Dilly felt exhausted . She had to prepare for her final exams in college but she could not get her meeting with Sophia out of her thoughts.
Everything that they said kept playing back in her head making her lose focus on what she was trying to study.
Sophia had attempted to be polite but there was no missing the warning in her eyes, the way she emphasized on every word and her intimidating presence.
Dilly sometimes wonder how a man like Hank ended up marrying Sophia . While he is easy going and quiet , Sophia seem extra spicy and extroverted.
Hank had once told her that his marriage to Sophia was something that made him happy but maybe not anymore but he didn't want a divorce because he loves his wife.
Dilly shook her head in an attempt to concentrate on the textbook that stared back at her blankly.
Her best friends were positioned in different corners of her room , each one of them burying their faces in their books . She envied them at that moment.
They would come together as a group to study and share what they have learnt after few hours of studying individually. This technique helped them through out their four years in college, it had been Mat's idea .
Being the smartest of the group , Mat doesn't hesitate to do what would make learning easier for them.
Everyone was engrossed in their reading except Dilly. She looked from her book to her laptop , but they just stared back at her blankly.
"Guyyssss!!!" She screamed in frustration.
Ayana and Mat looked at her in unison.
"What?" Mat asked clearly annoyed . He was beginning to finally understand what he had been reading and now this distraction?
Ayaana yawned clearly bored and tired of reading.
Dilly pouted "I'm tired... can we get a quick break?"
"Yes that's a good idea…. We….." Ayana was saying when Mat interrupted her with a sarcastic laughter.
"A good idea ?" He asked looking from one girl to the other.
"Don't be too uptight" Ayana rolled her eyes "it's just few minutes of resting our brain."
Dilly nodded hoping that he would agree.
"We can start the group reading once we get back" Ayana was already on her feet.
Dilly smiled at her friend, it seemed like she had been waiting for her to announce the break because she seemed too eager to escape.
She winked at Dilly as she made her way towards the front door.
"You guys can go , I'll stay back and read" Mat said clearly not interested in their little escape.
Dilly walked up to him and held his hands , she looked in his eyes pleadingly, batting her big brown eyes filled with thick and long black lashes. Her little charm that always seem to work on him.
He hissed snatching his hands away from her.
"Okay…." He sighed looking away from her eyes almost immediately.
The girls jumped happily giving him a bone crushing group hug.
"Hey…" he wrestled to free himself from their embrace "on one condition"
"Name it" that was Ayana . She could not wait to step out of the house for some air and snacks.
"Dilly would have to cook after we are done reading later , pasta and chicken wings" he looked at them eager for an answer.
"Okay deal!" Ayana said "now can we go? I need to be outside already"
"Deal?" Dilly protested "we can just eat out"
"No , you're cooking" Mat said following Ayana as she was already on her way out of the house.
There's a very beautiful garden at the back of Dilly's house that Ayana loved so much . She loved the fragrance of the roses and petals, she loved the fact that from the garden she could easily see Barry play basket ball in the sports field that was close by.
She had been secretly watching him for months but he hadn't taken note of her yet. Dilly once teased her about it but she denied.
"He's a snub" she had said "why would I fall for a snub like him?"
A snub but cute , with fair skin and dimples to match his not too round face and blonde hair that fell over his neckline. She always imagine him wearing amor comparing him to a Viking because of his hair.
But deep down she wished he would spare her a glance for once and she would take it up from there. Anything she wants , she was determined to get. Even if it's Barry the snub.
They settled on the carpet grass at the other end of the garden sipping the juice that Ayana had brought from her house.
A tall figure was walking up to them , obviously a man . Dilly squinted , she didn't bother to wear her glasses. She would see him once he gets closer.
Her heart skipped when she realized it was Ryan, her new neighbor. She had somehow managed to forget the fact that he was the man from her dream. She concluded that she was crazy thereby dismissing the whole thought. But looking at him again , from his blue eyes to his sharp jawline . She could not help but notice the striking resemblance and similarities.
"Hi" he smiled looking from one friend to the other.
"I'm sorry if I interrupted you guys"
"It's alright" Ayana being the outspoken one of the trio said smiling back at him.
"This is Ryan my new neighbor" Dilly managed to find her voice after an almost panic attack.
He shook hands with them and finally turned to meet Dilly's eyes. He was smiling but she didn't return his smile.
"I was heading out , so I thought it would be nice to say hello first since I saw you sitting out here."
He was talking to her but she could not respond , she just kept staring at him.
"Dilly?" Ayana nudged her.
"Oh yeah sorry…" she stuttered. "That's thoughtful thanks"
She managed a weak smile.
"I'll see you around" he said before finally leaving.
"Such a cool guy" Ayana whispered "The handsome neighbor"
She laughed out loud looking from Dilly to Mat.
Mat rolled his eyes at her joke because he didn't find it funny.
"Who exactly is he?" Dilly thought as she watched him leave.