The Boy Next Door

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Kyle pulled the metal in his lip between his teeth and held it there momentarily as I watched his chest puff out hard. "You couldn't be more wrong if it is," he muttered, squeezing my hand. "A lot of people would miss you. You have been hanging around with all the wrong people all this time, that's all. The likes of them, the popular girls, may look incredible and well-liked, but to girls like you, or boys like me, they are toxic and undermining. You don't need them in your life."

"Lauren has been my only friend for my entire life. Without her, I wouldn't even be on the map."

He tsked, "And look where that got you. Stop kidding yourself and be who you really are. Forget about Lauren, Sophie, and the rest of them. Be the Ashley I have seen today, the fun, confident, pretty Ashley who won't take shit from no one." Kyle blushed, jaw clenching and chest puffing.

I tried to hide my smile; I had just made Kyle blush, a badass skater who makes his own rules and has zero respect for anyone, and no one here to witness such an achievement.

"Did you call me pretty?" I muttered, and he let go of my hand, looking down at his feet.

"Do you want to end up in the pool again?" he smirked, and I grinned. "You know, I'm not as bad as everyone makes out."

"Right, like I believe you." He took a sip from the bottle and offered it to me, but I declined, so he put it down.

"You don't know me to say that. No one does." Kyle's altered tone caught me off guard, making me look him up and down past the charisma he carried, and I attempted to dive into his soul. Beyond the danger, the fearless attitude and the rebellious streak, I questioned if this Kyle, the one who was holding my hand, was the honest Kyle no one knew. Was he a genuinely nice guy, charming inside and Dorian Gray on the outside?

"Let me then," I warily said, and the garden lights suddenly turned off, leaving only the spotlights in the pool, which barely lit the garden. I looked around and could hardly see anything, and when my eyes returned to Kyle, he was gone.

"Kyle," I whispered loudly, suddenly frightened. I then heard him breathe and saw him on the poolside, taking his vans off. His pencil dive made no sound, barely rippling the water.

"Kyle," I said again, rising from my camping chair and peering in. I couldn't see him; it was so quiet I couldn't shout.

"Kyle," I grunted, pacing up and down the edge. "It's not funny, and I'm not coming in after you."

No response came.

I stood shivering and unexpectedly worrying.

"Kyle."

"Ashley," he said, making me jump as he then placed his hands on my shoulders.

I went to turn, but he didn't let me. His wet hands slowly moved down my arms, soaking my skin and making me tremble. His touch took my waist as he wrapped his arms around me tightly. Protectively. I breathed in, unsure if it was to conceal my body or because he'd stolen my breath.

"Relax," he whispered, and I did nothing but obey, having lost all control and power of my mind, body, and soul.

I leaned my head back against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, which quickened the minute I let my guard down. We stood in silence for as long as it took for me to forget about everything and focus on nothing but the oxygen filling and escaping his lungs.

"Get in the water," he said, and again, I was in no place to deny him. The way he talked to me was compelling, hypnotising in such a way it seemed he knew what he was doing and knew whatever the outcome, I trusted him.