a/n:

the rain gently pitter patters on my window as i watch the peculiar, blonde boy outside enjoy it all. i've been - what's the word? observing him for the past few days. the rain has been non stop and i am thankful for that; i get to see him more.

sure, it's sort of creepy for me to do so, but he doesn't seem to notice me or anything else around him besides the rain falling onto his beautiful face. he enjoys it. he loves it. i don't know why. i haven't gotten the courage to actually confront him, but he has seen me. i think he has, anyway. we made eye contact once when he sitting under the tree in his front yard and he even smiled at me, but quickly looked away and continued to enjoy the rain. his smile is beautiful, you could see it from a mile away.

i don't know his name, or his age, or anything about him besides the fact that he only comes outside when it rains. it should weird me out - hell, it should make me want to move.

but it doesn't.

in fact, i love watching him. i know that that's really strange and creepy and stalkerish of me to say/do, but it's the truth. he just goes and sits out there. fully clothed. letting the rain splash onto him. it's sort of...strangely beautiful. there's something about him that makes me want to stay.

i'm pulled away from my thoughts by doorbell being rung. i jolt off my bed and quickly speed walk out of my room and to the door. i look through the little peep hole and see a boy i don't recognize. he's holding an umbrella, due to the rain, and is wearing a big, blue coat.

"who is it?" i shout backing up from the peep hole.

"room service!" i chuckle and decide to open the door, exposing the boy in front of me.

"hi?" i say as i see a green haired boy in front of me, he smiles and his eyes light up when he sees me.

"hi, i'm michael, your, uh, neighbor." he stutters, shuffling his feet as the rain falls onto his umbrella.

"hi, um, did you want to come in?" i ask, opening the door a little more so he can enter. he sends me a quick nod and shuffles his feet on the mat, cleaning his shoes, before entering the house. he closes his umbrella as i shut the door behind him and awkwardly stick my hands down my jean pockets. the boy takes off his blue coat and gives me a questioning look.

"oh." i mutter in realization. i shift awkwardly while grabbing his coat and putting it on the coat rack by the door.

"so..uh, hi!" michael says, shrugging his shoulders, "what's your name?"

"ashton." i say. i smile and study him for a second, or two. he has his fringe dyed green and these beautiful green eyes that kinda just pull you in. he's good looking -- i'll give him that. he's wearing this white sweater, similar to one i have stuffed in one of these damn boxes, and black skinny jeans with some black converse. the sleeves of the sweater barely go over his hands -- just enough to give him some sweater paws. he doesn't look any older than sixteen, to be honest, but the look really suits him.

he puts his right hand out for me to shake, which i do, and he says a polite nice to meet you. i smile at him and say the same. an awkward silence swarms the room and i just stand there and stare at the mitch matched socks on my feet. he coughs rather loudly after a moment and i look up to see him already looking at me.

don't be awkward, ashton.

"so, uh-"

"we're gonna be friends, okay?"

i chuckle at his words and decide 'why the hell not?' i smile at him and mumble an okay. he cracks a smile at that and looks around the house.

"nice house." he says, "real messy though." he chuckles and my cheeks heat up. my eyes widen for a split second and i let out a nervous chuckle as it hits me that this place is actually a fucking pig stye; clothes, shoes, fucking pizza boxes are scattered around the floor. how did i even let it get so messy?

"i, uh-"

"dude, it's cool. my place is literally the same way."

my eyes widen, but i feel a bit of relief wash over me. "how old are you exactly?"

he chuckles, showing off his perfect smile, "i'm eighteen, just moved here about a year ago for personal reasons."

"oh. cool. i'm nineteen." i say as casual as i possibly can. he nods, looking around the house once again.

"so, you wanna sit down?" i ask, then mentally face palm myself because i literally don't have any chairs or a sofa yet. i just have my blow up mattress, a pillow, and a blanket along with some of my clothes and chargers for my laptop and phone -- even though i don't have wifi yet so my laptop is basically useless right now.

"dude, stop being so nervous. i'm literally just your neighbor. calm down." he chuckles.

"right, um, sorry." i nod. i take a few deep breaths and welcome him over to the small living room. he sits down on the floor and crosses his legs. "so are you out here for college? a lot of people move here because of that."

"oh, um, no, actually. i, uh, i dropped out of high school." i chuckle, sitting down beside him.

"oh, hey, dude, me too! dropouts for the win, bro!" he laughs and puts his hand up for me to high five, which i do.

"you are so white it actually hurts." i mumble under my breath as he looks around the living room and grabs an old pizza box and grabbing a piece. "you are also adorably gross." i add. he looks over the piece of pepperoni pizza and shrugs, taking a bite. i cringe because i really don't know how long that's been there, but i also choose not to tell him that.

"so, ashton, have ya seen blondie yet?" he swallows his bite of old pizza and motions over to next door. my breath hitches in my throat and i can feel the excitement in my stomach grow. that boy really does interest me and i really do want to talk about him to someone that isn't myself. maybe i can learn more about him.

"you mean my other neighbor? yeah...do you know him?"

he scoffs and blinks a couple times, "no, thank god." he laughs lightly and sets down his pizza. i feel my hopes of getting to know more about the boy, fall. "once the rain comes and goes, he's gone, man."

i sigh as my shoulders slouch. i don't know what it is about this guy that sparks my interest, but there's just something about him that makes me want to get to know him.

michael sends me a confused look. "is he bothering you?"

"huh? no. not at all. hey, um- do you know his name?"

casual, ashton, so fucking casual.

michael smirks and nods, leaning back onto the carpet and sighing. the room is starting to get darker and darker by the minute, considering it's raining and it's about six p.m. "his name is luke." he speaks up after a moment of listening to the rain. i try to keep a smile off my face, but it's physically impossible for me to do so.

luke. such a pretty name.

"do you know anything else about him?" i ask.

michael nods. "'used to go to school together. he was so...so normal, you know? he always smiled, he had tons of friends. but then he just stopped. confused the hell outta everyone."

i frown, but it's quickly replaced by a smile because i'm actually getting to know him. that's what i wanted.

"don't get any ideas, pretty boy, he's straigh, as far as i know." michael blurts. i can feel my heart beat start to quicken and my palms start to sweat. no no no, not now, ashton. don't do it now.

"i- i-" my eyes start to water and i can feel my hands start to shake. not now, please not now.

"hey, hey it's okay." michael coos as he scoots next to me, "i'm gay, too." he shrugs. my eyebrows furrow in confusion. i feel a bit of relief wash over me as he looks at me with a comforting look.

"you- you are?"

he smiles brightly, "mhm. i even have a boyfriend." he says with such confidence it almost makes me jealous. i wipe some of my tears that slipped passed my eyes away and sniffle, but the small smile on my face does nothing but grow.

"oh, my god. thank you, jesus." i say, the smile on my face growing when i hear him giggle beside me. he pushes my arm playfully as i pretend to pray. i laugh and he moves back to his original place; next to the pizza box.

after our little laughter fit is done and over with, i get to thinking. how did he know?

"hey, michael?"

he looks up from his phone, which is the only light in the room, "yeah?"

"how did you- how did you know?"

he chuckles, clicking off his phone, leaving the room very dim, "i'm like a gay superman, i'm fucking amazing."

i snort at that but don't say anything else.

"well, i'm gonna go." michael says. i nod and quickly walk into the small kitchen to turn on basically the only light i have at the moment. i walk back out and to the front door. michael puts on his blue coat and sends me a quick smile. "here's my number. i'll probably be over tomorrow. meaning i will definitely be over tomorrow whether you want me here or not, bye." he hands me a small paper and he quickly scurries away.

i smile at the fact that i kind of have a friend in the neighborhood now. i shudder as i feel a rush of cold air run past me as i shut the door, making sure to lock it. i let out a huff, but can't keep a small smile off my face. i know his name.

"luke." i smile to myself, "such a pretty name."

+

a/n: