My New Neighbor

Go on and Tease Me

My phone rang, it was Sandra’s assistant and I could not let it go to voicemail. I answered and put up my finger telling Lacee to give me just one minute, but she shook her head pointing at the time that she had to go take the guys their lunch. Crap. The assistant was asking thousands of questions and I was going to be awhile so I just shrugged and motioned for her to go. I sat down at my desk, glancing out through the big bay window to the ocean, before burying my head into work.

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The week had gone by so fast between working all day and filling my nights with Team ZTLC (which is what we have begun to call ourselves). We finally got to play all the dumb games we thought of when it was just Lacee, Taylor, and I, but could never play because it would always would leave someone out. Zyler seemed to be in better spirits and we were getting rather close as friends. A couple nights we stayed up all night talking, ended up watching the sun rise. I like being around him, I feel like I can be me and that’s good enough for him. I glanced up from my computer screen after doing some finalizing for Sandra’s party tomorrow, out the bay window I could see the sun was setting, my favorite part of the day. I stood up and stretched, brushing my hands down my white strapless sundress, and applied some chapstick before heading down stairs. Twitch was waiting patiently staring out the sliding glass door, knowing it was his time to go out and play.

I opened the door, letting Twitch go free, before stepping out myself and looking up at the sky. Looking down to search for Twitch, I noticed Zyler sitting in the sand by himself, throwing a stick for Twitch to fetch. I walked over, sitting down beside him.

“Hey.” I bumped his shoulder with my own to get him to look at me, “Enjoying the sunset?”

“Yea.” He didn’t look at me. I could tell something was bothering him again.

“I… Um.. I was wondering if you would want to go as my date to the party tomorrow night?”

“Sure.”

“Is something wrong Zy.” I tried to move forward to look him in the face. He avoided me again.

I got up on my knees and moved in front of him, his knees had his elbows resting on them, and it was like he was trying to cover his face. I gently put a palm to his cheek and moved his face to face mine, seeing the faint streaks of tears that had stained his cheeks.

“It’s nothing.”

“Zyler. It is not nothing. You need to talk about whatever it is.” I searched his eyes seeing that pain and anger that I’ve seen several times before. “It’s eating you alive I see it.”

“Yea well maybe I don’t care if it does.” He spoke sternly but didn’t move, he now just stared back at me.

I pulled my hand away from his cheek and let it rest in my lap, “I know you’ve only known me for a week, but I think we’re rather close now. You can trust me with whatever it is…. I wont judge you.”

“I do trust you. I promise you that. I like you Chloe.” Zyler’s eyes averted away for a moment then back, “I just don’t think I have anything to offer you.”

I was clearly confused, it showed all over my face, so he continued before I said anything.

“My past haunts me every minute of every day. You deserve someone that can give you so much more. I feel soulless most of the times.”

“Most of the times.” I repeated.

“There’s been a few times you have reminded me of the good things in life. You have made me laugh and smile. You are a genuine and amazing female, but I don’t want you to get caught up in false hope. I’m never going to be the man that you deserve.”