Finding You

chapter 1

Right now, I am in his house, sitting at the table in his kitchen. We are looking each other in the eyes and I'm wondering if what I just found out will make me afraid of him. I don't think it will, but I won't be surprised if it does. After all, it isn't every day that... Wait. Before I tell you what's happening now, I need to tell you what led me to this. It all started one sunny afternoon...

**

I left soon after him, making up an excuse to the teacher by saying I felt sick. I hurried into the hall and got my stuff from my locker.

I half ran to the school's front door. I swung the door open just in time to see him walk around corner and out of the parking lot. So, I'm not the only one who doesn't drive yet, I thought.

I got on my bike and followed his trail, slowing as I got to the corner. I looked around it and saw my house.

For a second I was afraid that that was where he was going, but was relieved when I saw him pass it.

But I gasped as I saw him stop at the one next door. He crossed the lawn and went to the back of the house.

My mouth was hanging wide open. Not because of the fact that he lived next to me, but of the fact that the house he went into had been abandoned for three years. Shuddering, I followed him.

I looked up at the boarded front door. This place just looked so empty. It was hard to believe that someone lived there. I walked past it and went to the back.

It didn't look any better really. No broken windows, but it just looked creepy. Dark and mysterious like him. It was a two-story house, which just made it even creepier since it was the only two-story on the block.

He must have already gone in because I couldn't see him. I quietly walked to the back door. I heard noises so I knew he was in there.

I twisted the doorknob and pushed, my head peeking through. When I was sure the door wouldn't creak I stepped in. It was better than I expected. It wasn't all creaky wood floors like I thought it would be. No, it had finely polished wood, and lightly tinted light brown walls.

I heard water running so I assumed he was in the kitchen, if there was one. I heard other noises that I couldn't make out and took a cautious step towards the sound. But I wasn't cautious enough.

As soon as I took the step the noises abruptly stopped. I froze along with the breath in my throat. I was suddenly glad that I left the door open as I took a huge step backwards onto the back porch. I heard footsteps and ran to the side of his house.

"Who's there?" I heard him say.

My heart raced at the sound of his deep voice. I quietly walked around to the front and took one last look at his house before I ran back to mine. When I was safe in my room, I went over the things that I found out today and put it on a sheet of paper.

1. a really hot guy lives next door to me.
2. the really hot guy that lives next to me lives in a so-called abandoned house.
3. he doesn't drive.

That was weird since I was the only senior who didn't have a car.

Well, that went well, I thought. I planned to find out more tomorrow after school. I would have to be more careful though.

I heard my mom drive into the driveway and quickly got to my kitchen to pretend I just got there. She walked in and smiled at me.

"Hi honey. Have a nice day at school?" she asked cheerfully. That was my mom all right. She was always happy about something. Even in the saddest time possible, she had a positive thing on her mind.

"Yeah, it was fine," I answered without as much enthusiasm. I was itching to return to my room so I could be alone.

She smiled again and said, "I'm going to go start making dinner; you go and do whatever it is you were doing," she said.

Man, I loved my mother. She let me do anything, let me go anywhere, got me anything. There is only one thing she says I have to buy, and that's a car.

Some people may think I'm spoiled by my parents. But, since my mom owned a dog rescue center and my dad worked 12 hours a day, we just got a lot of money.

I went to my room and shut the door. I still was processing what had happened today. By the time that my mom had called me to eat my dinner I had forgotten about it. I was consumed by the thought of food.

I finished my meal quickly and decided I would go to bed early today. Early enough that I could still see the light peeking through my window. I needed some time to relax my brain.

I took a shower and brushed my teeth, humming a song my mom sang to me when I was younger. I put my pj's on, shut off my light, and then turned on my lamp.

When I was getting settled in bed I put my hair in a ponytail, but hesitated and smiled curiously at my reflection. My teeth were finally straight; I had just gotten my braces off. The tangle of brown hair never looked good with my green eyes, but in this light they did.

I stepped away frim the mirror and crawled into bed, shutting off my lamp. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. After a while, I discovered thinking about sleeping didn't help. So instead I thought of him.

It was odd that I didn't know his name. I never talked to him, so I didn't have a reason to know it. But still, I knew of him my whole high school year and never once picked up on his name.

I felt myself drifting off to sleep with a smile. The last thing in my mind that I remembered was the way his voice sounded before I ran away.