Boy Next Door

Chapter 1 - An Awkward Introduction

I came home from work in a slump. My long-time friends, who also happened to be my next door neighbors, were moving today. They told me about a month ago, but it really hit hard when I pulled in my driveway to see the moving truck in theirs.

Getting out of the car, I looked over as they loaded boxes into the truck. The house looked pretty empty through the propped open door, they must be nearly done.

"JINA!!", Cindy called out to me, waving her arms.

I gave her a sad little wave and began to head over.

"So, this is it, huh?", I said in a somber tone, looking at the jam-packed truck.

"Yeah... I guess so."

"I can't believe we won't be neighbors anymore.", I wanted to cry.

"We aren't going too far, and we will always be friends.", Cindy hugged me.

"Two hours... that's pretty far."

"If it wasn't for Nathan's work, I'd have stayed here forever. I love this neighborhood."

"It's going to be even quieter without you guys.", I squeezed her tight.

"Are you girls crying again??", Nathan came out carrying a large box and laughed.

"NO!", we both yelled, wiping our eyes.

"Don't act like you aren't sad we are leaving Jina!", Cindy scolded her husband.

"REAL MEN DON'T CRY!", he struck a muscly super hero pose.

We both started laughing, forgetting our outward tears. On the inside I was still dying, I was really going to miss them both. We had lived next to each other for seven years. Both of us lived in these houses with our parents and inherited them when hers passed away and mine moved to Florida to retire. I was now 25 and she was 27. Cindy started dating Nathan two years after I met her and a year later they were married, now they had a baby on the way. Nathan was the head foreman of a construction company and they were relocating him north for a large project. This small town was already quiet and predicable, but with them gone, it was going to feel like a ghost town to me.

After putting my things down and changing, I helped them move the last of their things and we sat down with some pizza, wings and beers for one last hurrah before they left the next morning before the sun would even be up. We spent the night telling stories of days past and plans for the future, laughing, crying and getting way too emotional on the alcohol. We said our final goodbyes with lots of hugs and even more tears and parted ways to get some much needed sleep. That night I cried myself to sleep. I was just thankful that I'd still be able to text, call and email her. I'd see them again when the baby shower came in four months anyway, so it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

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I woke the next morning with puffy eyes, crusted in dried tears. Pushing my long pink tipped platinum hair from my face, I sighed looking out the window at Cindy's empty and dark house. I was glad it was the weekend, I was in no mood to face the world. I hopped in the shower to try and perk myself up, but it didn't do as much as I had hoped. The entire weekend I lounged around the house, not wanting to do anything. I got a few texts from Cindy, but every time the conversations were over, I only felt like more shit.

Three weeks went by and every single day, I caught myself staring at that empty house, until one day I woke and looked out the window to see a moving van in the driveway.

'Just who the hell thinks it's okay to move into her house!? If you think I'm going to accept you, you are SO WRONG!'

I was just a little bitter seeing someone already moving into my best friend's place. Curious and annoyed, I peered out my window at the movers who were moving boxes into the house. They were carrying a couch from the truck and one of them had his shirt off. Curious and intrigued now, I opened the curtains and leaned my elbows on the window sill to get a better look at the tall, tan skinned shirtless man. He was rather attractive with his toned body, lean frame and thick sandy rose colored hair. I didn't bother trying to hide my lingering gaze, he was just a mover, not like it mattered if he caught me. When he came back out, he picked up a towel laying over a waiting chair and mopped his face, neck and back with it. He was a glistening bronze God... no other way to describe him at this moment. Good thing this man wasn't going to be my new neighbor, I'd never get any sleep at night.