The Boy Next Door

by Jennifer Sucevic

  Guilt explodes in me like a gunshot as I pull Mia into my arms and hug her tight. She’s like my sister from another mister, and nothing will ever change that. Not time, distance, or assholes masquerading as boys with good intentions. “I realize you’re trying to help, I really do, but I don’t want to talk about Colton. Let me work through this breakup and process it in my own way.”

  Her muscles loosen. “But you’re not working through anything. All you’re doing is pretending that Colt—”

  When I give her a steely-edged glare, she rolls her eyes and flattens her lips before doubling down on her stance. “All you’re doing is pretending that the jerk who shall not be named was never in your life. How is that healthy?”

  Healthy?

  I want to laugh. Or maybe cry.

  Dealing with this breakup in a healthy manner is the least of my concerns. I’m worried about spiraling into a deep depression I won’t be able to claw my way out of. The truth of the matter is that I’m hanging on by my fingernails. I’ve crushed hard on Colton for years. That’s not something you work through in a weekend. I’d given him my love, and it hadn’t been enough. Instead, he’d tossed it back in my face and decided that he’d rather screw as many girls as possible.

  Yesterday, I’d spotted him across campus by the Union, surrounded by a fawning crowd of groupies. Clearly, they were all celebrating his newly minted single status. I’m sure panties have been dropping left and right in jubilation.

  I’d caught him mid-laugh with a smile curving his lips. Unconsciously, my feet had stopped moving as my heart cracked wide open. For the briefest of moments, our gazes had collided before he glanced away, dismissing me on the spot. The rejection, along with the way he’d moved on so effortlessly, cut right to the bone. How I’ll get through the rest of this year—not to mention the next two—I have no idea.

  I never thought I’d say this, but graduation can’t come soon enough. I need to get as far away from him as possible. I’d briefly flirted with the idea of transferring universities, but that’s not feasible. Wesley has the best dance program in the state, and I don’t want to bale on Mia. More than that, I refuse to let him chase me away.

  So, for the foreseeable future, I’m stuck here with the jerk who shall remain nameless.

  “I’m not pretending,” I mutter. “I’m choosing to move on and forget about him.”

  “Same thing.”

  “Not at all.” Before she can argue, I add, “I really need to get to class.” I give her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you tonight, all right?”

  She nods. “Yup. Whatever I end up ordering, I’ll make sure there’s enough for both of us.”

  “You’re the best.” With that, I haul ass toward the fine arts building. Mia might think that I’m running away from my feelings, but she’s mistaken. I’m simply putting them behind me and moving forward. What else am I supposed to do?

  Once inside the studio, a puff of relief leaves my lips, and my shoulders loosen from around my ears. I didn’t realize how tight my muscles had become until they relaxed. I drop my bag along the wall and peel off the scarf and jacket. I’m twenty minutes early, and there is only a handful of students in the room warming up at the barre or rehearsing steps.

  The next to come off are the leggings and shirt until I’m stripped down to a black leotard and tights. I grab my shoes from my bag and slip them on my feet before settling on the floor and stretching. There’s something comforting about the routine. Dazzling sunlight pours through the floor-to-ceiling windows as a tinge of sweat hangs in the air.

  “Bonjour,” Monsieur Dupre greets as he saunters through the entryway. He’s dressed entirely in black from head to toe. And yes, he looks hot as fuck in a way that only attractive European men with an overabundance of confidence can pull off.

  My hand rises in a wave as a smile trembles across my face when I think about Zoe propositioning him.

  And his partner.

  One of the girls on the floor hisses my name, and I blink back to awareness. She jerks her head toward the corner of the studio, where our instructor unwinds a scarf from around his neck. “Sorry.” I press a hand to my chest and raise my voice. “Did you call me?”

  “A word, s’il vous plaît.”

  “Of course.” I pop to my feet and pad over to him.

  A slight frown tugs at the corners of his lips as he scrutinizes my appearance. “You are well?”

  I shift uncomfortably under his relentless stare. “Umm, yes.” I’d rather shove bamboo beneath my fingernails than admit I’m upset over a guy. The number one rule in the studio is that outside bullshit stays where it belongs. Outside. We don’t bring it into this space, allowing it to taint the creative energy of the dancers.

  “Très bien.” Before I can return the question, he says, “I assume you have submitted an application for the London Contemporary Dance School study program.”

  I draw my lower lip between my teeth and shake my head as embarrassment stains my cheeks. “No, I didn’t.” When he mentioned the highly sought-after program a few months ago, I’d kicked around the idea but never bothered to apply. I’d been drunk on my relationship with Colton, and the idea of leaving Wesley—and him—for an entire year hadn’t even been a consideration. I’m ashamed to admit that I’d prioritized him above dance. Considering how we ended, that had been an epic mistake on my part.

  Especially since all I’d been was unicorn pussy.

  My fingernails bite into my palms as I straighten my shoulders.

  His perfectly sculpted brows pinch together. “Why not?”

  There’s no way I can reveal the truth. The man would probably mutter in French before banishing me from the program altogether. “I didn’t think I stood much of a chance against the competition.” It’s not a lie.

  “The deadline is next week,” he clips out with a glare that makes me feel three inches tall, “submit your application.”

  Properly chastised, I bob my head. “Yes, Monsieur.”

  When he remains silent, I scurry back to my spot on the floor. My heart pounds a steady tempo as I give serious consideration to the program in London.

  Do I really have anything to lose by throwing my hat into the ring?

  Not really. The odds of making it through the selection process are minuscule, and it’ll give me something other than the obvious to focus on.

  So...I guess in that regard, it’s a win-win.

  Chapter Ten

  Alyssa

  One month later...

  The muscles of my belly contract as I click on the email and skim over the first line. I’d mentally prepared myself for a—we regret to inform you...blah, blah, blah.

  Instead, it reads—Congratulations! You have been selected...

  I blink and scrutinize the first line for a second time, but the words remain the same. It still says congratulations.

  Holy shit! How did this happen? I didn’t think I had a snowball’s chance in hell of being selected to attend LCDS. There were only a handful of spots, and the competition was killer. Without Monsieur Dupre practically forcing me to apply, I wouldn’t have bothered. A potent concoction of excitement and fear bubble up inside me. As those thoughts swirl through my head, the dorm room door swings open, and Mia steps inside.

  Her lips lift into a smile when she spots me at the desk near the window. “Hey! I didn’t expect you back so soon.”

  “The professor cut our class short,” I tell her. “I just walked in ten minutes ago.”

  With a huff of breath, she tosses her bag onto the bed before pulling off her jacket. “It’s freezing out there.” Her cheeks have pinkened from the walk across campus.

  “Yeah,” I agree, gaze flicking to the window and the thin blanket of snow that covers the ground, “it is.” As far as I’m concerned, spring can’t come soon enough.

  Mia drops onto the bed next to her bag before pulling out her phone. “I’m glad your here. I found a few more apartments for us to check out. I know
it’s early, but we should try to find something before all the good ones get snatched up.”

  Shit.

  Mia and I have discussed living off-campus since we were freshmen. We’ve already looked into a few places, but they were located further away from the university than convenient. It has to be within walking distance since parking on campus is a nightmare.

  My gaze darts to the laptop screen. Only now do I realize that I haven’t mentioned the LCDS exchange program to her.

  I mean, why would I?

  I’d assumed nothing would come of it. Except...now I’ve been accepted. And I’m supposed to leave in July. That’s less than four months away. My belly drops to the bottom of my toes. It’s like I’m sitting at the tippy top of a roller coaster, waiting to take that first plunge. Unconsciously, my hand settles over my lower abdomen.

  There’s no way I can turn down such an amazing opportunity to dance. Honestly, this couldn’t have happened at a better time. Escaping from Wesley for the year is exactly what I need to get my head on straight and stop thinking about Colton. I can finally purge him from my system once and for all. There’s got to be a few hot guys in London who can help with that, right?

  Excitement bursts inside me like a bubble.

  My gaze settles on Mia again, and some of my enthusiasm recedes.

  How am I going to break the news to her? I feel like a real jerk for baling. We’ve had these plans for years. But...I can’t stay here. For my own mental health, I need to get away from Colton.

  “There’s something I need to tell you,” I blurt, unable to hold the news in any longer.

  “You still want to look for something off-campus, right?” With a frown, she glances around the confined space. “Because I seriously don’t think I can live in the dorms for another year. I need out.”

  “Yeah.” I fall silent, unsure how to bring up the exchange program. “I mean, no.”

  Her brows snap together as she straightens on the bed. It’s obvious from her expression that she has no clue where I’m going with this. “Oh my God, you want to live in the dorms again? Aren’t you tired of such cramped quarters? It’s like we’re on top of each other all the time.” Mia stares at me like I’ve grown a horn on my head. And why wouldn’t she? I’ve been bitching about this place since day one. If we could have moved off campus immediately, I would have done it in a heartbeat, but it’s university policy that freshmen and sophomores live in the residence halls.

  Ugh. I’m making a complete mess of this.

  I draw in a deep breath and hold it in my lungs for a moment before slowly releasing it back into the atmosphere. Maybe it would be easier if Mia reads the email for herself. Before I can rethink the decision, I grab my laptop from the desk and plop down next to her. “I received this today.”

  She shoots me a quizzical look before her gaze settles on the computer screen. A few beats of silence pass as her eyes widen, and she glances at me. I can almost see the wheels in her head spinning. “Wait a minute,” her voice rises with each syllable that flies out of her mouth, “you’re doing a study abroad program next year?”

  My shoulders collapse under the heavy weight of her words. “I only applied because Monsieur Dupre insisted. I didn’t actually think I’d make it.” Steeling myself for her response, I force out the question, “Are you angry?” This month has been difficult enough. I don’t think I can bear adding Mia’s ire to the list.

  “Angry?” As she shakes her head, some of the surprise falls away. “Of course, I’m not mad. Although, I wish you would have given me the heads up when you applied.”

  “Honestly, I didn’t think I had a shot.”

  She frowns, annoyance sparking to life in her eyes. “That’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said. Why wouldn’t you get accepted?” Barely does she give me a chance to open my mouth before continuing, “You’re an amazing dancer. They’re lucky to have you.”

  Thick emotion wells in my throat as I set the computer aside and pull Mia into my arms. This right here is exactly why this girl is my bestie. I couldn’t ask for a more supportive friend.

  “As much as I’m going to miss you, I think it’s an incredible opportunity.”

  “Really?” Hope rises inside me like a phoenix from ashes.

  “Hell, yeah! I wish I could come with you. I’m so jealous!”

  “You can visit!”

  “Damn right I will,” she says with a laugh. “Maybe I’ll squat in your apartment. Or dorm. Or flat. Or whatever the heck they call it over there.”

  That would be so much fun. I wish it were a possibility. A pang of sadness fills me when I think about not seeing Mia’s smiling face everyday. It’s funny, my mother tried to dissuade me from living with my bestie when I announced during our senior year of high school that we were going to room together at college. She said that it was a good way to lose a friend. But that never happened. Instead, we’re closer than ever.

  And a year of separation won’t change that.

  As much as I’ve insisted that I’m over Colton, it’s more wishful thinking on my part than anything else. It’s been five weeks since the blond football player dumped my ass, and he’s been spotted at several parties with his harem. Every time one of my so-called friends catches sight of him, I’m sent a barrage of photo evidence regarding how easily he was able to move on from our relationship. I finally told them to knock it off. Every damn picture was like a paper cut. Painful, yet not nearly enough to kill me.

  Mia reaches over and lays a hand across mine before giving it a gentle squeeze. “Even though I’ll miss the hell out of you, it’s too amazing of an opportunity to pass up.”

  She’s right. It is.

  Now that all of this is out in the open, a fresh wave of excitement crashes over me.

  I can’t believe that I get to dance in London for an entire year!

  With any luck, when I return, the blond football player will be nothing more than a distant memory.

  Chapter Eleven

  Colton

  Summer before junior year of college...

  I pull my metallic gray 840i convertible BMW into Beck’s circular driveway before shifting into park and leaving the car to idle. I shoot him a text to let him know that I’m outside waiting before drumming my fingers impatiently on the sleek leather steering wheel.

  A couple of minutes tick by, and there’s no sign of Beck. His truck is parked in the drive, and there are lights on inside the house, so I know damn well he’s here. We’ve got plans tonight, and I’m impatient to get to them. We’re supposed to meet up with a couple of chicks from high school. I fire off another text.

  Let’s move!

  When there’s nothing but stereo silence from his end, I slam out of the vehicle and stalk up the wide stairs to the massive front door before rapping my knuckles against the mahogany.

  No answer.

  I ring the bell and listen as it echoes throughout the house.

  This is seriously ridiculous.

  I peek in the side window but don’t see any signs of life. My fingers go to the ornate handle and wiggle it, but it doesn’t budge. Beck’s parents are out of town for a couple of weeks, traveling somewhere in Europe.

  Honestly, it would serve him right if I took off and left his ass sitting home. I would have zero problems entertaining the girls on my own. Wouldn’t be the first time. Won’t be the last.

  As soon as an image of Alyssa pops into my head, I shove it away and curse under my breath. The girls are supposed to help me forget, not remind me of her.

  It’s totally messed up.

  I glance around the darkened front yard before stalking around the side of the house. For all I know, he’s hanging out by the pool. The guy’s got a pretty sweet setup out back. As I step through the black iron gate, a splash of water catches my attention. No wonder Beck didn’t respond to the texts. I open my mouth to tell him to get moving when I realize he’s not alone.

  He’s got company of the female persuasion.
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  Looks like someone started the party without me.

  Fucker.

  Since the couple in the pool are going at it pretty hot and heavy, they don’t notice me stalk closer. Close enough to get a good look at who he’s making out with.

  Well, well, well...isn’t this an interesting turn of events.

  Since I’ll be damned if Beck is the only one who gets a little action this evening, I say obnoxiously, “Dude, I thought we had plans.”

  They splinter apart before Mia Stanbury blinks, looking all sorts of dazed and confused. I can’t help the shit-eating grin that slides across my face. Not in a million years did I ever think I’d see the day that she willingly allowed Beck to lay hands, not to mention lips, on her.

  The emotion that tumbles across her expression when she realizes she’s been sucking face with her archnemesis—and that I’m here to witness it—is almost comical.

  At least, I’m entertained by it.

  “Why, hello there, Mia,” I say, humor simmering in my voice, “can’t say I expected to find you here.”

  When I was with Alyssa, I couldn’t get the dark-haired girl to join us if she thought there was a remote possibility that Beck would make an appearance, and now look at her...

  I’m a huge fan of irony. And this situation is chock-full of it.

  Beck keeps his arms locked around her. Clearly, he’s not in any hurry to let go.

  “Colton,” she mutters through stiff lips. Even with only the pool lights for illumination, hot color blooms in her cheeks. Any moment she’ll burst into flames.

  I stuff my hands in the pockets of my shorts and rock back on my heels as if I’ve got all the time in the world to stand around and shoot the shit with them. “So, what have you crazy kids been up to?”

  As if I don’t know...

  I didn’t think it was possible for her face to grow any rosier, but that’s exactly what happens.

  “Wait in the car,” Beck snaps, “I’ll be out in ten.”