My Werewolf Neighbours

Chapter 1

She turned to me and practically squeezed me into her arms.

"I'm glad you think so too." She softly said with guilt and relief lacing her voice.

"Mommm!" I whined into her chest as I wrapped my arms around her," I told you I'm okay. You really don't have to worry about me or feel guilty. I promise." I reassured.

"You sure, Sweetie?" She asked with unsure-ness shamelessly dripping off her words.

"Positive." I moved my face to grin at her.

"O-okay. But if you ever-" She closed her mouth at the frown that laced my lips," Never mind." 

"Now, let's go fetch those boxes. My arms are already starting to ache." I playfully whined.

"Has anyone ever told you that you complain a lot, hmm?" She raised her eyebrow at me as she looked down at me.

"Hmm," I feigned thinking before slightly shrugging," I don't know. You?" I innocently smiled up at her, craning my neck a bit to look her in the eye.

She lightly chuckled before pressing her lips to my forehead and smiling down at me," I love you, Kiddo."

"I love you too, Mom." I grinned at her.

"Good, because after carrying all those boxes into the house, I doubt you'll love me as much." She winked before letting go of me and heading down the open hallway.

Why do I feel like she's right?

I shook my head and made my way to the car where my mom was already pulling out a box from the open trunk. A sigh slipped passed my lips as I pulled my now messy braids into an equally messy bun. I need to find a salon or a hairdresser ASAP. I can't go to school looking like this, but how will I pay the hairdresser? I'm broke and asking Mom for money is out of the question.

A heavier sigh left my lips as I reached the trunk.

"Do you need help with that, Mom?" I asked her as she almost dropped the box with all the cutlery.

"I-I'm good." She said through clenched teeth as she forced her lanky arms to carry the box. My eyes couldn't help but to follow her slow as a snail pace as she painfully made her way to the door.

My eyes left her form and looked at the remaining boxes that instantly filled me with dread and pity for myself. 

"Hello!" Chirped a masculine, deep, velvety voice from behind me. A small scream immediately left my lips as I practically flew from the ground from the sudden adrenaline rush as I shakily turned to him. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

To say my stomach dropped into my legs that already threatened to turn into jelly at the sight of the man would be the painful truth. He looked too gorgeous to be real. My stomach was berated by butterflies as I craned my neck to find a small, apologetic smile marring his chiseled features. My heart raced from the coursing adrenaline in my veins and something else I was foreign to.

"H-hi," I stuttered as I tried to wreck my gooey brain for words," It's alright."

"Are you sure?" He softly smiled, making my heart skip a beat.

"I'm sure," I reassuringly smiled before my eyes drifted to the little girl in his arms who seemed to stare at me with wonder and mesmorisation," Hello there." I cooed at the cute toddler.

Instead of replying, she reached her arms out to me making an awe leave my lips at the sweet action.

"Would you like to hold her?" The man offered.

Without even thinking twice, I nodded profusely in excitement. What can I say, I love kids and because of that, I could never say no to a child that actually wants me to hold them.

He smiled before carefully handing her to me. 

I carefully perched her onto my hip, before cooing," Hi there, Cutie."

She smiled a toothy grin at me before replying," Alo."

"Awe," I cooed bringing her even closer to me so our cheeks rubbed against each other. I love kids' chubby cheeks, they are so soft and cushiony and addictive." Aren't you just the cutest?" I cooed, making giggles erupt from the small toddler.

"She really likes you, don't you Gracie?" The man cooed, making the toddler squirm in my arms as she shyly giggled before hiding her face in my neck." Anyway, I'm Nolan and that little munchkin in your arms is, Grace. We live just next door." He pointed behind him.

"Oh, it's nice to meet you. I'm Melissa." I introduced myself.

"Well, nice to meet you too, Melissa," He smiled a very boyish smile that kind of contradicted the manly appearance he had. I mean, this man was easily masculine from what I could see from the shirt he had on. His white button up shirt held his upper body so snuggly that you could see the traces of his chiseled stomach and arms. He is the first man that has ever made me feel so mesmerised. He made my body and heart feel foreign feelings that felt very odd and scary.

"Hi there!" Came my mother's chirpy voice from behind me," Who is this, Cutie Pie?" She cooed at the sweet girl in my arms, who immediately shyly snuggled into my arms.

"This is Grace, our cute little neighbour." I cooed at the cute munchkin in my arms who in turn looked up at me with a toothy grin.

"My isn't she adorable," She smiled at the little one in my arms before her eyes drifted to Nolan's," I'm sorry about that, children are my weakness." Mom lightly chuckled.

"That's alright, Ma'am." Nolan smiled an understanding smile that made a dimple pop from his cheek. Awe, he's ador- wait, there's nothing wrong with complimenting someone in my head, right?" I'm Nolan, I live right next door. I hoped I could help you with the boxes. They do seem heavy." He gestured to the boxes.

"Of course, please. We need all the help we can get, or we'll be doing this for the whole afternoon." Mom smiled in gratitude," And please, Anne will do. Ma'am is too formal. "She scrunched her noise in disapproval.

"Of course," He smiled a dimply smile," Munchkin, I hope you don't mind sitting with Miss Melissa for a while?"

Grace moved in my arms and turned to her dad with big, curious light brown orbs, "Papa?"

"Papa is right here, Sweetheart. I just need to help our neighbours quickly, okay?" He softly explained to the little toddler who couldn't be older than three years old.

"Okay" She softly said.

"Papa will be right back, Sweetheart." He smiled at her, before he started leaning down making my breath hitch and get caught in my throat at the close proximity. His cologne happily invaded my senses making me want to greedily take it in even as I felt like I was not using my full lung capacity as it is. Every breath I took was painfully shallow as my lungs threatened to stop taking in oxygen. My heart raced as if I had run a marathon and my knees felt weak like they would collapse. My brain felt mushy and my stomach like a warzone of butterflies.

He placed a quick peck on his daughter's forehead before moving away and smiling at me. His eyes radiated such happiness that they seemed to smile at me before he turned around and pulled a box out of the trunk. My body stopped its protests and allowed me to freely breath again and dare I say feel normal. 

I don't know what it is that has been happening to me, but I hope that it disappears because it was definitely driving me crazy and because of that, it was definitely not welcome. I will admit it, I think I just got a crush, a crush I definitely don't need. The only crush I need right now, is a crush on my books and myself. I will admit I've had a few crushes before, but none ever came with such vigor.  They have all behaved and disappeared without a hassle. So, this one shouldn't be different, no matter how different it felt.

A crush is a crush and as such, it will soon be crushed. By me.