Page 45 of Don't Love the Boy Next Door
Eric: I could use some help with the musical.
Katie: Want to run lines?
Eric: Sure. If you don’t mind?
Katie: Not at all. Come over whenever you want.
Eric: Hmm…let’s see. I’ll have to take into account the weekend traffic…yeah, I think I can be over in five minutes. Three if I run.
Katie: Lol. No rush.
I speed to the kitchen and check the cabinets for snacks. Thankfully, I stopped by the grocery after school yesterday. I place bowls of popcorn and potato chips on the coffee table along with drinks, my heart racing. Eric’s never been in my house before. Why does that make me so nervous?
At least I decided to get dressed this morning and am not wearing pajamas.
The doorbell rings exactly seven minutes later. After taking a few deep breaths to calm my heart, I quickly check myself in the mirror, find myself satisfactory, and open the door.
My heartrate spikes even more when I take him in. His hair is a little messy, like he didn’t bother to put too much work into it because it’s the weekend. He looks great, though. It’s the perfect kind of messy.
“Hey,” he says, flashing the script.
“Hi.” I widen the door. “I guess there was a bit of traffic?”
He gives me a confused look as he steps into the house. “Traffic?”
“You came here in seven minutes instead of five,” I say with a small laugh. Ugh, that was supposed to be a joke, but it came off totally lame. Why do I always say the most awkward things around him?
“Oh.” He laughs. “I had to change. That took up two minutes.”
I gesture for him to follow me to the living room. “Make yourself comfortable. My dad’s not home, by the way.”
“Oh, okay.”
“I mean, I just wanted you to know…in case, I don’t know.” My cheeks burn. “I just thought you should know.”
Ugh, again. I’m acting like I’m twelve years old and am alone for the first time with a guy. Actually…it’s true. Thisisthe first time I’m alone with a guy. I don’t have much experience with boys, never been on a date. Not that this is a date or anything. And the comment about my dad not being home? I only told him so he should be aware and not feel uncomfortable. I wasn’t…alluding to anything. Ugh, I should just disappear.
“Well, thanks for telling me,” he says as he lowers himself on the couch. “I don’t really see your dad around.”
I drop down next to him on the sofa, keeping some distance between us. “He works a lot. He’s a lawyer.”
“Ah, I see. So…” He glances around the room. “You’re home alone often?”
“Sometimes. It helps that Phoenix is over a lot. I think part of the reason she sleeps here is so I shouldn’t be alone.”
My cheeks flame again. I didn’t mean for that to slip.
“I mean, her house is a little crazy,” I quickly say. “Nine people live there. Can you imagine? I stayed over there a few times, and it’s a lot of fun, but also a madhouse.”
He smiles. “Must be fun to have so many siblings. I can see how annoying it can be, too, though.”
“Did you want to have any more siblings or were you okay just with Ethan? What’s it like to be a twin, anyway? Sorry, you probably get that question a lot.”
“Yeah,” he says with a laugh. “But it’s not so bad anymore because we don’t look so similar anymore. Some people don’t even realize we’re twins.”
“Really? Your faces are identical.”
He shrugs. “Everyone sees things differently. And to answer your question about how I feel about being a twin…the truth is, I can’t really answer that. Because I don’t know what it’s likenotto be a twin. Just like you can’t fathom having a twin, I can’t fathom not having one. If that makes sense.”
