The Boy Next Door

six

OWENS POV
I got up for school and brushed my teeth, my hair, and got dressed for the day. I packed my textbooks and binders into my bag and walked downstairs. I felt my phone buzzed and I checked and it was Amelia.
"Hey," it read.
"Hey," I sent.
"Wanna do me a favor?" She sent.
"Sure," I said.
"Look out your window," she sent. I looked over and opened my window and she did the same.
"I think I've heard that before," I chuckled, as I asked her for the same her first night here.
"It was good, thought it would be recycled," she chuckled. She smiled and she was so pretty.
"AMELIA!" I heard her mom scream.
"I'll see you at school," she chuckled and closed her window. I walked downstairs and Megan was eating an egg.
"Morning," I said.
"Morning," she said. I grabbed a yogurt and sat at the counter with her.
"Okay are you guys coming right home after school?" My mom asked.
"Yeah," I said.
"Unless you go running off with Amelia," Megan teased.
"Shut up," I said.
"Oh yeah how is it going with her?" My mom said.
"We're just friends," I said.
"Whatever you say," my mom chuckled and kissed my head before walking out for work.
-
I walked into the cafeteria with Jackson and to my surprise I saw Amelia sitting with April and Callie.
"That's a good sign," Jackson said.
"It is," I said. We walked over and I sat down next to Amelia who was doing math homework again.
"Hey," I said. She looked up and smiled.
"Hey," she said.
"Forget about math again?" I joked.
"Something like that," She said. Derek sat down next to her and she put her pencil down.
"Get up we're going for a walk," Derek said. Amelia rolled her eyes and got up and followed Derek outside.
"Dude is she okay?" Callie asked.
"I don't know," I said.
"She seems sad," April said.
"I know," I said.
AMELIAS POV
"Derek what do you want?" I said as he pushed the outside door open.
"You are not running," he said.
"What!" I said.
"You are not running, not from Owen, not from your friends, not from Seattle," he said.
"I'm not," I said.
"You are being self destructive, I can see it," he said.
"Derek stay out of this," I said.
"You are too happy I'm not letting you ruin it, we run, okay? I know that, you know that, but you are not running this time," he said and walked back into the building and I followed him. I walked back over to the lunch table and sat down next to Owen.
"You good?" He said.
"Yeah it was nothing," I shrugged.
OWENS POV
Amelia wasn't okay. Something was bothering her. She shuts people out when she's sad.
"You need to check on her," jackson said.
"I know," I said.
"If she's going to open up to anyone it's you," jackson said.
"I'm going to talk to her after school," I said. We were walking into our last period so then I could catch Amelia later.
-
I got home and I ran upstairs to go look out my window for Amelia. I looked across and she was sitting on the edge of her bed crying. My heart broke. I texted her and I watched her look at it and she laid down on her bed. I decided I was going to text her again.
"Come over, we can watch a movie, or talk, or both. You in?" I sent.
"I'm upset right now," she sent.
"Please? It'll make you feel better" I sent.
"Fine I'll be over," she sent. A few minutes later my doorbell rang. I opened the door and Amelia's eyes were all red from crying.
"You okay?" I asked and wrapped my arms around her.
"Yeah," she said, her voice was so weak and fragile.
"Okay," I said softly. Megan was in the basement working on some science project so I figured we could hangout in my room. I opened my door and Amelia smiled.
"Your room is cute!" She said.
"It's kinda messy," I chuckled.
"No it's adorable," she said. I sat down on my bed and she sat down next to me.
"Do you want to talk?" I asked. She was quiet for a moment and then looked at me and nodded.
"Talking would be nice," she said.
"So what's bothering you?" I said.
"Everyone in my life leaves me," she said softly, "First my dad, then my best friend michelle died, and then my ex boyfriend James left me."
"Okay," I said slowly, "and you're worried it'll happen again?"
"I care about you a lot Owen, and god that scares me so much. I'm so scared you're just going to leave me and I, I can't handle that, so I've been trying to just distance myself but I can't, I care about you so much," she said trying not to cry.
"Amelia I'm not going anywhere," I said and wrapped one of my arms around her.
"I miss my dad," she cried.
"I know," I softly and rubbed her back as she cried. I laid back on my bed so she could use my chest as a pillow. I rubbed her back and she looked up at me.
"Derek tells me I'm self destructive," she chuckled. I chuckled and pushed a piece of hair behind her ear.
"Well if you keep telling yourself I'm going to leave you are," I said.
"I'm scared," she said quietly.
"There's nothing to be scared of," I said and ran my fingers through her hair and she didn't seem to mind. We laid there for a while, while she calmed down.
"I'm sorry I'm such a mess," she said quietly after a while.
"We all are," I said.
"It kinda felt good to get that out," she chuckled. She was still snuggled into my chest which was so cute, I had her in my arms.
"Do you want to watch a movie?" I asked.
"Sure," she said.
AMELIAS POV
I opened up to Owen, which scares the hell out of me. I was so vulnerable around him and I hated it. I hated being vulnerable. We were laying in his bed watching a movie. I still had my head on his chest and he didn't seem to mind so I stayed, I liked his company, so much, he always made me feel safe, and loved.
"Amelia," Owen said.
"Yeah?" I said.
"Are you hungry?" He asked.
"A little," I said.
"Okay," he said and we got up. We walked downstairs into his kitchen.
"Will your mom get mad if I sit on your counter," I chuckled.
"No," Owen said, "Megan does it all the time."
"Alright," I said and watched him look in his pantry.
"What do you want?" He said.
"Whatever you're having," I chuckled. Megan came into the kitchen and smiled.
"Hey," she said.
"Hey," I said.
"Hey how's your project going?" Owen asked.
"Good," Megan said, "do we have ice cream?"
"Yes," Owen said, "Amelia do you want ice cream?"
"Sure," I smiled.
-
Owen and I hung out all afternoon. It was nice. We watched a bunch of scary movies and ate ice cream and pizza. It was fun. His mom was working later so Owen said she didn't mind that I stayed for dinner with him and Megan.
"Your room is cold," I chuckled.
"You want a sweatshirt?" He said.
"I mean if you're offering," I said. He got up and threw me one from his closet.
"Thanks," I said, "which reminds me that I didn't give you back your other shirt, I'll bring it over tomorrow, or whenever I remember."
"It's fine," he chuckled. I put his sweatshirt on and it was so warm. I felt my phone buzz and it was my mom.
"You coming home?" She sent.
"I can," I sent.
"Yes please," she sent.
"My mom wants me home," I frowned and looked at Owen.
"Okay," he said, "this was fun."
"It was," I smiled.
"It's kinda dark I'll walk you over," he said.
"Okay," I smiled, he was so sweet. We started walking and it was almost 8pm which means it was pretty much dark out. I felt something pinch my waist and I screamed. I felt arms go around my waist from the front and one over my mouth.
"I'm sorry don't scream," Owen chuckled. I put my hand over his and nodded. He still had his arm around my waist and we stopped there for a minute.
"I'm going to let go of you please don't scream," Owen laughed. He let go of me and I turned around and punched him in the arm.
"I hate you!" I chuckled, "we watched a bunch of scary movies why would you do that!"
"I'm sorry I thought it was funny," he said innocently.
"Hold my hand I'm scared," I said boldly. I reached my hand out and he grabbed it. We continued walking to my house and all I could think about was how good it felt to be in his arms today.