The Neighbor

one

"Keep it down!" I shouted through the wall separating Andrew and I, "ew." I whispered to myself when I heard a girl laughing from inside his room. I looked out my window, once I was sure that our neighbors, the Johnsons, couldn't see me. I sat myself down. "Jennifer, have you seen Grace's- Oh! Never mind!" Mrs. Johnson could be heard through the screen of my window as I let the natural breeze come through. Grace, the youngest of five kids, was on her hip, watching as her mother picked something up off the ground. My father always insisted that it was bad, bad looking, bad for the yard, bad for the children, leaving things laying out. That's when I would insist, "but imagine if you had five kids, it would be difficult to keep everything organized." Unlike us —just the three of us— in this over sized, over organized house.

The only room in this house that you would ever find unorganized would be Andrew's, he's like a typical eighteen year old boy, except he's worse. I on the other hand keep everything put away and neat, not because my dad likes it that way, but I just do't want to live in a pigsty like my brother. The sound of the door shutting downstairs signaled that dad had left early, yet again, to go to the office, leaving Andrew and I home alone, plus whoever the mystery girl is this time around.

"I'm going to meet, Jane!" I called, obnoxiously banging on Andrew's door, running down the stairs when I heard him stomping towards his door. "What the hell is your problem!" He shouted, following after me. "I don't have a problem, why do you ask?" I smirked, my back turned to him so he couldn't see, his feet could be heard coming up behind me as I dug a granola bar out of the box in the pantry. "You reek of beer, get away." I mumbled pushing him back, I have a job interview this morning and I don't need him ruining it.

"Don't forget the weed." He whispered, fanning his breath across my face. I coughed, waving my hand in front of my face, desperately trying to get the stench to go away. "I still don't get how dad hasn't came down on you like a hammer." I grumbled, squeezing past him to get to the fridge, not before catching a blonde girl rushing out of the house. "New type?" I raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Shut it, red." He snapped, followed by yawning loudly. "May I remind you that you're the red head, I'm a brunette." My eyes rolled without thought as I waved a section of my hair in front of his face.

"Oh, that's right, you took after the devil herself." I had to force myself not to smack him then and there. "Watch your mouth!" I snapped at him, pointing an accusing finger at him, "whatever your problem was with mom, get over it because you can't change it now. You took too long." I added, thinking back to how he didn't even react about her dying until she had been gone for months, they never got along well, he never really got along with dad either. He simply starred at me with this blank look, as if to say your point. My phone began to ring in my pocket, I took it as a signal to just leave the conversation. "Hello?" I answered my phone, the granola bar muffling my voice. "Are you coming!?" Jane asked, I glanced at the clock.

"Our interviews aren't until eleven." I assured her, "it's barely ten." She sighed over dramatically, "I know but I'm getting anxious waiting here by myself." A breathy laugh escaped my lips as I finished the last of bite of my granola bar, my keys now dangling in my hand. "I'm coming so chill out." People talking could be heard in the background, "hurry." Is all she said before disconnecting our call. "Try not to puke on the carpet!" I shouted into the house as I left, a sarcastic laugh could be heard as I shut the door, so help him if he does, our dad will flip. My gaze changed to the neighbors house as the sound of kids laughing was coming from the front lawn. The oldest, the boy from the day they moved in, I had learned his name was Matthew, was standing outside. I watched the football go between him and his younger brother, Ryan.

The face my father had when he told me not to talk to them flashed in my mind and it forced my eyes to go back to unlocking my car, the only reason I followed through with those orders for seven years was the way he had looked at me. I don't want to be on the receiving end of the punishment for breaking that rule.

"Jane, Mr. Henry will probably hire you before he hires me." I caught her attention, "calm down." I demanded, her eyes rolled as she leaned against the back of her chair. My phone buzzed in my hand making me furrow my eyebrows, "dad?" I asked, holding the phone up to my ear. "Don't go to the interview, I mean it, Alexandra." Jane's eyes widened, clearly being able to hear him, "what? Why? I worked so hard to get this interview." I couldn't help but sigh, knowing that it is impossible to change his mind.

"I've came to a realization." My eyebrows shot up, "about your brother." I let out a dry laugh, biting the inside of my cheek to keep myself from giving him a remark. "I want you to help get him in check, I don't want it getting out that he needs help with... well, you know his issues." He explained, "you want me, to spend my whole gap year taking care of your son?" I asked, not believing a word he said. "What? You're a good sister, you shouldn't have a problem taking care of him!" I pinched the bridge of my nose, letting go I gave Jane a hand motion, implying that I need a minute.

The door to the store shut behind me as I walked down the sidewalk, "dad, I shouldn't spend the year I worked so hard on to get for myself, helping Andrew handle his issues." I snapped, instantly regretting it but not showing it. "Alexandra Diana Wilson, do not talk to me like that." I could picture the staff of his own law firm talking about him from the other side of his office doors, if only he knew how horrible he sounds. "I'll pay you!" He offered, another dry laugh escaped my lips, "that's the least you could do." I whispered, "fine, I'll do it, but whatever I decide he needs to help him, is coming out of your pocket, especially because I won't have a job." I hung up before he could answer.

I sent Jane an apologetic look through the window, she shrugged with a smile. "It's ok." She mouthed.

***

"What the hell?" I mumbled, putting my car in park, Matthew, the neighbors son, was standing by the fence, looking as if he was talking to someone in my backyard. "Um, what are you doing?" I called out to him, shutting my car door loudly, he looked over. "Your brother is it?" He made a motion to the yard, I nodded, Andrew is the only one who's home, "well, he keeps jumping off the roof into the pool." Matthew added as if it was a normal thing. "Oh, and he also came pretty close to missing the pool last time." I practically ran through the house and out into the backyard. "Andrew!" I shrieked as he splashed into the pool again.

"I'm Matthew." I acted as if I didn't hear him, pretending to be too focused on my brother, although on the inside I was freaking out because he was talking to me. "Andrew." I snapped as he climbed out of the pool. I yanked him back by the shoulder forcing him to look at me, "what?" He slurred, "is he drunk?" Matthews voice could be heard in the background. I looked past my brother and saw Matthew quirking an eyebrow. "Can I just have a second please?" I didn't give him a chance to answer.

"You think dad hasn't noticed, right?" I loudly asked Andrew, he nodded, a smirk on his face, I wanted so badly to push him into the pool directly behind him, but that seemed just a little too dramatic. "Well, he did! Wanna take a guess on how I know that?" He swayed side to side, a tell tale sign that he was beyond drunk. "Dad just made me give up a job and my whole gap year to get you back to yourself!" He plopped down onto a lounge chair next to him, "now lets see," I placed a hand on my chin, looking like I was in thought. "Would back to normal be when you were twelve and got mad at me and threw my stuff into the pool? Oh! Or how about when mom was sick and you told her to screw off because she asked you to keep it down?!" My hands were flying around as if I was trying to hit a bee.

And all Andrew had the nerve to do was laugh.

My eyes followed his every move as he shakily made his way into the house, "I feel like I shouldn't have heard all of that." Matthew mumbled from his side of the fence, I shook my head, "it would be amazing if you could act like you don't even know my name." I remarked, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. Matthew lopsidedly smiled, "well I don't know your name, so that'll be pretty easy, wont it?" He challenged, "oh, right." I mumbled, "you know it would be more fun if I actually had to hide the fact that I know your name." I laughed under my breath, "you're very.." I trailed off, trying to think of the word, "sarcastic, easy going, good looking?" He winked at the end, "my names, Alexandra." I let the words linger in the air for a minute.

"Well, Alex, if I may call you that?" He paused waiting for approval, no ones ever called me that, I kind of like it, so I gave him a nod. "It was very nice to meet you, Alex." He disappeared as soon as the words left his lips.