underneath my clothes.

Chapter One.

-leaf blower noises-

“For the love of Jesus Christ! It’s nine in the freekin’ morning!” I yelled from under my pillow. Another rude awakening courtesy of my mother and her hired help. This had been happening ever since I told my mother I wouldn't be returning to college in the Spring. I don’t regret telling her, well maybe I do… but just on the weekends. She had told me she would continue this until I ‘came to my senses’. Which I decided wouldn’t be anytime soon.

I managed to open one eye, only to be blinded by a beam of sunlight that had managed to sneak its way past my blinds. I shut it quickly and pulled my covers over my head. There wasn’t any point in fighting it so I got up. I kneeled on my bed facing my window, I pulled the blinds up and opened it.

It was so bright I couldn’t stop squinting, but I didn’t care. I stuck my head out the window and looked in both directions. I couldn’t see him, but I knew he was there…

“Randy I know you’re there! If you make me come outside again I swear that this time I’ll really kill you!” I yelled. Randy was one of our gardeners, if you could call him that. He was a neighborhood kid that my mom paid VERY WELL to annoy me in the mornings.

He finally jumped out from behind a bush and started laughing hysterically. I looked at the floor next to my bed and reached for one of my blue fuzzy slippers and chucked it at his head. Of course, I missed by a mile which only made him laugh harder.

“SHUT UP RANDY!” I screeched at him, “It’s not funny! Now put that thing back in the garage and go home!”

“But I’ve only been here for a few minutes! Mrs. Brown said I had to stay for an hour at least!” he whined.

“I could care less about what my mother said! I’m up! That was what you were instructed to do, to wake me up on the weekends and then go away, so go home before I let Moose out,”. His tanned face quickly turned pale as I mentioned my chocolate colored lab. My dog scared him shitless ever since the time I had left the back door open and Moose pounced on Randy like he was gunna eat him alive. Of course Moose was just playing, but I would never tell Randy that. I enjoyed seeing the fear in his eyes every time I mentioned my pet.

“Fine, I’ll leave. But if I get in trouble I’m blaming it on you Charli!” He stomped his feet on the grass all the way down the side of the house. I shut the window and crawled off my bed.

By the way, incase you hadn’t figured it out, my name is Charli, Charli Brown. My name was my Aunt Dottie’s idea. She’s always had a good sense of humor and despite my lack of one I actually liked my name, if you can believe that.

I made my way to the kitchen and loaded the blender with bananas, milk, and ice cream. I stood there yawning waiting for my delicious milkshake to be finished. I looked at my feet. My left foot was warmly tucked away in a blue fuzzy slipper, my right foot was not so lucky.

“Shit.” I mumbled, regretting having launched my slipper out the window. Oh well, I could just buy some new ones. I turned off the blender and heard a knock. I looked around the kitchen expecting to see Moose, but he wasn’t there.

-knock, knock, knock-

Was someone knocking on the door?

I poured my milkshake into a mug and walked to the door. I looked through the peep hole and saw a guy standing there. Since it wasn’t anyone I knew I stood there staring at him, hoping that my delay in opening the door would make him go away. After about thirty seconds he knocked again. I gave in and opened the door.

“I don’t want to buy anything, I don't want to donate anything, and I definitely don’t want to hear you preach to me about your religion,” I recited to him, “and there’s a doorbell right there, you might want to learn to use it.” and I shut the door in his face. I was turning to walk away when he rang the doorbell. I opened it faster this time.

“Maybe you misunderstood me the first time so I’m gunna tell you-”

“Is this yours?” he asked as hebrought his hand forward from behind his back revealing my fuzzy blue slipper.

“My slipper!” I snatched it from him, “Why do you have it?” I asked suspiciously. I was trying to remember where it landed after I threw it…

He was staring at me.

“Hello?” I said waving it in his face.

“Umm, it was in my yard.”

“Your yard? What yard? How far did it go?” I asked completely puzzled.

“Yea my yard, well the one next door. We just moved in and I saw you throw it at that kid when I was putting boxes in the house.”

I stood on the tips of my toes to see over his shoulder. He saw me struggling and moved to the side revealing the moving truck in the driveway of my neighbor's- of his house. He reached out his hand to shake mine.

“By the way I’m Jake,” he informed. I looked at his hand then back up at him. He was cute, he had black hair that hung over his forehead and light grey eyes.

“I’m Charli,” I said and shook his hand. His strong, soft hand.

“So do you always throw things at your gardeners?” he asked jokingly. I had started drinking my milkshake and I almost choked. My eyes widened and I tried to laugh it off. I knew I was blushing.

“It’s a long story,” I said smiling.

He smiled back. He had a great smile, NO, a GORGEOUS smile. Kind of like a mix between Brad Pitt's and Taylor Lautner’s.

“Jay! Get your ass over here and help me out!” we both turned to see a guy carrying a pile of boxes up the drive way. Jake looked back at me.

“Sorry I gotta go,” He smiled again and said, “it was nice meeting you Charli.” right before walking down the steps and across my driveway onto his.

“Nice to meet you to, Jake.” I whispered just as I closed the door and walked back into the house.

I finished my milkshake and fed Moose then let him out into the backyard. I walked back to the front of the house and sat on the couch in the sitting room. I peeked out the window and looked next door. There were three of them Jake, a blonde guy, and a guy with brown hair. I couldn’t see their faces.
Hmm, Maybe if I was outside…