Chapter 17: Chapter 17

Joseph's POV

I rolled on the bed facing the ceiling, it had an intricate design, I tried to follow it with my eyes so I could make out the shapes and colors.. but I couldn't find anything I could identify. I guess it was an abstract design, my eyes shifted from there to the walls, even the paint looked expensive. I wish Dad was here to see it, I remembered he promised us a house similar to this or even bigger.. he never fulfilled his promise.. not even one.

The ringing of my old phone shook me out of my memories. From the sound of the old thing, I was sure it was coming from the bedside table. I managed to pick it up without looking. I opened it, I hadn't gotten around to get a new phone, I was still using my old open and close phone, which I dare not bring out in this school. In my old school almost every one used my kind of phone and we didn't use phones a lot, the neighborhood was small, so we just walked. But here, huge ass phones were kind of a necessity.

"Yo Joe boy!" I could recognize that scratchy voice anywhere. A smile spread across my face

"Felix!!" I hollered back.

,"I almost thought you forgot about me, no phone call, no text, nothing." He whined. I chuckled softly. Felix was my buddy, like my buddy, we met almost six years ago, he wanted to try smoking for the first time, and I happened to be there, after watching him hack and cough his lungs out, I laughed till my eyes were red as his. I taught him how to, and we got along swell.

"I didn't forget about you man, I was just caught up with different stuff, un packing, going to school, I don't have much time to breathe." I explain. I could imagine he'd roll his eyes.

"Since when were you bothered about school, huh Joseph?"

I laughed a little, he knew me too much.

"Is her name school? The girl keeping you busy.. her name school?" He teased.

For some reason I don't understand, it was the student body President's face that came to mind. I frowned.

"I did meet this girl with huge racks for chests..." I start baiting him. I knew his eyes would bulge.

"How huge?" He asked.

I tried to think of anything to compare it with..

"Definitely melons huge." I hear him gasp at that.

"It's dark in here" I hear Lucy say, she switched on the lights, it was a really poor halogen bulb. I looked over to her to give her a look, that was why I switched it off.

"It is one terrible bulb.." she said looking at it like it was going to bite her.

"I'm on the phone." I say since she couldn't see.

"Hey Felix!" She greeted.

"Is that Luce? Awe I miss her, and her voice." Felix said, I rolled my eyes.

"What do you want?" I ask looking at her under the light of the halogen bulb. She was dressed in shorts and a lousy t shirt. A huge apron over it.

"Dinner is ready" she said before leaving the room.

"Gotta go man, Luce made dinner."

"Don't wait till I call you next time okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, sure." I say right before I hang up.

I put on a black polo over my head, before heading out.

When I got to the dining room, Luce already served it, mashed potatoes and gravy. I sat on the dining chair that was empty, as mom and Lucy were sitting on the other two.

"We have new neighbors, I went to greet them earlier, they seem really nice." Lucy said. I didn't pay any attention to her, as I ate.

"I gave the cookies that I baked.." she started.

Mom grunted, meant Lucy did well. Me, I didn't care who she was feeding cookies.

"And we are having a picnic tomorrow with them." She concluded.

I finally raised my eyes to her face, she was looking at me anxiously. I swallowed the food in my mouth.

"We as in?"

"Me, you and them."

I started to say something about having plans, but Luce spook first.

"It was a good opportunity to know them, they seem so nice, and knowing them won't be such a bad idea." She said pouting.

"I really don't want to get to know them.. you can go alone." I tell her.

"I need you there for moral support, you know they aren't my class of people, what if I mess up?" She asked, her eyes were dropped to her plate.

"Why did you offer to go if you know that?" I asked in annoyance.

"I just wanted to get to know them.. that's all.." she whispered.

I thought about it for a minute.

"One of their kid is your mate, she even goes to your school.." she started.

I knew I was going to regret it, but I said yes anyway, it was for Lucy, anything for Lucy.

She jumped out of her seat and hugged me really tight.

"Thank you, thank you!!!"

I chuckle and try to pry myself out of her hand, I didn't want to choke.

Mom grunted, meaning she was full. Before leaving the table.

"You can go straight to bed, I'll do the dishes."

I nodded and did just that, I hated washing mashed potatoes plates.

I didn't want to sleep so soon, I just ate. So I walked towards the window. My window faced someone else's window directly, like you could climb from mine to her's. I knew it belonged to a girl because it had pink curtains, either a girl or a boy in love with pink.

Someone wrapped in pink towel walked towards the window, this person really loved the color, I said in disgust. I hated the color.

Suddenly our eyes met, she screamed and fell back. My eyes widened. She looked familiar... like the "living breathing candy.." as Debbie called her. Holy crap, she was my literal next door neighbor?

"You could have said something you know.. you scared me." She said.

Her voice was soft, like melting butter...

She stared at me intently, like she couldn't see me clearly. I suddenly remembered she glared at me in school once. I sneered at her, and shut my window.

Yawning, my bed looked inviting at the moment. So I laid down on it.

"..And we are having a picnic tomorrow with them."

I remember Lucy saying, I sat upright. Was student body president the next door neighbor?