The Boy Next Door

ｔｈｉｒｔｙ ｔｗｏ

~Rachel~

There was a knock on my front door. I made my way to open the door with the sandwich I had just made. I was getting a little irritated with people coming to visit me and asking if I was okay. I appreciate the thought of people coming to see me, but I tell everyone the same thing. I could only be as okay as being in a bad car accident lets you be. I opened the door. Katie was standing at the door in her cheer uniform.

"Hey Rachel," Katie said.

"This seems too formal. Normally you just open the door and welcome yourself inside." I said. She was holding back a smile. "What are you smiling about?"

"Nothing." She lied. "Can you come out by the garage for a second? I have something I want to show you. Put your sandwich down or bring it, I don't care just come out here."

"I swear to god if this is another dead bird or something that you are showing me, I am going to kill you." I followed her outside to the grassy area by the garage. Almost all of the other cheerleaders from my cheer team were standing out in the grass in their uniforms. There were posters lying face down next to some of them. "What is going on?" I asked.

"You'll see." She said. Music started to play and my team started to dance. I was really confused about what was going on. It seemed like I was in the middle of a dream. I continued to watch them, then Colton appeared from behind the house. He was dressed in the girl's uniform. Tiny sections of his hair were tied up and there were small bows in his hair. I couldn't help but laugh because he looked so ridiculous.

They all shouted a cheer about me. Colton was also cheering with them. Out of nowhere Colton did a backflip. 'What the hell." I mouthed to myself. I was amazed by the whole sight in front of me. It was a very unexpected part of my day. When they were done cheering, Colton stepped forward. "I've tumbled my way into your heart." Behind him, the girls picked up the posters. Each poster had a letter on it. "Go with me to prom so my heart doesn't crumble?" The signs had each letter to the word "prom" on it.

It took me a second to take in what had just happened. "Yes, I will go with you," I said. He hugged me.

"Thank you." He said.

"I went from making myself a sandwich to watching a performance in a five-minute period. That was really unexpected. Thank you guys! I can't believe that you all went through so much trouble just to do this small thing for me. You are all too sweet." I said to everyone.

"We would do anything for you. It is never an issue!" One of my friends said.

"Thank you all for helping me, or I may have never scored myself such a hot date to prom" Colton said. I chuckled as I blushed. No matter how many times he said it, I would never get used to it.

---

"Katie! I need help. Please come here before I have a mental breakdown because I can't lift my arm!" I said, struggling to get a zipper undone.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Don't freak out." She said coming into the large dressing room.

"Ugh! I can't wait until I can get this stupid cast off. Why did I agree to do this again?" I asked.

"Because you love your boyfriend and you want to get some after prom." She said, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Well, you're right." I said,  "Wait. Katie! Cut it out!"

"You love me. Now take your shirt off." She said. I glared at her. "I didn't mean it like that. Get your mind out of that state. I want to help you find a dress."

"You put me in this state of mind the first day I met you, but whatever." I pulled the shirt over my good arm and it got stuck on my neck. I couldn't get it around my cast. "Katie."