Neighbors

Chapter Five: Finding Jeremy

I only cleaned Ian’s pool once a week. I always saved it for last, and rushed through the job. If I rushed, I could come in, clean the pool and finish it before Alan came home. Ian was always home though. He was unavoidable considering he worked from home. Apparently he was working on a new novel.

If it was a sequel to J.R., then I should expect to see my character get killed off and replaced by an older character with model looks. But at least my death would be written tastefully.

The first few times I came over to clean Ian’s pool, I didn’t see him at all. He left his fence open for me, and the money in the mailbox. I always did have the sense that he was watching me though.

But, If Ian wanted his space, I’d give it to him. I knew eventually he’d come around. He couldn’t stay away from me as much as he liked to. He had said it himself. He liked Alan, but – Well, he never actually finished that statement – But I imagine, when he was with Alan he felt like he was missing something.

I wanted Ian. I mean I was in love with him, and a few months ago, I wouldn’t have hesitated to have what we had in the summer. But there was something about Jeremy. I really liked Jeremy. He and I had gone through so much this past semester. I couldn’t even begin to explain.

Surprisingly, it was Jeremy who made the first move.

Jeremy had dragged my drunk and sloppy ass back to our dorm from some party at the frat he was pledging at. Jeremy knew I was bisexual. I had gone to him plenty of times about my issues with Ian. He always listened to me, and gave me advice whether I wanted it or not.

“Shit!” I chuckled as Jeremy pulled me up by my shirt to my door. “I can’t remember my code, Jer.”

“Stop fucking around, Ryder and open the door,” Jeremy growled, obviously unamused by my antics. I ran my fingers through his hair for a moment, staring into his dark blue eyes.

“I never noticed how blue your eyes are,” I commented as I slid my hands down his waist and onto his ass. Jeremy shoved me off of him, letting me fall to the ground outside of my room.

“Stop it, Ryder,” he huffed, his face a bright red. “God. You’re so gay sometimes.”

“Oh take the stick out of your ass, I was only kidding,” I said loudly, laughing to myself. Jeremy stared at me like I was a crazy person. I pulled my phone out of my pocket, glancing at the screen for a moment. I scrolled through my phone, my finger stopping on Ian’s name. Jeremy snatched the phone from my hand, just as I was about to dial.

“No drunk dialing,” he said as he pulled me towards his room. “Come on, you drunk idiot. I guess you’ll just have to sleep in my room.”

I groaned as he dragged me down the hall into his dorm room. I leaned on his shoulder as he typed his code in, pushing the door open. He led me to his bed, sitting me down on top of it as the door swung shut behind us. I rested my head on his pillow, as I kicked my shoes off.

“So how many times have you gotten lucky on this bed?” I winked as it squeaked underneath me. “Oh. That must get super annoying. How do you even do it with that squeaking sound? I’m barely even moving around and it’s squeaking. Your neighbors must hate you.”

“Oh they do,” Jeremy bragged as he jumped onto the foot of the bed. “I get more ass than a toilet seat.”

“Oh really,” I asked as I lied on my back, pushing my arms underneath my head. “Give me some names, blondie.”

Jeremy scoffed, brushing me off. “It doesn’t matter. You wouldn’t know them anyways.”

I laughed. “Yeah. Because they aren’t real. You’re probably still a virgin.”