Just To Be Close to You

Is That Nick Carter?

Today is the first time I've come back to Tampa, Florida. I moved here when I was five. My grandma had just passed away, and since Mom was her only child, she needed to take care of Grandpa. He'd just lost his soulmate, so you can imagine how devastated he was.

Mom, my brother, and I lived here until I was twelve. When Grandpa finally began to smile again, he insisted we move back to Los Angeles, where my Dad worked. And so we did.

Now, three years later, we're back in Tampa for the first time. Grandpa needs help renovating the house, and, of course, no one else is allowed to touch it.

"Your grandpa won't let anyone else handle it," Mom had said as we packed. "You know how he feels about his house."

And so we're here. Back in Tampa, once again.

"Danella!" Grandpa shouted, calling out Mom's name when we arrived at the house.

"Dad!" Mom replied, rushing to hug him.

"Oh, hello, Madeline, Andrew! Great to see you!" Grandpa said, wrapping his arms around me and my brother, Andy.

After that, we went inside, carrying our things.

"Okay, Maddy and Andy, this is your room," Grandpa said.

"What? I'm sharing a room with her?" Andy groaned dramatically. "But Gramps, c'mon, don't be kidding me. One room with this teenage girl?"

"What's wrong with that, Andy?" I shot back, crossing my arms.

He smirked. "Do I need to remind you how loud you sing every night? I still remember you singing and dancing 'We've Got It Going On' like you were on stage."

I gasped. "At least I can sing! You sound like a broken blender."

Andy laughed. "Yeah, but I don't hang posters of five guys on my wall and call it art."

I threw a pillow at him. "They're musicians, not guys. And should I remind you, one of the members is your friend?"

"Sure, sure," he said, still laughing. "Just don't start dancing in your sleep again."

"Andy!"

"All right, kids, no more fighting!" Mom cut in before I could throw another pillow. "Put all your stuff in the room, hurry up!"

Andy looked at me and grinned as he picked up his bag. "Relax, Maddy. You know I'm just teasing."

"I know," I muttered, pretending to glare. "Still annoying, though."

He ruffled my hair. "That's my job."

After unpacking, Mom took Andy and me to visit her best friend's house.

The house was just next to Grampa's house. I used to play there with their kids. Their oldest was about Andy's age, while the daughters were around my age.

But back then, I was such a shy kid. I used to follow Andy everywhere he went. So during my first few years here, I mostly spent my days tagging along with Andy and his friends. And even though one of his friends kept teasing me, sometimes until I cried, it never stopped me from following them anyway.

"Be nice! You already know them," Mom reminded us.

"Oh my goodness, Danella! Nice to see you again! And who are this young man and this pretty girl? Are these Andy and Maddy?" a woman about Mom's age exclaimed when she opened the door.

Before I could say anything, a familiar voice came from behind her.

"Andy? No way, dude! It's been years!"