The Best Neighbor - Day 22 (Patreon)

I'm not sure how well this will go over but this chapter actually doesn't have any sex in it. Or anything overtly sexual like the first. Hopefully the content remains interesting enough without that element but I'd understand if this winds up being less that favorably received given what my Patreon is about lol.

The sun had finally drifted close enough to the horizon for it's scorching heat to start diminishing as the surrounding buildings blocked it. Which meant the barbecue Mark Keller had been throwing for the last hour or so could finally spill into the backyard without issue. Nearly everyone in a two block radius had been invited and while some hadn't been able to attend most had eagerly come around. The Kellers might not have been the most interesting of hosts but they were nice people and they made some of the best barbecue the neighborhood had ever seen. They could've been the most boring human beings to have ever lived and there'd still be at least a dozen people eagerly awaiting whatever mouth watering assortment of meats were prepared. Although in keeping with tradition while the family hosting prepared the main course everyone else brought their own side dishes or desserts. There was only one rule: don't buy it from the store. 

This was a rule everyone was so familiar with none of them had mentioned it Anna when telling her about the get together. So when five o'clock rolled around she showed up with a massive plate of cookies fresh from her favorite little bakery in LA with no idea she was committing a cardinal sin among neighborhood gatherings. Arriving not long after people started actively spending time in the backyard thanks to a combination of work and traffic Anna approached the side gate but paused upon reaching it. While she'd certainly grown close to a few of her neighbors, and really close to others, it still felt a bit presumptuous to just walk into their yard like an annoying comic relief character in a sitcom. After a couple seconds of deliberation she made her way to the front door and gave it a good hard knock. Maybe five seconds passed before it suddenly swung open and she was greeted by a slightly bemused, then delighted Beatrice. 

“I almost didn't hear you knock!” She exclaimed once they'd given their usual greetings, “Why didn't you just go through the side gate?”

“I wasn't sure if I should leave these cookies inside.” Anna said. While she wasn't a fan of lying she didn't want to admit the real reason for her hesitation and risk hurting Beatrice's feelings, “It made sense to just come through the front and leave them inside just in case.”

“Oh, I guess that makes sense. But next time don't worry about that sort of thing. Just join the party!”

“Sure thing.”

The two women made their way through the house and in the short time it took them to approach the sounds of laughter and distinctly non threatening rock music Beatrice couldn't help herself, “Where you working?”

“Mmhmmm. A threesome video. I get adopted by a couple and I end up sleeping with both of them.”

“Oh my! That's so perverted!”

“Yes it is.” Anna laughed, “You're gonna love it.”

Beatrice smiled at her with a flush in her cheeks and a small grin spread across her face. As they stepped into the kitchen their conversation understandably took a different tact, “These cookies look amazing Anna!”

“Thank you! The bakery I got them from makes the most amazing—”

“Bakery?”

Anna heard the surprised tone before she registered the expression on Beatrice's face. It was mirrored on a couple more faces as people overheard their conversation and turned towards them. “Yes? Is that a problem?”

“D-did nobody tell you?”

“About what?”

Beatrice immediately turned a deep crimson and she covered her mouth like she'd just discovered some horrifying secret, “Oh my God I'm so sorry!”

Unable to help herself Anna laughed at the absurdity of the situation and asked, “What are you apologizing for?”

“We don't bring store bought goods to neighborhood parties.” Her host said, leaning in conspiratorially as she spoke, “You're supposed to make it yourself!”

“Is that right? I guess Joy forgot to mention that when she was inviting me.”

“I didn't mention it either!” Beatrice exclaimed with the tone of someone who'd just cost a person their life.

“Relax Bee.” Anna said with another laugh, “If anyone asks I'll just apologize and tell them I didn't know about the rule.”

“Are you sure? You don't have to shoulder that burden alone I can—”

“It'll be fine.” She replied, setting down the cookies on the island and removing the plastic film keeping them fresh, “Sometimes a woman just has to fight her own battles.”

“All right.” Beatrice nodded. It was readily apparent she hadn't picked up on the sardonic nature of Anna's comment which only made the whole thing more amusing, “I'm really soory!”

“Don't worry about it. Let's just eat some barbecue and drink a few beers.”

“A-all right.” 

Anna patted her friend on the shoulder and after a few seconds Beatrice's worried expression lessened considerably and she managed to crack a smile. Both of them collected a beer from the well stock fridge before stepping onto the patio to mingle with the rest of the neighbors. Within a minute or two they were pulled in separate directions as the duties of host and the lack of duties as a guest quickly made themselves apparent. While her adorably neurotic companion scurried off to talk with her husband and ask everyone if they needed anything Anna simply wandered around chatting with those she happened to pass by. She knew pretty much everyone at the party, at least in passing, with some obviously being a bit more familiar than others. Upon spotting Joy talking with an elderly woman she only knew as Mrs. Greenberg she made her way towards the pair just in time to hear them discussing how to keep rosebushes alive during a drought. Although she definitely didn't have anything to add to that discussion she eagerly jumped in the moment something she knew about came up.

After a few minutes Mrs. Greenberg left the conversation by announcing she had to 'paint the toilet' and Anna was left alone with Joy, “How do you like your first neighborhood party?” The older woman asked.

“It's pretty fun. I like how mellow it is.” Anna replied, “There was almost a disaster with the cookies though.”

“Why? Did someone forget to bring gluten free ones for Tracey and Morgan?”

“No. Well maybe, I don't know. The disaster I'm talking about was me buying a tray of cookies from a bakery.”

“Oh my God!” Joy exclaimed in an over the top fashion, her eyes going wide and her hand flying up to cover her mouth , “You monster!”

“I know. I don't think I can live with myself.”

“Nor should you!” The two of them shared a little laugh and as soon as she was finished chortling Joy asked, “How did Beatrice react?”

“Oh she freaked out and offered to bear the burden with me.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” Anna laughed, “She's such a sweetheart.”

“She really is. And I'm glad to hear she's relaxing a little.”

“That's her being relaxed?”

“Definitely. If this had happened a few years ago she would've baked at least a dozen cookies for you so you'd have something to bring. Or something even harder to predict.”

“Wow. That's . . . I want to say hilarious but it honestly makes me a little sad.”

“I know what you mean.” Joy commented, “She's absolutely making headway with that though.”

“Well that's good.”

“Mmhmmm.”

The conversation quickly shifted away from their peculiar but sweet hostess and towards other topics until Joy was literally called away by her phone. Anna left her companion to her privacy and wandered the party, idly exchanging pleasantries with the people she passed by. At one point she happened across her hunky neighbor Clark, though she jokingly called him Superman when they hooked up, and talked to him for a time. She could tell he was still nervous about having an actual conversation which never failed to amuse her given how effortlessly he did all the perverted things they enjoyed when alone. It was enormously amusing to watch him stammer through his words, blush deep red, and barely make eye contact when just a few days prior he'd roughly grabbed the back of her head and cum all over her face and tits. The juxtaposition was as silly as it was delightful.

Anna spent a few minutes flirting with Clark and enjoying his awkward attempts to respond in kind but after a while she decided to take mercy on her poor neighbor. Maybe in a few weeks he'd be able to talk to her without blushing and doing an accidental impression of Porky Pig but until then she didn't want to torment him too much. That would just be cruel. She said her goodbyes and flashed him one last sultry smile as she parted, her eyes saying all the things that would, and indeed did, make a man's eyes widen and his jaw drop. With his eyes following her every step of the way she walked towards Mark as he stood at his grill preparing something that smelled delicious. On the way she was stopped by another of her neighbors. He was tall and reasonably attractive with blonde hair and a decent physique beneath the suit he was for some reason wearing. Though she didn't know him too well Anna knew he was new to the area as well. From what she'd heard he'd been around maybe a month longer than her but in that time hadn't exactly socialized with the rest of the block. In more ways than one he was something of an enigma and she saw no reason not to unravel that mystery a little when he approached her.

“Mr. Butler right?” She asked.

“Yeah but you can call me Drew.” He said in a suave voice, “You're Anna West.”

“Yes I am.” Anna gave a little bow, “It's a pleasure to meet you. I don't think we've been properly introduced.”

“No we haven't. I'm usually pretty busy at my law firm so I don't get out much.”

“You work at a law firm? That sounds pretty interesting. Are you a lawyer?”

“I am yeah.”

“Have you tackled any interesting cases?”

“Nothing so far. I'm just kinda doing grunt work for the partners you know?”

“Well I'm sure you'll get to jump on an interesting case sooner or later.”

“Here's hoping!” He took a sip of his beer and Anna noticed it wasn't one of the ones available in the fridge. She was about to ask him where he'd gotten it from when he posed a question of his own, “You're the Anna West right?”

“What do you mean?” She asked, her stomach doing a little flip. While she didn't mind being recognized getting outed at a party wasn't really an ideal way for people to find out.

Drew leaned in a little closer and said, “The pornstar?”

Anna smiled at him and stifled the momentary urge to look around and make sure nobody heard what had just been said, “Yes I'm that Anna West.” 

“Awesome! I almost didn't recognize you with your clothes on!”

“Yeah I get that a lot.” She replied, immediately put off by his oddly derogatory tone.

“I bet. So what are you doing around here? Are you shooting a gangbang or something in one of these houses?”

“Uhm, no? I live in the area.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes.”

“Huh . . .” He seemed genuinely surprised by her response for whatever reason and Anna could already tell where the conversation was headed. “You probably still hook up with a lot of people right? Do you just drive back into the city or have them come out here?”

“That's not really something I feel like talking about.” She replied.

“Why not? Your a pornstar, it's not like that sort of thing is special!”

“I still like my privacy.”

Drew snorted at her response and Anna let her cheerful facade drop entirely. Not that he noticed as he asked, “Have you hooked up with anyone around here yet?”

“No.” Even if it was a flat out lie she didn't like the implication that she would do such a thing exclusively because she was a pornstar, as he seemed to be intimating.

“Right. Don't shit where you eat. That's smart.”

“Yeah. I think I'm gonna—”

“You know I live a block away from here . . .”

“Okay.”

“So if you're ever looking for a quickie I'm right around the corner.”

“I don't think—”

“Hell if one guy isn't enough I can call up my law school buddies. I'm sure they'd love a chance to—”

“No thank you.” Her voice was curt and her expression noticeably harder.

“Oh I get it.” Drew nodded, “You gotta get paid first. How much do you cost?”

“I don't cost anything. I'm not—”

“Then what's the big deal? I've seen your videos, you can't get enough!”

“I'm acting in those videos.”

“Nobody's that good of an actor. I can tell.”

“I'm acting in those videos.” She repeated.

Drew looked at her for a few seconds, his smile gradually fading, “I see how it is. You don't have any problem sucking cock on camera but as soon as soon as the tapes stop you're all high and mighty about it!”

“Yeah that's exactly it.” Anna replied, thoroughly done with the conversation and acutely aware of how people were beginning to notice them. “It was nice meeting you.”

She started to turn away only for Drew to grab her wrist and stop her dead in her tracks, “Who do you think you are?”

“I'm the girl who's gonna punch you in the throat if you don't let go.”

Just about everyone Anna was friends with had noticed what was happening and started to make their way over while the rest of the party watched, many people looking on in confusion. “Is that right you wh—”

The rest of his sentence ended in a gurgle as she did exactly what she promised. Her fist collided with his throat and Drew instantly let go of her. Though she didn't punch him nearly as hard as she wanted to the force of her strike was still enough to leave him reeling. A chorus of gasps and whispers filled the air as he dropped to one knee clutching his neck. Anna stared down at him with a deep scowl, more than ready to demonstrate what else she'd learned in her Krav Maga classes. But Drew was far too busy sputtering and gasping to think about touching her again. Meanwhile Joy and Beatrice had reached her while Clark subtly moved behind the incapacitated douchebag and Mark stood between both parties with a confused look on his face.

“What happened?” He questioned.

“Are you all right?” Joy and Beatrice asked in unison.

“He grabbed my wrist. I told him I'd punch him in the throat if he didn't let go. He didn't let go. So I punched him in the throat.” Anna stated.

Everyone looked at her assailant while he coughed and slowly stood up. Both joy and Clark looked about ready to hit him while Beatrice had a worried expression and Mark was strangely calm, “You fucking bitch!” Drew wheezed, “You fucking assaulted me! Everyone here saw it! I'll have you arrested!”

“We didn't see anything except a shithead accosting our friend.” Joy said, stepping in front of drew and glaring at him with an incredible intensity, “And from where I'm standing you got exactly what you deserved.”

“Maybe he wants more?” Clark asked. He folded his arms as Drew looked back at him and the sheer size of his muscles had never been more apparent.

Beatrice moved beside Anna and asked, “Are you okay?”

“I'm fine.” She replied, looking directly at her companion and smiling for a moment,.

“She punched me in the throat!” Drew exclaimed, backing away from Joy and Clark while rubbing his neck, “Who gives a fuck about how she feels! She punched me in the throat!”

“It's time to leave Drew.” Mark finally said. Moving beside his guest and folding his arms in an unexpectedly authoritative way he continued, “You're not welcome here.”

Looking around as if expecting someone to suddenly leap to his defense Drew eventually scoffed and said, “Whatever! This party was shit anyways!” He turned away and started walking towards the gate but stopped and looked back at Anna again, “You'll be hearing from my lawyers pornstar.”

The color drained from her face as her heart skipped a beat. Between how loudly he'd said it and the fact that everyone had been staring at him as he spoke there was no way the entire party hadn't heard what he said. Beatrice let out a little squeak and looked at Anna with a mortified expression. Joy was considerably more restrained but her concern was evident all the same. Clark had a look of realization plastered across his chiseled features while Mark just looked surprised. Everyone slowly turned to look at Anna and for the first time since moving there she didn't feel like a member of the community. Even if that wasn't their intention the way everyone stared at her in the handful of seconds that followed Drew's exit almost made her feel ashamed of her job. All at once she wanted to apologize, defend herself, and leave the party entirely. Instead she just stood there looking at them and waiting for something to happen. Unlike with Drew someone did eventually come to her aid, although they certainly weren't the person she expected.

“Who gives a shit what she does?” Mrs. Greenberg exclaimed, pushing her way through people to stand next to Anna. Slapping a bony yet comforting hand on her shoulder she continued, “Stop staring like she just grew an extra tit! I can think of a thousand jobs worse than a pornstar and there ain't even anything wrong with her bein one! Let's just get back to the fuckin party already, I'm hungry!”

More than a few people laughed and the tension that'd been building noticeably dissipated, “Well said Mrs. Greenberg!” Mark stated soon after, “The food's pretty much ready to go. Let's eat!”

Just about everyone cheered, clapped, or at the very least smiled at that proclamation and turned their attention towards the grills and stoves Mark had setup. A line rather quickly formed as the guests clamored for a chance to eat his amazing barbecue. Still a little dumbstruck by what had happened Anna quietly stepped out of the way and watched her neighbors for a moment. Unsurprisingly Beatrice joined her and even went as far as to give her visibly ruffled companion a hug. 

“Are you okay?” She asked for the third time.

“Yeah . . .” Anna finally said, “Yeah I think I am . . .”

“Good. Nobody's gonna care that your a pornstar.”

“I'm not so sure about that.”

“Well maybe some people will care. But not anybody that's worth being around.”

“Thanks Bee.”

“Of course. Did you want me to get you something to eat?”

“No it's okay, I can get it myself.”

“Are you sure?”

Anna laughed and put a hand on Beatrice's shoulder, “I'm sure. Thanks Bee.”

“Anytime hon.”

Beatrice stepped away to continue fretting over her guests while Mrs. Greenberg approached holding a plate covered in assorted meats, “So you're a pornstar eh?”

“Mmhmmm.”

“You make good money doing that?”

“It's not too bad.”

Mrs. Greenberg nodded and sucked the meat right off a rib, “I used to be a burlesque dancer when I was your age.”

“Really?”

“Yep. I made good money and I punched a lotta assholes. Although I was aiming a lot lower than you did!”

“I bet!” Anna laughed, “I've never done burlesque shows before.”

“You should try it! With an ass and legs like yours you'd be great!” She sucked down another rib and held out her plate, “Have some of the brisket. It's goddamn divine!” Unable to resist the smell clogging her nostrils Anna took a small piece only to be immediately rebuked, “Take more than that girl! No wonder you're so tiny!”

Anna laughed again and ripped off a much larger piece. As she ate what was, without question, the best brisket she'd ever had Joy and Clark joined them. Beatrice wasn't far behind, her arms laden with beer and soft drinks for everyone. The four of them immediately struck up a conversation and nearly all the trepidation Anna had been feeling evaporated. She could still feel people glancing in her direction and more than once she actually caught them doing so but their looks weren't judgmental. Most were simply curious with some feeling notably eager. There was no doubt in her mind she'd be answering a lot of questions in the next few days. Probably a lot of the same questions with plenty of well meaning but entirely uninformed queries sprinkled in too. Some would even inadvertently insult her but Anna had the feeling they wouldn't double down on their assholery like Drew had. And that alone was enough to put a smile on her face and make her feel a whole lot better about the whole thing. When Mark eventually joined them his small nod and smile further added to that feeling.

She was even treated to her first question when she broke away from her friends to get another drink, after refusing Beatrice's many offers of course. “A-Anna?” A timid voice said as she straightened with a new beer in her hand.

Recognizing that quiet tone as Mrs. Blake's voice Anna turned towards her and said, “What's up?”

Although her companion was a foot taller than her and built like a Swedish model everything about her posture and mannerisms betrayed how nervous she was, “I hope it's not too much of a bother but I was wondering if I could ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“You don't have to if you don't want and I don't want to make it seem like I'm assuming but since you're—since you've got experience I thought it would make sense to ask you. But I don't I don't want to be a bother and I don't—”

“Take a breath Mrs. Blake.” Anna chuckled, “What did you want to ask me?” 

“Uhm . . . could you . . . I mean will you . . . uhm . . .” She leaned in close and whispered into Anna's ear, “Could you give me some advice? I wanna surprise my husband for his birthday.”

Mrs. Blake pulled away to see Anna wearing an ear to ear grin, “Absolutely! Let's step inside the house and talk about it. I've got a few ideas I know your husband's gonna love . . .”