The Neighbor

three

"You okay? You seem a bit off." Matthew said gently, a hint of hesitation in his voice, I shrugged, even though he can't see me through the fence. I tilted my head to the right and looked at the white fence, knowing he was just on the other side, I wonder if he's looking at the fence too. "I am." I jumped at him answering me, "did I say that out loud?" My face flushed, "yeah." He mumbled, not in an awkward way, just in a soft spoken way.

"So, are you..." I lifted my eyebrows, waiting for him to finish, "okay?" I sighed, the dreaded question, I've never liked it, I heard it all too much when my mother died, and now with Andrew in the hospital, it feels too familiar. "No." I admitted truthfully, I heard movement making me inwardly sigh, I probably scared him off. "Your dad doesn't get home until later right?" I placed a hand on my chest, startled by his head popping up over the fence, I looked up at him from my spot on the ground, laying on my back. We both started laying towels out and sitting or laying on them, talking through the fence.

I finally nodded, watching as his head disappeared only to have his whole body flip over the fence. I sat up quickly when he fell instead of landing on his feet, "are you okay?" I asked, stifling back a laugh, he rolled groaning but nodding. I bit my lip when he finally opened his eyes and met my gaze. "I never noticed how blue your eyes were before." He whispered, before we both started laughing.

I tried to hide the fact that a blush was forming on my cheeks, we flirt, a lot, surprisingly. He started it for the most part, I kind of just started going along, and I don't mind doing that. "Is that a compliment?" I watched as he sat up, sliding over to be on my towel, I tugged my feet in. His eyes scanned my face, not in a judgmental way, he looked as if he was taking in everything he's never noticed, we've never been this close face to face. "Yeah." His voice was soft, and gentle.

My lips parted slightly, my breath getting caught in my throat as his hand reached out for my face. I didn't try and stop him, both of us seeming to enjoy the feeling of not having anyone around, "Matthew!" His mom could be heard from their yard, just as his hand had cupped my cheek, we both moved back, startled by her sudden presence. He jumped up and you could hear her gasp, not expecting him to be over here. I stood up next to him, once he motioned for me to join him. "Oh, hello dear." She smiled at me, "so I guess you must be the girl that has him rambling on and on." She  added with a laugh.

Matthew rubbed the back of his neck, "mom." He scolded in a whisper, "I'm Alexandra." I introduced, holding my hand out to her, over the fence. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Johnson." I added as she took my hand in her own, "oh, please! Call me Karen." She waved her free hand, as if saying it was no big deal. "What did you want, mom?" Matthew asked, trying not to sound annoyed but you could tell he was a little embarrassed, "right, I came to see if you would watch the youngsters, Jennifer is at her friends house." She explained, he nodded slowly, "alright, I'll be there in a minute." He turned towards me, "Alexandra, you could come over if you'd like?" She offered, I shrugged, "sure."

I pushed open the gate in my fence, so Matthew and I could get out without having to go through the house, "are you sure you want to come? They can be a handful." He sounded nervous as we walked up to his front door, "I like kids." I assured him, he put his hands up in defense, "can't say that I didn't try." He pushed the door open revealing the living room, three kids in there, toys scattered across the carpeted area.

"Thanks honey, I'll be back in a couple of hours." His mom rushed out the door, I smiled up at Matthew, "are you going to introduce me?" I teased, looking back in front of us at the kids who were all watching us, the youngest looked like she was about to burst into tears, and boy was I right because what do you know, she started screaming. I watched as Matthew scooped her up, making her look even smaller in his arms, "this is Ryan, he's twelve." He motioned to the boy on a tablet, headphones in, not hearing a thing going on, "I'm Lexi, I'm six." The girl-Lexi, beat him too it, "and this is Grace, she's one." He held the now happy as can be little girl out and she reached for me, I gave him a look silently asking if I could hold her. He answered by shoving her, gently, into my arms.

"I'm Alexandra, but you can call me Alex." I said to Lexi, since Ryan still didn't realize we were doing introductions. "My brother talks about you a lot." Her voice was hushed as I sat down on the end of the couch, setting Grace down on the floor with her toys and she happily started playing with them. "Does he?" I asked her, knowing full well Matthew was on his way back from the kitchen, a sippy cup of juice for Grace in hand. "He says he wants to take you out. Whatever that means." She smiled, revealing her one missing tooth, "thanks, Lexi." He grumbled, dangling the cup in front of Grace's face, she practically tore it out of his grip.

"Go play." He told her, pushing her with his foot once he sat down, she turned, crossing her arms and stomping off. I let out a laugh, turning to look at him, "so, how much of what she said is true?" I questioned, chewing on the inside of my cheek, watching him intently. His signature lopsided smile appeared, "all of it." I forced myself not to react, aside from a small smile. "So, is that a yes?" His eyebrows raised, I shrugged, "to what? You didn't ask me anything." I laughed, "of course it's a yes." I added, giving him a bashful smile, letting my hair fall out from behind my ear, only to have him reach up and tuck it back.

His hand lingered, gently brushing against my cheek, slowly, we started getting closer-"Gross!" Ryan jumped off the couch, looking at us in shock, Grace turned and looked at us, not knowing what was happening but just paying attention because of all the noise Ryan made. Matthew sighed moving back, "I'm going to kill you, man." He jokingly threatened his younger brother, I slid off the couch, realizing what time it was, "pick me up tomorrow at six!" I called, shutting the front door behind me before he could respond. Did I just say yes to a date with the neighbor I'm not supposed to talk to?