The Boy Next Door

four

AMELIAS POV
I opened my eyes to my alarm going off. I rolled over and the sun was so bright in my room. I got up and got changed and grabbed my books and threw them in my backpack. I walked downstairs and everyone was eating breakfast.
"Someone was sleepy," Liz chuckled.
"It's all that fresh air you got with Owen," my mom said.
"Or I was just tired," I said.
"Why are you so grumpy," Derek said.
"Because I can be," I said and grabbed a cup of orange juice.
"We're leaving around 6:50," Derek said.
"Okay," Liz and I said. My phone buzzed and it was Owen.
"You coming to school today?" He sent.
"Yeah, Derek is just driving us," I said.
"Oh okay, I'll see you later then," he sent.
"Yeah," I sent. I grabbed my stuff and met Derek and Liz in Derek's car. The bus already came so Owen wasn't outside. We got to school and I went to my locker first.
"Hey!" I heard someone say. I could tell from the peppy voice it was April.
"Hey," I smiled.
"So I was thinking, I know we haven't been friends for super long, but you're really close with Owen, and tonight we were all going to hangout and I was wondering if you wanted to come too," She said.
"Uh, sure," I said.
"Great! I can add you to our group chat and I'll let you know!" She smiled.
"Okay thanks," I said, "here I'll write down my number."
"Oh don't worry about it Owen gave it to me," she said.
"Okay," I said. She ran off and I took my phone out.
"You gave the peppy bitch my number?" I sent to Owen.
"Her name is April lol," he sent.
"Fine. You have April my number," I sent.
"She's very persuasive you cannot say no," he sent.
"I can tell," I sent.
"So anyway are you going to April's tonight?" He sent.
"Yeah, if you're going," I sent.
"Yes I'm going," He sent.
"Okay," I sent.
OWENS POV
I walked into the cafeteria and saw Amelia sitting in the same spot as usual. I sat down across from her and grabbed her phone out of her hand.
"Hey!" She said.
"Do I have to come get you here everyday," I chuckled.
"Owen," she chuckled, "they're your friends, I feel weird being with them without you."
"Amelia how many times do I have to tell you that they like you?" I chuckled.
"Shut up," she said and got up with me. We walked over to our lunch table and Amelia sat down next to me.
"Derek is so dreamy," April said.
"Ew," Amelia said.
"He's coming over here shut up," Callie said. Derek sat down next to Amelia for a few seconds and they talked about something and then he got up.
"He's so cute," April said.
"If you don't shut up I'll tell him you said that," Amelia said.
"Amelia!" April said. Callie chuckled.
"I like her," Callie said which made Amelia smile.
-
We were all taking April's bus home so we could hangout at her place. I could tell Amelia was kinda nervous about hanging out with us outside of school, but we were really close so I'll make sure she's okay. We got off April's bus and we were walking down the street to her house. Amelia was really quite. She got super quiet when she was nervous and anxious, I've figured that out.
"So how was school?" I asked.
"It was okay," she said, "how was your day?
"It was good," I said.
"Is her family as peppy as her?" Amelia whispered as we got to April's house.
"No," I chuckled.
"Okay," Amelia chuckled.
AMELIAS POV
April's was nice, we were all playing video games together. I kinda sucked at the game but so did Callie so it wasn't that bad. I was really nervous about coming here but they're all so nice.
"Amelia you kinda suck at this game," Owen joked.
"Shut up," I said and shoved him. He shoved me back and I chuckled.
"It's okay Amelia I suck at this game too," Callie chuckled.
"Thanks I'm glad I'm not the only one," I joked.
"Usually that's me but now you're here we can both suffer," she joked. I liked Callie. She was a lot like me, the opposite of peppy April. I mean April was nice, she really was, but it was all too much for me sometimes if we're being honest.
DEREKS POV
Amelia now has a group of friends, I'm happy for her. She got home a little while from one of the girls house, I think it was April I don't know.
"Derek!" My mom called.
"What?" I said. My mom came out of her room and she looked worried.
"Can you go check on Amelia?" She asked.
"Sure, why?" I said. She motioned towards Amelia's door and I could hear her crying.
"I'm on it," I said.
"Thank you," she said, "I'm glad she talks to one of us." I knocked on the door and then opened it. Amelia was standing in her room crying ripping up pieces of paper, she usually threw things when she got mad so this was a new one.
"You get tired of throwing stuff?" I said.
"My-my r-room looks too nice and new right now," she said crying.
"Calm down," I said and wrapped my arms around her, "what's wrong?"
"He's going to leave me, they all are," she said.
"Who? Who's leaving?" I said.
"Owen," she started sobbing.
"What happened?" I said.
"Nothing," she said, "it-it's too good."
"You have to stop being so self destructive," I chuckled and pushed her hair out of her face.
"Everyone leaves me Derek," she said.
"I haven't," I said, "I'm right here, I've always been right here."
"He's going to leave," she said, "and I-I, and I." She started crying more where she couldn't talk.
"Amy breathe," I said.
"I-I," she said.
"What?" I said.
"I think I like him," she said.
"I think we all figured it out before you," I chuckled.
"Shut up," she sniffled.
"He's not going to leave you," I said.
"Everyone does Derek! Dad! Michelle! James! They all leave me, why would Owen be different!" She cried.
"Maybe he is," I said softly and kissed her head, "was ripping paper therapeutic?"
"Shut up," she said.
"So you like Owen," I said.
"Shut up about it," she said and got defensive, "I don't want to talk about it."
"It's not a bad thing to let your guard and walls down every once in a while," I said. She looked at me a wiped her eyes.
"I'm too fragile to lose Owen, Derek" she said softly.
"I can promise you he's not going anywhere, if he was going to leave why would he hangout with you all the time? Why would he introduce you to his friend group?" I said softly.
"I don't want to talk about it," she said, "thank you though."
"Okay," I nodded.
AMELIAS POV
I was sitting on the ledge by my window looking at the sky. Derek was right, I was self destructive, I can't let people in. Losing Owen would kill me. I lose everyone. I felt my phone buzz and I looked and it was Owen.
"Open your window," he sent. I opened my window and he did the same.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey," I said and blew my nose.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"Yeah I'm fine," I said.
"Okay," he said, "you looking at the stars?"
"Yeah," I sighed and looked at the sky and then my gaze went to him. He smiled at me.
"I used to climb on my roof and watch the shooting stars," He said.
"Is it a better view?" I asked.
"Definitely," he said.
"Alright then," I said and hopped onto the surprisingly thick ledge from my window and climbed onto the roof as he did the same.
"I can see why you like the view better up here," I said.
"Yeah," he said, "it's really great."
"So are you," I said.
"What?" He chuckled.
"So are you, you know, really great," I chuckled.
"You're really great too," he said.