It Was All Leading Up To You

Chapter 1:

"Josh can you get your dirty socks out of my room." I say down the hallway hoping he'll hear me over the punk music pulsing through his door. Ross must be over or headed here soon.

I throw the socks out into the hallway and continue tidying my room for when Aaron and Reya come over for our Pretty Little Liars marathon. I finish throwing away some trash and hear a knock on the door I bolt down the flight of stairs and my feet pound as I hit the landing at the bottom and run into the entrance opening the door of my home. 

Not Reya or Aaron. My Brother's charming and extremely attractive best friend from next door 20 year old Ross Topha. His blonde straight locks sit in just the right place on his head. His sunken in cheeks and sharp Jaw line shine in the morning sun. Not as much as his crystal blue eyes sparkling like the types of diamonds you see in cartoons. His attire today consists of a Red/Maroon shirt. Some black skinny jeans and a pair of black and white classic style high top converse. His perfect neck is adorned with a guitar pick necklace and his guitar bag is slung over his muscled shoulder. He looks perfect. 

"Uh, Hey Laney." He says waving his tanned hand at me.

"Oh ahaha, Hey Ross." I say turning on the charm like I always do.  

"Can I come in?" He says. 

At this point I realize I'm still guarding the door with my life. I jump back and let him in.

"I assume Josh is home." He says pointing up at the loud music and thumping coming from above our heads.

I smile and gesture towards upstairs. He just smiles back and walks up the stairs with his guitar in tow. I use this rare moment to stare at his ass as he walks away. 

I wait until he's turned the corner before I run into the kitchen to catch my breath. I do this everytime I speak to him. So everyday. I hear another knock at the door and I run again to open it and see Reya and Aaron. Aaron sporting a black shirt and batman pj pants and Reya wearing a Gray slouchy shirt and some black leggings. I smile and let them in hugging them. 

"Hey babe." Reya says dropping her bag on the floor and leaning  into hug me. Aaron following after lifting me up a little. 

Aaron and Reya have been friends with me since Pre School. Reya with her quirky personality, chestnut hair and bright blue eyes. She's beautiful and Aaron with his smile, blonde hair and black eyes. Not dark but warm and welcoming. Most of the boys in Denson have blonde hair. 

"Ready for PLL." Aaron says rolling his eyes. He only watches because it makes us happy. More importantly it makes Reya, his girlfriend happy.

We walk upstairs attempting to talk loudly over the guitar playing now coming from Josh's room. I run up the hallway and open my bedroom door jumping on the bed patting the spot next to me for Reya and Aaron. We sit down and the glare from the window is blocking the TV. So I being a gracious host get up to close the curtains where I stop dead in my tracks. 

A moving van next door. Not Ross' next door but Mrs Higgin's next door. The door on the other side of us. Two men are lifting boxes off a truck and a boy is sitting on front steps smoking a cigarette admiring the view. Our street is just across from Denson beach meaning if I look forward I can see it all. But all I can focus on is him. Reya and Aaron have joined me at the window staring. He is a masterpiece. A Mona Lisa style piece of Art. Worthy of exhibition. His jet black locks sitting in a gelled unruly style on his head. His eyes remind me of shell's you see on the beach small and shiny. They're brown and are endlessly perfect. His torso looks sculpted but thin and his long legs are stretched out in front of him. He puts out his cigarette and being's taking off his leather jacket revealing toned and chiseled arms. He chucks it over the banister and begins turning around. We make eye contact and at this moment he know's we're staring at him. He smiles and I jump away from the window closing the curtains as I do. 

"That was intense." Aaron says through a mist of laughter. 

"That was priceless." Reya says laughing again. 

I catch my breath and smile. He noticed me. 

I crawled back towards the window and opened the curtains. The boy was helping the men take boxes into the house. He didn't look back up towards my balcony again.

"Can we watch now?" I hear Reya whine.

"Sureo." I say standing up and pressing play jumping in between my two best friends on the bed. 

Aaron rolls his eyes as we sing every single word to the opening theme.

We watch the whole first season and I look outside to see darkness. 

"We better get going. I have to have Reya home by 9." Aaron says reaching into Reya's bag to get his car keys. 

"All good. Love you guys."  I say hugging each one of them and then waving goodbye. 

I change into some skinny jeans and a high neck blue shirt, I put on some converse and run down the hall to knock on Josh's room.

"HELLO." I scream as I knock loudly. 

He opens the door and Ross waves at me as he puts his guitar down. 

"What do you want?" He asks clearly annoyed. 

"I'm going skateboarding. I'll be back soon." I say looking up as Josh is a lot taller than me. 

"At night? Look whatever you want okay. Ross is sleeping over is that cool?" He asks me fiddling with the door knob. 

"I don't care." I say to Josh

"Make yourself at home Ross." I say as I turn around jogging down the stairs. I jump the last three steps and sit on their landing catching my breath. Mainly because I bolted down a flight of stairs but also because I spoke to Ross without screwing up. 

I stand up and grab my house key and penny board and hit my street skating up to the park and burger place. The park is empty except for a tall dark haired boy sitting on the bench staring at me.