Never Alone

one- the new boy living in my house

I wake up to birds chirping loudly outside my window, or that is how it usually goes.
This morning was different. My light flickers on and a woman stands in my room. She was small, petite some might say. She had long blonde locks and freckles that covered just below her eyes and above her lips. She had bright green eyes and a mole right above the right side of her lip.

"Good Morning Vivian" she calls confidently.
"Who are you?" I ask, very confused. I study her face and the rest of her, head to toe. I have never seen her around here before. My town is very small, made up of just under 700 people. Everyone knows everyone. Between Steve Marshall who runs our local supermarket and Principal Evans who runs my high school, everyone has learned names and stories from each and every person here. We never have visitors rarely ever. This was something, different.

"Join me downstairs at the table. Your dad and I have something to talk about with you." She turns to leave but just before, she turns back around. "Make yourself presentable." and with that she walks out, closing my door behind her.

I sat on my bed staring at the door where the woman had just lingered. Something was not right. This was out of the ordinary and I was quite intrigued. I rise from my bed and walk to my closet. I pull out a light blue long sleeved top and a pair of black high-waisted jeans.

"This will have to work" I think to myself before I walk into my bathroom for a quick shower. I brush my teeth, dry and curl my hair, and add a quick dash of makeup to my face. Just some concealer, mascara, and my favorite burts bees chapstick; vanilla bean.

I throw on some simple grey socks and my white vans. I dart out of my room, closing the door behind me and make my way downstairs. I can hear a faint laugh coming from my father and some chatter from the familiar female voice.

As I turn the corner I see my father sat at the table. Beside him was the girl from before. They both look at me, my dad with another faint smile and the lady with a profound one. Across from them both there are two chairs, one of which is taken by a boy. My father never allows boys in the house.

He is sat with his legs lightly parted, hands sat in his lap folded together and staring straight ahead at the back door.

"Please sit Vivian." my dad says.

I slowly walk over and analyze the boy. He was a lot bigger than I expected. I was 5'3 and from the looks of his long, tanned legs, he probably stood around 6'1. He has slight muscles showing from the sleeves of his shirt. His shirt was a nicer one, buttoned right before the top two with many wrinkles. He definitely does not know what an iron is. He was also wearing black jeans, except his had a slight rip on his left knee. His hair was dark brown, darker than mine even, but not quite black. It stood fluffed on his head and parted down the middle. As I take a seat in the chair next to him, he glances over at me with piercing blue eyes a bit darker than the ocean. He was tan and little freckles peaked on the bridge of his nose. He had bags under his eyes as if he had not slept in days. I hate to admit but he was just my type, that is for a first boyfriend. I immediately look at my father in confusion.

"Vivian, this is Nikolas; Nikolas Collins. He is new to Rosendall. Samantha here has asked if we could take him in, just until his cousin arrives in a few months. She is a social worker here and knows your mother very well. They were friends in high school. Your mother has also gladly stated that she would like to allow him to stay in the guest bedroom across the hall for as long as he needs. What do you think?"

I just freeze. A boy living in my house? That sounds ridiculous. There is no way I am letting this stranger stay here with my father, mother, and I. He could kill me in my sleep! I'm surprised my dog Toby isn't here jumping all over these people.

Nikolas looks at me, almost like he is begging me to let him stay. There has to be something else.

"What if he stays with Miriam instead?" I look at my father and Samantha, eyeing them both. Miriam is my best friend. She has had boys over at her house so many times i've lost count. Yet somehow, she managed to find a permanent boyfriend. Her mother allowed the boys in because she likes to think that Miriam has just made new friends. We both know that isn't quite true. She brings them over, sleeps with them, and never twice looks at them. Except for Dylan, Dylan Roberts. He is a grade above us, a senior. They have been together for about six months now. I think Dylan and Nikolas would get along quite well, and plus, Miriam's mom has been on a business trip for over a year now. She comes back home once every three months to visit for a few days and then she's off on another adventure. They have three spare rooms to their house as I only have the one.

"That unfortunately cannot work." Samantha says eyeing over to Nikolas feeling quite sorry for him.

"Why not?" I ask with a hint of annoyance.

"Amanda has asked that we bring him here instead. With her being gone for so long at a time, it would be within best interest to keep him with you and a legal adult to watch and care for him for the time being."

That makes sense. Amanda is Miriam's mom. Her father Richard had passed away when Miriam was eight from a heart attack. She doesn't remember much but her mother likes to travel the world in memory of him while doing her work. Miriam had just turned eighteen not too long ago, although she is a junior like me. I am only seventeen but that never stopped us from being friends. Since she is an adult, her mom has trusted her to keep the house intact while she is gone knowing that Miriam can be responsible when she needs to be. A party here and there never hurt anyone, right? My father doesn't know about the parties as I rarely attend them. She has them almost every weekend but i've only gone four times. Drinking is not for me. Besides, I have straight A's and I have to study in order to keep them up.

"Okay." I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "He can stay."

My dad smiles at Samantha. She has the biggest smile on her face, but something is still off. I glance at Nikolas, he looks almost mad?

"Why don't you show Nikolas to his room and get to know each other since he will be here for awhile. Nikolas, make yourself at home." and with that my dad and Samantha walk into the office and close the door.

This is about to get a whole lot interesting.

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well there it is! chapter one complete. let me know how you are all liking this chapter and feel free to leave feedback since this is my first book! i will be updating as often as i can. i know this was a boring first chapter but it's just to get the book started with a little backstory to vivians life. thank you all and carry on:)