Cliché (Player Next Door Spinoff)

| 08 | Reading

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Chapter 08: Reading 

Harlow and I were lying on the couch, reading, while Paloma was in the kitchen prepping dessert.

It was only 11am but she likes to get dessert made early. 

It just so happened that our living room walls were floor-to-ceiling windows: one side overlooked the ocean down below and the other side overlooked our backyard. Some bushes, the pool and, if you squint, the pool house.

AKA Austin Taylor's new home.

Was it a coincidence that my sister and I were lying on the couch with full view of Austin's summer home at a time when he usually steps out to eat?

Sure, it crossed my mind.

Harlow's phone buzzed and she put her book down, standing up to answer it, "Hey Tam, how's your first day as camp's hottest counsellor going?"

She glanced over at me, mouthing the word 'Tamara'.

Really? Had no idea.

Harlow stepped out the back door and started to walk towards the pool while chatting to her friend. I turned a page of my book, only partially paying attention to the story.

And that's when I saw the pool house door slide open and Austin step outside in a yellow open shirt with snorkels in hand. 

His strong shoulders and broad chest were partly on display. Partly hidden under his shirt. As he slid the door shut behind him, I watched the ripple of his abs across his torso.  My imagination took over - I wanted to see him use more of his strength.  I wanted to see how easy it would be for him to pick me up and throw- 

He did a double take when he saw my sister outside his door.

Harlow turned around, phone to ear, and I could see her laugh, surprised to see him. She said something on the phone and then hung up, starting to chat with Austin instead.

Smooth, sis.

Did she know I had the biggest crush on him when I was younger? Absolutely.

She used to make fun of me all the time.

I turned another page of my book, having barely read the previous one. The minutes went by slowly as I waited for Neha to finally show up and take me to dinner.

I was getting way too distracted stuck in this house, living next to a boy that made hot seem... lukewarm.  

My phone buzzed with a text: Here biyaatch

Finally.

"Bye Paloma!" I said, already halfway out the back door.

"Good luck if you think your restaurant is going to make better food than here!" she called back, waving a giant ladle at me, "Tell Neha not to eat the shellfish again!"

I stuck my tongue out at her on the other side of the glass before smiling and heading off. As I was walking round the front, I saw Austin now walking across the pool towards his own car.

With every step he took, the muscles of his legs flexed, showcasing his athleticism. The sunlight played a tantalizing game on his skin. He had to be oiled up with sunscreen or something. 

I tried not to act nervous.  Maybe we were heading to the same place...

Maybe I just need to get laid. 

That'll calm me down.  

His car was parked just in front of a cherry red vintage bronco with a manic driver who was beeping the horn at me to hurry up. That was Neha.  

As Austin started to approach me, I realized he was on the phone, with his conversation on speakerphone. I'm guessing he lost his air pods again. Paloma found them in the snack cupboard this morning.

Austin noticed me and shot me a cute smile. 

The beeping stopped. Neha must have seen him too.

He waved at me in a small gesture with his left hand and, in his right hand, I heard a voice on the other end of the phone yell out:

"But she ran over my f*cking laptop, Austin."

Who is that?

A/N: I gotta say I know who's on the phone.  More ->