A Certain Taste

Chapter One

Neighborly

Thick, heavy blankets were draped over the windows in the bedroom, keeping the outside light exactly that. If only they worked as well for noises as they did for luminescence. The room's only occupant groaned, crawling out from her cuccoon of blankets, sheets, and pillows on the bed. Someone had some sort of truck outside, and it'd been backing up for what had to have been two hours now. Every time it did, it let out an ear-piercing beep. Megan ignored it at first, digging her head further under her pillow and hoping it would stop. When it didn't quiet down, and Megan was more awake than ever, she decided to emit loud curses each time she heard it. Finally she threw the covers off and stomped over to the window, peeking out from behind the house next door had been bought a couple days ago, and it seemed the new tennant was settling in.

Wonderful.

So he decided to do this shit at six thirty at night? Didn't he know people were trying to sleep?

"Rude, brah," she said to herself as she stared out the window. "Rude."

Her mother's Ford Fiesta pulled up in front of the house, and Megan proceeded to watch her mother slam the door, and start to berate the new neighbor. From the looks of things, his annoying truck was blocking their driveway. Megan waited for her mother's arms to start flailing, a token sign that she was cussing someone out, but it never came. Instead she just simply walked back to her car and got in; and within seconds the truck was being moved.

Well. A rare occurence that Marissa Tyler didn't have to cuss anyone out to get something done. Megan cocked her head a little, keeping an eye on the new neighbor as her mother pulled into the garage of their house. He was easier on the eyes than last guy that'd lived in that house, at least. A bit pale though.

"Get some sun, guy, like seriously," she said. With that, she stepped away from the window and walked across her room to her dresser, turning on the lamp located next to a collection of textbooks. She opened her drawers and pulled out some clothes, changing out of her pajamas. Opening the door to her room, she snagged the hair tie that was hanging around the knob. She walked down the hall, pulling her dark hair back into a low ponytail as she headed to the stairs. Glancing over the banister as her mother entered, she watched her throw her keys and briefcase onto the table by the coat rack. Megan rounded the corner at the top of the stairs, starting down them one at a time. Almost slowly, even. Her mother looked up, hazel eyes loking into a darker brown.

"I suppose you're just waking up?" Marissa asked, putting a hand on her hip.

"Sure," Megan said, hitting the bottom step. Marissa narrowed her eyes a little as Megan shoved past her and sauntered in the direction of the kitchen.

"What have I told you about your sleep schedule?" Marissa snapped, following behind her dark haired spawn. "It's like I'm living with a vampire or something!"

"Really?" Megan asked, frowning and turning to look at her mother over her shoulder. "The vampire thing again?"

"You're missing the point!" Marissa all but shrieked, crossing her arms and standing in the entrance to the kitchen. Megan snorted, laughing to herself a little as she opened the fridge and pulled out a protein shake.

"No, I get the 'point', I just don't really care," she replied, shutting the fridge and grabbing a banana from the basket on the counter. She cracked open the banana and took a bite, raising an eyebrow at her mother, who was just standing there glaring at her.

"I don't have time for this!" Marissa snapped, throwing her hands up and storming down the hallway to her office. The sound of a door slamming shut, that wasn't being slammed by Megan herself was all too satisfying to hear.

Megan smirked to herself, opening the shake and taking a sip. She finished the banana and tossed the peel in the garbage, heading back up the stairs and to her allocated section of the house. She locked her bedroom door behind her, walking past her bed and the window and opening the other door that led into her own little 'office'. She shut that behind her as well, taking another sip of the chocolate-flavored drink before setting it down on the desk. She turned her computer on and then flicked the overhead light on before turning to her bookshelf and picking out a few needed ones; setting them next to the drink on the desk. She pulled the chair out and sat down, cracking her kuckles as the machine in front of her booted up. Once it was ready to go, she set about opening word files, internet browsers, and breaking open books to rifle through the pages. She still had almost a whole course of work due in two weeks, and she was cutting it close.

It was nothing she couldn't handle.

Two hours seemed to just dissipate into nothing as Megan dived into her studies. She was just finishing up another section on a thesis when a knock at the outer door caught her attention. She paused what she was doing, turning in the chair slightly to listen. Marissa informed her that her father was staying at the office over night, and that she was going to bed.

"And don't stay up all night!" Marissa added. Megan listened as her footsteps died down at the other end of the house, and then turned back to her computer and books.

Another hour and a half passed before she decided to give herself a break from school work. Megan stood up from her chair and stretched, throwing her arms up over her head. She opened the door to her workspace and headed back into her bedroom, searching for a pair of shoes. Finding a pair of boots, she slipped her feet into them, sitting on her bed to lace them up. She pulled the blanket back from the window, peeking outside again. She noticed work lights on in the new neighbors back yard, and a dumpster sitting in his driveway.

"Weird," she said, watching as he walked out of his garage with a wheelbarrel full of concrete, taking it up and emptying it in the dumpster.

Neighbor seemed to be a bit of an oddball. She was trying to build a profile for him, but thus far she didn't know much. It never helped anything to try and fill in the blanks when you had nothing to go on. Well, then, why not go get some more information?

She finished lacing her boots up and sprang off the bed, leaving her room and heading down the stairs. She walked through the kitchen, stopping by the fridge for another protein shake, and exited via the back sliding glass door. She stopped on the patio, turning the light on and shaking the drink up a little. She cast a glance up at the sky, giving the moon a small smile before walking across the yard and perching on the low brick wall that served as the property division line. She took a sip of the drink, watching as the mysterious neighbor came out of his garage again. He caught notice of her as he emptied the wheelbarrel again, stepping back down from the dumpster and setting the item down.

"Can I help you?" he asked, pulling a pair of leather work gloves off his hands.

"Sup," Megan said, offering a wiggle of her fingers holding the drink as a wave. "Just noticing you moving in, thought I'd come over and say hi."

He gave her a small smile, walking a bit closer to her.

"Oh, well, hi," he said.

"I saw you met my mother earlier," she said.

"Yeah, I did." He cast a glance over at the Tyler house before turning his dark eyes back on her. "She's a... piece of work."

"Nice save," Megan said, nodding her head. She slid off the wall, taking another sip of the shake before putting the cap back on and walking over to him. She held out her hand for a handshake, looking up at him. "Name's Megan. Welcome to Springfield."

He gave her another smile, accepting her handshake.

"Jerry. Jerry Dandrige."

A/N: I don't even. All I know is I watched Fright Night and then regurgitated this two days later. Chapter Two should be done by like, Wednesday at the latest. Probably earlier. But don't hold me to that. Reviews are always appreciated.