything up and had dolls sprawled across the carpet. I took a seat with them and Sadie immediately shoved a male Barbie in my hand. She explained to Piper and I what we were supposed to do but I wasn't paying much attention to her instructions. I was too focused on what Piper had said earlier. That was a big mistake on my part. The entire time we were playing, Sadie kept fussing at me because I wasn't doing something right or I wasn't doing what she wanted me to do.

"You're not very good at playing with Barbies," Sadie stuck her tongue out at me.

"I am too!" I argued. Jesus Christ, I was actually bickering about playing with Barbies with a six year old.

"No Beckett. You're not." Piper reassuringly rubbed my shoulder.

"Wow, take her side. I see how it is," I pouted, removing her hand. "You two don't love me."

"Yes we do, Brubby." Sadie ran over and tackled me in a hug.

I groaned as I hit the floor and acted as if I couldn't get up. "Piper, help me." I pretended to gasp for air and Sadie laid on top of my stomach.

Piper shook her head and encouraged Sadie to stay where she was.

"You're mean," I frowned in her direction. That was mistake number two. My little sister instantly became defensive and started hitting my arms with her small fists.

"Piper isn't a meanie! You are!" She kept up the attack until I scooped her up in my arms and got up off of the floor.

I swung her around and pretended to fight her back. She giggled hysterically as I laid her on the floor and tickled her belly.

"Stop! Stop!" she pleaded breathlessly between giggles.

"Am I still a meanie?" I asked her. She nodded her head. "Well in that case." I moved my hands up and tickled her neck. She was extremely ticklish there. "I'll stop if you apologize."

"I'm sorry!" she laughed uncontrollably, trying to shield her neck from my fingers.

"Okay," I simply let go and stood up.

I turned and saw Piper shaking her head at our antics. "You two are ridiculous."

I fixed my hair and smiled.

Just then, I heard the front door close and my mom's heels click across the wooden floors downstairs.

"Beckett? Sadie?" she called throughout the house.

"Upstairs, mom!" I shouted.

A minute later, she appeared into the threshold of Sadie's bedroom. "There you two are. Hello, Piper."