Page 18 of Don’t Love the Boy Next Door (Hotties Next Door #2)

Chapter Sixteen

Ethan

I don’t see myself on the field often, which is why I like watching Phoenix’s video of the game. But sometime after our second touchdown, she got this odd look on her face and told her fans she was cutting the stream short. Then she added some footage Katie filmed during the game.

I don’t understand what happened, but it’s none of my business.

Maybe I am a little self-centered, thinking whatever is bothering her has to do with me or the game.

I’m not even a speck of dust to her. If she would have it her way, the ground would swallow me up so she wouldn’t have to see me anymore.

I still have no idea what I did to upset her this much, but I decide that no matter how much I wrack my brain, I’ll never figure it out.

And I told myself after the game last night not to obsess over it anymore.

If Phoenix hates me…then I’ll have to accept it.

And if my only relationship with her will be an online one, I’ll have to accept that, too.

It’s Saturday afternoon and Eric is running lines at Katie’s house.

I notice as I peek out of my brother’s room and into Katie’s that Phoenix doesn’t seem to be around.

That kind of sucks because I would have really wanted to slay some zombies with her.

And I’d also like to check if she’s all right.

After the game last night, I went online to game with her, but she wasn’t there.

I thought we agreed to play, but I guess she had other plans.

I’m not going to lie and say I wasn’t a little bummed, and I have no idea why. This girl hates me, yet I want to hang out with her virtually? It doesn’t make sense. I don’t make sense.

I go down to the kitchen to make myself some sandwiches. As I’m eating, I hear Phoenix’s voice say, “I’m back!”

Getting to my feet, I look out the window that faces their house.

Eric and Katie are seated on the couch, their shoulders pretty close together as if they want to touch but are too afraid.

Phoenix plops down next to them, staring at the ceiling.

Her otherwise normal carefree face is haunted by what looks like troubling thoughts.

It’s the same look she wore last night before she stopped the live stream.

She watches Eric and Katie rehearse and I slip away from the window, feeling like a creep. It’s not cool to spy on the neighbors, no matter how curious I am about what’s bothering her.

I busy myself with my sandwich and thumbing through my phone.

My social media is exploding with feedback from the game, and I smile at all the positive comments.

Some are from little kids who look up to me.

This must be how Phoenix feels when her fans praise her and want more videos.

No wonder she loves live streaming. There’s something about inspiring people that makes you feel like you’re doing something right.

The doorbell rings and my gaze springs to the door. I’m not expecting anyone. Maybe Eric forgot his key—the guy’s been spacey lately. And that’s not only because his head is full of lyrics.

I head to the door and pull it open, expecting to see my brother or maybe one of my friends. But it’s neither of them.

A girl with fiery red hair and an unsure expression in her eyes stands there.

“Hi,” she says, so low I barely heard her.

I just stare at her, unable to believe that she’s actually at my house and talking to me. I thought she didn’t want anything to do with me. “Hi.”

She moves from one foot to the other, tugging at her hair. “So…we need to talk.”

I squint in confusion. “What?”

She releases a heavy sigh. “Can I come in?”

“Sure.” I widen the door, then follow her inside. We stand facing each other in the living room. Phoenix’s arms are crossed over her chest and my gaze hasn’t left hers. What in the world is she doing here?

She pushes her hand through her hair, messing it up and letting it fall over her face. It’s like she wants to hide behind it.

This is how we stay for a few minutes, with her eyes roaming around the room and me staring at her.

“I want to apologize,” she says.

My gaze pins on her. “What?”

She swallows, shifting on her feet. “I said I want to apologize. I was a jerk and I’m sorry.”

I just continue staring at her. An apology from this girl? I didn’t think it was possible. Maybe it’s a joke? Doesn’t seem like it, from the unease in her eyes.

She takes a deep breath and lets it out. “So…you’re probably wondering why I was so mean to you the last few days.”

“Kind of. Do you want to sit?” I gesture to the sofa.

She nods before dropping down. I sit down next to her, noticing her wringing her fingers in her lap. She’s…nervous? Phoenix Ellis?

She looks at me for what feels like hours, then averts her gaze. “You probably don’t watch my channel, but I’ve been getting some hate. A group of people have been harassing me.”

Of course I know this, but I can’t tell her that. So I keep quiet, letting her continue.

“I thought they were you and Thad and your football friends.”

I just gape at her. “What? You thought they were me and my friends? Why?”

She’s quiet for a little bit before saying, “I don’t know.

I mean, one guy’s name was TheTman and he was calling me crazy and Thad called me crazy the night he ditched me.

And the number of trolls is the same number as the guys on the team.

” She shakes her head. “But I was wrong. The trolls gave me crap again while I was live streaming during the game last night. I realized they couldn’t be you and your team. ”

“We’d never do anything like that,” I say. “The guys are good people, despite how low you think of us.”

She’s quiet again. “I’m sorry. And I’m sorry I wrote the report without you.”

“Why would you think I’d harass you online?”

She shrugs. “We’re enemies. My channel is very important to me and you wanted to hurt me.”

I shake my head. “I never would.”

“I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions without doing research. I just thought Thad was so mad about what happened between us that he wanted revenge or something.”

I laugh lightly. “I doubt something like that would bother him. He doesn’t hold grudges.”

“Oh.”

Quiet. I look at her, but she’s glancing around the room like she’s never seen it before.

“Right, so I came to apologize and I did that.” She turns to me. “You’re…you’re not so bad. You’re a decent dude.”

“Thanks?”

“The parts you added to the report were pretty cool.”

“Thanks. I appreciate that.”

She rolls her eyes playfully. “Holden was obsessed with it. Like, she couldn’t shut up about it. I bet that’s why we got that A+.”

“Nah. I wouldn’t have been able to add my part without yours. It was a solid A+.”

She doesn’t say anything and we sit in silence again.

A few minutes tick by before she says, “And I want to, um, thank you for saving me during the presentation. I don’t know why I froze. It never happened before, but you swooped in. So thanks.” She averts her gaze again.

“It was no problem.”

Quiet again.

She glances at me and I look at her. Then we break apart, her biting her lip and me squeezing my eyes shut.

I feel like a jerk. She’s here apologizing for something she did wrong and I’m hiding a huge secret from her. A secret that will most definitely upset her to the extreme.

“So…are we okay?” she asks after a bit of silence. “I mean, we’re still enemies and everything—”

“Do we have to be?”

Her mouth clamps shut, eyebrows furrowing.

“Because I think I’d like us to be friends,” I add, feeling like a complete fake and a jerk. How can I be friends with her when I’m pretending to be someone else online?

Should I tell her the truth? No, that’s a bad idea. If we could build some sort of friendship, I might mess it up. I’ve seen a kind side to Phoenix as we chatted online and now I’m starting to see it face to face. I don’t want to lose that.

No. LiamC will remain a secret for now.

“Why are you shaking your head?” she asks.

I blink at her. “What?”

“I said I think it’s okay if we could try to be friends.”

I nod slowly. “Right.”

She lifts a brow. “You don’t want that? But you just said—”

“No, I…” I clear my throat. “I do want that. It’s just that…”

“What?” She rolls her eyes. “Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to drag my butt here and apologize? I thought you hated me for the way I’ve been treating you.

I mean, I deserved it and everything and that’s why it was so hard.

I even practiced in front of the mirror.

I so expected you to kick me out of your house, or shut the door on me. ”

I wave my hand. “I’d never do that.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to see that now. You’re a good person.”

I shake my head. “I’m not. I try to be, but I’m failing.”

“I don’t think you are. You apologized to Katie for not making her lead singer. You saved me like some knight in shining armor when Thad ditched me. And you saved the presentation. I just…” She hesitates. “I just don’t know why.”

I lift a brow. “Why what?”

“Why you came to find me that night.”

“I told you why. I didn’t like the idea of you walking alone so late at night.”

She doesn’t say anything and we’re quiet again. Then she gets to her feet. “I think I’m going to head home. Thanks for accepting my apology.”

“No problem,” I say as she makes her way to the door. “And I’m sorry, too.”

She turns around, eyebrow lifted. “For what?”

“For everything that’s happened between us.” And for lying to her online. A part of me urges me to tell her, to just spit it out. But I can’t. I wouldn’t be able to stand those beautiful hazel eyes filling with rage. Because I know that’s going to happen when I tell her the truth about LiamC.

She nods slowly. “Me, too. See you on Monday.” She leaves.

I go to the window and watch her leave. Why am I…upset that she’s gone?

***

Later that night, I’m sitting at my computer getting ready to meet up to play with Phoenix, but I don’t load the game. I can’t, it doesn’t feel right. She came to apologize to me, and it wasn’t easy. I’m such a jerk for hiding this from her.

Maybe it’s best I just forget about Liam. Make him vanish from the face of the Earth.

Yeah, that’s probably best. I keep myself occupied with homework and YouTube and text Charlotte a little.

But I find my eyes darting toward the computer, where Phoenix is sending me a million messages, asking me where I am.

I’m not strong enough to hold back and cave within a few minutes.

PhoenixFireBird: There you are. I was starting to get worried my best online buddy abandoned me to play with someone else.

LiamC: Ha, that’s never going to happen.

PhoenixFireBird: Good. I really have fun gaming with you. It’s like we get each other.

LiamC: Yeah.

My stomach twists as she continues to tell me how awesome of a partner I am. I can’t help it, I just really like playing and chatting with her online. Things today were so awkward and stiff between us. When we chat online, there’s no brick wall. I’m completely immersed and absorbed in her words.

But…it’s not right to lie. As hard as this is, I need to tell her the truth.

LiamC: Hey, Phoenix? I need to tell you something.

PhoenixFireBird: Shoot.

I swallow, my fingers hovering over the keys. I start typing it out, but I quickly delete it. I guess I’m too much of a chicken. I might be brave and a beast on the football field, but I’m a scared little baby when it comes to telling this girl the truth.

PhoenixFireBird: I’m waiting.

I swallow again.

LiamC: Nothing, just that I’m glad we’re gaming together.

PhoenixFireBird: You bet. So invite me to a game already!

All my fears and doubts fly out the window as we take down zombies.