The first thing Alexia noticed when she reached home was that the house next door had all its lights turned on. That was strange, because Alexia's grumpy old neighbours never had their lights turned on. The front lawn was mowed and the mailbox a bright shade of blue. She heard laughter ring out from inside the house, something that was previously seemingly illegal within the ten metre radius of that household. This could only mean one thing: Alexia had new neighbours.
She considered going over and establishing a civil relationship with the new family next door, in case she needed their help in the future. However, she was sure that a family that welcomed laughter would be making the first move to get social soon, so she decided to delay the pleasantries. Once she entered the house though, and found her brother in the living room, with Suzanne sitting on his lap, in the midst of a passionate embrace, she wished that she had stopped over instead.
"Oh for God's sake, Ryan," Alexia groaned. "Go to your own bloody room."
Suzanne looked up, startled and immediately scooted off to his side. Her face red and Alexia didn't know whether it was because of embarrassment or … some other reason that she did not want to entertain, and she sure hoped it was not the latter. "Hey Alexia," she said, breaking into a nervous grin.
Ryan scowled at her. "Screw off, Alexia. Go say hi to our new neighbours or something."
Alexia narrowed her eyes at her brother. "Yeah, I assume you've done so."
"Eh, they'll come around eventually. Besides, Mom's already there making friends."
"Fantastic, that's our job done," she said and headed up the stairs.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Suzanne and Ryan wait for her to disappear, and then fell back into devouring each other. Once again, Alexia, who wasn't very keen on the daily dose of saliva exchange, was reminded of why she did not want a boyfriend. Alexia dumped her bag on the floor next to her bed and flopped down on it. The thought that she had to clean her room occurred to her, as it did once or twice a week, but she pushed it away again.
Alexia's room was turning into a rat's nest. A pile of worksheets filled up one side of her table, and the other miscellaneous junk whose origins she forgot. Her closet was a pile of identical clothes and her shelves were filled with awards she had accumulated over the years. Alexia's mother would complain about her room constantly, until Alexia reminded her of the dumping ground that was her brother's room next door. In those moments, Alexia could practically see the adoption agency's number flash across her mother's face.
Today, the state of the her room was the least of Alexia's concerns. Picking up the phone, she dialled K.H's number and counted three rings, K.H's usual waiting time, before her call was answered.
"Talk to me," K.H said by way of greeting.
"The circus called, they needed a new psychic and you've got the job. Guess who's got a date to the dance!"
Alexia could practically hear K.H grinning at the other end. "Well, to be fair, it wasn't the boldest prediction in the world. But I want to hear details!"
"It nothing like what you're expecting. We just went to a coffee stand and he asked me while we were sitting down drinking and getting to know each other."
"Where?"
"Does it matter?"
K.H sighed. "Alexia you're hopeless. Where?"
"Under a tree, gawd K.H."
She heard some shuffling on the other end. "Wait, wait. Let me get this straight. You were drinking coffee on this beautiful summers day with the boy of your dreams under a large oak tree -"
"I didn't specify details!"
"Whatever, let me continue. So you were under a romantic oak tree with you dream boy and uncovering each other's secrets -"
"K.H!"
"Uncovering each other's secrets and then, he pops the question!" K.H snapped her fingers and gasped. "My word, Alexia, my word."
Alexia rolled her eyes. "K.H stop over dramatizing things. It's an invitation, not a bloody proposal!"
"Does it make a difference? Anyway Nicholas Sparks called, he wants the rights to your story. You and Almier could on the cover, the next edition of two people almost kissing!" Alexia could hear the excitement rising in her voice.
"K.H, I swear, when you find a boy that so much as courts your interest, I will -"
"Hook me up with him in a five star hotel? Be my guest. Anyway, moving on, you need a dress. Not those pathetic long cloths that we've been wearing every year, but an actual dress," K.H said, getting down to business.
"You sound like some wedding planner," Alexia told her.
"Honey, you're going to the dance with a species of the opposite sex, it's basically the same thing! So, dress, dress, dress. Damn, I need to ask Natalie for some tips."
"Don't you dare!" Alexia protested.
"Kidding! But we are making a trip down to town soon. Fear not, fair princess, I shall find you a dress suitable for the ball!" K.H proclaimed dramatically.
Alexia rolled her eyes again and sighed. Trust K.H to come up with such ideas and to blow things out of proportion. There was a knock at the door and Alexia's mother poked her head inside.
"Thanks, K.H i appreciate your, um, enthusiasm, but I really have to go now. Mother calls," she said.
"Remember, Saturday. They day we become Natalies!"
"Can't wait," Alexia said sarcastically. "Bye."
She flung the phone onto the bed and looked up at her mother. "What's up, Mom?"
"We have some really nice new neighbours and it'd be nice if you went over to introduce yourself and say hello. The family next door has some really nice kids and one of them, a boy, i might add, is around your age!"
Alexia groaned. "Mom, if you're trying to find me a boyfriend, just think of your son downstairs. Do you really want to see double of that happening?"
"I'm not trying to find you a boyfriend, I'm just trying to teach you some manners, young lady," her mother said, dragging her off the bed.
"Ok, fine, but don't blame me if I disgrace the family name," she joked.
They made their way over and a woman around her mother's age answered the door. She wore a grin that looked like it was permanently glued on her face and she had dark brown hair. "Meryl! Good to see you again! Is this your daughter? Oh, she's such a pretty girl!" the lady gushed.
This was new to Alexia. She had been complimented on her brains many times, but never on her looks. "Come in, come in!" she said, ushering them inside.
"Alexia," her mother said. "This is Mrs Gordon."
Alexia reached out her hand and put on her biggest smile. "Pleasure to meet you, Mrs Gordon."
Mrs Gordon chuckled and accepted the handshake. "A handshake! That's rare among kids today. My kids should learn to greet people this way, too. Speaking of which, where are they?" she turned around and hollered up the stairs. "Cheyenne, Jeremy, Caden! Come down now, we have guests!"
All the blood in Alexia's body ran cold. Caden. Caden. I'm sure there are lots of Cadens in this neighbourhood. Surely it can't be! But fate wasn't in her favour, and the first face to appear down the stairs mirrored her shocked expression of disbelief. Alexia stood rooted to the ground as Mrs Gordon coaxed Caden and his brother and sister to come over and introduce themselves. "Kids, this is Alexia and she's your age, Caden!"
"Yeah," Caden said softly. "We've met."
Mrs Gordon looked delighted. "You have? Wonderful! Alexia this is Jeremy, he's nineteen," Jeremy waved and Alexia tried to muster a smile. "And this is Cheyenne, she's eleven."
Caden's sister was a pretty girl, and she had the kind of smile that belonged to the lost kids in movies who always won over to toughest officers.
Alexia was still staring at Caden, wondering what she had possibly done wrong to deserve this kind of punishment. She was still lost in her puddle of self pity that she did not realize everyone, except Caden, that was, had disappeared into the kitchen.
"Hey," he said, recovered from the initial shock. "Where's my introduction?" When she simply stared, wordless, he held out his hand. "Well I never thought I'd see Alexia Lee speechless. Fine, I'll make the first move," Caden grinned. "Pleased to meet you, neighbour."