The Boy Across the Street

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

“Hey, Sarah?” Morgan whispers as we lay in my bed. 

“Yeah?” I roll over on my side to look at her, blinking and rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

“Do you know Jake Greene?” She asks. I squint at her in the dark even though I know she can’t see it. I look over at the clock behind her head and see that it’s 1am. I don’t know what it is about darkness, but it makes us want to talk about anything - everything - that seems to bubble to the surface. 

“He’s in my math class,” I sigh and bunch the pillow under my head up so that’s it’s more comfortable. Morgan mirrors my movements and we lie facing each other. 

“I think he’s cute,” she says blatantly. I can’t help but laugh. 

“Okay,” I grin. “Does this mean you like him or something?” 

“I don’t - I don’t know,” I see her bring my comforter up and hide her face, I just know she’s blushing under the material. She likes him. “Okay, yeah,” she continues. “I do. Sort of.”

“Sort of?” I raise my eyebrows. “I think this means story time.” I sit up and scoot closer to her, waiting anxiously. I hear her groan before dragging herself up to sit criss-cross. 

“He came into my work the other day,” she began. “And I don’t know - he was just really nice and he said hi to me in the hall the other day and I’ve just been thinking about him lately.”

“That’s it?” I laugh.

“What?”

“That’s the whole story?”

“Yeah,” she crosses her arms. “Sorry it’s not an award-winning novel or anything.”

“It was cute,” I grin and she playfully hits my shoulder. 

“Shut up.” She says.

“You know, he probably likes you, too,” I say.

“How do you know?” She asks. “You’ve never seen us together. You can’t tell.”

“I mean, what guy wouldn’t?” Morgan is quiet. 

“Stop doing that,” she says.

“Doing what?” 

“I feel like you’re putting yourself down whenever you say things like that. I’m not perfect, Sarah.”

“I know,” I whisper and lay back down. “I’m just saying, he probably likes you.”

Morgan sighs and stays sitting up. “Whatever.” 

The quiet is stiff and silent, like waiting on the edge of a cliff just before taking a plunge. I can feel the tension and I jump sky high when my doorbell rings out. Morgan and I make eye contact, and I see she looks just as confused in the darkness as I do.

“It’s 1am,” she whispers. “Who in the hell is at your door?”

“I don’t know,” I shrug as I fling the covers off my body.

“Wait,” she grabs my arm. “You’re not actually going to answer it, are you?”

“Yeah?” I say. 

“Sarah, it’s one in the morning. It’s probably an axe murderer or something.”

I shake her hand off. “You’re being silly. I’ll just see who it is.”

“Sarah,” she pleads but I get out of bed anyway. I run downstairs and instead of heading to the door, I go to the living room and glance out of the window. My breath hitches.

I walk slowly to the door and I hesitate before turning the handle. I hear Morgan’s voice again, behind me. “Sarah, who is it?” I don’t answer her, instead I open the door and she can see for herself.

Bradbury is shuffling back and forth with his hands in his pockets. He looks up as soon as he hears the squeak of the door and I see him immediately look over my shoulder at Morgan. His mouth opens, but no words come out. Then he looks down to meet my gaze.

“Hey, Sarah,” he begins. “I, uh, was hoping to talk to you.” Alone. 

“Uh, Sarah,” I turn around at the sound of Morgan’s voice who is motioning behind her. “I’ll just wait for you in your room, kay?” I nod back at her and watch as she quickly climbs my stairs.

“Hey,” I say as I turn back around to Bradbury. I see he’s shivering, rubbing his hands across his bare arms. I blanch as I realize he’s only wearing a t-shirt. “What’s up?”

“I wanted to ask you something, but I can go if this is a bad time,” he takes a step backward.

“No!” I say loudly, and then clear my throat. “No, it’s fine,” I shrug. “Go ahead, ask away.” I laugh nervously and wince as he raises an eyebrow.

“Uh, well,” he begins and shoves his hands into his pockets again. “Is she staying the night?” He nods towards the upstairs.

“I don’t think that was the question you really wanted to ask,” I grin, “but yeah, she is.” Bradbury takes a deep sigh. “Whatever you need, don’t worry about her. It’s fine.” I say.

“I was hoping I could stay the night again, if everything was okay but I don’t think -,” I hold my hand up to interject.

“No, stay. I mean, you’d have to take the couch this time, if that’s okay.”

Five brutal seconds go by.

“Yeah, okay.” He says. “If you’re sure.”

“Of course,” I smile. “The door is always open.”

“Thanks.” He stands on the porch for another minute and then kicks his foot and scuffs his shoe across the wood. “So, uh, can I come in?”

“Oh! Yeah,” I step back from the doorway and motion him inside. “Make yourself at home.”

I leave him with enough blankets and pillows to make hard cement comfortable and then I run back up to my room with a wildly beating hard. When I open the door I see Morgan sitting, wide awake, on my bed. She gives me a look as soon as I walk in and I slowly close the door behind me, ready for whatever verbal lashing she’s about to unleash.

“Sarah,” she begins.

“Yes?” I sink into my closed bedroom door.

“Why the hell is Bradbury Carter ringing your doorbell at 1am and why do I feel like he’s still here?”