Haley was jolted awake when her bedroom door banged open. Groaning, she found her brother standing in the door frame, his board shoulders filling the narrow space.

"Hales, I'm leaving in ten, with or without," he said.

She flopped back onto her bed as he spun around and walked back to his room. For a minute, Haley mentally urged herself to wake up, but made no progress other than shifting slightly. The sharp sound of a incessant beeping burned away the last of her grogginess. She tossed aside her comforter, causing the book - she had fallen sleeping reading - to tumble to the floor. It joined the numerous stacks of books that already laid there. 

Sitting up, she looked around, searching for the source of the annoying sound. Books, clothes and blankets flew around the room as she tried to find the object that is letting loose the never ending beeping. Eventually, her search lead her to the balcony.

Across the way was a house identical to her own with a balcony to mirror hers. The doors were open and she spotted the beeping source, a phone on the night stand. Asleep in the bed was Jace, his muscular bare chest sticking out of the blankets. His head is turned to the side, his hair draped over his forehead.

Turning away, Haley kicked aside a blanket and picked up the hacky sack she had spotted seconds before. Brushing aside her wild brown hair, she focused on her target. Biting her lower lip in concentration she hurled the hacky sack at her sleeping neighbor. It hit Jace's chest and bounced onto the bed. He stirred, his handsome face scrunching up in confusion as he pulled himself from sleep. Rubbing his eyes, he looked over, spotting her standing on her balcony.

"Did you just throw a ball at me?" he asked, his voice raspy with the last bits of sleep.

"No," Haley said, "a hacky sack. Turn your dang alarm off."

Jace sat up, the blankets falling away to reveal the top of a pair of boxers. He was the perfect combination of a handsome Hispanic father and a beautiful blonde haired mother: tan skin, thick black hair, stunning blue eyes and a face fit for magazines. This added with a body chiseled from sports made him the eye candy of high school. Luckily for Haley she had never had a strong sweet tooth.

Climbing out of his bed, Jace shut off the alarm, then looked at her.

"You sure you didn't just do that to see me shirtless?" he asked. 

Haley turned away.

"Put on a shirt," she called back.

"Hey, Haley," he said.

Despite herself, she glanced back. He was leaning on the door frame of his balcony, his eyes scanning her bare legs, monkey shorts she had had since the 8th grade and worn Metallica sleep shirt.

"Anyone tell you you look good with hardly any clothes on," he said, smiling.

She stepped into her room and slammed the balcony doors shut. Jace laughed, the sound warm as a summer night by a bonfire. Haley heard the sound of an engine and cursed. She rushed across her chaotic room, heading for the closet, but tripped on a pile of books hidden beneath her comforter. She crashed to the floor, arms and legs failing. Hurriedly untangling herself from the blanket, she get up and darted to her closet.

A few harassed minutes later, she was dressed and stuffing her notebooks and binders in her backpack. She run to the window but saw the driveway was free of her brother's car. Letting out a string of curses, she slung her backpack on and walked out of her room. On the stairs she stopped at the sound of harsh voices. Her stomach clutched and she gripped the railing.

"Weston, we need to talk about this!" her mother said.

"Tess this is not the time and you know it!" her father replied.

Haley slowly edged her way down the stairs, not looking at the frames that dotted the wall. Frames holding smiles and the after effects of laughter. Trying to ignore the fire behind each word and the snap to every cutting remark, she slipped out of the front door. The empty driveway is still waiting for her. She trudged down the steps and move to the sidewalk. The distance did nothing to lessen the volume of the argument, each back biting retort still clear to hear. A door slammed closed and she turned. Jace jumped off his front porch, a helmet gripped in one hand. When he noticed her, he walked over. A few feet away, he tossed her the hacky sack.

"Here," he said.

She caught it and rolled it around in her hands.

"Can't you find someway of waking up to your alarm," she asked.

"You seem to work pretty well."

"Why can't you get the bimbo that's in your bed to wake you up?"

Jace barked out a laugh. "They don't stay till morning."

"How classy of you," she said. "It explains how the girls are constantly making an appearance in your bedroom."

Jace grinned, the look accenting his dimples and making his blue eyes light up with a mischievous glint.

"They don't come because of my class. They come because of my-"

Haley held up a hand.

"Please spare me from your crude poetry."

Jace winked. In the silence between them the argument of her parents slipped out through windows and under the door. She stared down at the ground, focusing on a tuff of grass sticking out from between the sidewalk.

"Where's your bother?" he asked.

She glared at nothing.

"He left without me," she said. "I'm just waiting for my parents to finish talking."

Trying to look unconcerned, she scuffed her red Converse shoe on the concrete, messing with the thin green blades.

"You want me to give you a ride?" he asked.

She looked up at him, her brown eyes meeting his.

"Seriously?"

He held out his helmet in response. Hesitating for a second, she took it and pulled it on.

"Would you look at that," he said, cocking his head, "it looks better on you."

She shook her head as they walked over to his bike. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she slipped onto the back. He revved the engine as she dropped her hands to her knees. Jace looked back. Reaching behind him, he took her hands, making her jump in surprise. He wrapped them around his waist.

"Safety first," he said, the smile hidden in his voice.

"Sure."

Jace titled his head back, the playful look gone from his expression.

"Family sucks, Haley," he said.

At his sympathetic voice her fingers clenched.

***********************

Hey hey!

So you already know this chapter. I had it written in first person and under the title I Live Next To The Player. It was kind of my joking around project. Well, I'm actually thing of writing this book next because I need a toss away book that is just fun and easy. A book that I can write along side my other books so I have something to jump to if I ever get stuck.

What do you think of it?

Honestly I'll write it no matter what but I wanted to hear what you thought of it! Any who let me know!

Oh and one more thing, what do you think of the cover at the top?

Vote, comment, follow or go wander the garden and pick flowers! Either options is acceptable!