The Boy Next Door

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Evan was right. Time was flying. I didn't have much time to spend with my family before I left for college.

Since realizing this, I'd devoted a lot of my free time to playing with Madelyn. At least, as much as I could. I couldn't do much since I had a broken leg. My leg was slowly healing, keeping me from doing a few things, but I didn't mind.

Evan still drove me home, but I noticed that Dad was watching from the window half the time. It made me blush. Not that I liked Evan, but it was embarrassing.

Today, Evan helped me out of his fixed car and I hobbled back home. Dad was sitting in the living room reading something. "You're half an hour later than usual."

"Brianna and I were caught up talking." He glanced at me suspiciously, but said nothing. "Is Madelyn home yet?"

"Mom took her to a friend's house."

Nodding slowly, I hobbled up the stairs to my room. The first thing I saw as I walked in was Evan throwing his bag down angrily.

"Are you okay?" I wanted to ask, but I knew it was better to not. So I watched him from the corner of my window, hoping he didn't notice.

He ran his hands frustratedly through his hair and over his face before muttering. As splashes of rain began to fall on the window panes, he looked out and smirked. I hid.

By the time I looked back out, he was gone and his window was open. Quickly I leaned out to close it, but saw towels covering his stuff. He'd done this before, I realized.

Curious, I grabbed my rain jacket, threw my hair up in a ponytail, and dropped out of my two-story window, making sure to balance myself between our houses so that I could close my window. I flinched and tried to keep off my bad leg, limping after him.

He wasn't hard to find, being the only person outside. Suddenly he swerved left, off the road and into the woods that were a few streets back. I followed him, keeping just close enough that I could see him. The rain was coming down harder every second, soaking my jeans.

When we were about a quarter of a mile back, he turned off the path. Frowning, I followed closely. Why would he go off the path? Where was he going?

Another quarter of a mile gave way to a clearing with a single tree in the middle. My jaw dropped open when he didn't hesitate to walk right out to it and sit down underneath the tree. Lightning flashed far away, making me flinch. He could get hit.

But he didn't seem to care. He was sitting there, knees to his chest like a young boy. I wondered what had happened in the two minutes I'd not seen him. Or...had I caused this somehow? No, that was silly. I'd not done anything.

I watched quietly as he sat there and prayed. He hadn't run away from his problems at all, like I was considering. He came here for silence, so he could think and focus.

I felt like I was intruding and took a step back. A twig snapped under my foot and Evan's head shot up. I turned and ran.

~

"Meg? Megan?" My sister poked me awake.

"What?"

"It's Saturday! Get up!"

"What's so special about today?"

"Evan's taking me to the park! And Daddy said you had to come with me!"

"Oh, right. Okay, I'll get up soon."

At noon I walked out the front door and into the spring sun. It felt nice against my pale skin.

"Hey, you two. Ready to go?" Evan smiled as he walked up.

"Yep."

"Then let's go. It's close by, so I was planning on walking."

When we got there, Madelyn dragged Evan off to help her on the monkey bars. Shaking my head, I smiled and walked over more slowly. Evan was on cloud nine, at least that's what his expression betrayed. So I let him have his moment.

Soon Madelyn called me over to swing with her. Evan smiled at me and asked her if he could talk to me for a minute. "Be quick!" She ordered.

Evan nodded me over to the bench beside the playground. Confused, I followed. "What's up?"

"Well, I don't know if it's okay to say this, but I think you're beautiful." I felt my cheeks flush. That was the first time any guy besides my dad had ever complimented me.

"Thanks," I muttered.

"There's more though. I like you, Megan, a lot. I'm not sure if this is okay, because I know you're close with Brianna, but I want to be more than friends with you." My heartbeat sped considerably. What would Brianna--I cut that thought short. My life can't revolve around her. Seeing my blank expression, Evan continued quickly. "I know maybe you don't want that and you're only looking for a friend, and I'm okay with that. But if you want, maybe...would you consider going out with me?"

I formed my words carefully. "Honestly, I hadn't even thought about it, because I was worried about Brianna. But I shouldn't be. So I'll think about it and get back to you."

He nodded. "That's a better answer than I expected. Take all the time you need, and if your answer is based on my past with Brianna, I understand."

Now that I'd begun to think about him in a romantic way, that comment was both sweet and tortured. He was afraid that would be the reason I said no. I couldn't blame him.

In the succeeding days Evan was always around me, doing everything for me. He held my books, opened doors, and was all around polite. Like today. I hardly touched my books before Evan was beside me in the classes that we shared, and he was at the school doors and his car door before I could blink.

While Evan was crowding more than a few of my thoughts, my others were filled with thoughts of God, learning more about who He was and what it really meant to follow Him. I realized how much of a fake Christian I'd been.

"How much homework do you have?" He asked from his window.

"Not much. Most of my teachers are backing off for spring break."

"Lucky." He groaned. "I'm going to be doing this at midnight."

I laughed as he rubbed his eyes and got his books out. "Biology is difficult."

"Not so much," I replied.

"You think so? Here, take it."

I chuckled and shook my head. "Sorry, not going to happen." He sighed and looked down at it. I smiled at this, seeing that he looked handsome, especially when he was thinking hard.