Chapter 3

I sat in my room, on my bed. I was bored, well, bored didn't even begin to cover it. I stared up at the ceiling, making awkward noises which started out as animal imitations but just began to sound like blubbering. I thought about what Jessie was doing. She was probably dancing and flirting with a guy. I sighed loudly. Why couldn't I be born as outgoing as she was?

I stared at the dark purple clock that sat above my mirror. It ticked loudly, informing me that it has reached 10 o'clock P.M. Usually, I'd be yawning and cuddling in my bed but for some reason, my mind wasn't ready to sleep and neither was my body. I decided to take out a book.

Hey, I might as well live up to my name of 'nerd.' But first, I might as well change just in case I fall asleep with a book in my hand, a common occurrence.

I slid into my dark purple tank top and black sweatpants, tying my hair back into a French braid before I sprawled out onto my bed, opening my book and starting from chapter 1.

I read 10 chapters, and that was enough to realize that this book wasn't getting good anytime soon. I stopped reading and put the book down, sighing loudly as I realized it was 12 A.M and I still wasn't tired. Instead of crying out in frustration, I decided music was the best option. Clicking shuffle on my iPod, I got up and started picking up the trash in my room.       

Music hummed loudly as I slowly traveled across my room, placing all the clothes into either the dirty clothes basket or into my drawers. I didn't have to worry about the music waking up my Aunt Cherry because her room was on the other side of the house, that's if she's asleep. She stayed up late either typing e-mails to her employees or just watching television. I picked up stray pieces of paper, dancing along to the beat of the song.

After about 20 minutes, I began singing along and dancing to the song. My window was cracked open; it was so hot in my room and I feel too lazy to walk all the way downstairs to turn on the air conditioner. Besides, it was windy outside so I was catching a good breeze.

"Nice dance moves." The voice startled me as I stumbled backwards, falling with a thud onto the floor. I slipped on a stray sock. The last thing I was expecting was to be spoken to. Aunt Cherry should stop sneaking up on people. But that voice was male. But my dad isn't home. It sounded younger than that old bat.

"Satan!" I cried out. I slowly pop my head up from beside my bed, looking directly out of my window. That's where the voice sounded like it came from. Slowly, I stood up and inched towards the window to see the worst possible person standing there, laughing- might I add. Easton, Adrian Easton.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, after I turned off my music. He looked amused at my attitude while he kneeled at the window across from mine. I made my way over to the window, grabbing a stool beside it as I propped myself onto it.

"Well, I just came home from a party. It surprises me that you're up. You're usually asleep at this time; I can barely get to sleep with your snoring." He joked... hopefully. Did I snore? How did he know that I'm usually asleep at 2 AM? Any normal person is. Not really, he isn't. Is he normal? Point proven.

"No I meant what are you doing next door? And how do you know that I'm usually sleeping at 2 in the morning? And I don't snore!" I defended, questioning him curiously but still maintaining my attitude.

"Boy, don't you talk a lot," He snorted. I just glared at him, he expected a response before he continued. "I see you're in a joking mood." He stated sarcastically, raising his eyebrows.

"Are you going to answer my questions?" I asked, giving him a flat look. He laughed before he looked at me with a look of stupidity.

"Well, what do you think? I mean, why am I here right now- at 2 in the morning and I know that you're not up at this time. I also know that you do snore; in fact, you should close your windows. I also know that you're not the best singer... or dancer. And again, close your windows." He said, wincing slightly towards the latter of his sentence.

"Well, I think that you're a stalker." I stated, crossing my arms at his list of insults. I don't any girl wants to hear that she can't sing or dance from the most popular and most attractive guy at your school. Or discover that she may or may not snore from him, too.

Besides, I know I can't sing. I know I can't dance. I don't care about that stuff. Those insults aren't the ones that hurt me. He was getting closer and closer to it, though. Maybe he won't say it. Maybe he'll have a bit more respect than that. 

"You think I'm stalking you?" He snorted, laughing loudly as he choked slightly. He coughed a few times while I sat there with my narrowed eyes. What? Am I not... stalk-able? Is he too good to be in the vicinity of me? Never mind follow me around?

"Anyway, what are you doing up so late?" He asked, changing the subject swiftly. But I caught it.

"You never answered my question." I stated.

"You claim to be smart, but you're so dense," He said, sighing and shaking his head. "Maybe I'm here at 2 A.M because, I don't know, I live here." He said, giving me a flat look. I felt my eyes widen instantly.

"Temporarily, right?" I asked, blinking slowly while I awaited confirmation. His smirk grew bigger as he answered my question. He had to live here temporarily.

"Nope; forever and ever." He said, smirking widely as I held my hand to my chest. My worst nightmare is coming true. My life is turning into a cliché young adult romance novel! The hottest, cruelest guy is right next door, and not only is he next door- he's right across from my window! This is a problem! A major problem!

"This isn't a time for jokes. Just say that you're staying with a relative or something until they're all moved in." I stated through gritted teeth. He smirked, turning slightly and waving his hand around his room.

"Look, my room is even painted! We had the workers paint it before we moved in!" He said, smiling as he ignored my statement. The room his extended hand was facing was red, but not bright enough to burn your eyes. I stared at him with my teeth gritted as he smirked and leaned forward.

"So... what color is your room?" He asked, glancing over my shoulder at my girlish room. His eyebrows rose slightly as he took in my room. His eyes grazed over the lavender walls and seemed to sit for a few extra seconds on my dark purple blanketed bed. His eyes lingered on my dark purple curtains before they returned to my eyes.

"I never targeted you as a girlie girl. You have the attitude of the devil." He stated, wrinkling his nose slightly. I glared at him. He smiled again; laughing at my reaction which I think isn't funny at all. Apparently, I'm the Devil. 

"So why are you home so late?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at my lame attempt to change the subject.

"Didn't I already say that I was at a party?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows at me. I shrugged. I'm guessing he took this as an encouraging motion to talk, but I just did it to answer his question. "2:40A.M is actually early to come home from a party. Usually, I get home at 5 or sometimes I don't come home." He stated, shrugging. I gave him a confused look.

"Don't your parents worry about you?" I asked, and in response I earned a shrug.

"Usually, my mother doesn't know I even leave; those are the days when I don't go home. But the days I do come home at around 5, I'm usually sober or well enough to walk and climb so I just climb up this makeshift ladder." He replied, nodding. I noticed the edge to his voice when he said 'mother.' Oh, parents are obviously a touchy subject- much like me. Who would have thought that I'd have something in common with a popular?

"How long have you been living here?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. He speaks from experience and from what I know; he's only been living here for a week. He smirked and laughed.

"A week," He stated, nodding. "But so far I've been to 3 parties, including this one and 1 out of 3 have been where I haven't come home." He stated, blowing out a breath.

I nodded. Why is he telling me this? Not that it's not interesting; it's just that he seems like a person who isn't open. From what I can see, he's all smiles and such at school but I'm not quite sure. He could be somewhat like me; wild around his friends and quiet around anyone else. Aside from the fact that he has friends, (plural) all over school, we seem a bit similar.

"That's... different," I muttered. He just nodded in agreement, or maybe it was because he was drunk. Was he drunk? I furrowed my eyebrows before asking him aloud. "Are you drunk?" I asked. He smirked and shrugged, tilting his head to the side adorably.

"I was drunk. But I'm not a sloppy drunk or anything; I've been told I'm a funny drunk." He said, blinking at me. Maybe that explains his honesty. Should I test my luck and ask him some more questions?

"So, what's up with you?" I asked, deciding that he'll probably forget this conversation in the morning. But then again, I'm a sheltered 17 year old girl, what do I know about drinking? Wait, what should he know about drinking? He was probably 17, 18 at most! The legal drinking age is 21.  

"What do you mean?" He asked, placing his head between his hands and blinking his large eyes at me. The bluish green color was leaning more towards a sea green color. After staring into them for about 3 minutes, I blinked a few times before coughing awkwardly. He just smirked at me. You can't deny that he's good looking. I don't think anyone can actually say he's ugly- because that'd be a lie. And as much as I hate to admit it, he's attractive. I wouldn't say it to his face, though.

"You've been, y'know, acting weird. Different, I guess." I stated. Then again, what did I know about him?

He could've been staring at me every day like a creep and I wouldn't have noticed! I'm so oblivious. He could be partially blind or he could've been drunk and couldn't control his eye movement. Now you're just making up excuses. Stick to your point, stand strong.

"How have I been acting weird?" He asked, pursing his lips in thought. I'm guessing he was trying to remember whatever it was that he did that gave off the vibe 'weird.' I bit my lip, thinking about how to say what I wanted to say.

"You remember the first time we met, right?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows. It was a start right? He looked conused for a moment.

"Uh, no." He quickly answered.

"Well, I expected that answer," I replied truthfully and he frowned, puckering out his lower lip. The charming action didn't stop my rant though. "But it was just the other day, when I had to give Jack our project to get his name signed at the bottom so he'd receive credit and-." I continued but he cut me off.

"Oh! That time! I remember now. How was I acting weird?" He asked, smirking.

He knew what I was talking about; he just wanted me to say it so he could make me feel stupid. He'd say something like, 'I was staring at something behind you. Don't be so cocky, you're not even pretty.' And that wasn't something I really needed to hear. That would break me and I'd probably stay inside for the rest of the weekend thinking about how ugly I am. I had projects to do and I needed to get them done. I couldn't spend my whole weekend depressed. Instead of telling him, like he wanted me to, I bit my lip and grabbed the top of the window, ready to shut it.

"Well, goodnight." I grudgingly said. I didn't get the information I wanted from slightly drunken Adrian. He held out his hand, his eyes pleading.

"No, no, don't leave yet," He said, frowning. His sudden vulnerability caught me off guard and call me a bad person; I sat down intending to hear more about him. More things he'd regret in the morning. That's if he remembered.

"Now tell me how I was acting weird." He said, holding back a smile. I glared at him and he held up both of his hands, claiming innocence.

"You were staring at me." I said, blowing out a breath, preparing for his cruel wording. It was too good to be true- an actual conversation with a popular person that didn't end in them tossing a cruel insult my way or it turning out to be a prank. I still didn't rule the last one out. Or the first one; in fact I was rooting for the first one to happen because it always does.

"Was I now?" He asked, smirking. I gave him an annoyed look before he nodded. "I was." He said, nodding.

"Why?" I questioned him, raising an eyebrow. I waited for an answer, any answer actually.

"Do you want to know the truth?" He asked, smirking. I shrugged carelessly.

"I've never seen someone as ugly as you." He whispered. And this time, I closed my window, closed my curtains and went to sleep. That is the insult that breaks me every time. That was enough harassment for one day.