New Neighbor

I sat in the middle of my messy room, once again listening to my old radio. I dipped the little brush into the nail polish and then spread it across my middle finger nail. It left a shiny, blood red, surface. When I finished my hands I did my toes. Smiling triumphantly when I was done.

I screwed the top back on and leaned back in my chair listening to the music. The song ended and commercials started. Not wanting to hear the annoying voices of the advisors I carefully turned it off.

I sat awhile in silence, immersing myself in my thoughts. Thoughts of when summer ended in two months, when I'd go back to homeschooling 6 hours a day and working at my mothers bookshop. I was brought back to reality by the sound of cuss words wafting in through the window. I stood, deciding my nails were dry enough to walk with.

Peering out I saw the man chasing his yard after a large white dog, shirtless and soaking wet. I watched them go around in circles for a while, giggle's escaping my lips. Finally I left the window and hurried down the hall and out the front door. The heat engulfed me and the bright sun made me quint as I walked over to help him.

The big dog saw me and stopped wagging his tail. The man lunged for him at the same the dog raced forward towards me, the next thing I know I was on my back with all the breath knocked out of me and a large, wet animal standing on my stomach, licking my face.

I turned my face away and coughed. Grabbing his collar I yanked him off me, but didn't let go. I pulled myself on to my knees as the man ran up to us. "Oh I am so sorry! He just gets really hyper when he takes a bath"

"Yeah so I noticed" I said still trying to get a hold of my bearings. He took the dog with one hand and stretched out the other one out for me. I grabbed it gladly and he pulled me to my feet, he looked worried once he saw my face. One of his fingers brushed my jaw then was brought in front of my eyes, it was covered in blood.

"Jag must have got ya when he jumped on you" I wasn't until he touched it that I began to feel the stinging and slight throbbing. "I'm really sorry, um" He seemed unsure what to do.

We stood there a minute and I was beginning to feel strange, just standing there inches away from this shirtless man, with his insane dog.

Then he suddenly took my hand and started dragging me and 'Jag' to his house. I didn't protest, which probably wasn't my brightest idea in history, considering I didn't even know this man and he was taking me into his house.

He put the dog into what looked a laundry room. Then took me into the bathroom and started digging under the sink. After a minute he pulled out a spray can of something and a box of band aids.

He popped the top off the spray can and shook it, then he sprayed some onto two fingers. He dabbed my cut softly, but I still winced as it stung more harshly.

"Sorry" He breathed, his breath hit my face, it smelled like peppermint. He took a band aid and gently pressed down, smoothing it out. Then he stood back examining his work before smiling me.

What a nice smile....

"I'm Enrique Iglesias, by the way"

Hot name for a hot guy...

"Well Enrique Iglesias, thanks for helping me" I returned his smile, though I'm sure it wasn't as nice as his.

"My pleasure" I could have sworn he gave me a second long once over.

Could my mind just be playing tricks on me?....