1. New Town

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Marley stepped out of a cab, shifting her vision to a small house that stood in front. It was small but looked cosy. It was painted cream and had its roof covered with red bricks. A big casement was placed just below its roof. The house was fenced by the vertical black metal beams lined together, just inches apart from each other. Inside the metal boundary, there was a small tree, like a small Christmas tree, surrounded by green grass. Just beside this small lawn, a pavement was constructed leading from the black gate to a mahogany front door.

Suddenly, the front door of the house burst opened revealing a middle-aged woman. Her brown hair fell till her mid arm, her hazel eyes glowed under sunlight, and pink lips curved into a welcoming smile. She, for no doubt, looked marvelous for her age.

"Oh honey, I just had a chat with your mother. She told me that you'll be here soon. I hope you had a comfortable journey." She said with a smile plastered on her face.

"Yes, Mrs. Sherman. Nice to meet you." Marley greeted, trying to match the lady's enthusiasm but failing miserably.

"Let me help you with your luggage." Mrs. Sherman offered, grabbing the bag out of Marley's hold.

Marley didn't even have the chance to object when Mrs. Sherman walked inside with the luggage. The young girl felt uncomfortable at this gesture, she didn't want an adult picking her heavy bags when she was perfectly capable to do so.

As soon as Marley stepped her foot inside the house, her eyebrows raised. Seeing the interior she instantly knew it would be a perfect place to home her. A small table surrounded by three wooden chairs was placed in a small kitchen, perfectly complementing the hard wooden floor. A two-seater green-colored couch adorned the living area. Just beside the kitchen, there was a flight of stairs.

"The house is small but perfect for a bachelor like you. Upstairs is your bedroom and an attached bathroom," Mrs. Sherman said noticing the expressions of Marley.

"It's perfect, better than what I had imagined. Thank you for trusting me with your house, Mrs. Sherman. I'll do my best to take care of it." Marley said still looking around. She was a shy child and mostly refrained from using words around new people. In most circumstances, she would mutter a simple thank you and get over it, but she really liked the house and wanted the lady to know that.

"I'll let you get settled. If you need anything, drop by my place. I just live next door. I also cooked you some food, it's in the refrigerator. You'll be tired from the long journey."

Marley was just about to interrupt her, when Mrs. Sherman continued with a smile."I know you are vegetarian honey. I just cooked some vegetables."

All Marley could do was thank her even though she felt a little guilty for making her go through all that. She was a nice lady.

"You are not a talker huh?" Mrs. Sherman chirped with a little smile.

Marley nodded, shyly like it was in her habit.

"Good, now I'll finally have someone to listen to my meaningless chatter." The lady said with a big grin on her face. Marley responded her with a nod and a smile. Although she wasn't talking much yet she already felt comfortable in her company.

Soon, Mrs. Sherman left, leaving Marley to explore her new place.

She went upstairs to discover her bedroom. It was a small room and had a big casement just at the front, revealing the street outside. Her bed was located beside the window, and on the other side was a small table, holding a study lamp and a chair. There was another door on the left wall, which probably was a bathroom.

The words like shy and introvert fitted Marley. Her 5ft. 6 inch frame complemented her curves which she avoided showing, covering them with baggy clothes. Her shoulder length black hair gave her a bit childish look. She had black eyes and pink lips. She didn't have a perfect body or a perfect face but they admirably fitted her together.

Marley laid down on her bed recalling the past events that led her to this new town, Marshville. For an eighteen-year-old, she was quite intelligent and had good scores in academics. Her mother felt that she wasn't reaching her full potential because of the neighborhood they were raising their daughter in. Soon she addressed this to her father and together they decided to send her here. They adored their child and didn't want anything to hold her back. Unfortunately, they couldn't leave their hometown as it provided them with a stable income.

Mrs. Sherman was her landlady, who generously offered not only to take Marley in but also to look after her. She knew her mother would be keeping an eye on her through Mrs. Sherman but it didn't bother her, it only reassured her that she was safe.

Mrs. Sherman was a widow who was left with two houses after her husband's death. He died due to a brain tumor. It had been 9 months since his death. She had a daughter who was in New York for higher studies. Mrs. Sherman wanted a tenant to avoid taking care of two houses and also to get rid of devouring loneliness.

Marley hoped for them to get along.

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