The Boy Next Door

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

“Act natural.” Jessica said as we were walking past his house again the next day.  “He’s looking our way!”

“Oh come off it Jessica!  You know if we try to act natural we just end up looking like total losers!  Why don’t we just act like we’re taking a walk?” I said sarcastically.  “Since it is sort of what we’re doing.”

“Fine, whatever… how’s my hair?”

“You look fine. When do you not look great?”

“Hey, that’s not fair! You always look great too!” she said defensively. 

“Whatever.”

“Guess what!?” said Jessica clutching my arm.

“What?”

“He’s coming to the end of his driveway!!”

“My goodness, Jessica! He’s just taking out the trash! Don’t you see the trash bags in his hands?” I asked.

“Yes but it might give us a chance to introduce ourselves.”

“No!!” I said not knowing why I was getting so nervous.  I’m not that shy. “Not today. We’ll introduce ourselves later or at school or something. OK?”

“Fine, but it’s your loss.”

Oh no! I thought.  We’re already heading back to my house and we’re gonna have to pass each other! Wait….why am I getting nervous?  That would be totally embarrassing if Jessica….

“Hi!! I’m Jessica Anderson and this is my best friend Katie Rivera.  She’s your next door neighbor.  She lives over there.” She said pointing to my house through the woods.  I just smiled and said, “Hi.”  I also got to see his eye color, a gorgeous hazel!

“Hi, I’m Jesse Montez,” He said. “nice to meet you both.” We all shook hands.  Jessica and Jesse stood there talking for a few moments. I was still feeling nervous. I think it was because he is so good looking. I don’t know but it felt weird.

“Jessica! Look at the time!” I said trying to get out of there.  “Sorry but we’ve got to go!”

“We do?” Jessica asked.

“Yeah, don’t you remember? We were going to do that one thing at my house?” I tried to give her a pleading look without getting caught.

“Oh that’s right. Now I remember,” Jessica said finally catching on. “sorry Jesse.”

I sighed inwardly with relief.

“That’s ok. I’ve got to go unpack more stuff anyway.” said Jesse backing away.

“Oh!” Jessica said, “Before I forget, what grade are you going into Jesse?”

“Um, I’m going into 12th grade.”

“Really? We’re going into 12th grade too.” I said.

“Cool. So I guess I’ll be seeing you around.” said Jesse.

“Yeah, bye!” Jessica and I said at the same time.

After we were in my driveway Jessica blurted out, “What was that all about!?”

“Nothing.” I said.

“You like him don’t you?”

“No.”

“You so do! Oooh, I knew it!! ‘I’m Katie and we really have to go!’ ” said Jessica in a mocking voice.

“SHUT UP JESSICA!!”

“Fine but you know he was totally flirting with you.”

“What?? He was not!!” I said.  Was he really?  I thought.

“Sorry to break it to ya honey, but yeah, he was. When I was talking to him he kept glancing over at you and when he said, ‘I guess I’ll be seeing you around’, he wasn’t talking to me.”

“He probably kept looking at me because I wasn’t talking or anything and when he said, ‘I guess I’ll be seeing you around’ he probably meant because we live next to each other.  So now that that’s all explained can we please get back to my house and get something to eat?  I’m starving!” I said, changing the subject.

“Ok, I’m hungry too….what are we going to have?”