"So, you live in your world?" He gently asks as he traces his fingertips across the bookcase and stops at one book, in particular. He stands there, his grey eyes shining as he looks down at me. My eyes quickly float to the red apron he is wearing... does he work here?
"May I suggest this one?" He shows it to me, his voice still sounding soft— he speaks quietly.
I stare at him blankly for a short moment and then look down at the book that he is holding in his delicate hands.
I take the book from him and stare at it for a short moment, remembering that I have read it before. I frown and then put it back, "He dies at the end— I'm not a fan of anticlimactic stories," I tell him and then nervously rub the back of my neck, "I probably should go," I say sheepishly. He makes me anxious as he stares down at me, piercing me with his eyes.
"Okay," he looks at me, "Then go," he says so agreeably, as if he wouldn't mind seeing me leave, but oddly enough, his silver eyes are still very fixed on me— it gives me mixed emotions.
I frown, "Oh, watch me," I say in a stern voice and then stomp away— what a jerk. I storm out of the bookstore and bump into something or rather someone, sending me falling flat on the ground, "Ow!" I cry out.
"Oh my gosh, are you okay?" He bends down, looking at me with his soft light brown eyes.
I look at him with large, surprised eyes, "Golden retriever boy!" I exclaim, and he lets out a little laugh.
"I go by Andrew," he says shyly.
"Andrew!" says a voice that's towering over me, "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" He shouts, causing a whole commotion to stir as people begin to look at us.
Andrew helps me up, "I just fell," I say in a confused manner, his eyes immediately throwing themselves at mine, and Andrew's hand still holding mine— as I notice, I quickly retrieve my hand from his.
"Come with me." My neighbor grabs my wrist, sounding strangely urgent.
"No, let go!" I yell at him and yank my arm free.
"What the hell, man?!" Andrew yells at him, "You don't just grab people like that," he scolds.
"If it's to keep her away from pricks like you, then so be it," he says, and I can only now hear his very light English accent.
"The only one that is a prick right now is you," Andrew folds his arms as he pushes his body in between my neighbor and me, somehow protecting me, I guess.
"What the hell is going on here?!" My brother comes storming out of the coffee shop.
"What the hell do you think you're doing with my sister, you weirdos?" My twin brothers appear, and then Max joins them.
"Come here, Lucy," Max says as he holds out his hand for me.
"Lucy." Both my neighbor and Andrew say together as they take note of my name. My neighbor looks at me almost as if he is stunned to hear my name, his lips curl up, and I wonder if he is smiling at me or something else because his grey eyes almost look like they're shining. He then fixes his gaze on me and says my name again.
"Lucy." He parts his lips to utter my name once again, and there and then, my heart contracts as he watches me with his gaze that feels so perfectly heavenly. I'm intrigued.
I turn my head to face my brothers, and I walk over to Max, "It's no big deal," I say to my brother that is three years younger than me while I look at the twins that are only two years younger than me, but both of them are well-built enough to give those guys a run for their money because they both play football and are competitive.
"No, I'm gonna mess you guys up," Todd says angrily as he steps forward.
"Todd!" I take hold of his arm, "Please don't," I half-plea, and then he looks at me, heaves an aggressive huff. "Fine. But then let's go," he bitterly.
"You better watch yourselves next time, jerks," Tyler threatens them as we both leave.
I don't even want to turn back, to be reminded how humiliating that is— all these people staring at me, and I just got here too, but we already have this negative attention on us— well, me. But I just keep my head down as I continue to walk on with my brothers, trying so desperately hard to avoid the snickers and the cold stares.
We get into the car, and immediately heads turn to me in confusion, querying what had just happened and how exactly did it happen?
"We were here for a day, Lucy," Todd widens his eyes as he complains about how I've gotten myself into trouble already.
"Please tell me
what happened; it's like I walked into a K-drama," Tyler jokes friendly. "Get away from her; she's my person that I've only met today and that I will love and cherish until the day I die— go find your own woman before I show you my muscular muscles." He mocks.
"Stop that, Tyler." I punch him in the arm.
"Ow." He cries.
"No, but what did happen; it's like those guys knew you for years," Max elaborates. "But are you okay— the main thing is that you are okay." He looks at me with worried eyes.
"I want to punch them both in the face," Todd grinds his teeth from the backseat as he folds his arms. "One will get the left and the other will get the right," Todd says as he holds up his fist gesturing to Max about how he is going to hit them.
Max puts down one of his fists, "Maybe next time," he says meekly.
"The guy with the black hair is our neighbor," I elaborate.
"Don't they both have black hair?" Todd frowns in confusion.
"No, you must be color blind— the other guy has dark brown hair," Tyler squints at his brother.
"Oh, whatever," Todd says to his brother as he is done with him at this point.
"So I was thinking we can just go home, maybe watch a movie?" Max suggests probably getting Todd and Tyler to stop arguing.
"No, you have a girl's taste in movies— like chick flicks and stuff," Todd frowns. "I wanna watch an action movie." Todd smirks, "bang, bang!" He says playfully.
"Never mind if that's the case." Max folds his arms and shakes his head in disagreement.
"Fine, I didn't want to watch a movie with you anyway." Todd sits back and folds his arms as well.
I give them a little confused look and then start the car— besides, I don't want to do anything with anyone. All I want to do right now is be alone— I can't believe what just happened, that I was just publicly humiliated and then my younger brothers had to step in to protect me. I let out a long sigh. Why did I have to be born a girl?
We finally arrive home, and I storm into the house; all I want and need right now is to be alone. But I am soon stopped by my father.
"Lucy." He calls.
I look back at him as I halt from climbing the stairs any further. "Yes, dad?" I say.
"A girl that lives just down the street from our house is the same age as you; I told her mom that you'd stop by when you came home. But now you look a little—"
"Unhinged?" I complete my father's sentence.
"I was going for a lighter word." My dad admits, "But if you don't want to go, you can always go next time." My father smiles.
I walk down the stairs and heave a small sigh, "Maybe a fellow female is exactly what I need right now." I admit as I lay my head on my dad's chest; he strokes my head. "Were Todd and Tyler arguing again— I swear they are bipolar opposite."
"That's what I said." I break away from my dad and smile, noticing that maybe we do still have things in common— and maybe he doesn't see me as different as I think.
"Do you know what?" I say as I raise my eyebrow, "I am going to see her." I say as I raise my finger.
"Really?! That's amazing; let me drive you there." My father offers.
"Why? It's just down the street?" I ask.
"Have you seen how far down the street is?" My father gestures. And I smile at him.
"This neighborhood is pretty crazy," I admit as I nudge my dad.
"How about very crazy," My dad says, being corny as usual.
We pull up in front of the house, and it's even bigger than ours— from the four visible balconies and the long wooden door to the rich exterior. I am completely and utterly amazed.
"Woah," I say.
"I know people are filthy rich," My father slowly nods his head as he looks at the house.
"We're also pretty rich now, dad," I remind my father as I climb out of the car. "Well, see ya!"
"Wouldn't wanna be ya," My dad says back, then he slowly but surely drives off.
I make a face at my father as he drives off; then I turn around to face the house, and I grow a bit anxious. I buzz the keypad at the front of the gate.
"Oh, you must be Steve's daughter," says a mature woman's voice with an accent. I search for the camera, but alas, I cannot find it. I awkwardly smile and then nod to wherever the sound is coming from.
The gate immediately opens, and I walk in to see not two but three very expensive cars standing in front of their driveway.
My mouth widens in shock, I quickly look down at what I'm wearing, a dark green baggy hoodie and denim shorts with
sneakers. I nervously bite down on my lip as I regret not dressing better.
I knock on the door, and a woman with thick dark brown hair, in her mid-thirties, opens the door, "Welcome, Lucy," she says in a Spanish accent.
"Mi casa es tu casa," she says with a wide smile as I step into the house.
"My daughter is in her room," she points upstairs. "Third door on the right," she says and then nudges me to go upstairs.
"I'll bring snacks up later— thank you for coming, Lucy," she says, forcing me to go upstairs as she pushes me to go up them.
I finally make my way to her door, and I stand there frozen for a moment, lightly imagining how she would be. Hopefully, she would be friendly— I do need a friend. I nervously rub the back of my neck, and then I finally bring myself to knock on the door, and the door immediately flies open.
"My mother told me someone new moved into the neighborhood," she says fast as she looks me up and down.
"I thought you'd be prettier— no offense though," she says, leaving me to stand outside the door as she makes her way to plump herself down on her large queen-sized bed.
No offense? Well, offense is taken if I may add— oh, how I wish I had the self-confidence to tell her off. "Like you are any prettier," I would have said!
"Oh my gosh, don't be weird, get in," she looks at me and then quickly buries herself in her phone. "By the way, my name is Melody," she says bluntly.
"Lucy," I say quietly, but she doesn't pay attention anyway.
I make my way inside, and I find a chair to quietly sit on.
Is it just me, or is she kind of shallow?
"Freaking unbelievable!" She exclaims.
I look over at her with large eyes, dare I say— "What is it?" I inquire.
"Ugh, Jemma is having a party, and I'm not invited— but my stupid brother is!" She exclaims once again.
"So why don't you ask him to take you?" I murmur.
"My brother would never, not ever in one million years take me!" She complains dramatically and then screams inside her pillow.
Someone save me.
"Excuse me, I need the bathroom," I say quietly as I get up from my chair.
"Yeah, whatever, the bathroom is the last one on the right," she mutters.
"Th— thank you," I stammer, but she doesn't pay any attention, so I just walk out.
I don't have many thoughts on that girl, just that I should never have come here and she is very shallow. I frown as I regret coming here in the first place.
I make my way down the hall to the bathroom and lift my hand at the doorknob to open it, but then, to my surprise, the bathroom door opens up and out comes a shirtless boy with a white towel around his waist— exposing his very toned six-pack.
I look up at his face, and I quickly recognize who it is!
"Lucy?" He inquires in a baffled manner as he is utterly and hopelessly caught off guard.
"A— Andrew," I stammer.