4Ever & a Day : The Next Generation of R5

Our New Neighbor

Juliet

I sat here once again stuck chaperoning Hailey and what's his name. I felt like a loser because I was jealous of my little sister. How did she have a boyfriend and I didn't? It seemed like everyone around me was in love but me. Even my parents didn't let recent problems in their marriage with the whole pot thing stand in the way of their love for each other. We all knew how much they love each other.

This movie they had picked was lame and I was so bored. I looked over at them and they weren't paying attention anyway. They were kissing and the boy, whatever the fuck his name was, put his hand on her knee and slowly snaked it up her thigh. Just as he reached the hem of her skirt she put her hand on his to stop him.

Good girl I thought to myself. Maybe Hailey would be the one to honor the purity ring. For daddy's benefit at least one of us should and she was really the only one left. I doubted Montague would even wear it. He was going to be a troublemaker when he got older. That wasn't going to change.

I must have fallen asleep because next thing I remember they were waking me telling me it was time to go. I felt like such a loser. I needed a life so I could stop being available to chaperone with stupid dates. I knew now why Romeo often ditched Cameron and Embry and let them do their own thing. Third wheeling it was no fun.

"Can you go do something else in the mall so we can have some time alone? I wouldn't tell daddy," Hailey asked.

"What do you have planned?" I asked back.

I'm sure it's not what I was thinking but I was still reluctant to leave them alone. They had only been dating a couple of weeks. I thought though of all the things I had done with guys I barely knew and wanted to say no.

"Really Juliet? We just want to hang out here in the mall alone. I promise we will stay in the mall and wont ditch you," Hailey reassured me.

"Fine meet me back here in an hour," I said.

"Thanks you're the best sister ever!" Hailey said as she hugged me.

I watched them walk away hand in hand and sighed. What was I going to do for an hour? I went into random stores and bought a new dress and shoes. I told myself I would save them for a date if I ever got a boyfriend. At this point though I doubted that I was destined to be forever alone.

Three days later I sat on the porch reading when the moving truck pulled up next to Bentley's house. I watched as a nice car pulled up followed by an SUV. The guy who got out of the car looked to be about my age and he was cute. He glanced my way and smiled. I glanced down kind of embarrassed he'd caught me staring. When I looked up he was headed across the street.

Shit, I was sitting here on the porch in a t-shirt and yoga pants with my hair in a ponytail and zero makeup. I looked like hell and he was coming up my driveway now. I wanted to run into the house but I just sat there. As he got closer we made eye contact then he was standing in front of me.

He had the most intense blue eyes I'd ever seen. I was instantly lost in them. I couldn't look away if I tried, but I didn't want to even try. I wondered if he felt the connection I did.

"Hi, I'm Christian Styles," he said in a British accent.

"Hi, I'm Juliet Lynch," I said softly.

"That's a really pretty name," he said.

"Thanks," I giggled.

I couldn't believe I actually giggled. I wasn't that type of girl. What was wrong with me? I didn't giggle! He must think I'm some kind of idiot now. Great I had just ruined it by giggling.

"Christian get over here and help," a woman yelled across the street.

"I gotta go," he said as he turned to walk away breaking our eye contact.

Then he turned around. "Do you wanna go out sometime? Maybe you could show me around?"

"Sure I'd like that," I said back. "I'm free Saturday afternoon."

"Okay it's a date," he smiled and started to walk down the driveway.

I had a date. I said Saturday on purpose though. Saturday was Hailey and what's his name's date day. I didn't have to chaperone! I got up and went into the house after waving at Christian when he turned around and waved from across the street.

"Dad," I yelled as I came through the door.

"In the kitchen," he yelled back.

I made my way to the kitchen and found him sitting at the breakfast bar with a cup of coffee. I sat down next to him and thought about how to tell him I couldn't go on Hailey's date with her this Saturday. Someone would have to though because it was a band practice day, so my dad would be at the studio all day.

"I have a date on Saturday," I said really fast.

"With who?" he said.

"The boy who is moving in across the street," I said vaguely.

"What's his name?"

"Christian Styles," I answered.

"Well you know the rules. Your mom and I have to meet him and his parents before you'll be allowed to go," my dad said.

"Oh we're getting new neighbors," my mom said as she came into the kitchen.

"I knew we were just discussing them. Apparently Juliet has already met one of them," my dad told her.

"Well I'm going over to introduce myself. Want to come?" my mom asked.

Five minutes later we were across the street and in their yard. I found out my dad and Christian's dad Harry knew each other. They had been living in London before moving to LA for his mom's job. Then his mom came out and introduced herself. I had to laugh when my mom slapped my dad on the back of the head for staring at her boobs. I had to agree with him though they were so big it was distracting.

"Oh hey Juliet," Christian said as he came outside.

"Can I show Juliet my room?" he asked his mom.

"Sure I guess," she said.

"Keep the door open," my dad warned us.

"Yes sir," Christian said.

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