Boy Next Door

"You're what?" Nina asked me, in complete shock.

"I'm getting married," I repeated. It's been a week since Marc had proposed. I had been to busy with work and looking up houses online to tell the guys yet. Later, Marc and I are going house hunting together.

"To Marc?" Lauren questioned.

"Yes Lauren. I am getting married to Marc Staal. Why are you so shocked by this? It's not like we haven't been dating for a year or anything."

"I know, I know. It's just weird, you know? Someone I know is actually getting married," she elaborated.

"I'm almost twenty three, Laur. It's time for me to settle down," I explained. She nodded her head, understanding my point. "Where is Marc, anyways. I was supposed to wait for him to get here with the guys before I told you about the proposal," I admitted.

The original plan was to have everyone get here before we told the guys, but when Lauren, Nina and Ashley, Brandon's girlfriend, got here, Ashley complimented me on my ring and then she realized that it was on my left hand. At that point I had to tell them, so I couldn't wait for the guys to get here.

As I was explaining to them how he popped the question, the door to the apartment opened. And, as always, I was tackled to the ground by a couple of hockey players. I was so caught off guard that I couldn't even prepare myself for the fall. Now, I'm probably going to have a hug bruise on my ass.

"Brandon, Matthew, and Michael!" I yelled. "Get off of me right now!" They didn't budge.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US YOU WERE GETTING MARRIED!!!!!!" they all screamed in unison.

"If you get off of me I will tell you," I said through gritted teeth. One of them, I think it was Matt, had his knee in my stomach, making it sort of difficult to breath. While I struggled to survive, everyone else, including Marc, watch with amusement. "Thank you," I sighed as they all piled off of me. I dusted myself off and told them how busy I have been with my life.

"You guys really are getting married, though, right? This isn't some sick joke?"

"Brandon!" Ashley scolded her boyfriend. She slapped him, sending him the full message.

*~*~*~*~*

I looked at the realtor in her business attire. Black pencil skirt with a white blouse and simple black heels. She had shoulder length blonde hair and gorgeous green eyes. She was one of those people that no matter what gender you were, straight or gay, you had to admit that the woman in front of me was gorgeous.

"Okay Ms. Longola," she said formally. "I have three houses in mind that I think meet all of your requirements," she said with a smile. "Shall we get going?"

"Well my fian-" I started.

"Marc," she said, cutting me off. She stood up and walked over to him with a huge smile adorned on her face.

"Ellie?" he said cautiously.

"What are you doing here?" she squealed as she pulled him into an embrace.

"If I didn't know any better I would say that you two have met before," I laughed, breaking their embrace. I didn't distrust Marc, so I knew it wasn't some weird secret affair or something of that nature. I just wanted to know how they knew each other. And why she was so touchy with him. I walked over to Marc and wrapped my arms around him. "Hey honey," I greeted as I gave him a quick kiss. I knew he hated when I called him honey, but he knew that I needed to get my point across right now.

"Oh, I see you have a girlfriend," she said, obviously upset.

"Actually she's my f-" he started, but he, too, got cut off by this Ellie woman.

"Don't worry, sweetie. He'll just break your heart like he did to mine," she said, venom laced into her words.

I started piecing the puzzle together. They must have been a couple at one point in time. Hopefully it was long before I met Marc. By the way she was acting, Marc must have been the one to end the relationship. I can see why he dated her, though. She looked like a freaking supermodel.

"We mine as well get this over with," she sighed.

*~*~*~*~*

Three and a half hours later, we had been to five houses. All houses were gorgeous but none were the one for me. When I was little, I always imagined what my perfect dream house would be like, and none of the houses were anything close. I know I sound like a spoiled brat right now, but I just want to live in a house that I’m going to like.

The first house had the kitchen in the basement. Who does that? The second house didn’t have a back yard. I always imagined having lots of land when I was growing up. I guess that’s what happens when you grow up around tons of farms. The third house had a round family room with a fireplace right in the center. It was a very odd room. The fourth house only had one bathroom. How can you possibly only have one bathroom? And the fifth house, well, someone had been murdered in the fifth house.

Now we were walking up to the sixth place of the day. I was a little weary of it, since it wasn't a house. It was a penthouse. We were in the upper east side of New York. It was a rich area, no doubt about it. I looked up to the name on the green awning above me. It read 'Park Avenue Court'. The doorman opened the door for the three of us. I made sure I thanked him. He gave me a small smile and a tip of his hat.

"This is a great place to live," Ellie started. That reminds me. I have to ask Marc how exactly they know each other. "They have a 24/7 doorman. The entire place allows pets. They also have a gym that is open all the time." We all stepped into the elevator. This place was definitely a step up from where we live now. "The specific penthouse I'm going to show you has a view of the Hudson and all of New York. You have your own outdoor terrace and garden, along with a private laundry room. It has four bedrooms and five and a half baths. The great thing about this building is that it has its own garage so you never have to worry about parking." She sounded perky, but I knew that she was anything but.

She needed to sound as if she would have moved into the other houses we looked at, that was her job. I also knew that she did not want to be with us at all. She rushed us through looking all the houses so she could get rid of us faster. She was constantly mumbling about us under her breath. Her entire mood was just... Off.

"And here we are," she said as the elevator opened. It led us right into the penthouse.

The elevators only opened up to a small hallway, but my breath was still taken away. There was a beautiful chandelier over our heads. And when I say over, I mean over. The entire place had fourteen foot ceilings.

Each and every room we went into did the same thing. Especially the pantry. It was bigger than the bedroom I have now. Even though all the rooms were absolutely gorgeous, I couldn't leave the balcony. It overlooked the heart and soul of New York City.

"It's amazing," Marc breathed as he wrapped his arms around me from behind. He rested his chin on my shoulder s we both took in the view.

"It's funny," I said. "Growing up, I never imagined leaving Canada, especially coming to such a big city like this. It's all so different from home. And once reality sunk in about being here, I met all of you guys. And now I have a little piece of home here in New York with Nina and Lauren being here. It's like a perfect dream world."

"I've been in a perfect dream world ever since I met you," he said. I could sense the smirk he had on his face.

"You're so corny," I laughed.

“Are you going to buy the place or what?” Ellie said frustration evident in her voice. I could sense that she wanted to ruin our moment, our happiness.

Marc and I looked at each other, silently having a conversation.

“We’ll take it,” we said in unison.

“Fine,” she huffed. “Come by the realtor tomorrow and we’ll go over the paperwork.” With that said, she turned on her heel and left the penthouse, leaving us to look around a little bit more.

“Who the hell does that chick think she is?” I asked as soon as she was out of hearing range.

“My ex. Don’t worry about her. She’s a total bitch. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking when I was dating her,” he explained.

“I can’t believe we just bought this place,” I said, completely changing the subject.

“Me either.”