The Kid Next Door

Chapter 9

***Jeremy***

We got to the place Link works and got out of the car. He opened the door of the building of me and I went in. "Are you sure it's okay that I'm here?" I asked feeling slightly nervous.

"Yeah. Of course. Rhett brings his kids all the time. They might be here today. His oldest, Locke, is thirteen too." Link said and put his hand comfortingly on my shoulder, "how's your nose feeling?" He asked guiding me through the building.

"Its fine. I guess." I shrugged and Link opened a door and I entered.

"This is Rhett's and my office." I looked around a bit in the room. There were two desks a bookshelf wish random stuff on it and a couch. Link pulled the computer bag from his shoulder and pulled out his computer. "You can sit and hang out for a bit." I sighed and plopped onto the couch.

***Link***

Jeremy sat on the couch just looking at the bookshelf. Eventually Rhett got there and sure enough he had his kids with him.

"Hi, Link." Locke said.

Jeremy attentively propped up and examined the boys that had just walked in.

"Hey, buddy. This is Jeremy, my neighbor. Jeremy, this is Locke and Shepherd, Rhett's kids." I smiled trying to introduce the kids.

Locke smiled and sat down next to Jeremy. Rhett sat down in his chair and Shepherd crawled into his lap.

***Rhett***

I opened the office door and Link was at his desk and Jeremy was sitting on the couch. I looked at Link questioning why he had Jeremy with him. He didn't notice but introduced the kids instead. I had no worries that they would all get along.

***Locke***

I smiled and sat next to Jeremy on the couch. Being homeschooled didn't get you many friends so I was open to new ones. "Hi, what's up?"

"Uh... the ceiling." He said and I laughed.

"True. So, what kind of stuff do you like?" I asked trying to start conversation.

***Jeremy***

"What's up?" Locke asked sitting down next to me.

I didn't mean to but my natural instinct come in and I said "the ceiling." I mentally shamed myself for being dumb and he laughed. Well, he thought it was funny.

"True. So, what kind of stuff do you like?"

I shrugged because I didn't really know what I liked, "books, I guess." Then the thought occurred to me, "why haven't I seen you around school?" If we were the same age we ought to be in the same grade and if not that then the same school.

"Oh, I'm in homeschooling."

"Really? That's pretty cool." I wasn't really intrigued but I could tell this kid so many lies and he would never know because he didn't go to school with me. I could make up fake stories about parents and siblings or friends and anything I wanted!

"Well, it's okay, I guess." He said. He seemed like he didn't really like it.

"Why do you say it like that? At least you don't have to deal with horrible teachers and mean kids at public schools." I said rather truthfully.

"Everyone always says that, but honestly, homeschooling is so boring. I, rather than having friends, have him," he said pointing at his brother, "and one teacher. My mom." He sighed.

"Yeah. I guess that's understandable. So, what kind of stuff do you like?" I asked genuinely wanting to make a new friend.

"Well, I like Minecraft." He shrugged.

"What's that?" He dropped his jaw.

"You don't know what Minecraft is?!?" He was overly astonished.

"Uhhh, no. What is it?"

"Well, it's a video game where you are an avatar and you run around collecting things in the block world to survive and stuff, then there's creative mode where you have unlimited of everything and you can make whatever you want. I have some pretty cool stuff on my creative map." He paused, "maybe you could come over sometime and we could play." He suggested.

"Yeah," I smiled, "that sounds like a lot of fun."

His smile grew, "what about tonight? Are you busy?"

I shook my head, "no. I don't think so." Knowing I wasn't busy. "But I have school tomorrow."

"But tomorrow's Saturday." He laughed.

"Oh. Then never mind." I laughed lightly and blushed. "I'll have to ask my parents though, and I don't have clothes." I didn't want him to think I just did whatever I wanted.

"Yeah, but we are about the same size." He suggested.

I nodded. "Alright. If it's alright with your parents, I'll use Link's phone to call mine and ask."

He smiled and said "dad?" Rhett turned and looked at him, "can Jeremy come over tonight?"

He and Link exchanged glances. Link shrugged and Rhett said "I'll have to call mom and ask. Alright buddy?"

He smiled and nodded and whispered "mom never says no." We both laughed.