Read The Boy Next Door for Free Online Page B

says, “the second one really bothers me because when Biff comes back to 2015, shouldn’t he return to the   new   2015, instead of the old one? I think if this movie has done one thing, it’s convince me that time travel isn’t really possible because it’s just too damn confusing.”
    “None of this bothered you when you were twelve,” I say.
    “When I was twelve, I thought The ‘Burbs was the greatest movie ever made,” he points out. “People grow. Mature. Realize inconsistencies in time-travel movies.”
    We’re sitting in Jason’s living room, roughly halfway through the Back to the Future trilogy. He’s transferred out of his wheelchair onto the couch next to me and we’re sharing a giant bag of buttered popcorn I just popped in the microwave.
    “All right,” Jason says, grabbing the remote and stopping the movie. “Break time. I need to hear the, um, L.D. on last night’s date.”
    Jason thinks he’s being funny. I grab a handful of popcorn and throw it at him. “Hey!” Jason cries, picking up kernels from his black leather couch. I have no idea what this couch cost, but it’s the most comfortable thing I’ve ever sat on so I think it was a bundle. “Easy on the popcorn flinging. We can have a food fight when we’re at your apartment, okay?”
    “Okay,” I say. “You were right about him. He’s boring.”
    “But?”
    “He’s a gentleman,” I say. “And that’s not such a bad thing.”
    Jason nods. “He’s a good guy. I can vouch for that.”
    “So I guess I’ll give him another chance.”
    Jason smiles. “Good.”
    “And how are things going with you and Melissa?” I can’t help but ask.
    “Oh,” he says and scratches his head till his hair sticks up. “Uh, okay, I guess. More or less.”
    “More or less?”
    Jason gives me a half-smile. “Well, you know. Every relationship has ups and downs.”
    “So this is a down?” I ask, perhaps a little bit too hopefully.
    Jason studies my face. “You really don’t like Melissa, do you?”
    “Hey, she’s the one who doesn’t like me,” I point out.
    This is a point of contention between Jason and me. I know for a fact that Melissa hates me and Jason thinks I’m out of my mind. I have tons of evidence, though. For example, last year she threw a New Year’s Eve party at her huge apartment (she’s an i-banker, like Jason) and invited practically everyone in the city. I didn’t even know about the party until Jason mentioned it casually in conversation and was shocked I wasn’t invited. He said Melissa must have just forgotten, but that doesn’t explain the fact that she barely speaks to me when we’re together, and once, when I put on a little bit of weight, she actually had the nerve to point it out to everyone in the room. Loudly.
    The thing is, I don’t know why she hates me. Melissa doesn’t seem like the kind of person who should be jealous of anyone, especially me. She’s got it over me in every way. She’s got a better job, she’s got tons more money, she’s skinnier, and she’s actually very pretty. Really, if anything, I should be jealous of her. The only thing I can think of is that she’s jealous of my relationship with Jason, but that’s totally crazy, because we are completely platonic friends. Nothing has ever even remotely happened between the two of us, and it never will.
    I get worried though, because if things go to the next level between Melissa and Jason, which is beginning to seem inevitable, I think she’ll try to end our friendship. And I do rely on Jason a lot. He’s the closest friend I’ve got by a mile. I can’t stand the idea of losing him.
    “Melissa likes you,” Jason insists. “Why are you so paranoid?”
    “Please,” I say.
    “You know what we should do?” Jason says. “We should double date. Me and Melissa, and you and Larry. I always just felt like you need to spend more time with Melissa to get to know her better.”
    “Hmm,” I say.
    “Come on, Tasha,” he