Big Man Next Door

Tossing my phone onto the table, I lay my head back and close my eyes, when I hear a loud knock on my door. Flipping my head up, I stand slowly, walking to the door, and looking through the peephole.

Ian. . .

Pulling the door partially open, I hold the handle in my hand as I block the doorway. “What's up?” I ask. My voice wavers slightly as the nerves start to get to me. I'm angry, but I'm also excited.

Smiling, he pulls his phone from his pocket and looks at me. “Obsessed much?”

I hug myself protectively and lean against the door frame. “Screw you, I'm a concerned neighbor, that's it.”

“Right,” he says, tucking his phone back in his pocket. The light from the hall catches his face. He has a swollen, cut lip, and a black eye. The upper part of his cheek is slightly puffy, and there are faint scratches on the side of his face.

“Holy shit,” I say, reaching out my arm, I grab his chin and force his face up to the light. “What the hell happened to you?”

“It's nothing, I'm fine.” Pulling his jaw free, he takes a small step back.

“Fine? You have a busted lip and a black eye. What the hell did you do last night?”

“Forget it, I'm fine. Really, it's nothing.” Rubbing the back of his neck, he lets out a heavy breath. “Do you want to go get dinner with me?”

He's avoiding telling me what happened to him. He's shifty, uneasy about me asking altogether.

“I still owe you a dinner. I can cook—”

“No, let's go out. I know a decent place not far from here. We can walk it's so close.”

“I don't know.”

Ian smiles, holding out his arms. “Come on, I was a bit of an asshole, let me buy you dinner.” Placing a hand on his chest, he drops his head slightly. “I'll be on my best behavior, I promise.”

“Is this your apology for last night?”

“Take it however you want. But I'm starving, I haven't eaten all day. So, I'm going to go grab food, you're welcome to come with me if you'd like.” Ian starts to back away from my door and head for the stairs. “I'd really like you to come, but I can't force you.”

He climbs down the first two steps, and I quickly stop him. “Okay, I'll come. Let me grab a coat and I'll be right out.”

Grabbing the red cardigan off the back of my chair, I throw it over my shoulders and meet him on the steps outside.

“So, where are you taking me?”

“It's a little place called The Den. They have good food, pool, you know, all things bars have.”

Ian starts walking, and I walk with him. He's got his hands in his pockets, his eyes set straight ahead.

“Is your truck broke?”

“No, why do you ask?”

“I don't know, I guess I just figured since your brother brought you home.”

“So you were spying on me again?”

“What? No, no, I wasn't spying. I was working—”

“I'm kidding,” he says, cutting me off. “You're not the only person around here to pay attention to their neighbors.” He looks over at me and gives me a cute little smirk. “I heard that song you've been working on, and it sounds really good.”

“Meh, it's not ready yet. The foundation is there, but it's not what I want.”

“Well, it's good, it's really good.”

“Thanks.”

There's an awkward silence that falls between us. I can hear the soles of our shoes on the sidewalk, and his breathing as he inhales deep breaths. I can hear the sound of a train whistle in the distance, and a car alarm going off somewhere in the city. It's the type of silence you want to fill, but you just don't know how.

“So, you said you're from Georgia?” he asks, with a hint trepidation in his voice.

“Yeah, a little town most people have never heard of. It's nothing special, your typical small town. Everyone knows you, they know all your business, all your family, and so on.” Rolling my hand in the air, I giggle. “I never got away with anything, that's for sure. There was always someone around to rat on me to my parents.”

“That sucks.”

“It could have been worse.” Kicking a small pebble, it rattles off the sidewalk and into the street. There's that silence again. Awkward. Uncomfortable. “You grew up here, right?” I ask, doing my best to fill it.

“Yeah, that's basically it. No fancy story here. I was just a normal kid, who did normal things.”

“That says a lot.” Smirking, he glances over at me briefly, then looks down at his feet.

“There isn't much to say. Unless you want to hear about all the crazy shit my brother and I did and got away with. A luxury you never had.” Chuckling, he smiles back.

“Please, I'd love to hear them.”