One in a Million (Solangelo AU)

The Boy Next Door

I hopped off the bus and limped down my street. I had endured a brutal beating today after school. I looked up as I passed by the house next to mine. There was a moving truck in the driveway and the door was open, revealing the entry hall. I shrugged and continued up my front walk and into my house.

As soon as the door closed behind me, my Croatian Sheepdog, Bella, came scampering down the stairs to meet me. She jumped up and put her paws on my shoulders, licking my face.

"Hi girl," I laughed, "I missed you too."

I grabbed Bella's paws and started dancing around the entry hall with her. Even though she was on the small side, as far as dogs go, when she was standing on her hind legs, her head was eye level with me. I guess I'm not really that tall (I'm only 5'4") but still.

Suddenly, the oven dinged. I walked into the kitchen to my stepmom, Marie, setting a tray of chocolate chip cookies on the counter. The house was filled with the smell of fresh baked goods.

"Ooh, those look good," I complimented her, standing on one foot while trying to hide it from her. If she knew what happened, I'd never hear the end of it. Plus I didn't want her to worry. "When are they going to be ready?"

"I'm glad you think so," she said, looking up from what she was doing, "but these aren't for you. They're for the new neighbors. Why don't you take them over once they're cool?"

"Why can't Hazel do it?" I instantly complained.

"Because you need more friends," Marie told me.

"Ouch," I muttered. I grabbed an apple out of the fruit bowl on our counter and headed upstairs, walking as normally as possible.

The staircase to my room was at the end of the hall, behind a door that looked like it was supposed to lead to a closet. Really, I would've had to live in the tiny office that barely fits a desk and chair so I was wandering around the house when we first moved in and found this staircase that led to the attic. After that it was pretty much decided, Hazel got the room across from the master and the bathroom on the second floor and I got the attic and we had a bathroom built up there. It was great because while Hazel was doing her makeup (which she totally didn't need) I could shower and change in peace.

My room was very black. The walls were black, the bedspread was black, and the furniture was black. My bed was pushed into the far right corner, towards the back of the house. It was piled with dark colored pillows and blankets. There were multiple black, shag carpets all over the floor, as well as a dog bed even though Bella preferred my bed. My desk was stationed across from the bay window that overlooked the forest that was our backyard. It lined up with the one in Hazel's room and the one that served as the breakfast nook In the kitchen. There were two bookshelves on either side of the window. The two center ones were filled to the brim with my favorite novels. The one on the far left was full of sketch books and the one on the far right had my stereo system on top and all of my CDs in racks filling the shelves. The bathroom door was beside my nightstand and there was a huge black wardrobe beside that. On the other side of my desk was my dresser, the top overflowing with photos from my life before the plane crash that killed my mom and wounded my sister beyond recognition. My walls were covered with more pictures and song lyrics and Italian phrases written in silver sharpie. Then there was the door that led to the staircase and the door that led to my tiny balcony that was actually very close to the neighbor's house.

I sauntered over to my stereo and pulled out a CD, showing it to Bella. She barked in agreement so I put it on. "Welcome to the Black Parade" started blaring at top volume. After Marie and Hazel became aware of my music habits, Marie had my floor insulated so my room was practically soundproof. I flopped down on my bed just as a loud knocking came from the other side of my door. Slowly, I sat up, grumbling about how I had just gotten comfortable, not to mention the fact that my leg felt like it was on fire.