Bad Boy Next Door

Chapter 5

"Where did I go wrong?" I cry and eat a spoonful of ice cream. Aubri came over right after I called her. We are sitting on the couch together with the TV on. We are not even watching it. Jade is in the living room playing with her toys, unaware of what is going on.

I thought that Nathan and I had something ya know? I thought this-it was a serious relationship. But I was wrong. He said "I don't like you like I used too." Those words hurt me. I was in love with someone who did not even like me. And the worst part was I thought he did.

"Look Mackenzie. If it didn't work out, It wasn't meant to be." She rubs my back. Maybe she's right. Maybe Nathaniel wasn't the one for me. But if he's not, then who is? I can't see myself with anyone else. No one at my school is cute and smart. It's either one, or the other. But I need both. Nathaniel was both. Maybe I should not focus on a relationship right now. I should just be a proud, single woman.

"Maybe you're right." I wipe away my tears. "I don't need to dwell on this. It's over now."

She smiles at me. I smile back weakly. I still hurt a little. I need to do something to keep my mind off things, change things up a bit. "You want to go to the mall?" I ask Aubri.

"I thought you'd never ask." She giggled. I start to go upstairs to get dressed and the doorbell rings.

"I'll get it." Jade exclaims, running to the door. I chuckle and continue upstairs. When I'm halfway up I hear Jade yelling. "Stranger danger! Stranger danger!" I sprint down the stairs and to the front door. I glide on the hardwood floors. I'm ready to kick butt, when I see Ashton standing in the doorway both hands in the air. In one hand, he holds keys. In the other he holds an empty cookie container. I can see Jade furiously swatting at him.

"Interesting security system you got there." he says referring to Jade who is now hugging onto my leg.

"Jade. It's fine. This is our new neighbor, Ashton." I say pulling her from behind me. She waves without looking at him. "Go ask Aubri to help you put on your shoes." She scurries away from the door. I laugh internally. He chuckles to himself as well.

"I came to drop of this container." He says holding it out. "I'll call before I come next time, so you can put that thing on a leash." He smiles. I laugh.

"Yeah, she's something." I tuck my hair behind my ear. We stand there and look at each other awkwardly. He looks down at his shoes and clears his throat.

"So...um...yeah. I have to go run some errands." he says awkwardly, clicking the button to unlock his car. "I need some more school clothes."

"Well, me and Mack are about to go to the mall." Aubri appears behind me. "You can come if you want." She adds. What the hell did she do that for? I don't want this jerk coming with us!

"Falling for me already I see." he smirks. I roll my eyes. "If you insist..." he steps inside the house and takes his shoes off at the door. "Can we stop by the drug store too? I have a killer headache. And I'm out of cigarettes."

"I will not contribute to your bad habits." I chide.

"Ugh,  fine. I'll get my own cigarettes. But this headache is really bad." he winces. Probably a hangover.

"Alright." I am going to murder her. I think.

Jade and Aubri are ready to go. I tell them Ashton is coming. Aubri is happy. Jade is a bit hesitant. I run upstairs and put on some clothes. Today is going to be a good day. I repeat in my head. Right?
***

We pull up in the mall parking lot. I open the passenger side door and go to the other side of the car to get Jade out. "I'll get her." Ashton pushes me aside. I don't really trust him with my baby sister but I let him go. He carefully unbuckles the car seat and takes Jade out.

"You're a pro." I say shocked at how well he got her out.

"I had a baby brother," he says grabbing her bag from the back seat.

"What do you mean 'had' a baby brother?" I ask.

He changes the subject. "Look this headache is getting bad. I need got take something." He walks to the drugstore that's awkwardly sitting next to the mall. "And I need some cigarettes." he mumbles.
***
Ashton is so much more fun when he does not have a headache. He is good with Jade. He's kinda cute. But not like that.  God, focus! You just got out of a relationship.

Aubri, Jade and I sit in the dressing room chairs and wait for Ashton to come out. Aubri and I have been ushering him around and playing dress up. Right now he is on trying on the outfit I picked out. It's a white t-shirt, black skinny jeans, black shoes with white trims, and a leather jacket to top it off. I was going for the typical bad boy look. It suits him.

He struts out of the changing room with one hand on his head and the other on his hip. Aubri and I laugh so hard, she almost falls out the chair. "How do I look ladies?" he raises his eyebrows up and down. Jade sticks her thumb up.

"You look ridiculous when you walk like that." I say still laughing. Aubri nods. Ashton chuckles too. "Other than that I think I did pretty well."

"I like this." he says looking at himself in the mirror. "I'm gonna get it." he says. He walks back in the dressing room to change.
***
We sit in the food court and eat our Panda Express food. "I'll be right back." Ashton says getting up from the table. "The nicotine is calling me."

I shake my head and continue to eat my food.

Typical bad boy.