The boy that lived Next Door  

When Lauren woke, the bump on her head from the night before had taken its toll on her brain. She swayed lightly as she stood but grabbed the duchess and regained her balance. Monday…God she hated Mondays, but Lauren knew if she was to get a good job then school was her only choice. The holidays were over and even the events from the night before weren’t enough to pull her away from her studies. The little wardrobe was cluttered with old clothes, Lauren pulled out four pairs of jeans that were too small for her before she found the little black school skirt and the un-ironed white top. She stumbled into the shower and sat on the cold floor under the warm water. She didn’t hate her life…She didn’t hate much at all, but at the moment she hated herself for the things she said to the one person who really cared for her. Jake had been her best friend right through primary school and high school, it was only natural for them to get together. But now it was unlikely that he would ever talk to her again. She fell back onto her bed with the towel wrapped around her and her wet hair left a damp pool of water on her satin sheets. Lauren slowly sat up and pulled a brush through her short black hair. Her uniform was getting that little bit to tight but she couldn’t afford a new one. The bag containing all her books seemed so much heavier than she thought it was, as she walked out the front door. GOD…She really hated Mondays. As Lauren walked down to the foot path she tripped on a loose stone and almost went tumbling but…there again were the strong arms she had felt the night before.

“Watch it…Maybe you should watch where you’re going next time”

“Sorry…I tripped. There was no need to be rude about it.” He looked at her and she looked back hoping to find some sign of an apology but was soon disappointed

“Don’t look at me like that…Ur not gonna get an apology out of me. I meant what I said” He looked at his feet again and let out a small sigh “How’s your head?”

A faint smile filled Lauren’s face “Its throbbing actually”

“Welcome, Come in and take a seat please. There’s one at the back beside Miss Barker” The boy walked in like he owned the place. There was no sign of a smile or any sort of enjoyment of the current moment on his face, but even Lauren could see that he was enjoying how uncomfortable he made her. He pulled out the seat beside her and the noise it made made her cringe. Her head rang and her ears pounded but it wasn’t enough for her to show him how weak he made her. Lauren straightened up in her chair and faced the teacher trying to look like she was listening. Out of the corner of her eye she could see him sitting there just watching her. She turned to him “Do you have a problem?”

He looked down at his hands and at his desk, He patted his pocket and checked his bag “Yeah I do actually, I forgot my pencil” Lauren scowled at him and mouthed the words “ass” at him. And grinned a little and mouthed back “ *****” Lauren could have jumped out of her seat but a sudden dizziness came over her and she grabbed her head “What did you forget to take that aspirin like I told you?” Lauren slightly shook her head causing a massive pain run down her head into her neck. She screamed out in pain and fell out of her chair onto the floor clutching her head. Her eyes started to shut but she forced them open, within a matter of seconds the teacher was at her side with his hands on her shoulders “Just breathe Lauren we’ve got the nurse on her way now. We don’t want to move you just incase we hurt you more” She tried to thank him but the sharp pain came again shooting down her spine “GOD!” She screamed.

“Here get out of the way, She needs a doctor not a school nurse” She felt arms and then…Nothing. She felt weightless, almost like she was floating on air. But then reality crashed down around her when the pain shot through every inch of her skull. “WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME!!!”

“Just hold on we’re nearly at the hospital”. That voice. Lauren knew that voice, but who? She just couldn’t put her finger on that familiar voice, then darkness again.

When she woke her head felt like it was no longer connected to her body. She opened her eyes to see white, was she dead? Was this heaven?

“Lauren…Lauren can you hear me?” The voice invaded her head

“Yes…” She whispered.

“Can you open your eyes for me dear?” Lauren tried to force her eyes open but white was all she could see “I…I can’t.”

“Yes you can dear…just try” Lauren tried again but there was still no progress, then there was another voice “Lauren, it’s me. Honey can you open your eyes for me?” That was the voice from before, that voice that sounded Oh so familiar to her yet she couldn’t put a face or a name to the person. Lauren’s eyes opened enough to see her surrounds, White…Everything was white. Her eyes stung from the brightness of the wretched colour but she forced them open once again. There was a small table beside her bed and a white sheet was drawn around the little cubicle and people, there were lots of people. But only one face stood out to Lauren. A woman in her mid thirties stood at the end of her bed. Long black hair cascaded around her pale face and piercing blue eyes stared down at her, if this wasn’t heaven and she wasn’t an angel, Lauren didn’t know what was. The woman smiled down at her and she smiled back “There we go my dear, isn’t it so much better to have your eyes open and being able to see the beauty of this world? Come on now, your doing well, your going to be alright”

“Lauren? Are you alright?” A young blonde nurse stood at her side with a puzzled look on her face “No…I’m not alright. Where am I?”

“Well your in the hospital sweetheart” Her mother and father were at her side squeezing her hand “You had a black out” Lauren looked at her confused

“I had a what?” The nurse beside her answered her question before her mother got the chance “A Blackout…Often called fainting. Your teacher tells us you fell from your chair screaming in pain…Can you tell me where the pain was?” Lauren searched her memories for the moment prior to her fainting, but all she could remember was that sweet voice and those intense blue eyes. “I can’t remember…But I do remember a woman. There was a woman in the car with me, who was it?” Her mother walked back to her side

“Dear there was no woman, Jake bought you here in his car”

“Jake?” Lauren tried to sit up “Jake bought me here” Her mother nodded. A small path cleared to the door and he walked in “Hey there stranger” he said in a soft tone “How ya holding up?”

“Jake…” She sat up slowly in the bed and held out her arms to him. He walked over and grabbed her “Oh baby you scared me so much” A tear ran down her cheek “I thought I’d lost you” He whispered to her.

“Thank you, Jake” He held her for nearly 5 minutes before breaking away from her hold.

“Honey…” Her mum and dad came back to her side “There’s something the doctor has to tell you” Lauren’s face dropped and she almost cried but the woman at the end of the bed appeared again, her hair was flowing over her face but her words were clear as she spoke “Oh my dear, there is nothing wrong with you. Your going to be alright…I promise” She smiled at the beautiful woman and turned her attention to the doctor on her right “Doctor…what exactly is wrong with me? Why did I black out?”

 The Doctor let out a sigh but put on a warm smile “There is nothing wrong, you just suffer of a major case of migraines. You fainted because it was your body’s way of dealing with the pain” Lauren let out a sigh of relief.

“We’re going to give you some antibiotics but you’re only to take them when the pain gets really bad. Okay?” Lauren nodded. “Ok well then you guys are right to take her home, Just come to the front desk and I’ll give you the release forms to sign and then she can go” Her parents followed to doctor out to the main desk and Jake followed “I’ll wait outside while you get dressed” Lauren waved him goodbye and turned back to the woman at the end of her bed, the room was completely empty except for her and the blue eyed beauty. “Now didn’t I tell you everything was going to be fine” She smiled at the woman “Yes you did. Thank you… if it wasn’t for you I probably never would have opened my eyes”

“No dear, you would have opened them…but not for a little while”

“Still, I owe you thanks”

“Oh my dear, you owe me nothing, just your love and belief that I am here…” Her voice trailed off when her mother walked in the door “Who were you talking to honey?” She asked slightly puzzled, Lauren just smiled and replied “Oh no one…”

“Honey…are you sure you’re alright? You don’t need anything?” The voice came from the direction of the kitchen for the fifth time in the past half an hour “Mum I’m fine” Lauren yelled back. She put her head back on the pillow and turned the movie up. Underworld, what a movie it was. Yeah I suppose your thinking a young rich girl with all her dreams and desires would be watching something like Titanic or notebook…But no, not Lauren. It was the suspense and thriller that kept the movie alive to her and the whole war raging between vampires and lycans…Classic. The air-con was flowing out ice cold air, the curtains were drawn and she had a bowl of popcorn in her lap, the perfect way to spend a Tuesday instead of being at school. The last couple of days he seemed like an eternity to her, she recapped…Firsts there was an ******* move in next door to her, she was nearly run over and then abused for displaying her dislike for the man, she worked five hours for minimum pay, she was attacked and then her boyfriend lied to her. And on top of all of that she was told she suffered from a major case of migraines bought on by stress…STRESS of all things. HA! Lauren laughed to herself. She pulled the light blanket a little further under her chin, a man was being chased down the hall by a vampire but managed to escape into a lift…safe…but was he? The doors opened and the lycan master was standing there. Lauren gasped and clutched the blanket…The man backed away and the lycan attacked “Lauren” Lauren jumped and screamed her voice in unison with her terrified mothers, popcorn when flying. “OH MY GOD MUM, What are you trying to do? Give a girl a heart attack. JESES”

“Lauren watch your language…and I think you scared me more than I scared you…What are you watching anyway?”

“Nothing, it’s a horror movie so you wont like it very much”

Her mother let out a sigh “Oh, ok then” Lauren looked over at her and frowned, the wrinkles on her mothers face showed the wisdom of her years but her eyes showed sadness “You can come watch it if you want…” Instantly a bright light sparked in the brown of the old woman’s eyes “Yeah ok then” She sat down behind Lauren and let her rest her head on her lap “Its been ages since we’ve done this isn’t it dear?”

“Yeah it has” She cuddled closer to her mum.

 Through out the movie Lauren felt every quiver of fear run through her mum’s body, she was sure she would get up and walk away, it was not like her mum to watch this sort of stuff. It got Lauren thinking…I wonder if my real mum use to do this before she died, I wonder if we sat down as a small family and watched movies like the tellitubies or the lion king…I wonder what it would be like if she was still alive. Lauren snapped herself out of the trance and sat up “I think I’m going to go for a shower, I feel dirty”

“Oh you’re not going to watch the rest of it?”
”No I’ve seen it before, would you like me to turn it off for you?” Her mother smiled “Umm no I’ll sit here and watch it, just don’t be too long in the shower honey there doesn’t seem to be much hot water tonight” Lauren nodded and walked to her bedroom.

She pulled her silk cropped P.j pants and the little pink chemise from her top draw, She couldn’t afford it but Christie seen her admiring it one day and bought it for her birthday. She let the water from the shower head run warm before she stepped into the glass lined tub, bubbles frothed and flew through the air but it was like heaven to just lay there. Lauren closed her eyes and slowly drifted…to where she didn’t know but she knew she didn’t want to leave. Everything was so green and the trees were huge…and the flowers, she couldn’t begin to describe the different shapes and colors. There was a bright white glow and Lauren shielded her eyes, but it soon faded leaving behind the slim full form of the black haired angel. “Hello there my dear, and how are we today?”

Lauren walked up to the woman and hugged her “Wonderful now that you’re here. I’ve got so many questions for you but I just haven’t had the time to ask you…was it you in the car with me on the way to the hospital?” The woman smiled at her with gleaming white teeth and lush red lips “Yes my dear…it was I” Lauren smiled back “I knew it…I knew I had heard that voice before” The woman’s eyes dropped and her beautiful smile disappeared “What is it” Lauren asked her

“Darling I think there is something I need to tell you…I know it wasn’t the right thing to do but when I did it I just wasn’t thinking…but your old enough to know now and this is the only way I’m going to be able to get through to you” Lauren looked confused “What…what’s going on?”

“Honey…I’m real. I’m not just a part of your imagination, I gave you up when u were just a baby because I couldn’t do it…I couldn’t raise a child on my own…” There was a loud bang and everything started to shake and a voice intruded her precious dream “LAUREN!!! BABY PLEASE WAKE UP…” Lauren opened her eyes to see her mother staring down at her. Water lined the floor of the white tiled bathroom, she must have fallen asleep. Her mother grabbed her and pulled her into her chest but Lauren pushed her away “Mum I think I’m going mad” Her mother looked at her slightly confused

“What?”

“I think I’m going mad…I’ve been talking to my real mum”

Laurens mother hugged her tight to her chest again “Oh honey you’re not going mad…You’ve just had a very stressfully couple of days. It’s just your minds way of putting it out of your head” Lauren pusher her mother away and took the towel her father was holding out to her “No…it was her I know it was, I could never forget those beautiful blue eyes…They were like mine” She dropped her head and sighed. Karen looked at her daughter with understanding, she too was an adoptive child and she too often dreamed of find her real mother. But she knew for her own daughter this was impossible “Honey…there is nothing I can say that is going to make u see that is all in your head but I think I should tell you the full story…because I think you deserve to hear it” Lauren’s eyes watered “What do you mean…full story?”

“There are a few things we neglected to tell you” Karen took her daughter by the shoulders “Come on get dressed, we’ll clean up this mess and I will tell you everything”

As Lauren sat on the couch waiting for her mother, she got to thinking What could she have possible kept from me that could be so important, surely by now she would have told her everything she knew…

“Baby, we just want you to know that we love you…and we always have. You may not be our daughter by blood but we loved you like you were our own. I just want you to know that” He father looked deep into her blue eyes and hugged her tight, he held onto her for what seemed like hours until her mother walked in with a dull smile on her face. She sat down next to Lauren and took her hand in her own “Darling, there are a few things we didn’t tell you about your parents…and your brother” Laurens eyes widened and she jumped out of her seat “WHAT! BROTHER…WHAT BROTHER?”

Karen took her hands again and pulled her back to her seat “Your parents were in a car crash just like we told you, your mother, father…and your older brother. Your mother and father died just like we said…”

“No…no see that’s a mistake, She told me SHE was still alive”

“No my dear, your mother DID die…but your brother survived. Your mother was on life support for 2 days…and he dying wish was to separate you two so that you never knew each other. None of us knew why but it was her wish and we respected it… We’re so sorry we didn’t tell you before…

“Whoa wait. What were you doing at my mother’s bedside?”

“Well there’s another thing that we didn’t tell you…I’m…umm well me and you mother were sisters. I’m your Aunty”

Lauren just sat there. She didn’t know whether to break down and cry or to question why she had never been told this before now. She stood and walked towards the front door “Honey…HONEY! We’re so very sorry…We just hope you know that” She turned slowly back to her adoptive parents turned aunty and uncle, about to scream at them but when she opened her mouth…nothing came out “I…Need…” She let out her breathe “I need air” She turned back towards the door and walked out into the cool autumn breeze. The tree beside her house held many childhood memories for her, the little girl that sat on that swing seemed so happy back then…but now it was a question of ‘Is that little girl still here and if she was what had happened to her?’  Lauren fell back into the little wooden swing and pushed herself back and forward with her legs. Her head dropped and a single tear fell from her beautiful blue eyes “What is happening to my life…”

“Only you can answer that question…Are you alright?” Lauren turned her head slowly and sighed “Oh god…of all people…”

“Ok. I get it, I’ll leave”

“NO…No wait. I’m sorry I didn’t mean it; I’m just having a hard time at the moment” The boy next door walked up behind her and pushed her softly “You think your having it hard, My dad just got home from a day at the pub and now my mother is once again locked in her bedroom crying” He gave her a warm smile and blew the hair out of his face. She smiled back “Yeah…I just fell asleep in my bath tub and went to a dreamland in my head where I met my real mother. I was then woken up to a flooded bath room and told my mother I was going mad. She then proceed to tell me that my parents WERE killed like they had told me before but I have a brother out there somewhere that I didn’t even know about…And u think YOUR having a hard time” He just stood there with his hands in front of him and his mouth wide open. Lauren wiped the tear from her eye and stood up to face him. She put her hand under his chin and closed his mouth but her hand never moved…she just stood there. His dark brown eyes were covered by his long dark hair and his lush red lips were there for the taking she moved forward and he got the hint and moved closer to her. He was so close now but he stopped “I can’t I’m sorry…I don’t want to take advantage of you…” The moment faded and she pulled away slightly “Yeah…I know” She pulled her hand away but she didn’t take a step back…She moved closer and she hugged him. She just hugged him and didn’t let go and strangely to her he embraced her back “Thank you” She whispered, he pulled her tighter.

“Caleb…” She pulled away and sniffed

“Huh?” He put his hand up and wiped the wet tears from her rosy cheeks

“My name…It’s Caleb”

“Caleb…Nice” She laughed “Sounds…Hmm”

“Bad, dark, evil” He poked her side

“No, it sounds safe” He looked at her with confusion “its okay, you will understand one day” She squeezed him again tight and then broke free from his arms “Thank you, you have no idea how much this means to me” He smiled

“Yeah I do” Caleb turned his back on her and started to walk away but paused for a moment “I’m sorry”

She smiled at him “I know you are” She understood why he was sorry but knew not to rub it in “So will I see you at school tomorrow or does doctors orders go against it?”

“No…unfortunately I don’t want to miss anymore school”

“Great” And he turned and jumped the fence and walked inside.

She walked back toward her own front door with her mind made up…Her brother was out there and it would be wonderful to find him…but her life now meant to much to her future to be rampaging across half the country.

The next day, walking down the halls at school was like hell for her. Every eye in the school was on her, burning like a hand on a hot plate. At least in home room she was greeted by some friendly faces “OH HONEY! How are you feeling today?” Christy ran up to her and pulled her into a tight hug. “We were so worried” Chris stepped back to reveal the worried look on her best friend Jacobs’ face “We were really worried about you. There were no phone calls or anything”

Lauren walked up to him with her arms out stretched “Its all right bunny, I’m fine” Jacob took her hug but pushed her away after a brief show of affection “You know I don’t like that name…Just because you use to call me that when u were little does not mean you have to bring it up at school” Lauren smirked and took his hand “Life long friends…even if you’re a guy and a year older than me”

“Yes…and aren’t I glad I repeated grade 12” He replied sarcastically to her comment.

The home room door opened and the face that walked in was worn out from worry but it instantly lit up when he saw Lauren. Lauren slowly walked toward him and took him in a tight embrace “I’m so sorry Jake” She whispered in his ear. Immediately his hand was under her chin and there lips locked. When they broke apart he whispered back ‘it should be me that’s sorry. I should never have said those sickening and vicious things…I owe you my world and you mean the world to me” A tear fell down her cheek and she pulled him into a loving embrace “I love you…” The bell sounded loudly in their ears and they broke apart and took their seats and started their first lesson.

When the lunch bell rang, Lauren nearly sprinted to the cafeteria and then like every other day she took her seat under the big shady tree beside Jacob and Christy. Lauren fell back onto the soft green grass, closed her eyes and just listened to the chatter going on around her. When she opened them she saw the black mop of hair belonging to Jacob, laughing aloud she sat up. Jacob looked at her with confusion and suspicion “What?”

Lauren laughed again “Nothing…I think you need to get your hair cut. It’s getting long” but it wasn’t Jacob that replied to her remark “I think its fine, its short enough so you can see his blue eyes” Christy’s face immediately went red and she turned away and in reaction a large smile appeared on Jacobs face and his blue eye sparkled “Why…thank you Christy” She turned back to him and smiled “Your very welcome” Lauren beamed at the very sudden show of affection between her two best friends, eager t find out more about this sudden attraction she pushed the subject “Oh hay Christy I’m really sorry, but I’m not going to be able to make it into town on Friday night. Mum wants me to help her do some renovating” Christy looked at her in uncertainty until she figured out what she was trying to do “Aww, no fair. I was so looking forward to going to the movies to” Christy fell back against the tree and crossed her arms “Oh honey I’m sorry. I didn’t know mum was going to ask me to help her, Maybe you can find someone else to take y…” And before she had even finished her sentence Jacob had taken the bait hook, line and sinker. Almost jumping in their laps he yelled a little to loudly “I’ll go…Umm yeah if you don’t mind. I…I will take you” Christy’s eyes lit up and she sat forward and dropped her head “No…I couldn’t make you go out of your way just to take me to the movies”

“NO…No I wouldn’t be going out of my way…I would love to take you” Realizing he might have said to much he sat back down and ate what was left of the squished sandwich in his hand. “Thank you” Was all Christy’s mouth and mind would let her say.

Keyword: The Boy that lived next Door (2)

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