The Boy Next Door

Chapter 9

⠀⠀⠀Wyatt, Jessie, and Dustin sit across the table from Brandon and Hayden at the best barbecue restaurant in town. The level of awkwardness among the table is unbearable. Wyatt continuously stabs his Mac 'n Cheese with his fork, looking utterly miserable. Dustin keeps attempting to make small talk with Brandon, but he has absolutely no idea what to say to the guy. Jessie is trying to cheer Wyatt up, and Hayden is just too overwhelmed by the entire situation to do anything at all.

⠀⠀⠀"So..." Brandon says, trying to break the tension. Nobody picks up the other end of the conversation.

⠀⠀⠀He finally just decides to flag down the waitress in order to get the check, ending the disaster of a dinner for good.

⠀⠀⠀Wyatt and Dustin pull out their wallets to pay their part, but Brandon waves them off. "It's on me, guys."

⠀⠀⠀Once the meal is paid for, the five teenagers stand in the parking lot, heading towards Wyatt's truck that drove them all there. Jessie and Dustin hop in the back seat, and Wyatt climbs in the driver's seat.

⠀⠀⠀"Hey, we're going to walk around a little bit and then go home, so we don't need a ride," Hayden tells him through his open window.

⠀⠀⠀"Okay," he grumbles.

⠀⠀⠀Hayden frowns. "Is everything alright? You seem... Off."

⠀⠀⠀He nods. "I'm just tired."

⠀⠀⠀"Oh, okay," she says. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

⠀⠀⠀"See you tomorrow."

⠀⠀⠀Wyatt watches as Hayden skips back into Brandon's arms, who kisses the crown of her head, before he backs out of the parking spot.

⠀⠀⠀"He seems nice," Jessie says genuinely.

⠀⠀⠀Dustin elbows her in the ribs and nods his head in Wyatt's direction, shaking his head.

⠀⠀⠀"And by nice I mean terrible," she corrects herself, understanding her boyfriend's message. "He seems like an absolute shit of a person."

⠀⠀⠀"I agree," Dustin says. "I don't like him at all."

⠀⠀⠀There's no response from Wyatt, and the three ride in silence all the way to Jessie's house, where both she and Dustin get out.

~ ~ ~

⠀⠀⠀Brandon scratches Hayden's puppy, Honey, behind her ear. "He got you a dog?"

⠀⠀⠀"Yes but no. He didn't go out and buy me a dog. His dog had puppies, so he offered me one," she explains.

⠀⠀⠀He wraps his arms around her from behind and pulls her into his chest, kissing her neck softly. "He wants you so bad."

⠀⠀⠀"He does not! Wyatt and I are just friends," she says. "Guys and girls can be friends without liking each other."

⠀⠀⠀"And the fact that you're just friends is why he was in such a pissy mood about me being here?" Brandon intrigues.

⠀⠀⠀Hayden shrugs. "He said he's just tired."

⠀⠀⠀"Okay, babe," he teases.

⠀⠀⠀"You've been here for, like, six hours and you're already jealous," she jokes back.

⠀⠀⠀"Damn straight I'm jealous of Wyatt," Brandon says. "He gets to see you everyday and gives you cute pets, and all I can do is text you. Plus he has that country boy charm thing going for him."

⠀⠀⠀She twists around in his arms, so she's facing him. She moves her hands to the back of his neck and kisses the corner of his lips. "You don't have to be jealous."

⠀⠀⠀"I probably still will be," he whines.

⠀⠀⠀She kisses him again. "Shut up and kiss me."

⠀⠀⠀But maybe Brandon should be jealous because as Hayden is kissing him, she can't seem to stop thinking about the boy next door and what he's thinking about. This is usually the time they're either Skyping, texting, or eating ice cream in her room. The fact that she's with Brandon now instead of Wyatt just feels... wrong.