Neighbors

Chapter Seven, The Call

“Quinn…wake up!” I open my eyes and the first thing I hear is Brad Paisley's voice drifting around my room. I roll over to see Aria standing beside my bed. “Aria?” She looks at me worriedly. “You're up.” I nod. “We got here and heard this sad song playing on repeat and Peyton told me to wake you up.” “Peyton’s still here? What time is it?” “No, she left a few minutes ago, it's eight seventeen. Are you ok?” I sit up and hug my sister. “I’m ok…I was upset last night that’s all.” As we walk into the living room I see my brother. “Hey sis.” “Hey.” Aria looks at me. “Upset about what?” I shake my head surprised Peyton didn’t tell them. “Well last night Peyton made me go over to Chris’s and left me to talk to him…but me being me I got too scared and ran.” Aria looks at me with sad eyes and Mark shakes his head. “This is my fault isn’t it?” I look at Aria who is now crying. I sat down beside her. “No, it’s neither of you’s fault.” My brother nods knowingly. “I figured as much. Look what they did to you was messed up what we did to you was messed up but don’t let the people who don’t care about you ruin your life.” I think about this. “You're right. So I was thinking we’d go exploring today, what do you think?” “I think that’s a great idea…as long as we explore places with a bathroom nearby.” We all laugh at Aria’s request and then I head to my room and throw on some clothes. First we went to Bowers Museum and stayed there for an hour or so. Then we went to Discovery Cube. And last we went to Newport beach and spent the rest of the day there. “This has been really nice Quinn.” Aria says while laying on her side on her beach towel. “Yeah…thanks for having us come Quinn.” I smile at my siblings. “It has been really nice. Of course! We need to do this again at some point.” My sister smiles at me. “Well I live here so we can do lunch dates wherever you're free to do them.” I hadn’t thought of that. “Yes!” My brother laughs at us then looks at me. “Well I have news. You remember when you first called me how I kept talking about Victoria and her wanting to get the house?” I nod. “Well I let her take the house.” I stare at my brother. “Why!? I thought you refused to settle.” He smiles. “Well that was until I came down here and realized I wanted to be closer to you girls.” Me and Aria share a smile. “So…I’M MOVING HERE!” We pull each other into a group hug. “This is amazing!” We smile at each other and finish our day at the beach. Later I’m driving us back to my place when I get a call. “Hello?” “Hi…is this Quinn James?” “Yes…who is this?” There’s a pause. “This is going to sound crazy but I sorta got your number from Amy that you work with. I am distant cousins with her. Anyways, I’m Kate Chris’s best friend. I had lunch with him today and he won’t stop talking about you. He calls you Mystery girl and he seems upset that you keep turning cold on him. I think you should let him know you don’t like him or if you did then tell him.” I almost ran a red light distracted by this woman on the phone. I hear Aria laugh in the back and Mark is looking both shocked and amused. “Uhh….well thanks for the tip. I’m driving so um bye.” “Bye!” I hang up as fast as possible. “What in the world?” I can’t help but think about what Kate said. But runners aren’t so good with things like that.