Tough as Nails

I watch her every morning

~Chase~

The past month I've been sneaking glimpses of the new neighbors, well one neighbor, whenever I could. Every morning I see her loading her two girls in the car, the same time my sister Lindz and I load our bags. Even when I'm not with Lindz on the way to school, I barely get more than 2 minutes with her.

In those few minutes, I learned a lot. It was weird how different those two were. Where she'd go out of her way to say hello, he'd run you over with his truck before he'd wave. She'd apologize for him tryin' to to avoid you. Think he avoided her too.

Maybe that's what happened when you got married? I mean, that's how my older sister Sher and her asshole of a husband were. He'd cuss you out and you'd never know why. Sher was more likely to teach you what you should've done when explaining what you did wrong. Maybe that whole opposites s**t was real?

Her coffee addiction was 'bout as bad as mine, possibly even give Lindz's a run. Her kids were cute. They told Lindz and me all the time how much they loved the mornings with their Mama. One morning, her oldest told my boy Mikey I needed to try fun-fetti pancakes when I couldn't keep from yawning on my way out. She told us when Blake made them, they had a dance party and they made her full of energy so she never got sleepy at school. The next day, she ran over to me before they left and handed Lindz and me banana chocolate pancakes with peanut butter, then ran off. I have to admit, it was way better than the cardboard breakfast bars I ate. Little things like that made me smile and remember when I was their age.

Those little gifts... Like last week when I start to see her on my way to the ball field I make it my personal goal to make her smile since she's frowning too much. She's done the same thing the first week she was next door. I needed it too. Jake was an even bigger ass that week. He was going on about something. Sher couldn't even deal with him. So I found everything I could to do outside- mow, wash cars, practice swinging, take the rhino out... and I was that creepy kid watching the pretty neighbor.

I had the perfect view from the window above my desk to see their back deck. I have a problem... I'm creepy. I haven't see her today though. Just printed, I put my History paper in the folder in my book bag for tomorrow. Walking downstairs with my gear bag I hear the annoying, "Chase!!"

"Boy, you better be taking the dog out!"

"I am! Dang!" I yank on the lead and walk to the door where my bother-in-law's monster of a house dog is going between sitting patiently and pacing like I've got a steak hidden behind my back, in between the counter and the back door. Brock, his Bull Mastiff, is like a rhinoceros with a toddler's brain. The dog is super chill for a big dog, but clumsy as hell. Gets hyper and playful too. Like now, seeing that someone is getting off their lazy asses to take him out. His little dance to go outside just caused two more pieces of mail to fly from the counter to the floor.

"Don't get smart with me, boy! Told you three times to take him out. You don't want your sister comin' home to a shitty mess, do ya?" Jake hollers again down the kitchen stairwell.

"Jake, I got it! Chill! I was finishing my paper before I gotta leave for practice!" I yell back up the stairs.

Looking down to the mail mess on the floor, I sigh leaning down to click the lead in place on the harness, one hand grabbing the mess mail in the other. "C'mon boy. Think I need to go out as bad as you."

Brock huffs. Opening the door, hearing my fat ass brother-in-law panting as he stomps down the stairs yelling and bitching like usual. "Chase, you'd better not be late to practice! Coach is gonna give me hell if you're late again. Hurry ya ass up! I gotta run back to the office and get..."

Brock and I are out before he can go on about whatever the hell he needs to do. It's not like he actually needs to go there- he just wants to kiss ass so he can keep getting his boss's handouts. I think it's golf games this weekend. That might've been last weekend and it's the theater show now. I can't keep up with Jake's latest adventure to impress the town.

God! I cannot wait to get out of here. Away from him. Just a year and two months left.

I take Brock off the back deck, around the corner to the long side yard where his likes to go. Snickering, I think how the vent will pickup the smell just in time for Jake to walk-in the laundry room. When we back around the corner, I unclick the lead so the rhino can go sniff trees or his ass at least 15 feet away from me.

I take a breath, running through everything in my bag already. The other worksheet I need to finish. Make print my paper before tomorrow- wait already printed it. I gotta bring both bags!

That's when I hear the neighbor's truck doors slam and his bitching. Seems like that's all he does, but hey, not like our house does much better.

"Damn it, Blake! I told you two days ago I had to be there at 4!" I hear him stomping up their deck grumbling on about priorities, getting her s**t together.

Then she climbs down opening the back of the cab. Probably getting their girls out. "Travis, I'm sorry! It's not like I told my car to get a flat on the way to school! What was I supposed to do? Call my dad and have him come help me or the girls? Last time I did that, you were pissed I didn't call you even though you were busy with inventory or something. Make up your mind, would ya!"

He slams their back door. She looks up to the sky, taking a deep breath before she starts getting her two girls out the back. Dude is a straight ass to her. I hope he's not like that to their kids. That would be s**t. I mean, sounds like s**t luck, s**t timing with the tire, but who knows what set that guy off now. He was bitching when I got home from school. So loud I could hear him outside our front porch, and I don't think anyone else was there.

"C'mon Kena, grab your lunch bag. Gracie, why did you take your folders out before we got home? Baby girl, please hurry up and put it back in your bag. We need to get you out of daddy's truck so he can go back to work."

Her older daughter shouts she has it as she hops down, patting her skirt before running inside. Her younger daughter is still stuffing papers in the bag and looks up smiles at Brock whose now making a high speed circle growling and nipping at his own damn tail.

"Brock, you're so silly! Chase, you better make him stop or he's gonna bite his tail and hurt himself. Tell Chase, Mommy. When Dax catches his tail, he whines forever!"

I smirk. Gracie's a smart kid. I meet her mom's eyes. She hot. She's like a super classy and a much prettier Stiffler's mom kind of hot, but not like movie hot, but she's something. She's a little on heavy side. She had two kids, but she's an older, very curvy kid of hott. And I did get a nice view of those curves when she messed with her flowers or the yard. Like I said, I've been stealing glances at her every chance I get.

When she gets dolled up, or hell in yard clothes, she's got a nice body. Her face is nice too, she doesn't need much make up like the girls my age think they do. Bet she was hott ASF when she was my age. I know she's not as old as my older sister, but she's close. I think she said she was a few years behind her when they were talking about my niece. She came over with a gift after Sherry came home from the hospital. She said she had her first girl at 22, so I think that makes her about 29?

Still, she is hott and she is cocky.... Wait are women cocky? Confident- she wears this fake mask. Not a real mask, but kind of like when s**t's flying at you and you just smile and keep that chin up. Story of my life.

Her eyes finally meet mine, pleading, maybe even embarrassed for what she knows I heard. Hoping to ease her mind I answer Gracie. "Yeah, but it's funny to watch him try to catch it, isn't that right Blake?"

She laughs. Legit laughs. Damn, I didn't know I was that funny. Her smile warms me on the inside. Hmm, I never felt that tingling before. "Yeah, yeah it is."

Setting Gracie down, she gently pushes her up the walk. She smiles up saying, "Gracie, just get inside. I'll get the rest." 

Turning back to me, as I try not to look like the dork I am for ogling her... again. "Chase, sorry about that. I know-

"No worries. Everyone has s**t days, right? Hope you get it sorted. Sounds like you're gonna have your hands full if you don't. Let me know if you need help with anything, will ya?" Smooth bro- how the hell can I help her?

At least I came out with it. Guess all the blood didn't leave my brain to travel south. Like it's currently doing. I swear, every time I look at her, I'm 13 and my junk wants to wave at every female in a 10 foot radius. I turn towards Brock trying to block what I'm sure my shorts are boasting. It was warm enough to wear shorts, but I should have worn my damn pants over these gym shorts.

"Thanks Chase. I appreciate it, but I got it. Just gotta call my dad and have him either watch the girls or just deal with the whole damn thing, haha. Hey, don't you have ball practice in like 15 minutes?"

"Yeah, just taking the rhino out real fast. Wait, it's 3:45 already?! s**t, C'mon Brock! Blake, seriously, let me know if you need anything. Well when I'm not at practice or-"

Just then the fat ass decides to remind me I'm getting the hell out of this house as soon as I can. "Boy, get your ass in this house! I'm leavin' now so if you're not in my car in 2 minutes, you can just walk your ass to the field. Not like Coach is forkin' up those seats anyways."

"I'll take him, Jake. I've got to be at work at 4:30 anyway." I turn around catching my sister Lindz getting out of our car. Yeah, we share a car. She just got her license over Christmas, so I guess it's what I have to deal with if I don't want to make my older sister mad. It's not a bad car, or a beater, but it's not what Lindz or I would have bought if Sher had asked us. I let Lindz use it mostly. Usually, I snag a ride with one of my boys.

And dang, I didn't even hear Lindz pull up behind us. Guess I was too caught up trying not to embarrass myself or scare the hot neighbor with my junk waving from my shorts.

Jake mouths about not having have time to waste on me. We all watch as he wedges his fat ass in his brand new car, driving down the long drive without saying anything else. I am really starting to get concerned with that fatass. Sher is going to have to start working 12 hour shifts every day now she's back to work to keep up with Jake's spending.

I raise my chin up with a thanks to Lindz. That's all the confirmation she needs to give me the look. That damn, pitiful look that says, Yep, I just saved your ass, again from Jake. You owe me. I'll be cashing in that favor in about...

"Chase, cover for me for about an hour after your practice? I'm gonna see Marcus."

"Yeah." I nod, " just drop the car off at the field when he gets you. I'll finish my homework at the diner." She hustles past me smiling. I barely catch her whisper about she's grabbing my book and gym bag. Something about Brock's crate. She knows I'm too distracted watching Blake's ass bent over the back. Mmm seeing her grabbing her kids' stuff.

The door slams shaking my nasty little thoughts off what I want to do if I didn't have this rhino attached to me or if I didn't need to haul ass to practice. "Blake, I'm out. I'll be in late. Wrap dinner up in the microwave."

She rights herself from his backseat looking all kinds of flushed, glistening. Travis doesn't even look her way and gets in his truck. I nod at her and make my exit. Dragging the rhino up the deck, I hear, "... what the hell was that?"

"What was what, Trav? I think I got all their stuff. If not, I'll get it later. I got to get my car sorted. Will I see you-"

She uses his nickname when she's being cute, or trying to distract him. What the hell was she being cute about?

I made the mistake of looking out the backdoor glass after I got Brock in his crate. Damn, that guy just brushed her off. She just leaned in to kiss you bye, dude and you just keep driving by? That's some sad s**t, and you could've hit her with your truck!

But that wasn't the mistake- No, I'm a damn fool for frowning, pissed at the dude's dangerous brush off. Blake watched him back out the drive without once looking at her. She turned her head and caught me frowning at that ass-hat.

That was my mistake. I saw her mask fall. Her usual, hard to read anything but happy face was not so hard to read at all. It was clear I was not supposed to see her sad, hurt expression with the surprise in her light green eyes. Guess she thought I was frowning at how pitiful she looked because she glared back at me with a look that I'm not gonna lie- scared me for the beating I would receive if I ever mentioned what I saw. That looked rivaled my Ma's, when she was alive.

I quickly nod, hoping the hott neighbor won't slowly kill me in my sleep, pleading my understanding I'm not gonna mention that s**t to anyone.

She slowly nodded back, turning quickly to walk in her house, without a side glance. Damn, I think I my junk just sprung up more than seeing her bent over the seat. My junk decided her in control was hott!

"Jesus Chase! Get your d**k under control! I gotta ride with you!" Lindz groans, shoving my gear and book bag in my arms.

"Ummph! Sorry Lindz. She is just... hott!"

"Yeah, yeah. I swear, you need to get it from your girlfriend soon or I'm gonna be covering for you sneaking next door!"

Now that's a thought...