My Quarterback Neighbour: Chapter 1

The Boy Next Door Has a Secret

The first thing I noticed about my new neighbourhood was the silence. Not the peaceful kind—the kind that feels like everyone’s watching you, whispering about the new girl who doesn’t belong. My mom and I moved into a small duplex after the divorce, and next door, the Donovans, the perfect family, lived with their golden boy, Ethan.

Ethan Donovan. Star quarterback, future prom king, and apparently, my new neighbor.

I first saw him while unpacking boxes. He jogged past, shirtless, earbuds in, looking like he belonged in a Gatorade commercial. When he stopped and waved, I barely managed a nod before ducking behind a box of books.

Later that night, I was writing in my journal when I heard raised voices through the thin walls.

“I’m not doing it anymore, Dad! You can’t make me!” Ethan’s voice was sharp, angry.

His dad’s reply was muffled, but I caught the words “your future” and “scholarship.” Then a door slammed, and the shouting stopped.

I couldn’t help myself. I crept to my window, and there he was, pacing in the backyard, running his hands through his hair. He looked… different. Not the confident athlete everyone seemed to adore, but someone carrying the weight of the world.

That was the moment I knew Ethan Donovan wasn’t just the golden boy next door. He had secrets, and I wanted to know them.

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