Chapter 5

The next morning, Trent slept in until almost eleven. Grabbing his sweats and a t-shirt, Trent shambled to the bathroom, but not before he briefly stopped in front of his mirror to fix his messy hair some before leaving.

Trent froze as he started to open the door. “What the hell am I doing?” He asked out loud. He seriously did not just try to fix up his hair before leaving his bedroom in case Mel was watching. He scoffed then purposely ran his hands through his hair to mess it up. Muttering under his breath at the absurdity of what he had just done Trent went into the bathroom and took a quick shower.

As he got out Trent noticed, horrified, he didn’t pull the window curtain closed. He glanced at Mel's windows but didn’t see anyone or anything move at all. A strange disappointment fluttered through him. “What the hell,” he said, surprised at himself. Okay, that was enough of that, he told himself and went downstairs for breakfast.

He spent most of the morning painting the hallway upstairs then took a break in the living room. He was enjoying the sound of songbirds through the open window when he heard the sound of a car pulling up into a driveway. A glance out the window, Trent saw Mel getting out of a little blue Mini. She wore a thin flowery dress with a pair of light green flats, and her hair was down in a ‘however it falls’ kind of style.

He watched her walk up to the house and simply walk in. Mel had left her door unlocked and that idea shocked him. He got up out of his chair and leaned against the corner of the room, watching her move around the living room. He heard her music, and he saw her do a quick little dance that made him smile.

Suddenly, she was in the window. Fearing she’d see him, Trent tried to jump back. He crashed into the wall instead and bounced off, tripping over the floor lamp. He and the lamp crashed to the floor with a loud crash. He groaned with the sting of pain in his knee but didn’t dare move. Mel had to have heard that if she hadn’t seen it all. Panic sent his heart racing at the thought of her catching him spying on her.

Trent didn’t move for a good fifteen minutes, the whole time wondering what exactly was he thinking, spying on her like that. He also couldn’t help but wonder how she managed to continuously spy on him and had never been seen. Stiffly, he started to stand, pausing at the window, peeking to see if he could see her anywhere. Seeing nothing, he stood then picked up the lamp.

“Smooth Trent, real smooth,” he said, seeing the shattered light bulb, and went to get the broom. Some spy he’d make, he thought, feeling like a fool. When he finished, Trent sat on the couch, deciding reading the papers was the safer choice of being nosey.

—Today has to be one of the worst days I’ve ever had, I swear! First, I agreed to accompany Christie out on her date with Stacy. Why? I have no idea. I don’t like Stacy. She’s the type of person who gives lesbians a bad name. You know the ‘I’m all macho like a man! To prove it I dress and act like a man, but I hate men, all men! We should take them out and shoot them all,’ type of attitude. Seriously, I never believed in that whole penis envy theory till I met her.

Today, she embarrassed me. We were at The Dive and she told several women I was into them but liked to play hard to get. Thankfully, most realized quickly they had been duped, but one girl (one very desperate girl) just didn’t get it, and well, long story short, I’m no longer allowed in The Dive any more. I am so embarrassed, but I kinda admit, I feel cool too. This is my first ever ban. Rachael would never believe me if I told her!—

Trent started laughing. There was nothing like one’s first ban from a public establishment, he thought with a grin. He had gotten one once when he was twenty-one and he’d gone out with his buddies drinking. He had come close to getting his butt landed in jail but his mom bailed him out, as usual, but not before she lectured him about tainting the family name with his antics and all that crap.

He shook his head, still feeling angry at his mother and her callous attempts at being motherly. He focused instead on Christy. Why hadn’t she stepped in to defend Mel? Clearly, she had to know what her girlfriend was up to. Frowning, he read on, hoping Christy would redeem herself. She shouldn’t call herself Mel’s friend if she didn’t do something.

—If that wasn’t enough, I came home to try to chill with a relaxing movie, but what do I get? A stalker movie! Seriously, the plot was about this guy who broke up with this crazy woman that’s more than just a little obsessed with him. He moved completely across the country to get away from her. He starts a new life with a new girl and all is good, right? Wrong, Crazy ex has followed him and now she’s stalking him.

I should have just changed the channel but I kept watching the whole time thinking that’s me. I’m the bad guy in this movie! I’m the crazy stalking ex…except I’ve never been his ex but doesn’t change the fact that’s me. It’s shameful and pathetic. I’ve been making up all kinds of excuses but the point is this is wrong! I am making a vow right now to stop watching him through the window! Tomorrow I’m going to close all the curtains on that side of the window and keep them closed, no matter what!—

Trent stopped reading and thought for a moment. He didn’t like her comparing herself to the movie’s villain. He was sure that she, unlike the villain, didn’t mean him any harm. If anything, what Mel described sounded more like his real ex, and he didn’t see her like that at all.  Trent also remembered that all the curtains in Mel’s house were drawn. Something also came to mind. He remembered when this happened.

It had caught his attention when she did this about a week and a half ago because it struck him as odd she had all the curtains closed when it was still hot outside. Though they hadn’t stayed closed long and he glanced out the window, across the yard. The curtains were open now, moving in the soft breeze. So either she caved or stopped watching him.

Oddly, Trent didn’t know which of the two outcomes he preferred. “You know which of the two, Trent,” he said, shaking his head at his absurdity. He set down the papers and stood, going into the kitchen to get himself some water. As he stood at the sink, Trent thought about his neighbor and when it had stopped bothering him that she was spying on him from her windows.

A knock at the door broke him out of his thoughts and he sighed. He wasn’t expecting anyone so most likely it was Marcy again. It was time to be blunt with her, he decided as he walked to the door. However, when he opened the door it wasn’t Marcy, but Harry and Mel. Trent froze at the sight of them, his heart racing. Harry gave him a crooked smile while Mel only gave him glances. At some point, since he saw her through the window she had changed into a peach t-shirt and jeans.

“Hey Trent,” Harry said. “Hope you don’t mind that we dropped by unannounced.”

“No problem,” Trent said and opened the door wider. “Would you like to come in?” He couldn’t believe it. Mel was right there in front of him.

“Sure,” Harry said at the same time Mel refused the offer.

“I mean, okay sure why not,” she said as Harry practically pushed her inside the living room.

Trent wanted to ease her obvious discomfort but had no idea how to do so without her finding out he had the papers, and that would only make the situation worse. He closed the door as the two stepped inside. “What can I do for you?”

“I wanted to introduce you to your neighbor,” Harry said, taking a look around the room. “This is looking good.”

“Thanks. It’s taken a lot of work, but I’m satisfied with how it’s going,” he replied then focused on Mel. To her, he said, “Hi, I’m Trent”

She tucked a piece of her blond hair behind her ear. “I’m Melissa, but most people call me Mel.” Then as if she remembered something she added, “I live in the house next to yours.” She pointed in the direction of her house. “It’s nice to meet you officially.” Her eyes widened. “Uhm I mean that I’ve heard so much about you from the diner where I work and all that.”

One thing was for sure. Mel would make a horrible criminal. Her face screamed ‘I’m guilty.’ In hopes to put her at ease, Trent replied, “Yeah, it seems it’s true what they say about small towns - news travels fast.”

“And gossip,” she added with a hesitant smile.

It was one, he couldn’t help sharing. “And gossip,” he agreed. “I’ve gotten used to people showing a lot of interest in me and what I’m doing.”

Again, guilt washed over Mel’s expression and Trent realized the implications of what he said. Feeling bad he asked, “Can I get you guys something to drink?”

“Sure, I’ll take a coke if you got it,” Harry replied.

“Nothing for me, thanks,” Mel said quietly. Trent nodded and went into the kitchen to get Harry his drink.

Returning to the living room, Trent froze as he saw Mel holding up a piece of paper. Oh no, he thought as he watched her read with a horrified look on her face. What an idiot! He’d left the damn papers out in plain view.

“What’s that?” Harry asked, peering over her shoulder, but she pressed the sheet against her chest.

“How did you get this? Did you read it?” She asked Trent, giving him a deer in headlights look.

“I found it on my porch,” he said, setting the coke down.

“Why…” she started then stopped. She grabbed the stack of papers and rushed to the door.

“Wait,” Trent called out, but she broke out in a run. “Wait, Mel, please,” he yelled again as she ran across the yard to her house.