Girl Next Door (GIRLXGIRL)

5

Lexi's POV:

"You've lost your mind, Katie. I am not running the rest of the way." I pant, looking hopelessly at my best friend.

"It's just a light jog" was the biggest load of shit I've ever heard.

"Come on, it's literally half a mile." She says, bouncing on the balls of her feet energetically.

"Go ahead, I'm walking." I say, shrugging. I am beat.

Katie sighs and takes off, keeping it at her usual, ridiculously fast, pace.

I walk alone, listening to music in my headphones. I see a black blob appear in my peripheral and turn my head to check it out further.

I'm surprised to see Evan driving alongside me.

"Hey?" I mutter, nearing the edge of the sidewalk.

"What are you doing by yourself?" She asks.

I point up ahead at my friend, whose size is diminishing as she move further away, and she nods, "can't keep up?" She teases me.

"Pft, not with her. She's too much." I laugh. I hang my arms over the window and wait for her to speak, assuming she had a valid reason for stopping.

"I wanted to ask if you were available to babysit on Friday night. Scott wants to go out for a date, so I told him I'd find a sitter. $50?" She offers.

I bite my cheek and nod, "sure. You two kiss and make up last night?"

"Were you looking in the window again?!" Evan gasps, horrified I may have seen something I shouldn't have.

"Um, no... I was just joking." I laugh, awkwardly scratching my head.

I guess I know what she did last night.

"Oh, right." Evan mutters, looking down at her hands in her lap. "Anyway..."

"Yes, Friday is fine." I say and she nods.

"Thanks, Lex. See you around." She tells me before driving off.

"See you..." I say to myself since she's long gone.

* * *

Of course, I couldn't break my promise to the kids next door. It's Wednesday, which means it's pizza night.

"Lexi, you're not eating with us?" Mike asks as I pass through the kitchen on the way out.

"No, Ava and Grace asked me to come eat pizza with them." I explain to him. Plus I'd rather not sit with them.

"You never stay for family dinners. I don't think you should go over to the Copeland's tonight." He says.

"Family dinner." I say under my breath, smirking. "I keep my promises." I say.

He cuts his eyes at me, but knows he can't tell me what to do. He isn't my father. He tried to be once, but it didn't go over so well.

"Please be home at a decent hour." My mother chimes in.

"Yep." I say and pull the door open, headed to the Copeland's.

I knock on the door and hear shrieks of excitement from inside the house. I see little figures running towards the door through the window and Grace opens the door.

"Lexi! You came!" She grins from ear to ear.

"I told you I would, didn't I?" I smile and ruffle Mason's hair as he hugs my leg.

"Come in. Mom is cooking still." She day and grabs my hand, quite literally dragging me into the home.

I stand in the family room for several minutes, chatting with the kids and pretending to find their stories funnier than they are.