The Boy Next Door by Melinda Dozier

  Chapter Three

  After the dance, Jake dutifully escorted Amanda to the party at Shannon’s house, which was already in full swing. Twenty of Shannon’s closet friends and their dates had been invited. It was sure to be the party of the year since Shannon’s parents promised to stay upstairs for the night, and out of the way.

  Holding the door open, Jake took her hand and walked her in ahead of him. Once inside, all eyes turned to him. The boys were overjoyed to see their old high school MVP, and the girls…. well, the girls just wanted to see the available, attractive college man.

  And Amanda was with him.

  She bathed in the glory of everyone’s attention. Of course, at the same time she knew that he was her next-door neighbor, and he’d never come close to making a move on her. Although he’d made eyes at her once or twice.

  Tonight felt different, though. Even if he took her to the dance as a last minute decision, he gave her his full attention. Jake was a perfect gentleman; but, the gleam in his eyes showed an interest she hadn’t seen before. Maybe it was all part of her fantasy.

  Shannon dragged Amanda away once they reached the living room, while Jake talked to an old friend from the track team. “So, what’s the deal?” asked Shannon.

  “What deal?” Amanda smoothed out a small wrinkle at the hem of her dress.

  “With Jake. He's definitely into you. After the awards, he danced with you the entire night.” Shannon waggled her eyebrows.

  “Don’t overreact.” Amanda glanced at him at the precise time that he looked up in her direction. He nodded and gave that half-smile of his. “He looks damn good though. Doesn’t he?”

  “Absolutely gorgeous.”

  Both girls stared until Amanda shook Shannon by the shoulders. “Wait a minute. Where’s Garrett?”

  She looked around. “Come in here.” She dragged Amanda to the kitchen.

  Amanda poured herself a drink and faced Shannon. “So?”

  “Garrett is driving me crazy trying to sneak in booze. If my parents knew, they’d kill me.” Shannon picked up some crumpled napkins on the counter and threw them in the trash. “We drank a bottle of wine outside the hotel in the parking lot. Then he thought he could get into my pants -- in his car, of all places.”

  “Are you kidding? Why’s he being such a creep?”

  “Because it’s homecoming. I don’t know. It’s been six months, but I’m so tired of dealing with him.” She sighed. “It’d be nice to have a man ... a college guy, like Jake.”

  Amanda sipped her soda. “Is there something you aren’t telling me?”

  “Absolutely not. Don’t worry. All I’m saying is you should totally tell Jake your feelings tonight. I think it could lead you two in the right direction--away from these weenie, high school boys.”

  “I’m not so sure.” She leaned over to reach for a handful of chips when she heard some yelling in the living area. What could that be about?

  Shannon froze. “My parents will kill me if something breaks. Come on.” She grabbed Amanda by the arm and pulled her through the swinging doors.

  Amanda stopped in her tracks.

  Jake stood face-to-face with Gabe, each giving the evil eye and their fists tightening by their sides. Gabe rolled up his shirtsleeves, getting ready for a fight.

  Amanda rushed to Jake’s side. “Forget it, Jake, he’s not worth it.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Jake held her behind him and turned back around to Gabe. He spoke to Gabe with a carefully controlled voice. “You’re a real shit. What the hell were you thinking? Don’t you know what you’re missing?” He pointed to Amanda.

  Gabe wore a smirk the size of Idaho. “Yeah. I do know what I’m missing.” He turned to his friends behind him and laughed.

  Oh, Lord! Amanda looked around ... everyone in the living room was listening. She grabbed Jake’s sleeve. “Let’s just leave.”

  Gabe turned away from his goons and scowled at Jake. Obviously drunk, he could hardly stand up straight. “Who do you think you are anyway? You’re not Amanda’s boyfriend… just her neighbor. You can’t just come back here from college and run other people’s lives. You’re not a big shot around here anymore.”

  The veins in Jake's neck bulged. “And you’re just a small-town kid with nothing else to do but be a dick.” Jake shook his head and reached for Amanda’s hand. “You okay?”

  She bit her lip and nodded.

  Gabe cackled with his head back and stopped when he saw Jake’s face. “Shit, dude. It’s just Mandy. Cool down, bro.” He turned and walked toward the door. Once he got there, he spun around. “Don’t waste your time on her, man; you won’t get anywhere, if you know what I mean.”

  That switched Jake’s motors to full gear. He darted to the door, grabbed Gabe by his lapels and slammed him against the door.

  Gabe laughed. “Won’t open her legs for anyone or anything.”

  “You bastard.” Jake slammed Gabe’s head against the door jamb again, letting go of his jacket. Then he crushed his fist into Gabe’s nose.

  Blood streamed down Gabe’s face from his nose, dripping down his chin, landing on his suit.

  Jake stepped back holding his palms out, and shook his head. “You deserved that, asshole.”

  Gabe grabbed his nose, panic in his eyes. “What the hell? You broke my nose!”

  Jake wrung his hands together and glared.

  One of Gabe’s friends grabbed his arm. “Dude, let’s get out of here.” He dared a glance at Jake. “Before he punches you again.”

  Jake wiped his palms on his pant legs and stepped forward. “Yes, leave.”

  The jerk pointed his finger at Amanda. “This is all your fault, you bitch.”

  Tim, Jake’s friend, held Jake back.

  “Come on, Gabe.” His friend grabbed him and they ran out the door.

  Amanda slinked deeper into the corner of the room. What the hell just happened? All because of her?

  Jake’s eyes roamed the room with panic on his face. He heaved a little sigh when he spotted her.

  The living room audience clapped and chanted, “Jake, Jake, Jake.”

  A few guys slapped Jake on the shoulder, while others whistled.

  “He deserved it.”

  “Creep.”

  “What a jerk.”

  Jake’s eyes locked on her from across the living room. He half smiled and shrugged.

  Jake was her hero for the night. Her knight in shining armor. She would never forget what he’d done, or what he said. The look in his eyes made her knees shake and her heart ache. She wanted to be alone with him so she could thank him properly. She wanted to make it a night he’d never forget.

  Jake moved through the crowd and joined Amanda. “Sorry about that,” He said. “Let’s get out of here.” He grabbed her hand and led her out the door to his truck.

  Neither said a word the whole way home.