One. Two. Three. Four....eight...eleven.
I counted my steps to my neighbour's house. Eleven. We live pretty close. Don't we? I pushed the doorbell unlike mine, it rang. Mom said Mrs. Cox live with her son Ashton, he's an year ahead of me. Surprisingly, in my school. Now, that's a big deal for me. One stupid thing I say or do here goes all around the school. I expected it would be Mrs. Cox to open the door to me but rather it was him, her son I guess since he looked almost my age.
"Hmm...hey, are you? ...I mean, you must be Ivy right? Come on in, we were expecting you."
He had forest green eyes and brown curls hanging all over his forehead. He ran his fingers through the curls and turned to me once we were in.
"I'm sorry I just woke up...if you were thinking about my disgusting look right now."
I couldn't help but smile at the beautiful and cosy house I just stepped into. The living room had the theme of blue and white, I just wished my house was something like this. Suddenly, a thrash pulled me out of my staring position.
"Ashton! What did you break now?" A woman's voice called from upstairs.
"Nothing mom, it's just an empty glass"
It was not. He broke a bottle of red wine over the white curtains.
"Shit, I'm so dead now."
I reached up to him and helped him pick up the glass pieces.
"Thanks..Ivy. Any way I can hide this?"
He asked after we finished cleaning the floor.
"None I can think of."
I couldn't help but laugh at the poor face he made.
"Okay, I guess I couldn't figure what so funny in me right now?"
He gave himself a quick scan from top to bottom. And that made me laugh even more.
"I see, people are having fun without me."
A middle aged woman, Mrs. Cox, came down the stairs and gave me quick hug. She had dirty blonde hair tied up in a messy bun and wore a sweatshirt and grey pants.
"You're a pretty little girl, Ivy-she said shoveling the locks of flicks that fall over my forehead. They were purposely cut out to do so.
"It's been so long since we had a pretty neighbour to invite over. I'm believing your mom's on her way"
Ashton lip synced me to avoid getting Mrs. Cox near the stained curtain.
"Hmm... actually, she got a bit unwell after unpacking and all. I'm sorry from her side."
"Oh, it's not a problem dear. She's not running away anytime soon-"
We walked over to the kitchen.
"I'm guessing you must be hungry, let's eat and then Ash can show you around. Right Ashy?"
"Mom, don't call me that. Not when people are around"
I already started loving Mrs. Cox. It's a busy world where even parents don't have time for their kids and this lady invited us over as if we were more than family to her.
"Mrs. Cox, I wanted to thank you for inviting us."
I handed her the flowers, white lilies mom ordered online for her. I wish I had personally bought them.
"They are lovely, and call me Annie dear"
Annie was surely very religious. We held hands and said our prayers before eating. And the dinner she cooked was very delicious. It felt like I ate fully after a very long time.
"I think you should take some home for Claire and Mr. Jones."
"If there's something left, I'm sure mom dad will love it"
She just smiled at that and went to the kitchen to pack. I cleared the table with Ashton.
"Don't you think you might someday die of starving?"
"I've been surviving for 17 years now, so nope. That's not an issue"
"Don't you think you are delusional about that?"
"Don't you think you talk too much?"
"Don't you think you talk too less?"
"Shut up."
He just shook his head at me and I arched an eyebrow in reply. It was seven by the time we were done with our desserts and then Ashton offered me a ride in the neighborhood.
He must've waved atleast to a dozen of people on his way even from inside the car. Carly is a small town right next to Manhattan. It's just a 30 minutes drive away yet there's no sign of it's closeness. Aa far aI could perceive, it's a friendly town. Far too better than New York.
"You takethe bus to school?"
Ashton drove me out of my trance as I was staring at passing neighborhood.
"I haven't enrolled for it yet, today was my first day"
"Oh, how was it?"
"As it should be. Nothing out of the normal"
"Meaning."
"Shitty. I had an argument with this Leila senior. And for no reason I'm known as 'the new girl who fought with Leila Brighton' "
"Holy shit! That was you"
He pressed the breaks so hard that my forehead almost smashed at the dashboard. I thought he was different than others. Not the one who's quick to judge and shit. But the reaction proved me wrong.
"You called her a cunt. Do you know who she is?"
"Yeah, basically exactly what I called her"
"She's the principal's daughter Ivy"
"She called me a slut first. Eye for an eye"
"I like it"
"What?"
"Never mind. What else"
He hit the gas and we were headed back.
"I got invited for a birthday bash Tommorow. He's from your batch, Jayden..hmm...I don't know maybe Acton?"
"Yeah. Wait what? Jayden, like the dirty- blonde body -builder Jayden"
"Yeah, he fits the description."
"And you're going? I'm coming too."
I wasn't planning to go. Never been the party kind. But I guess it's the year for changes. Plus, Ashton will be there too. So I said yes.
As we reached back he walked me to my house. Ya, just those eleven steps as if I'll get kidnapped on the way or something.
"A gentleman always walks the lonely girl home safe. Bye."
That's what he said. I think he's a nice person. Just like Annie.
TO BE CONTINUED...