Neighbors

Chapter 13: Alone at Last (Part 1)

Well, I had successfully gotten off of Pear Street. I lied to my mother, telling her that I was visiting a friend of mine for the weekend up at State. She thought it was nice of me. If only she knew that I was actually on my way to Maine with Ian to spend the weekend at his lake house. She would have probably tried to tag along and I did not want that.

The ride was a long one, but I had a feeling that it would all be worth it.

Ian hadn't been lying when he said he lived practically in the middle of nowhere. We were completely surrounded by trees - extremely tall, green pine trees. The road up to his house was a winding one that stretched for what appeared to be a mile or two. There was not another house in sight. It was the definition of private property.

As soon as I stepped outside of Ian's truck, I took several deep breaths in. The air was different - fresh and pine-like. I grabbed my duffel bag, slinging it over my shoulder, as I followed Ian through the front door. It was a magnificent place and words could not do it justice. It was clear Ian had tossed quite some money into its decoration. He apparently bought it a few months after his first novel came out. It was his gift to himself.

I dropped my bag onto the ground, walking out the back door and staring out at the lake in front of us. It was much bigger than the one near Pear Street. I dashed out onto the small wooden pier, sitting down at the end of it. Ian joined me a few minutes later, sitting beside me as the sun began to set across the sky.

"Was lying to your mother worth it?" he asked in a mocking tone.

"I don't know," I teased. "Ask me again Sunday night."

"Trust me by Sunday night, you'll be begging to stay," he replied, giving me a wink. "I have to pick some things up from the store. Is there anything special that you want? Not alcoholic."

Well, he sure knew how to suck the fun out of things. I paused for a moment, my eyes stopping onto the fire pit in his backyard. Bingo.

"Well then I guess s'mores," I replied. "Since you know I can't drink on my own 21st birthday."

For some reason, Ian insisted on us having an alcohol free weekend. I'm guessing it was because he didn't want to deal with me being drunk. It was either that or the sheer fact that I lack self-control, when I'm intoxicated.

"I just want to give you a memorable twenty first birthday," Ian retorted. "By all means, if you want to drink, go ahead. My liquor cabinet is in the dining room. However, if you do decide to, just know that you'll be sleeping alone tonight and we won't be having any of that quality time you want so much."

He would hold out on me? I see the game he was playing. He narrowed those hazel green eyes of his on me, muttering something about him being back in an hour, before I could even respond. As soon as his car pulled out of the driveway, I walked into his dining room, in search of said liquor cabinet. He hadn't been lying. He had an assortment of vodka, whiskey, and scotch just sitting there, waiting to be opened. I was tempted to take a shot. I mean, if I only had one, he wouldn't notice. Was it so wrong to want to ring in my birthday the right way?

I grabbed the handle of the cabinet, jerking it forward, only to realize that it was locked. I glanced closer at it to see a keyhole underneath it. Bastard. He had tricked me. What a tease?

If he wanted to play this game, then I could play too. So, instead of drinking, I decided to go skinny dipping. He couldn't stop me from doing that.

It was obvious why Ian had bought this place. Everything was fresh and natural - the air, the lake, the view. It was, however, eerily quiet. But I guess I could see myself living in a place like this one day.