The Player Next Door

When I first wrote Chapter 1, this story came to life in a way I didn't imagine. Partly because I had no idea if I would last 10 chapters. But, here we are with a finished book *pats self on back* that you may or may not enjoy... only time will tell ;)

Also, thank you. I'm taking a chance on this and I am grateful you're taking a chance on me <

01: Every Last Drop

Women can fake an orgasm, but men can fake an entire relationship.6.3K

Ask my ex.

He got tired of waiting and moved on to a sure thing. Kelly I-smile-at-everything Mathers. It's OK. It only feels like open heart surgery, but that's yesterday's news.

Luke Dawson is the real news around here. Yes, I changed the conversation.

Seriously though, Luke Dawson is what everybody talks about. Star athlete and sex dream material. His washboard abs make you want to rip every T-shirt in sight, just so he'd have nothing to wear.

He's hot.

Ice cream weather hot. The kind where you'd lick every drop.

Too far? I thought so too before I saw him. And I see him a lot because he lives on my street. Life can throw you a bone like that from time to time.

I peeked out of my bedroom window at Luke now. He was walking up the driveway, gym bag slung across his shoulder. A reincarnation of the sexiest man

"Millie!"

I jumped as my best friend walked into the room, catching me.

"What are you-" Julia came over and saw exactly what I was looking at, "Keep dreaming girl. That boy was made for a different world."

"I know," I sighed, opening my laptop to log in to Netflix.

We were about to re-watch season 3 of TVD. #Delena creates such unrealistic relationship goals and I'm living for it.

"Why would you even have a Netflix account when you have him across the street?" she asked, taking my place at the window, "Can you see his room from here?"

"No," I turned the blinds down before we got any creepier, "Probably for the best."

"Fine," Julia sighed and reluctantly changed subject, "So, are you teaching at that summer camp again?"

"Yeah, I get paid for it. Means I can do fewer hours at the store when school starts," I said.

My family's tight stripped for cash. It doesn't help that my sister has a compulsive shopping habit and my mum is a serial dater. As for my dad? Yeah, your guess is as good as mine.

"Maybe you'll hang out with someone your age this year," Julia joked.

Last summer, I only made friends with the younger kids at camp. People my age tend to ignore me. But truthfully, I could never have predicted what was about to happen. In a matter of weeks, my whole world would be turned upside down, inside out and shaken from side to side. I was a nobody and, don't worry, I still am. But a nobody who knows Luke Dawson is not a nobody at all.

Camp Beaver Hill

A sleepover camp for boys and girls aged 8-13. I never went here growing up, so I didn't exactly have camp cheer, but the job paid. I parked my car behind the administration cabin and walked inside.

"Hi Khloe," I greeted the counselor at the 'greeting desk'.

She was a rising senior at my high school and we were both counselors here last year. We even taught a volleyball session together where I shared my protein bars with her (big sacrifice).

Part 2 to Best Friends With Benefits. 10 years has passed since Naomi and gang all went their separate ways , but still stayed in touch. Just like old times there was...

"Do I know you?" she asked.

I guess that wasn't enough to be memorable.

"I'm Millie Ripley. I'm a camp counselor here too," I said.

"You're checking in. Sure," she pulled out a set of folders and scanned through them, "Oh. Oh my god. Wait, you're Millie?"

She remembered me? "Yeah!" I said happily, "I gave you my protein b-

"You're related to him? Oh my god, I had no idea. Oh my god," she kept repeating the same words, "It's crazy to think he's here this summer."

"Who?"

She got out of her chair and came over to give me a hug, "Nice to meet you. My name's Khloe."

"I know who you-"

"This is a map of the camp. I love your shirt by the way. I can show you around."

"I know my way-"

"And you should totally meet my friends. You'll be looking after the Apple campers and staying with him in the-"

"I'm rooming with a boy?" I asked, shocked.

We weren't supposed to room with the opposite gender. The cabins separated girls from boys.

"Yeah, I know it's unorthodox but we had too many female counselors and since you two are related-"

"Who am I related to?"

Seriously. Please answer one question without creating another. Who is this guy?

And that's when the doors opened and a hot breeze swept into the room. We looked over and, standing in the doorway, in all his confident glory, was Luke Dawson.

"I'm here to check in."

His voice was deep and song. I've never heard him speak before. People tend to speak about him and most admire him from afar, but to hear him up close was a whole new level of... damn.

"You're beautiful," Khloe whispered, starstruck.

"What?" I glanced over at her. Was she ok?

He was checking in while we were checking him out.

"Welcome to Camp Beaver Hill," Khloe tried to collect herself, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Luke Dawson. I still can't believe you're a counselor this summer. We love you. I mean the children love you. I mean the children are going to love you-"

He ignored her, walking over to the front desk. With that attitude, the children are not going to love him.

He saw his folder on the desk. It was the first file in the pile, already open. Khloe had obviously been snooping through his background information before we came in. He gave her an irritated look.

"Where's my room?"

"It's the Apple cabin," Khloe said.

But wait, I'm in the...

Khloe pointed at me, "With her."

Freeze. Rewind. Who saw that coming?!

For the first time since he got here, Luke Dawson's piercing blue eyes landed on me. "And who are you?"

Right now, I wasn't so sure. Partly because Luke's eyes have that effect on people and mostly because the 'me' I know has a really uneventful life. And nothing about this situation was uneventful.

I couldn't answer him because there was only one thought running through my head....

Holy jumping mother of a weasel in a side-car with chocolate spread and a hot cross bun1.

Hey, I didn't say I was normal.

A/N: The comments section in this story cracks me up so much, so you'll have to forgive if I randomly find and respond to a comment you made ages ago.