The Boy Next Door...Literally

Chapter 5: Jealousy jelly (part 2)

Why would he do this? He knows how much I hate Melissa. What did I do? Why do I care? 

So many thoughts crossed my mind as I parked in my drive way. I wasn't sad. I was furious. I thought he was starting to become my friend once again. I remember my mom use to talk about Dylan all the time. How we use to play in the swing set we still have up in our back yard, and how he use to follow me like some lost puppy. I always tell everyone I don't remember much, which is semi true. I remember us playing in the back yard, playing with toads and cicadas that we found. He did follow me like a lost puppy, and I hated it because he was my first crush. Yet again I was pretty bossy...still am. 

I snapped out of my gaze when I heard a knock on my window. I forgot I was still in the drive way. Ashley knocked and motioned for me to get out. I turned my car off and led her inside without saying a word.

"Do you want to talk about i-" 

"No" I rudely cut her off as we entered my room. I know it's not her fault, and she knows it too. I get like this when I'm really angry, which is rare. 

"We should probably start to get ready" Ashley pointed out. 

"Now? What time does it start?" I asked surprisingly.  

She yanked her phone out of her back pocket, "Well its 4:17 and the party doesn't start until 10:15....but it'll take us about 3 hours to get ready"

I thought for a moment, "we could start getting ready in like... 2 hours?". I didn't think I said that sentence weirdly. I tried to say it with no emotion but Ashley is amazing at reading my moods because she then said, "Alright spit it out, and don't say you don't want to talk about it. blah blah blah. I know you...spill"

"Well do you-" 

"Hold on, where is it?" she started to pace around my room looking for the object I purposely hid from her. 

"Um where is what?" I acted clueless, knowing I am a horrible liar. She then stood right above me as I sat on my bed. 

"Allison. Grace. Ford," she started as she looked directly into my soul. She gave me a cold hard stare. 

I told her with my eyes as I pointed to the closet. She smirked while skipping to my closet. She ripped open the doors and disappeared into mountains of clothes. 

"That is not fair whatsoever. You know I'm a horrible liar" I whined as I heard her struggling to find my worst nightmare. 

"You're never going to fin-" 

"AHahah, found it" she technically screamed. Good thing it sounded like she was two rooms away. She doesn't mean to scream, but when she does it's worse than popping your ears while riding an airplane for the first time. 8 years of my life with her and I still haven't gotten use to it. 

She came out of my closet, tripping. She smirked at me. She was waving it in my face which made me roll my eyes. 

She cleared her throat and began in a host-like voice, "Ladies and Gentlemen, drum roll please.....the talking pillow!". 

You might be wondering what exactly the talking pillow is. Well it all started in elementary, Ashley and I saw how our teacher created a talking stick. Whoever had the talking stick, was able to talk and pour out all their feelings. But we added a twist to our version of the talking stick. Our talking pillow was mostly for us to pour out our anger, which we both had a lot of. The last time I had to use the talking pillow was when Hardin cheated on me, and it was not pretty. I punched the pillow for an hour and ended up throwing things around my room that were not the pillow. 

She threw it at me and I rolled my eyes. I did hate the thing, but it weirdly helped. 

"Go" she nodded towards me. 

"I don't need the talking pillow, you know." 

"I think you do. By the look on your face as we stormed out the school you looked like you were going to punch Melissa. Or anyone." 

"Or anything...you have a serious punching problem." she added tilting her head. 

I knew she was right, so I grabbed the beat up pillow. 

"Atta girl" she patted me on the back, encouraging me to speak. 

"I just don't know why he would do that. He knows how much I hate Melissa. Yes I know hate is a strong word and my mom would've killed me if I said I hated someone but I do. I thought we were becoming friends, what did I do to deserve him backstabbing me. I was such a great friend to him when he decided to cry like a little baby next to me... Oh my gosh I shouldn't have said that, his parents literally died. I feel so bad now. Maybe driving off without him was a little too dramatic. Should I go back? I think I should. ..Wait... no. I don't know. Why do I feel like this Ashley?" 

She just stared at me and had a confused expression on her face as if she was trying to process everything I had just said. I noticed I was trying to catch my breath, I rambled on and forgot to breath. 

Then she smiled ear to ear. This big bright smile I've seen before. Once I registered that smile of hers I manged to whisper, "No" while shaking my head. 

"Oh yes you do" she jumped up with her glowing smile.

"You like him!" she started jumping on my bed yelling at the top of her lungs, "You like him! You like him! You really really like him!" 

I tugged her arm down, which caused her to fall and I placed my hand over her mouth because even though she fell, that didn't shut her up. "Ashley shut up he might be home! I don't like him!" I hissed while trying to help her catch her balance. 

"Even if I did, you would be the first to know!" I whispered-yelled. 

"I am the first to know!" she said in a normal tone. "Relax he's not even here" she stood up nudging me with her elbow. I mentally slapped her across the face. If I had feelings for someone I would know. I did care about him but that didn't mean I liked him. Right?

******** 

"Almost ready?" Ashley asked as I curled that last few pieces of my hair. 

"Andd...done" I let out a sigh. I never tried hard to get ready for parties or anything in general. I just curled my hair, threw on some cute low-rise jeans, a simple crop top, and of course my converse. I was never a huge makeup person. Maybe some mascara here and there but I never really thought I was the makeup type. Ashley loves makeup with a passion. She might be a makeup artist. I on the other hand am perfect with school but still have no idea what I want to do with my life. Which is weird to think of since I like to take control and know whats next.  

"You look hot!" I said as I looked at her through the mirror. 

"I know" she smirked. "Okay so it's 10:52 we should probably get going" I reminded her. 

We started to head out my room and I stopped in my tracks, "What's the matter? Are you forgetting something?"

"No, but can you check if Dylan's here? I don't want to see him right now. Pleaseee" 

Ashley gave me a look saying 'Are you serious right now?'. I gave her a weak smile. 

"Fine" she stomped out my room. 

I patiently waited as I played with my rings that were on my fingers. I stopped when I looked at my nails. They were covered in all black nail polish done horribly by Dylan. He had wanted to try to do my nails the night before once I had finished painting his. We decided we wanted to match. I suddenly felt this weird churning in my stomach.

"Coast is clear sista" Ashley popped back into the room. 

I jumped a little. She laughed knowing I easily get scared. 

And from there we headed to Melissa's party. I had a bad feeling for some reason. I was starting to regret going to this party.