The Neighbor Girl

Nikki

I squirmed in my seat and I had a creepy feeling I was being watched. A quick scan of the lunchroom proved Travis was smiling at me; he had an unsettling smile on his face that made my skin crawl. I thought back to the other days I had seen him and I realized I was too busy trying to get over Jamie that I hadn’t noticed it before.

My gaze swung to Jamie at the table next to mine. He was scowling in Travis’s general direction, God; he was so cute when he scowled. I shook my head, not the point.

“Green!”

“Purple!”

“Blue!”

“Yellow!”

“Orange!”

“Red!”

“Beige!”

“Black!”

“Macaroni and cheese!” I yelled, whenever someone at my table said a “That’s what she said” joke we all yelled a color. I don’t know where it came from, we just did it.

Suddenly all my friends gazes were on me; they looked incredulous. “Macaroni and cheese is not a color,” Macey declared.

“Yes it is,” I shot back, on defense mode.

“No it’s not!”

“Yes it is!”

Suddenly everybody broke out into a frenzy of yelling, all directed at me. All my friends were telling me how macaroni and cheese is not a color. It took me a moment to realize the lunchroom had gone deathly quiet, all except our table. I realized just how loud we were being as we received annoyed stares and scowls.

Jamie’s eyes landed on me and he smirked, this happed quite a lot and he knew it. I would say something and everyone else at my lunch table would start playfully arguing with me. Last week Macey and I had gotten into it about how to pronounce jalapeño. The week before that Violet and I had spent the majority of the week shouting at each other about how to pronounce Taylor Lautner’s last name (sadly, I was wrong).

We all quieted down and the majority of the student body went back to their somewhat edible cafeteria pizza. Some of the popular kids continued to throw spiteful glances in our direction, as if they couldn’t believe we would dare interrupt their meal.

I continued to feel eyes on me and I shook it off thinking I was just getting more scowls. I looked up and shivered as I realized it was Travis smiling at e with his creepy smile.

***

Nikki

I stood at my locker after school and shoved my textbooks into my backpack. I shoved my locker closed and let out a small shriek as I saw Travis standing there. “Are you okay,” he asked in a concerned voice but the worry didn’t reach his cold eyes. He began to stroke my arm as if in a soothing way and I tried not to gag. I pulled my arm away and scratched the other one to cover it up.

“I’m fine, you just scared me.” I took a step away to subtly tell him that I didn’t want to talk.

“Well, I’m sorry for frightening you.” His voice implied he was anything but apologetic.

“I should go, my rides here.” I tried for the more direct ‘I don’t want to talk to you’ approach.

“This will only take a second,” He said persistently. I inwardly sighed and nodded my head for him to continue, he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “I was wondering if you wanted to come over to my house on Saturday. My parents are out of town so we’ll be alone.” He tried for what he probably thought was a seductive voice.

Bile rose in my throat, there was no way in Hell I would spend time alone in a private place with him. He had a couple inches and at least fifty pounds on me, I wasn’t about to go somewhere where nobody would hear my screams. I knew I was being paranoid, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

“No thanks, I can’t. Bye,” I said and began walking in the opposite direction.

He gripped my arm in a steely hold. I pulled but made no progress in removing my arm from his cold hand. “Why not? Why wouldn’t you want to come over?” He looked angry, his face getting slightly red.

We drew the attention of a few kids in the hall, but none of them did anything to stop the scene unfolding before them. I caught Landon’s blonde head making his way to the front of the crowd and I thought he was going to come to my rescue. He stopped and I realized he was just getting a better view. I scoffed; it was a good thing I didn’t go out with that dick.

“Let go of me.” I demanded, my voice was soft but firm. He made no move to release me.

“What part of let her go don’t you understand?” I spun around, as best I could with one trapped arm, to see Jamie glaring at Travis.

I glimpsed at Travis to see something resembling fear flicker through his eyes, but I couldn’t be sure because he quickly covered it up. He removed one finger at a time from my wrist in a painstakingly slow process. A muscle in Jamie’s jaw twitched with anger and he looked like he had to refrain himself from punching Travis.

Eventually my hand was released and Jamie put an arm around my shoulder causing butterflies to erupt in my stomach. “Are you okay?” He inquired and his warm breath on my neck made goose bumps appear on my skin. I lost myself in the feel of his warmth around me. “Nikki?” He called my name and I realized I zoned out.

I looked down at the skin on my wrist and pressed it. I winced it was going to leave a nasty bruise. I nodded anyway not wanting to worry him. I tried to shake his arm off but he just tightened it around me. I wanted desperately to melt into him but I knew he liked a girl and I didn’t want her getting the wrong idea.

“What about the girl you like?” I said, “We wouldn’t want her getting the wrong idea about us.”

“You’re right,” he said softly and released me. He looked kind of hurt but I passed it off as him worrying he lost his chance with the mystery girl.

We walked to his car and I wanted so badly for his arm to be around me once again. I felt hollow. I sighed and stepped into his car. What can you do?