each side of the fence
By:
Ella ( [email protected] )
Chapter Nine
Brian
looked away, having caught the girl’s eye again. But this time he didn’t
feel too bad – SHE was the one looking at him first. Ha! He shut the front
door behind him, not allowing himself to look out in her direction again. It was
really weird. Brian wasn’t quite sure why they felt so awkward – well, why
HE felt so awkward about catching her eye. He should’ve just waved and said
“hi” instead of blushing and turning away.
“Brian! Mecca’s that way!” said AJ, pointing up the stairs.
“What?” said Brian, waking up from his thoughts and finding himself leaning
on the door as though he were worshipping it. He frowned. What the hell was AJ
talking about?
AJ tutted. “Durr! I mean, like, you know Muslims, yeah? They pray all in one
direction towards Mecca…” he trailed off, thinking Brian would get the
point. But he didn’t.
“What?” he repeated dumbly.
“YOU – LOOKED – LIKE – YOU – WERE – PRAYING – TO – THE – DOOR!”
AJ spelt out bluntly. Brian smiled.
“Ah, no. I was just … um …”
“You were just perving at that girl outside,” cut in AJ. “How rude! We all
come and pay you a visit because we ain’t seen you for so long and there you
are ignoring us!”
Brian shook his head, as AJ winked seductively. “No…”
“I’m kidding!” said AJ. “No need to look so guilty! Anyway, who is she?”
he asked, motioning towards the door.
Brian shrugged. “ I have no idea…well, I mean, I have an idea. I think
she’s moving in next door.”
“Yeah, hence the large van outside saying ‘Removals’ across it?” said AJ
sarcastically. “C’mon – let’s go sit in the garden and chill.”
Brian nodded, following AJ through the hallway and into the garden where Kev,
Howie, Nick and Ben were already making themselves home. It was a boiling hot
day, so they were sat around the plastic garden table. Mounds of drinks were
heaped in the centre.
He took a chair next to Nick, who was fascinated by one of Ben’s McDonald’s
toys. He was leaning over it, pulling it over his hand and giving it an acute
examination.
“These toys are pretty complex,” he said. “You see, the forward motion of
the wheel is enough to make that little guy's head rotate in a ninety degree
angle,” Nick rambled. Brian pretended to look interested, nodding and smiling
every couple of seconds or two. Of course, Nick was oblivious to this.
Kevin rescued him. “So what’s with all the chaos outside?”
Nick looked up, hearing one of his nicknames. AJ smacked him around the head.
“Nick – go back to your little toy!” AJ laughed.
Brian allowed himself to smile. Nick really was the coolest – a total spaced
out chappie, but a lotta fun too. “Uh…I think she’s moving in,” he told
them, reaching for a beer.
“Yeah - and Brian fancies the pants off her!” grinned AJ.
“Yo thanks AJ! But, actually, I do not! I’ve never spoken to her,” said
Brian, poking AJ.
“Ow!” he cried, pouting. “Only because you’d dribble over her if you
tried! You know you fancy her!”
Brian blushed. AJ had such an annoying habit of always getting things right. “Whatever!”
he muttered, hearing a sound from next door’s garden. He leaned forward,
looking over to the other side of the fence…