Eddie looked up at his neighbor's house. Separating it from his house, was a large wooden fence. He wondered what the man next door looked like, but he imagined an old man, hunched over, with grey hair, dark eyes, and a wicked smile.
His mother had always forbidden him from going next door, and he had never really seen his neighbor. His mother always told him that the man was bad, evil, maybe even a witch.
"Happy late birthday!" Eddie's friend, well, only friend, Mike, said as he stood above him, blocking his view from the house. Just yesterday, Eddie turned seventeen.
Mike was the only friend Eddie's mother allowed him to be friend's with. But then again, Eddie didn't go to school, he took his classes from computer. His mother didn't want him out in public schools. So Eddie hardly ever communicated with people.
"Good to know my best friend forgot my birthday." Eddie said, playfully rolling his eyes. Mike shrugged his shoulders and flopped down on the ground, sitting by Eddie as he laid in the grass.
"What are you doing out here?" Mike asked, crossing his legs Indian style. Eddie shrugged his shoulders and sat up.
"I finished my school work for today, and I just came here to lay and think."
"Think about what?"
Eddie looked up at the blue sky. It was so warm outside. He didn't like it. He wanted it to be like real December. Cold and snowy. But that isn't how it was in Southern California.
"Just whatever came to my mind. But, hey, have you ever seen my neighbor before?"
Mike shook his head, looking a bit worried. Eddie couldn't understand what the big deal was. Every time he brought the neighbor up, everyone got this worried face, as if Eddie were in danger of speaking of him.
"No, uh, have you?"
Eddie shook his head. "No, but I wonder what he's like. Is he really as evil as mom pretends?"
Mike chuckled. "I don't know, but I wouldn't get around him, man. I hear he's bad news."
"Mom could kill me if she found out I went over there." Eddie said, looking at the house again. Mike playfully punched Eddie's arm.
"Come on, dude, let's go listen to music." Mike said. Eddie nodded his head and pulled himself off the ground.
** ** **
Eddie sat at the kitchen table, plucking his fork into his mashed potatoes. He felt like he couldn't eat another bite. He wanted to be excused and go to his room, but his mother was going on and on about something.
Eddie seemed to block her out a lot in conversations. Especially when she was talking about his father. Eddie never saw him, was never going to see him, and he didn't understand why she talked so much about him.
"You know what I mean?" His mother asked. Eddie nodded his head, pretending he was interested in what she was saying.
"So, what do you think of Mike?"
Eddie sat his fork down. "He's my best friend. What do you mean what do I think about him?"
She smiled. "I think he likes you."
"Of course he does, he's my friend."
"I mean... as a boyfriend, Eddie."
"You said I wasn't allowed to date yet. Besides, I don't think of Mike like that. He's just... not my type I guess."
She frowned, but smiled again and laid her hand on Eddie's. "Why not give him a chance, huh? I think you two would be a good match."
Eddie bit his lip. He had never been with anyone before. He didn't know what it was like to be in love. But he didn't want to be with Mike. They had been best friends for a long time. And Mike had never showed Eddie any signs that he was interested in him like that.
"I'd have to put that into consideration, mom." Eddie said, giving her a small smile. But he knew his answer already.
** ** **
Darkness and silence filled the room as Eddie tried to get his sleep, but he just couldn't seem to fall into it. He still had the thoughts of his neighbor in his mind. He knew nothing of him, not even his name. Eddie was becoming so curious.
Eddie carefully pulled himself out of bed, being as gentle and quiet as he could so his mother wouldn't hear him. Then, Eddie gazed out of the window, looking at his neighbor's house once again.
He saw a light coming from one of the higher rooms, and Eddie guessed it was the neighbor's bedroom. He saw a figure of a tall, skinny man. He could tell the man had long hair, a little past his shoulders.
Eddie just stood there, watching him, hoping to get a better look at him. And then, the man turned around, and Eddie saw him perfectly. The man was so much different than what he thought.
Instead of an old man, Eddie saw that he was young, at least in his twenties. The man who Eddie imagined to have dark eyes, had a pair of beautiful blue ones. He had some facial hair, but not very much. The man looked nice, and handsome. And Eddie couldn't help but wonder what was so dangerous about him.
The man turned his head, looking straight at Eddie. Eddie froze in his spot, unsure of what to do. The two both stood there, looking into each other's eyes from across the yard. Eddie was so lost in the man's eyes.
But when the stranger sent a wink to Eddie, Eddie quickly backed away from the window and closed his curtains. His whole face felt as if it were on fire. At that moment, Eddie wanted to disappear. He felt so embarrassed.
He crawled back into his bed and pulled the covers over him. He took breaths in and out, trying to calm himself.
He closed his blue eyes, hoping to fall asleep quickly. But he couldn't get the stranger's face out of his mind. He was beautiful, and Eddie wanted to see him again. But no way would Eddie look back out the window tonight.
But after a while, sleep began to come over Eddie. And until he fell asleep, he thought of the neighbor, wondering what his name was, how he talked, and what everyone's problem with him was. But Eddie hoped to soon find out.
