Love The Guy Next DoorChapter 1 Senior Year Student
The moment the graduation ceremony ended, I dragged my last bit of luggage to my new place in this city.
I rented an apartment from Elise Lambert, the landlady. She owned the entire floor.
The northernmost apartment was the smallest. Even after it was renovated, no one had lived in it.
To avoid wasting the space, Elise listed it online. I happened to come across it.
In Fleador, where space is at a premium, it was tough to find a conveniently located, affordable apartment.
I was lucky to find a kind landlady who made me feel very welcome.
I had lived here for over six months without any issues. Elise would even bring me fruit from time to time. She was definitely one of Doskoustein's top ten landlords!
One day, Elise suddenly called me.
She explained that she had to go on a business trip, which was supposed to be three days but had now extended to a week.
She was worried her son might sneak out to play while she was gone, so she asked if I could help him with his homework each evening.
Of course, the main goal was to make sure he stayed home.
It wasn't just a favor. Elise offered to waive my rent for a month.
"Leave it to me, Elise," I said excitedly.
My eyes lit up at the thought of free rent. Of course I agreed.
But after hanging up, I started to worry. My work schedule was totally different from a senior year student's. I hadn't met Elise's son. I didn't know if he would be easy to get along with. Teenagers are tricky.
After much thought, I decided to build some rapport with him before bringing up the homework.
Since it was Friday, I figured I'd invite him over for dinner.
After work, I started cooking. I figured he'd be home by the time it was past six. I knocked on the door next door.
I was expecting a typical high school kid. When the door opened, I was stunned.
"Can someone tell me how high school kids are growing up so well? I even had to look up to meet his eyes."
"Who are you?" he asked.
The boy's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
"Hi, Vin, right? I'm your neighbor," I said nervously.
How could a minor have such a strong presence?
"Your mom isn't home this week. She asked me to check in on you. If you haven't eaten yet, you can come over for dinner," I offered.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Alright," he said.
"Then finish your homework first and come over when you're done," I suggested.