Young Writers Society

The new boy's head disappears into a cluster of laughing students. I dodge students in the same direction.  The high school's hallway swallows him up and he's gone. I sigh internally. New boys are hot in general.

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As I walk back to my classroom, I think of him. Tall, raised brown hair. Grey shirt. Sand-colored pants on. I make a mental note to look for him before the day ends. He must only be a few years older than me.

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My teachers' voices drone on and on throughout the day. I barely pay attention to them, or my friends. When one of them asks me what's wrong, I reply with a smile and say boys. Their quizzical looks don't stop my daydream.

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The end of the day comes later rather than sooner. I head out of the school building, starting my walk home. Gazing around, my eyes fall on New Boy. I speed up and calmly settle in step with him.

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"Hey! I'm Emma," I say, beaming and offering to shake his hand.

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"Cameron," he assures me, and his steady hand shakes mine. I'm never washing this hand again. Oh. Crap. Brain, what are you doing? No. No. This is not a crush, you pink mass! Simply a new boy who's hot and has a great smile and perfect brown eyes, tall, and available from what I can see. He really looks perfect -

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"Emma?"

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"Hmm? What?" I'm shaken from my daydream and turn to his smoldering expression.

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"I asked how old are you?" He chuckles.

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"Fifteen," I say. "And you?"

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"Nineteen. Senior year, so you must be a freshman."

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"Yeah I guess that's true." I smack my brain with brain cells. Stupid. He's too old for you.

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We talk for a bit and I'm surprised he's still going my way. So badly do I want to slip my hand through Cameron's and intertwine ours together. My house shows up at the end of Airport Road. The hot boy is still walking next to me, matching my strides.

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Wait, didn't the house next door have neighbors moving in two days ago?

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"That's my house," says Cameron, pointing to the green-and-white house. The new neighbors.

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"Woah. I'm right next to you!"

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"Well yeah, you're walking with me!" He jokes. "But seriously? I got a cute chick for a neighbor?"

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His response makes me blush and he boops my nose as we stop on our lawns. He turns next to me. His breath has but the nice scent of peppermint. "Want to walk together on Monday?"

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I'm still caught up in his luscious touch. "...Oh, yes of course that would be absolutely perfect. I mean, yeah, sure bro. See - meet - you there..."

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The tall boy laughs. He tells me I'm cute, and gives me a quick hug. "If you need me, I'm right besides you."

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Then he's gone. I can't walk straight with a ear-wide smile back to my porch.

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~The Next Day~

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My parent's friends, Larry and Stella, come over with three little grandkids trailing with them. It's Saturday afternoon and we're having a picnic with their buddies. "Emma! Come help set the meal up!" my mother yells.

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I trudge downstairs in a light mood. Maybe I can hang with my neighbor instead of these people.

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The meal gets cooking, and my parents are inside the house prepping it. Larry and Stella wait outside watching their grandbabies have fun. I slip by, and run smack into tan abs.

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"Ow," comes a muffled voice.

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I blush twelve shades of embarrassment and look downward as I stumble back. "Hey now, don't be shy. I smelled delectable food, and thought there's no way anything can be more desirable than a certain neighbor of mine."

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My heart swells, and his hand lifts my chin up. I'm not that much shorter than him, but he seems like a beautiful Prince here to save me from the boring life I live. Without warning, Cameron dives to the grass and tugs my hand with it. I collapse next to him, catching my breath as we struggle for a giggle.

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We're just out of view of the adult supervision when I ask why he likes me.

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"What d'you mean, Em?"

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"Look at me. Actually, don't. I'm all fat and imperfections. Nothing perfect about me. I don't understand why I'm cute all of a sudden."

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"Hey." He's silent for a minute. "I don't care about chins or fat or flaws. I care about you." Cameron snuggles next to me and sits up, watching the little kids. I do the same, resting my head on his shoulder. I start running my fingers on his smooth chin, and he leans in closer so I can feel his perfectness more. The action makes me smile.

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Then, as I'm watching the kids, I feel two fingers running down my calves. My legs have cuts over them, four long cuts that I don't know how they got here. Hot Boy asks what happened. I shrug and tell him we should snag some food for ourselves. 

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As I walk to the white table where food is laid out, Larry comes over to me. "Emma! I haven't seen you in awhile! How are - my goodness. What on earth happened with the scars?"

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I ignore how booming his voice sounds, and say, "I'm really not sure, Larry. It'll be fine."

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"Nonsense," he continues. "I bet you'll need to go to a hospital. And my, look at your knee! All red and inflamed. You really need to check that out dear!"

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Inside, I groan. "Excuse us," says Cameron, and we walk back with food he grabbed. I'm happy to escape the situation.

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~Night Falls~

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"Mom? Dad? Can I go say goodnight to my neighbor?" We're just watching TV with a meal, like always. I don't have a reason to stay and watch a soap opera or basketball game.

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"Sure." Not a question or argument to it. I leave my dishes in the kitchen and make my way outside. 

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Cameron's there waiting for me. I walk up to him, and snuggle in his warm chest. "I'm so glad you're my neighbor."

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I hear his beautiful heart beating. He tells me the same. 

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"Hey, so are you looking for anyone to be with at the -"

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I'm cut off by a deep kiss. Cameron takes my head in his hands and kisses me passionately. My short, wavy brown hair blows in the soft breeze. My blue eyes close as I kiss him with everything I've got and my back archs up to reach his handsome face. 

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"Goodnight neighbor," he says with an alluring smile. 

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"Goodnight, Hot Boy."