The Boy Next Door

I began writing The Boy Next Door decades ago. At first, I attempted to write the story closely to what happened in real life. Slowly, I began to move away from that strategy. Currently, in what will be my last attempt, I have now written a completely fictional book. It has worked out well.

The Boy Next Door tells the story of a young man named Don Hathawy who is attempting to deal with the death of his father. His father is killed fighting a fire when Don is 17. He is saddened by a paralyzing depression that is taking away all the joy in his life. He withdraws from his mother and his classmates. But there is one person who helps to comfort him.

Alice Roland is in her mid-twenties, and she is Don’s best friend’s sister. Having lost someone herself, she is able to identify with Don. Having learned of Alice’s loss, Don reaches out to her. The two connect on a different level.

Things get complicated. Alice is an English teacher and teaches in his high school. Don ends up in her class during his final semester. It turns out that Alice is best teacher he has ever had. She encourages him to study journalism in college because he does well in class writing assignments. He plays on the high school baseball team, and she gives him tips. (Alice comes from a baseball family as her father played in a handful of major league games.)

Don’s feelings for Alice intensified. On the last day of school, he goes to visit her in her classroom at the end of the day. He tells her about his feelings for her and then kisses her. As he leaves, he wonders what is going to happen with Alice and him. He finds out quickly.

The school year has ended, but Don gets summoned to the principal’s office with his mother and Alice. The principal reveals that she had walked by Alice’s classroom, and that she had seen the kiss. “There is an opening for an English teacher at Pines High School,” the principal said to Alice. “You may teach there. I’ll even write a recommendation for you. But you’re not teaching in my school. Is that clear?”

Don cusses in protest, but the principal’s decision stands. Alice leaves the room in tears. Don feels guilty for getting Alice fired. Although he cares for Alice deeply, he will come to realize that a relationship with Alice was not possible. He retreats into isolation again.

From initial impressions, this appears to be a love story between Alice and Don. But the real love story will be between Don and a red-haired beauty named Karen Monroe.

Karen is Don’s first crush in grade school. He shows his affection for her by throwing snowballs at her. Karen shows some spirit by throwing back, but Don is a little league pitcher, and his arm is too strong and accurate for her. She vows she will get even someday.

Don and Karen meet again in college. Things start out with Karen finally beating Don in a snowball fight. She cheated some, but a win is a win.

Unfortunately, the relationship doesn’t last. They are both heartbroken. They still care for each other deeply but cannot find their way back to each other. Don falls back into one more depression.

The second half of the story picks up when Don is in his mid-twenties, and he is working as a reporter for a small paper in the same town where Alice went to get her new teaching job.
He is surprised to find that Alice had become a published novel writer. Her book is entitled The Boy Next Door. It is a story of a relationship between an older woman and younger man.

Without reading it, Don knows it is based on his relationship with Alice. He is curious how she handles the story.

A book signing is arranged, and Alice will appear at an independent bookstore in town. Don is covering the event.

Despite Alice showing up with a man named Nathan, Don is glad to see Alice. Many times signings don’t sell much, but Alice signs 75 books. She has become a local celebrity.

Alice’s book gains attention, and it becomes controversial. Some don’t like the storyline of older woman-younger man relationship. A local group wants the book banned from the high school library. Don covers this local story and must be careful to maintain his journalistic objectivity.
Meanwhile, who comes to work at the newspaper? Don’s past love, Karen Monroe.

Alice tells Don that she thinks one reason Karen had applied for the newspaper job was to be near him. He has a hard time believing that as the two don’t get along so well in the beginning.

Don and Karen go out to dinner in an attempt to make peace. They do come to some understandings. In response to one compliment from Don, Karen says, “Thank you, Don. That is the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

Don walks Karen to her car. Things begin to get intimate, but Karen backs away, saying she’s not ready yet. Don walks away confused.

To Don’s slight surprise, Karen approaches him and asks for another dinner date. Don tells her he could not love anyone else as he loves her. Karen responds by saying she loves him.

Meanwhile, Alice’s book is banned from her high school and she resigns effective the next school year. Where is her next job? Back to the school where she was fired. That school believes her book belongs in that library.

Although Alice and Don go separate ways, they will always be connected. Their grief connects them, and they will comfort each other when they feel the need. Their mates will just have to understand, and, in time, they do.