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The Girl Next Door

This is the day.

The day that Clyde Bradford will finally move out of London.

Clyde Bradford, an eighteen year-old teenage boy, who desperately wanted to get out of London, having the reason that he needed to start a new life. His parents died in a car accident on the month of August 2013, but their memories at home won't stop haunting him. That incident that lead him to end up with his decision to move out of London. He did not want to forget. He just needed to take a break from all these happenings.

When his parents died, none of his relatives showed up. The fact that they knew the incident, no one came just to bid their final goodbyes. They didn't really care. In the case of this orphaned lad, none of them offerred him for a place to stay, they just left him all alone. Moving out of London is left as the best choice.

After placing the last sheet of white fabric on the couch, Clyde clapped his hands dusting off the imaginary dirt on his palms. He pulled out the keys from his pocket, playing the keychain around his index finger. The clinking sound of the keys echoed in the living room. Stopping for a second, he took a deep breath, closing his eyes to inhale the familiar scent. In an instant, all his childhood memories came in flashing. Their complete family spending their usual days in that living room, which still feels like yesterday. His vision stated to became blurry, yet he was able to hold the tears back. He opened his eyes, and scanned the place for the last time. He finally turned around and took the heavy stride out of the house. Locking the door behind; strapping his sports bag; buckling up into his car; and taking the long drive is just the initial step to his newly found freedom. He remained glued on the driver's seat for about 3 hours along the way from London to Doncaster.

"Wooh! what a luggage!" he complained, wiping off the imaginary sweat on his forehead and dropping his luggage in front of his unit.

"Hey," a sweet voice of a girl called nearby. He instantly searched for her. He turned around to see her with her crossed arms while leaning on the doorframe behind him. The room of the girl is just across his unit.

"Uh, hey?" he responded awkwardly.

"I'm Katelyn Bryde, and you are?" the girl cheerfully asked. She was trying to break off the awkward atmosphere.

"Yeah," he said before introducing himself. "I'm Clyde Bradford, pleasure to meet you," he answered smiling.

"I can help you with that," she proposed.

"Can you? It's heavy—" he said stopping for a moment when he realized that he should not let her carry his things. Where would his manners be? "I mean NO, you're a girl."

"So, what if I'm a girl. What's the big deal?" Katelyn scoffed irritated on his stereotyped response.

"It's just that—" he trailed. He didn't know what to say, in a way that the girl will not be offended by his choice of words.

'I'm the gentleman here, I should be the one doing this thing.' No, he can't say that, it seems egoistic.

'It's heavy.' Nope. Her well-toned body can clearly handle the weigh of the baggage. He does not have any strong reason to decline.

"No. Uhhh...how should I put this—", he trailed, showing off his completely stressed brows in a deep thought.

'You are a girl and we just met. I don't even know what your motive is.' This is definitely the worst he could came up. It didn't matter, the girl was already offended earlier.

"Ugh! Enough with the explanation, just let me help you. Well, I don't care if I'm a girl what's the difference?" Grabbing his sports bag, then entered the room. She was simply trying to be nice to a new neighbor, but it seems that this one is ungrateful. Probably one of the reasons why she prefers to hang out with the elders in the building than ones in her age.

As she entered the unit, she scanned the room. Plain white walls, same wall division, a mini fridge, burner and oven, table and chair just the same thing she has in her unit.

"It looks a lot like mine," she said in awe, and dropped the bag on the couch.

This girl is really something. He suddenly started to worry that some guy would come to claim his girlfriend from him. There's a possibility that she might be living in her unit with her boyfriend. He wanted to stay away from trouble. However, it may seem like if he stayed here with that kind of situation, he'll probably attract one.

"How old are you? Are you living alone?" he asked bringing the luggage inside.

"I'm turning eighteen this Sunday. I live here alone," she simply answered, walking around the unit still checking the place out even if it is just similar to hers. However the real reason was because she was unknowingly distracting herself from things she still doesn't know.

She is a minor. How could she live without a legal guardian? Did she ran away?

"So where are your parents and how long have you been staying here?" curiosity was dawning over him.

Her memories gushed back to the huge fight that she had with her parents. The screams and cries she had vented out was really nothing compared to the hurt she felt inside her. Pushing off the thought, she forced a smile and faced him. "They are living in Bradford, and I've been living here for almost a year."

"How about you? Why did you move here?" she asked smiling.

"To start a new life. I'm really from London," he just answered.

"So what's the purpose of starting a new life? Uh, a girlfriend?" This must be the reason she thought.

"Nah, never had one..." he answered avoiding her stare.

"Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed about. I never had a boyfriend either, instead of being ashamed be proud. You're one of the few population of teenagers who is not stressing about their partners," she giddily explained.

"Why?" he asked giving her an uncomfortable look. Why is she single?

"You're a beautiful girl. I'm sure there are many guys wanting to have you", he added.

"My parents are very strict, they won't let me—" she stopped. What was she going to say?

"Uh, I need to go, bye. It was nice meeting you. See you again. I guess," then she walked out of the unit and shut the door. Inside the unit, Clyde was left scratching his head. What could have gone wrong? Did he say something wrong?

*****

Months passed, and they were really in good terms. Clyde and Katelyn soon became friends. Staying at each others unit. Sometimes he's at her place and sometimes it's the other way around, but most of the time he is at her unit.

Later he realized, he's already falling for her. He treats her more than just a friend, if only she knew that.

One night, it's past 11, they're at her unit watching a late night show. "Do you treat all your friends like this?" Katelyn asked, looking at him suspiciously.

"Uh, yea-yeah," Clyde answered stuttering.

"Oh, really?" Clyde noticed that she was not satisfied by his response.

"Yeah," he quickly replied.

"It's been months you know, and I can see it in your eyes when you're lying," she started teasing him. "And besides, you're not good when it comes to lying," she added.

"Okay, fine. Besides you, I don't have any friends. Maybe I had, but she's just my childhood friend," he gave up.

"How about guy friends? Do you or did you have?" she seriously asked.

"No, I don't have, but is it really necessary to have a guy friend?"

"Yes it is! Unless you're a gay?" she said teasing him.

"I'm not gay!", he shouted, which makes it worst because she just said it out loud repeatedly. "You're a gay!" she's repeating it all over.

"Kate stop it, I'm warning you" he shouted.

"Kate stop it. I'm warning you blah blah blah," she started mimicking him.

"You're a gay. You're a gay. Clyde Bradford is a gay. Hahaha. Clyde is gay," she repeated, so on and so on.

"This hard-headed girl," he said then stood up. Instinctively knowing what was going to happen, Katelyn ran around the room. Clyde chased her as they were running around the room like Tom and Jerry. Clyde's behind her that he can almost reach her back. Almost there. Almost there. Then...

*BOOG*

He got tripped on the wire and they both fell on the carpet, actually she's the one who fell on the carpet. He just fell on her back like a domino.

"Get off!! you're heavy!" she complained.

He got off her then rolled on the carpet.

Changing her position in a more comfortable way, they end up facing each other. Their faces just a few inches apart. "You're a gay, Clyde", she teased again.

"No, I'm not", he answered.

"Then prove-hmmmmm," he cut her off by placing his lips onto hers. He held her shoulders, that she cannot escape. He really don't know what made him do that. The kiss was harsh and aggressive, but he didn't want it to end.

"Sto--stop it... Clyde...stooop," she punched his chest, but he won't let go. I can't let her go, not this time. He deepened the kiss even more, then slower and slower. What surprised him is that she kissed back. She finally kissed back, deeper than his kiss. They kissed aggressively, but yet it's still passionate. A wild kiss that became a soft and sweet one. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her closer to him. They continued kissing like there's no tomorrow, but eventually, they got tired. They both break away panting as they stared at the ceiling.

"I love you, Kate," he whispered, but loud enough for her to hear.

"I love you too, Clyde" she replied. He got up, and offering his hand to her. Katelyn took it, while Clyde pulled her up to stand. .

"Get some sleep but stay with me, in the couch," he replied.

"O-okay"

They sat on the couch. Katelyn sat at the end of the couch. Clyde sat beside her but he held her head, and slowly placed it onto his chest. She didn't argue with it, which made Clyde think that it was fine with her. He just played with her hair. Katelyn was drifting off to sleep.

"Kate..." he said while stroking her hair.

"Hmm?" she answered, still with her eyes closed.

"Will you... be... my girlfriend?" he looked at her seriously, waiting for her answer.

"Errr.. I have to ask my boyfriend," she replied. Clyde's facial expression dropped. "You have a boyfriend?" he said in disbelief.

"Yes, and he's here right now," she smiled, but still with her eyes closed. Clyde looked and searched, if there was another person in the room, but he did not find anybody.

"Silly Clyde...You're my boyfriend," she laughed and he just kissed her goodnight, then they both fell asleep.

****

Flashback (12 years ago)

One day, Clyde was walking around the park, when he saw a litte girl sitting under a shady tree, hugging her knees. He can see that the girl was crying, he looked at the flower that he picked just a while ago.

He walked to her and offered the flower thinking that it might make her happy. She looked at him but took it, then smiled. Her eyes were red and puffy, so he asked her why is she crying.

"Because *hik* *hik* *hik* we are *hik* moving. In Bradford *hik* my father got a job *hik* we need to move there for good..." she explained.

"Go on."

" I don't want to tell it to my *hik* friends because I think they'll be sad *hik* and if they knew it, it will be harder for me to leave. What should I *hik* do?" then she cried again.

"But it will be better if you let them know, because if you don't when the time comes they might get angry at you for not telling them. Then you'd just disappear without them knowing where you are. You better tell them." Clyde explained to her.

"You're right. I should spend more time with them instead of crying in here", she stood up and smiled .

"Thank you. I'll tell them, I'm leaving, so that they will not get mad at me. Bye." She ran away and waved at him. He didn't even get the chance to know her name. Since then, Clyde always walks around the park hoping for her to be there but unfortunately,that was the first and last time he saw her.

End of flashback

****

The sun is brightly shining through the windows. Clyde woke up and looked for her.

"Kate!! Kate!!" he shouted all over the room, then went to the kitchen.

"Here!" she answered back.

He walked towards her and pulled her closer to him.

"Morning, Love" then he kissed her neck.

"Oh!" she gasped. She was not expecting that.

"Babe, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing, uhm... here I cooked our breakfast."

"I bet it's delicious."

"Suit yourself," she answered.

"Okay then.. Let me have one."

"Here," she placed the bacon and eggs on their plate. They eat there peacefully.

******

4 months passed, Clyde is now a well-known author by some famous novels.

One night, they went to a club. It was past 10 o' clock. While most of the people in the club were walking out, they were busy with theirselves waiting for the club to be empty. They were drunk but it's just the right amount, because they have to get home safely. The whole space is surrounded with silence. They are just staring at each other. She was about to speak when his lips enveloped her mouth. In a matter of seconds, she eagerly responded. The bartender had to call them out to inform them that the club was empty and they are closing.

As they reached the parking lot, he crashed his lips onto hers again. They entered his car and they shared a hot intensifying kiss. His right hand holding onto her legs, while the other is on her waist. Her not carrying the weight of him, Clyde landed on top of her. She then felt his left hand going in her shirt, while his other hand is leaning on the passenger seat. She pushed his hands off. Clyde looked directly into her eyes.

"Clyde, no. Not in here," she said. Clyde hurriedly drove to their building.

When they arrive at the parking lot of their building. He stopped the car, and swiftly unbuckled his seatbelt and pushed her on the passenger seat.

"Oh!" she gasped.

"I want you..." he trailed. "Tonight," and stared deeply into her eyes. She can see in his eyes, that he really want her. All of her...tonight. She can't endure it anymore. She opened the door and got out of the car. He just watched her walked away. She secretly smiled and motioned him to go with her. He locked the car and followed her into the elevator.

The elevator was filled with silence. "Clyde..." she broke the silence. "Ye---" he didn't ceased what he was saying, because in one swift motion she crashed her lips onto his. He responded furiously. And there they go again with the make out scene in the elevator.

The elevator door opened. They acted as if nothing happened. They walked pass through the hallway. She quickly walked into her unit, and he just followed her. Just as she stepped into the room he quickly grabbed her shoulders and slammed her body on the closed door. He leaned both his arms in the wall to make sure that she will not escape. She smirked at him. He flashed his devilish grin at her.

"You're so beautiful."!, he whispered in her ear.

"Of course, I am." She faced him and looked at him seductively. Damn this girl is really turning me on, he thought. She felt her knees go weak. He has found her weak spot.

"Hmmm, Clyde..." feeling his hot breath made her powerless. He continued kissing her, leaving the soft red wet trails on her neck. His hands are slowly making its way down to her waist. He pulled her up holding her ass. She wrapped her legs around his waist. She then felt something hard poking on her stomach. She pushed his face off lightly. He stopped and looked at her blankly. She smiled, and the next thing he knew was their lips are together again. He stood there facing her, she pushed him on the bed. He didn't even noticed that they have reached the bed room.

"God, you're fast," he said in disbelief as he felt her hands stroking his hard shaft. "Damn. Fuck," he groaned. She stopped and watched him explode. "My turn, baby," he said huskily, then they switched position.

"We're gonna get there fast," he said. He undressed her fast and pounded hard. What's happening to me? He asked himself. He doesn't know anything about this, yet it looks like he had experienced it many times. She screamed as he pounded in. This is new to her, and it fucking hurts. He stopped and looked at her. Damn. she's crying. What have I done? He gently stroke her face. She opened her eyes and looked at him unpleasingly.

"I-i'm sorry, I didn't mean to," he explained.

"No, it's okay, I'm fine, just fine," she managed to say.

"Tell me when you're ready, I'm really sorry," he sincerely said. They stayed like that for minutes, like 2 minutes. She's really hurt. She finally spoke. "Move."

"Are you sure?" he tormently asked.

"Yes, just move," she answered inevitably. He did what she said. They moved with the same rhythm and intensity, until they reached the climax exploding together.

****

Three days had passed, after that night . Clyde haven't heard anything from her, since that night. He can't talk to her nor see her. Maybe she just needed some space to think. He thought. He was about to enter his room when Mr. Robertson, his neighbor in the building who lives just a room apart his, called him.

"Sonny..." the old man called him. He called him Sonny because he said that Clyde reminded him of his grandson, who was the same age as Clyde. He looked at him.

"I have noticed you entering this room. What are you doing there?" Mr. Robertson asked, pointing at Katelyn's unit.

"My girlfriend lives in there..." he answered. The old man looked horrified.

"Your girlfriend? No one is living in that unit.", he immediately responded.

"But Katelyn, my girlfriend lives in there", he argued.

"Let us see," the old man challenged him. They walked to the door and opened it. It is unlocked but when they got in Clyde was surprised to see an empty room.

"But she--" he don't know what to say, he was out of words. Out of shock. Mr. Robertson guided him out of the room.

"Can we talk for a minute?" the old man asked.

"Yes," he guided Mr. Robertson to his unit. They sat on the couch, Mr. Robertson started the story.

"A month before you move here, Katelyn was the only teenager living in this building. The others were the old ones like me. She is a very nice and beautiful girl. Her parents wanted her to move back to their house, but she refused. Of course, she had loved us in here... all the neighbors that she helped. Then one day, her parents forced her to go home. On their way, they met a car accident. The car that they are in was totally crashed, and they never got out alive. From then on, no one had lived in that unit, because she promised that she will always come back here wherever she goes. Just like what she promised, she came back, but it's only her ghost that keeps on coming back," Mr. Robertson told him.

He was astonished.

How did he fell in love with a ghost?

How did that night happened?

But everything seemed so true, it seems real. He kept on thinking about it, but there is only one thing left to do. The old man left his unit. He thanked him for the information.

Clyde entered in Katelyn's unit. It's back the furnitures and appliances. All of it, it's back. He saw Katelyn sitting on the sofa. He went up to her.

"Clyde, I-i don't know," she cried.

"Everything is so real, I really don't know about it. I feel like a human. But, I'm a ghost now. And that is the truth. My feelings it's still the same. But we can't be together..." she trailed.

"Yes, we can. We can be. We have done it, we can do it again," he cried.

"No, Clyde we can't, in every angle you'll see everything is wrong. We can't be together. A human boy and a ghost girl. Nothing is right, all of this is wrong, a human and a ghost can't fall in love. Wrong. We're in different dimensions now," she answered almost shouting.

"From the start we're already in the different dimensions, but we fell in love, we fall in love. You. Me. You and me. We can still be together," he pleaded.

"We can't be together. Just please remember, I love you with all my heart and soul. Don't forget about me. I'm letting you go. I love you, Clyde." She gave a kiss full of emotions. She don't want to end this, but it is wrong. She doesn't want Clyde to be stuck in that place. Someday he'll find the woman for him. The woman who will be his partner in life,his companion, and that woman can never be her. She wanted Clyde to have the chance of having a family, a normal life. "I love you, Katelyn," and as he opened his eyes. The room was once again empty. He stayed there for hours reminiscing their moments together.

-The End-

The Girl Next Door™

By LoveTillD'End®