The Boy Next Door – Episode 37

THE BOY NEXT DOOR

©️Authoress Adesewa

EPISODE THIRTY SEVEN

💓HUNTER💓

I was in home room, reading a passage from the geography textbook in front of me when I got a text from Dana.

💬Principal gave Oliver and I detention. I don’t know when I’d be free”

I wonder what they both had done to warrant their detention.

💬Okay. I’d be waiting for you, but you might need to text your friends that you’d be late”
I sent to her.

💬Thanks
Xoxo”
She replied back immediately.

I couldn’t concentrate on what I was reading so I just closed the textbook.

I have a lot of unanswered questions on my mind. I just don’t know who to ask.
I don’t even know if the truth is something I’m ready to accept.
Everything just looks so confusing.
I don’t even know if the problem is me, but I think I’m being avoided by my loved ones.

First, Dana has been acting distant lately.
I used to pride myself for being able to decipher all her moods in the past, but right now I think something is not right.
She doesn’t even spend time with me unlike before.
Now, we are just like strangers to each other.

We go to school together and live in the same house, yet there is this unbridgeable gap between us.

I feel hurt but I can’t show it. I don’t want to appear weak before her.

The second person who I think is also avoiding me is Oliver.

My best friend is also not as friendly as he used to be.
At times, I want to talk to him but he just seems to dissappear at those moments.
He has always been my friend ever since we were still on diapers.
I don’t know what has changed, but I hope everything go back to the way it was in the past.

The closing bell went off and I went to the parking lot.
I was surprised to see Dana already standing in front of my car.

She hasn’t spotted me yet so I took a while to watch her discreetly.
I think her appearance has changed slightly or maybe I’m just imagining it.

❣️ALEXA❣️

Thankfully, the tennis court was not really dirty, so my work was not much.
I was able to finish my work within thirty minutes.

I went back to the principal’s office to inform him that I’m through with my work.

He wasn’t on seat so I stood outside his office, patiently waiting for him to come back from wherever he went to.

Few minutes later, Oliver came to join me and we both waited for him.

I was already getting tired of being on my feet when he came back to his office.
At last!

“Are you through with what I asked you to do?”

“Yes, sir” we both said.

“Fine, you can go”

“Thank you, sir”

“I’m sorry for getting you into trouble” Oliver apologised for the umpteenth time.

“I told you it’s not your fault” I said.

The final bell went off and I quickly bade him farewell.

I went to the parking lot and I was among the first set of people to get there.

I stood in front of Hunter’s car and I wait for him to come drive me to Sarah’s house.

+++

“Sarah, I want smoothies” Leah, Sarah’s 4-year-old kid sister whined.
We are almost through with practice and the girl has been on Sarah’s neck since we came here.

“Leah, why are you just so annoying?” Sarah muttered.
I can see she is getting frustrated by Leah’s attitude.

“Do you mind if I make it for you?” I asked the little kid who nods happily.

“Thanks, Alexa” Sarah said and she went back to what she was doing.

Leah directed me to the kitchen and I helped her make the smoothies.

“Thanks, you are the best” Leah said as we head back to Sarah’s room which we are using for practice.
I wonder if this girl say exactly these words to anyone who gives her what she wants.

The girls were already through with practice when we got to Sarah’s room.

“Have you gotten the costume for Friday?” I asked Rachel.
She is going to act as George Washington.

“Nope. Do you have anything I can use?”

“Yeah. I think I might have something that fits the description. I’d check when I get home”

“Thanks dear”

We spend few more minutes just talking before Kayla’s ride came to pick her.
Hunter also arrived pretty soon and I waved at Sarah and Rachel before I went to meet Hunter.

🐯RUBY🐯

I byried myself in my works and I didn’t even know when someone entered the library until I saw a silhouette of a figure behind me.

I jumped back in fright and I only calmed down when I discovered it’s my mom.

“Hey, you scared me”

“I’m sorry. It’s just weird to see you here” she said simply.
I know it’s really weird.
I can’t believe I’m doing this myself.
I have no choice because I can’t afford to fail my final year tests or examinations.
This is only how I can get access to some books I need.

“There’s always a first time for everything” I shrugged.

I didn’t tell her the real reason for me using this library here instead of the one at school, or better still why I’m not using the notes which was given in school.

“Do you need anything?” mom asked.
Yes, I do.
I need my car keys, credit card, my freedom and lots more…

“No, I don’t” I said instead.

She finally left the library and I tried to go back to what I was reading before she came in, but I was already distracted.

I couldn’t help but cry about how pathetic my life is.
My own family does not even like me, not to talk of my school mates.

I have been trying unsuccessfully since yesterday to get someone to borrow me his/her books so I can take pictures of the notes they’ve written while I was suspended from school, but no one even allowed me talk to them not to talk of lending out their books to me.

I done even think I can with all these anymore.
I might just commit suicide or something.
It’s not like anyone is even going to care.

💠Somewhere in Texas, USA.💠

Author’s POV

A woman in her fifties could be seen attending to some customers who had come to purchase some things from her shop.

The woman was still attending to some people when two shiny cars pulled up in front of the ranch.

A man got down from one of the cars and he walked up to the woman who owns the ranch.
Everyone moved out of the man’s way, as they all knew who he is.
He is no one other than the mayor of the city.
He spoke with the woman for some minutes before he left the ranch.

💞JANE💞

Today has been really great, until the moment the mayor showed up.
What am I going to do now?

“Mom, why did you lock the shop?” Lizzy, my 17-year-old daughter said.

“Nothing, I just need to rest” I lied.
I can’t possibly tell her the reason for closing the shop.

“Mom, have you been crying?” Lizzy asked as she sat down beside me.
She held my hands and laid her head on my laps.

“I’m not crying. Your food is in the kitchen” I said trying to make her leave my room for a while.

She left and I begin to think again.
This is so sudden.
Where do I move to from here?

It’s not like I even have enough money to buy another apartment.
I am still paying off the debt I incurred for Lizzy’s surgery.
I don’t even want to think about it for now.

As it is, there is no one I can ask for help.
Why is my life so messed up?

💕LIZZY💕

I got back from school and I met mom’s shop under lock.
This is so strange.
Mom never locks her shop, not even when she is going out.
The neighbours are always available to help her sell her goods till she comes back.

I went inside and I made my way to mom’s room immediately.
I heard her sniffing back what seems to be tears, but I’m not really sure.

I asked her why she locked the shop, and she said nothing that she just wants to rest.
I know that’s not true because if truly she wants to rest then she’d have been asleep when I came in.
I didn’t question her though I was wondering why mom would lie to me.
She asked me to go and eat, and I think she is intentionally sending me away so I can’t ask her any more questions.

Everyone knows I can be really inquisitive.
I don’t know if I inherited that trait from dad as I didn’t grow up to meet him.
Mom said he had die before I was born.

I carried my food from the microwave and I took the food to the sitting room.
I was eating, but I don’t like how quiet everywhere is.
I stood up and I went to the stereo.
I removed the removed the remote and I pressed a button.
A cool music began to play on the stereo.

I saw a note lying on the stereo.
I wanted to leave it but I was curious to know what is in it because I know the note wasn’t there before I went to school today.

I took the note and I was disappointed to see that it’s not actually a note, but a letter of some sort.

I read the content of the letter and I was very shocked.
How can the government do this to us?
Giving us just two weeks’ notice to quit this place because they want to use our land to build a freaking museum.

No wonder mom has been acting strange since I came back from school.
This piece of information can give anyone a heart attack.

“Mom, please open the door” I said while knocking on the door of her bedroom.
She came out few minutes later and I followed her in.

“Are you through with your school works?” Mom asked but I chose to ignore the question.

“Mom, I saw the letter by accident. Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked her.

“I didn’t want to bother you”

“It’s no bother. What are we going to do now?” I asked.

“I don’t know. When you went to eat, I got a call from my stepbrother.
I don’t know how he got my contacts. It was as if he knew I was in a critical situation because he kept asking me if I was fine until I had to spill the news to him” mom said.
I don’t really know her stepbrother. The only thing I know is that they weren’t really close while growing up.

“What did he say?” I asked hoping that she’d say he gave her some money or something.

“He said we don’t have to wait for the two weeks to elapse before coming to his house. We can move to his house next week” she said.
That sounds fine to me. I’d have said goodbye to everyone who matter.

“Wow! That’s really generous of him. Where is his house?”

“He resides in Arkansas” mom said.
I don’t know why I feel so happy on hearing Arkansas.
It’s a name that pop up in my mind sometimes, but I don’t know what to make of it.
I’ve never been there, but I just have the strangest feelings that I’d love this Arkansas.
I can’t wait to go there with mom.

TBC.

How was this episode?
I want to read long and sweet comments and not something as annoying as ‘next please’.

Love you all. ❤️❤️❤️
©️Authoress Adesewa✍️✍️