The Boy Next Door

ｆｏｕｒ

Rachel

It was finally time to go over to Colton's house. I wasn't really excited to hang out with him, but Hanna seemed like a really sweet little girl, so I was looking forward to spending time with her. I grabbed my purse and put my phone and wallet inside. I looked out the front window to see what the weather was like. I grabbed my coat and started walking across the lawn. The grass squished beneath my feet. I walked up the stone path to the front door and rang the doorbell.

Hanna opened the door.

"Yay! Rachel is here!" She said. She instantly sprang onto me and hugged my legs.

Jennifer walked up to the door and told me to come in. She told me that Hanna knew what we were to do about dinner. She also said there was a list on the counter with her contact information so I could put it into my phone.

"Rachel, come play outside with me!" Hanna said, jumping up and down.

"Okay, I will be there in a minute."

She ran and opened the door that lead to the backyard.

"I should be back around eleven tonight, maybe even later than that, I'm not sure. If I'm not back by then, feel free to go home. I don't really know what my plans are." Jennifer said.

"Okay, I'll see you then." I said while waving as Jennifer walked out the door. It was such a strange interaction.

I went and followed Hanna outside.

"Rachel, can you please push me on the swing?" she asked, as she got on the swing.

"Yes, I can."

"Push me really, really high. Like a bird!" she exclaimed. I pushed her for about two minutes before she wanted to get off. Kids don't really have a long attention span, I have come to figure out. "Rachel, can you and me go up into the tree house?" She asked.

"Does your mom let you go up there?" I asked.

"Yeah, she does. You can even go ask Colton." She pointed to the house.

"I'm trusting you." I told her. I followed her up the steps that lead to the tree house. While I stood on the deck of the fancy treehouse, she opened the door. The tree house was fairly large, wrapping around the trunk of the tree. The floors were sturdy, with a table and two chairs in one corner and a play kitchen in the other. It seemed really familiar to me, but I had only ever seen it from afar. I had never been inside before. Hanna and I talked and played in the play kitchen.

I didn't have to ask her to do anything or make any suggestions. She bounced from one thing to another. She said, "I think we should go inside and eat dinner now." She got up from where she was sitting and made her way outside of the tree house. I had to duck, and I took more time getting out. It was pouring outside. She had already run down the stairs and was halfway to the house. I went down the stairs and went as quickly as I could inside. As soon as I walked in the door, I had a towel thrown at my face.

"Hey!" I shouted. When I regained my vision, I saw Colton was standing in front of the stove cooking dinner.

"Why thank you Colton, thank you for the towel to dry my dripping hair." Colton mocked.

"Maybe I would say thank you if I knew that there was going to be a towel thrown at my face. I'm still processing the event." I said. "Are you making dinner?"

"Yes, you're going to love it." He said, twirling a spoon in his hands.

"Lovely." I said sarcastically. Hanna came back into the room with a fresh change of clothes.

"Is dinner ready, Colton?" She asked.

"Yes, it is. Why don't you go sit at the table and take Rachel with you?" I followed Hanna over to the table and sat where she told me to.