The Boy Next Door ✑(h.s.)

thirteen

Chapter 13

Sunlight seeped in between the blinds of my room, accompanied by the sweet chirp of birds. One of the many perks of waking up right next to nature, the wakeup call. I rolled over to my side as I looked out the window of my room. The light outside was still a soft orange, indicating it was still before 8 o'clock, not that I was complaining. My eyes slowly opening to adjust to the constant stream of light. It was then when I hear three loud bangs on the door of my room, followed by my father coming in.

"Wake up Poppy! You're forefathers didn't fight for your independence just so you could sleep all day! The day is new, and it's a beautiful day to celebrate the sweet taste of freedom." My dad exclaims while coming over to the other side of my bed and bouncing it up and down a bit to make sure I was fully awake and ready to, as my father would put it, 'taste freedom'.

My heart was still beating incredibly fast as his outburst nearly made me have a stroke then and there. "Yeah, it'd be a pretty crappy way to celebrate independence by having to rush your daughter to the hospital because you gave her a stroke!" I said picking up the pillow I was laying on and chucking it at him.

"Well I guess someone won't be getting blueberry pancakes..." he said trailing off. I glared at him knowing he found my weakness. When it came to breakfast, nothing could beat fresh blueberry pancakes, especially my fathers. "Hurry on up and come in the kitchen, you can help me make them just like when you were a wee tot." He added accompanied by a noogie.

--

A good 30 minutes later, and a lot of pancake mix, we were finally done with breakfast. My mother had accompanied us once we were finished, and we all sat down as a family and enjoyed what my father called 'the breakfast of revolutionaries'.

After breakfast I made my way back towards my room, and got dressed in my Fourth of July apparel. I wore a red tank top with normal jean shorts, along with my white keds and n American flag bandana in my curled hair. I decided to wear my swimsuit underneath my outfit, just to make it easier on me for when I wanted to head out and take a dip in the water.

I imagined myself spending quite a bit of my day with Harry, which I mean, I wasn't one to complain. Just thinking about spending almost all day with him made my heart race. This boy was driving me insane and there wasn't a thing I could do about it. I couldn't believe I was admitting this to myself, but I was falling for this dorky, curly haired boy that I've known for a little over a month. Somewhere between stolen kisses, and even cheesier dates he pulled me closer and close to the edge ultimately causing me to fall, literally head over heels for him. There was still something on my mind that I just couldn't shake no matter how many times I tried to rid my mind of it.

Did he feel the same way?

My chest began to ache at the thought of my feelings being trashed upon by him. That's why I haven't made any rational decisions with Harry. If he really feels something for me, and could see us maybe being something someday, then he would be the one to say something first. Not only am I the girl, but I just don't think I could manage opening up and expressing my feelings and have him just shoot me down. Maybe he would decide to make whatever he was feeling know this weekend, but until he made some sort of move first I planned on staying quiet about it.

I made my way towards the patio of the cabin to find my parents gathering decorations and other supplies for the day. I never understood why my parents got so into this particular holiday. I mean Christmas, Halloween, hell even Easter I understand, but the Fourth of July just didn't seem like a holiday that should have a lot of effort put into it.

Streamers, decorations, and just about anything fourth related was laid out on the long table that was placed outside. My mother was placing the streamers along the railing of the patio while my father was cleaning the grill. He always made the classic American meal for the fourth. Cheeseburgers and hot dogs.