Prologue: The Neighbor's Kid

"Isn't that the neighbor's kid?" I heard Grandma ask as I entered the family room with two cups of hot coco. I handed her one and took up the spot on the couch next to her. I looked up at the TV, and Jack McKinnon's face was plastered on it. "It seems he's always in trouble," She muttered.

"Jason Oliver was pronounced dead earlier this morning after two fatal gunshots to the chest." A picture of a man showed up on the screen. Couldn't be older than twenty-five at least. "Jason has been missing for over a week and was found this morning after someone made an anonymous tip about hearing two gunshots near their house just hours before. Three suspects were found and taken into custody just moments ago."

My heart was beating too fast when they showed pictures of the suspects. The only one I knew was Jack and he was labeled the main suspect. "Do you think he did it?" I asked with a small voice.

Grandma sighed. "Only God knows. With that kid, anything's possible."

Jack's been in trouble many times before, just never on such a level. He's been caught with marijuana a few times when he's been pulled over. He's been to jail I know of twice for battery and one more for Grand Theft. And definitely not to sound cliché, but he's the boy your parent's warn you about. The one that's a bad apple.

And it doesn't help when the McKinnon's stay in the spotlight. Atlanta is already a big place, but the McKinnon's make it feel much bigger. Jack wasn't always like this, though. We were possibly friends once. Well, more like acquaintances. He was there and we didn't hate each other. He sat behind me in classes we've shared back in middle school, and he never took a break from pulling on my ponytail and laughing about it.

He acts like he's six, but in reality, he's just a big pain in the ass.

Grandma shifted and changed the channel. "I don't want you anywhere near that house, do you understand me?" She said firmly.

I nodded quickly. "No worries there, Grandma."

"Wasn't he in some of your classes?"

"Uh, yeah. Just a couple during freshman year before I transferred to Paideia."

She let out another sigh. "I remember babysitting Jack during diaper days. I guess you never know with people these days."

The image that left tainted my brain.

Saturday morning I woke up to the sound of several car doors slamming. Thinking the slams were going to stop there, I closed my eyes only for two more car doors to slam. I shoved my covers off of me with a huff and got out of bed. I walked to my window that gave me a perfect view of the McKinnon's.

Jack was being pulled from the back of a police car with handcuffs intact around his wrists. There were two police officers and two men in suits. Also accompanied by Jack's parents.

Last I heard, Jack didn't make bail so that means he would have to stay in jail until his trial. I'm not exactly sure when that is, but I know he shouldn't even be here right now. He should be behind bars. Bars he probably knows all too well.

They disappeared inside the house and I went downstairs. Grandma already made coffee and I poured myself a cup. I was probably going to need at least two more to get me through the rest of the day. I know Lindy is wanting to do some studying today for finals so I'll probably add two more cups of coffee to do that.

I walked into the living room to find my Grandpa reading the paper and my grandma reading a book. "You know Jack's home?" I asked timidly.

Grandma lifted her head from her book. "It's all over the news. House arrest until the trial. And the trial isn't until fall."

"Fall?" I sighed, "That can't be—"

"There's nothing we can do, honey. I've already talked to Marie, she was over here this morning.  She said he shouldn't be a problem. And that doesn't mean run over there and be best friends with him." She was teasing, but I knew she was serious.

"Believe me, you don't have to worry about that."

"I know."

It was two in the morning and Lindy and I were still working on studying. We've gotten pretty far. At least ten pages of notes. And that's a lot for a Saturday. Even if we didn't go to the same school, we shared similar classes. And if she didn't know, I did. And sometimes even if I didn't know something, she did. Always great to have an equally smart best friend.

"Did you hear that?" She whispered.

I turned around in my desk chair to find her sprawled on my bed. "No, I didn't hear anything. Maybe you're just crazy—"

She shushed me and walked to my window. She slowly pulled back a curtain and her brows knitted together in confusion. "Come here," she said softly.

I got out of my chair and walked to the window. "What is he doing?" She asked.

Jack appeared from behind his house, walking across the front and to the other side. Moments later he re appeared on the side, but didn't stop. "It looks like he's walking in circles around his house," Lindy stated. "Going stir crazy already I see."

I didn't want to tell her he's done this before. I always thought it was just because he couldn't sleep. "Or just crazy in general," I mumbled.

When he came back around the house, a beeping sound echoed between our houses and Jack quickly jumped back and hissed out a few curse words. Really colorful.

I closed the curtains and insisted on getting back to work. But all Lindy could talk about was the boy next door on house arrest. She mentioned that it didn't even surprise her and she wondered why it took so long for him to get in real trouble.

His middle name is trouble.

Hopefully this will be the last time Jack is ever mentioned.

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YES a new story and I'm actually really excited for it. I was rewatching revenge and kinda got the idea. Oh and I watched Disturbia for the millionth time and that helped kinda give me inspiration. I really hope you like the story because I do hahaha. And I was watching eye candy and the name Lindy kind of stuck lol.

Please comment with your thoughts? Let me know if I should continue? And of course I appreciate votes as well y'all are amazing. :)

Part roughly edited Nov. 8th, 2015.

Edited again Feb 20th, 2016.