My Next Door Neighbor

Chapter 12

Running down the halls I tried finding out where Carter ran off to. I got down one hallway, the art wing which was hardly used now a days since we had an upgraded room. Leaning against the wall was a dark figure. He was running his fingers through his hair before resting his head back against the wall. I cautiously walked forward, hopefully not looking too creepy.

"Why can't you just go away?" The boy growled. "You've done enough."

"What happened to you" I ignored his question, not having an answer for him. I seriously didn't understand why I kept trying to talk to him.

"Nothing. It's none of your business." he waved it off like it was nothing. But I could see the pain in his eyes. Maybe not physical but definitely mental.

"Look, i know people were making fun and the whole title thing but that's no reason to get upset." I leaned against the wall across from us, being sure to keep some distance.

"You really think a few people talking about me is making me upset?" He seemed stunned.

"Yeah....is it not?" I was now definitely confused.

He groaned, closed his eyes, and slammed his fist against the wall causing me to stumble back a bit. when he looked back at me his eyes showed pain and confliction . It was something I would never thought I'd see.

"Look..." He looked up and down the hallway then back at me, taking a few short steps to stand only inches from me. "I can't tell you here but..." He bit his bottom lip. I could tell he was contemplating telling me. "Meet me in the park right after school, by the grove of oak trees."

What's so special about that grove of oak trees, I'll never know.

"Okay..." Thankfully today Alissa wasn't at school because she had a "doctors appointment". Yeah right, she end to get her nose done. So, we didn't have practice.

With that, Carter put his hood back up and walked away, no goodbye or nothing. To be completely honest, I was nervous. This is the most we've talked in a long time. What if things happen today? Oh well I guess.....

~~~~~

School ended with me being half nervous and half excited to go to the park to talk to Carter. When the last bell rang I told Wayne I was going to hang out with Bridget and told Bridget I was going home with Wayne. When the two left, I quickly made my way to the park. It took me a second to find the grove of Oak trees. And when I did, I looked around but found no Carter Hunt. When I turned to walk away, I screamed at the sight in front of me. Carter stood, a smirk on his face. Even though his face was battered and bruised, he still looked hot.

"Come on." Carter walked passed me and began climbing one of the thick trees. I looked at him confused untold reached the first (and lowest) branch. "Well....come on." He implied, pointing to the tree.

I sighed and walked to the base. He offered me his hand, which I took, and pulled me weightlessly up to the branch. When I was sturdy on the branch, he took a seat one branch below me, his back against the trunk. 

When we both reached comfortable branches near each other, Carter a little lower than me, he sighed. "Alright....so....back to earlier." I was silent, watching him try to find the right words.

"When I was little, my dad took me to watch boxing matches. He seemed so....happy around the ring that when I got older I started training. It was right after I won a match in the 9th grade and me and him walked home from the gym that night. We were talking about next weeks practice when a guy came up and grabbed me. I guess his buddy came too and grabbed my dad. Turns out they were trying to rob us. My dad told me to stay calm, that everything would be alright but it wasn't. It would never be." I knew what was going to happen next, but it broke my heart.

Carter took a second to compose himself the continued. "The guy who grabbed my dad saw he didn't have anything, but just couldn't help but pull out a gun and shoot my dad in the head. Right there in front of me." A few more seconds passed. I reached down and put my hand on his shoulder in a reassuring way. He looked up at me, vulnerability in his eyes. I knew this was hard for him; it had to be.

"The cops never did find the guys, teenagers in fact, and my dad was dead by the time the ambulance arrived. So after that I quit boxing. I vowed that day to find the guys who did it and....well...kill them. Last night I got word of where they were located. Apparently they're in some kind of gang around here. I guess I got too close and they found out I was coming so they sent a guy to scare me off." He looked less upset but more confident.

"Wait, so they beat you!" I exclaimed, but realized we were in a public park so I lowered my voice. "Isn't that illegal."

That devilishly handsome smirk once again made it's way onto his face. "Yes."

I couldn't help but smile and be glad that Carter was being more himself. It was scary to see him so isolated and cut off from everyone else. I thought for a minute then looked down at the boy only a few feet away.

"Carter.....would you like to go get some ice cream?" I hoped he would say yes.

He took a moment to think it over then nodded and smiled, a real genuine smile. "Yeah. I'd like that."