The Boy Next Door – Episode 44

THE BOY NEXT DOOR
©️ Authoress Adesewa
EPISODE FORTY FOUR
FINAL EPISODE

● TWO MONTHS LATER●

ALEXA

I yawned as I got out of bed.
I’ve been sleeping since forever and it was the ringing of my phone that finally made me get out of bed.

I checked the caller and I discovered that it’s my boyfriend.
I accepted the call immediately.

📞 Hello”

☎️ Good afternoon dear. Don’t tell me you are just getting out of bed”

📞 (yawning) Yeah. What else am I supposed to do?

☎️ Have you forgotten we are going somewhere today?”

📞 (shrieks in horror) oh no!
I’ve totally forgotten, but don’t worry I’d get dressed now”

☎️ Better. I’d soon come and pick you”

📞 okay. See you soon”

I placed my phone on my dressing table and I rushed into the bathroom to take my bath.
I brushed my teeth and straightened my hair which I decide to let down today because my boyfriend like it when I let my hair down.

I choose a lilac jumpsuit and a pair of nude cover shoes.
I check myself out in the mirror and I love what I’m seeing.

I’m finally going to New York after living here for some months.

I didn’t have the strength to visit my mom’s grave before I came here, but now I think I’m ready to say my goodbye properly to her.

Thinking about the last two months brought a smile on my face.

I went on a date with Oliver and he asked me out.
Hunter and Lizzy, or should I call her Dana, also started dating.

Ruby came back to school and even though most people avoided her like the plague, she didn’t let it affect her negatively.

Kayla and Landon also started dating recently.
Jason has a crush on Sarah but he was shy to ask her out, so we set them up on a blind date with each other and since then they have been inseparable.
Rachel has a boyfriend who is in college already.

Laura spent a month at Switzerland before she went to France.
She has been in France for the past one month and she said she is thinking of living there forever.

I don’t have to worry about school for some time as we are on summer holiday.

Ruby, Hunter, Oliver and the other guys are all waiting for their admission letters into the various colleges they applied to.

Hunter, Jason, Landon and Oliver all decided to attend the local university here because of Lizzy, Sarah, Kayla and I.
They didn’t want to be far away from us and I also love having them around.

+ + +

“Did you have breakfast yet?” Oliver asked me the moment I stepped into his car.

“Nope, what about you?”

“Yes, but I’d stop over at McDonald’s so you can have your brunch”

“Awwww!
Thanks for being considerate” I said and he frowned at me.
He doesn’t like it when I thank him for doing anything for me.

We stopped at McDonald’s like he suggested and I bought macaroni and meatballs with a bottle of Pepsi Cola.

Oliver was watching me as I eat and I felt shy.
I couldn’t finish my food, but I drained the Pepsi Cola down my throat.

❤️ OLIVER❤️

I’m glad Alexa trust me enough to accompany her to visit her mom’s burial site.
I know how much this means to her.

She finished eating and we continued our journey.

We enjoyed the scenery as we drive to the city.
It was late in the evening that we finally got to New York City.

“We’d visit the cemetery tomorrow. Let’s go to my house now” Alexa said.

“Okay dear”
She directed me to her house and we got there after ten minutes.

I was amazed at how beautiful her house is.
Her parents must have been really wealthy to have built a mansion like this.

Alexa got down to unlock the gate by punching in some codes and the gate swung open.

The house was deserted and everywhere was full of dust.

I carried our bags into the house and she led me into the main house.

❣️ ALEXA❣️

I noticed that everywhere is dusty and I set to work immediately.
I removed the cobwebs in the sitting room, my old room and one of the guest bedroom where Oliver is going to sleep in.

I was very tired and hungry by the time I finished cleaning the selected rooms.

Oliver and I ordered for Pizzas and ice creams which was delivered thirty minutes later.

Oliver and I barely talked to each other until we finished eating.
We were both very tired and we slept off in the sitting room.

+ ++

I woke up with a stiff neck the next day.
Oliver was still sleeping and I stared at him for a while before I decide to freshen up while he’s still sleeping.

I went to my old room to have my bath and to also change my clothes.
I checked my closet and I picked a blue kimono and a pair of black jean trousers.
I let my hair down and I wore a pair of black cover shoes.

“Good morning, babe” Oliver said as I stepped out of ny my room.
He is already dressed in a blue short sleeved shirt and a pair of black trousers.
Anyone who see us now would think we’ve previously agreed to wear matching outfits, not knowing it’s purely coincidental.

+ + +

I dropped the bouquet of flowers on my mom’s tomb and I tried to control the tears streaming down my face.

“Mom, I’m sorry for not listening to you.
I didn’t know it was going to be like this.
By the way, I later found out that it was Ms. Matilda Kilpatrick who made dad lose all his hard earned money.
She confessed to me and she is now serving her jail term.

I wish you are still here to see my first boyfriend.
He is so cute and I’m sure you’d like him.
He is here with me as we speak.

I have to go now, but I’d be coming to visit you regularly.
I love you, mom”

Oliver and I travelled back to Alabama in silence until we almost got home.

“Babe, I’ve received my admission letter” Oliver said.

“Yay! I’m so happy for you”

“Thanks dear. Hunter also received his own yesterday” Oliver said.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“I didn’t want you to get distracted from what we came here to do”

AUTHOR’S POV

Hunter, Oliver, Jason and Landon all got admission into the university of Alabama to study petrochemical engineering, business administration, public administration and biochemistry respectively.

The other guys also got admission into various colleges and they all stayed connected to each other over the years.

Rachel, Kayla,Sarah and Alexa also secured admission into their desired colleges the following year.

Laura settled down in France and she started her catering business over there.

Everyone was doing fine in their respective fields.

★FIVE YEARS LATER★

❣️ALEXA❣️

I sound the horn as I stopped my car in front of my uncle’s house.
Few changes has been added to the house over the years.
The town has slightly changed too.
One of the few things that has not changed is the people’s hospitality.
They are still as friendly as ever.

Aunt Kate came out to open the gate for me and I drove my car into the garage.

Aunt Kate and uncle Evan haven’t change.
They keep looking younger everyday.

“Good afternoon, ma” I said as I stepped out of my car.

“Good afternoon dear. It’s so good to see you” aunt Kate said.
She has already opened my car’s trunk and she is trying to help me with my bags.

“Don’t stress yourself, aunt. I can carry it” I assure her.

I rolled my suitcase with my left hand and I clutched my handbag with my right hand.

“Welcome back, Alexa” I heard several voices say at once as I stepped into the sitting room.

OMG!
This is too much.
The sitting room has been turned into a party hall and different tables has been set up for different categories of people.
I can see my high school friends sitting round a table.
My uncle’s colleagues also have a table to themselves.

I didn’t know my uncle and aunt were going to throw me a party.
It’s not like I travelled out of the country or something.
I just graduated from college two days ago and I decided to move back to my uncle’s house because I had been staying at the school hostel since my first year to my final year.

“Thank you so much” I managed to say when I finally found my voice.

I carried my bags to my room and I quickly changed my dress to a more befitting one.
I can’t cancel my welcome party, so I might as well enjoy it.

+ + +

I went downstairs to grace the party which is being held on my honour.

I went from table to table, greeting familiar faces and smiling politely at the strangers.

I went to join my high school friends at their table and I was about to sit down when someone held my waist from behind.

I turned in anger and I raised my hand to slap the person when I saw who it was.
I smiled at my boyfriend who is busy checking me out.

We both sat down at the table and we all talked about our lives.

I got to know that two of the guys are now hotshot lawyers in California.
Ruby is now a runway model, and she is currently the newest ambassador to a very popular clothing brand.
Hunter is now an engineer working with an oil producing country.
He got married to Lizzy last winter.
Lizzy also graduated two days ago as well.
She is now a certified chartered accountant.
Oliver is now a business consultant to a big organisation.
Landon is working for his dad as a laboratory scientist.

I had fun at the party and I was glad my aunt was thoughtful enough to organise a party for me because it made me reunite with my old friends.

The party went on till late in the night when the guests felt they’ve partied enough.

I stood up and made my way to the front of the sitting room where the loudspeaker was placed.
Everywhere was silent as they all noticed I have something to say.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
I feel honoured that you all made out time to celebrate my homecoming despite your busy schedules.
I really feel special today because I wasn’t expecting this.
I thought I was just going to sleep immediately I got home, not knowing my family had planned something special for me.

I want to use this medium to express my sincere gratitude to my uncle and aunt, for everything they have done for me.
Thanks to all our friends and neighbours who also honoured my uncle/aunt’s invitation.
May you all be honoured.
Thank you one again”

Oliver came to join me at the front and I didn’t know what he came for until he goes down on one knee and brought out a box from his pocket.

I was too shocked to say anything as it dawned on me that he is about to propose to me.

“You have owned my heart ever since I set my eyes on you.
You understand me the way no one else can.
You’ve supported me when I needed succour and you’ve been my crutch when I was weak.

I know I am imperfect, but you have always made me feel so whole… so complete…so flawless and without blemishes.

I can’t promise everything will be all rosy, but I can promise that I’d always cherish you for the rest of our lives.

WILL YOU MARRY ME, ALEXANDRA SMITH?”

“Yes, I will” I replied without hesitation and the crowd cheered.
I’ve even forgotten we have a lot of people watching us.
I smiled as Oliver slipped the ring into my finger.

+ + +

We got married four weeks later and it was really a great celebration as many people from different walks of life graced the occasion.

My mother-in-law came to Alabama to witness our wedding and she went back to France two days after our wedding.

All my high school friends attended as well as some of the friends I made in college.

I sometimes find it hard to believe that I can actually get married to Oliver Colston.
I remember how I had first met him in the locker room on my first day of resumption, and how I had disliked him and his girlfriend.
I even remember how I had thought they really suited each other.

Judging from the way I was raised with a silver spoon, anyone would have thought I’d end up marrying someone from an aristocratic family and not just the boy next door.
Anyway, I don’t have regrets about who I chose.
I am perfectly fine with my man and that is what matters most.

THE END.

Finally, I’m through with my third story on Facebook.

I know you must have learned some things from this story.
If yes, kindly drop some of it and let others learn from it too.

Below are some of the thematic preoccupations of ‘THE BOY NEXT DOOR’
👇 👇👇

1) LOVE: It is true that love conquers all odds.
Despite the trials that the protagonists faced, in the end love found them.

2) FORGIVENESS: Forgiveness is divine.
Who would have thought that Alexa and Ruby could be friends?
Alexa forgave Ruby and even overlooked her shortcomings.
It’s not easy to forgive, but we need to learn how to forgive the people who have wronged us.
May God make it easy for us to forgive our fellow humans.

3) JEALOUSY: Jealousy is like an unwanted plant on a fertile piece of land.
If it is not uprooted immediately, it would spread out and cover the whole piece of land.
Jealousy is a close relative to hatred.
If you are jealous of someone, you tend to hate them.
This was what happened with Ruby when she felt Alexa was getting much attention from her boyfriend.
She became jealous of her and started plotting her downfall.
A similar thing happened with Ms. Kilpatrick also.
She was jealous that another woman had captured the heart of the man she wants.
Look at the despicable things she did just to have the poor man.
In the end all her efforts were futile.

4) UNDERSTANDING: Lack of understanding is what causes most of the disputes in the world.

In the story, Ruby was misunderstood by her parents and she felt she wasn’t loved by them which makes her contemplate taking her life.

No parents hates their children. It’s just that not all parents understand their children.
As parents, it’s their duty to get closer to their children and try to know about all they are going through.
Good parenting is not by ordering the children around and creating unnecessary fear in the hearts of the children.
This is why many children has grown wayward especially in Africa where most parents beat their children up at the slightest provocations.

Teenagers are usually a handful, and that is why they need special attention from their parents, or else they will be forced to receive advise from their peers who might mislead them.

5) AND SO ON… There are a lot of other themes in this story that I won’t be able to mention here because of time.

I hope we all enjoyed reading this story because I enjoyed writing it.

Thanks to everyone who started following the story from day one, and those who stick around till the final episode.

Wishing us a pandemic free 2021
I love you all❤️❤️❤️
©️Authoress Adesewa✍️✍️
©️Ibraheem Hafsat Idowu 2020