𝒓𝒉𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒎 ➙ 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒘𝒏 𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒔

thirteen

natalie atkins
4:32PM
los angeles, california

i get home to absolute silence, my mom won't be home for at least another hour or so and since my dad dropped her off she's probably going to walk or catch the bus to his shop in downtown then get a ride from him, which means i'll be home for way much longer than an hour, so i decide to go out for a jog in the neighborhood.

ever since i moved here i haven't gone to check out the other houses yet, i've always been cooped up, pretty much afraid to leave incase that something bad might happen, because juliana was constantly telling me to be careful, so i went upstairs, changed into a pair of black leggings and a lilac gym top, threw my hair into a ponytail, quickly wiping my makeup off.

much better.

i put my airpods in and open the front door, attaching my house key to my shirt and my phone strapped to my armband, i walk out, jogging down the road slowly, watching the cars passing by.

wow, everyone here really is famous, huh? i'm pretty sure i just saw hailey bieber in a car, which is insane, i really need to start getting used to living next to celebrities, i don't want to creep them out.

as i continue to jog, admiring all the houses and all the people i see driving by or even just walking by, i bump into someone, "oh sorry." i mumble and try to walk off and that's when they hold my arm, i look up to see shawn, what's he doing in my neighborhood?

i take an airpod out and look at him with a raised eyebrow, "what are you doing here?" i ask him, and he looks at me with a raised eyebrow.

"i could ask you the same thing, how did you get into my neighborhood?" he asks with his arms across his chest, and that's when i put two and two together, shawn must live in the same neighborhood as me, probably further down the road or something. do i tell him i live here too?

"uhm, my friend lives here" i stutter, that's not convincing in any way, right? i mean who do i know that could live here?

shawn laughs, "yeah ok, i know damn well you don't know that many people let alone people that could live here, what's the real reason you're here?"

i sigh, i guess i'm gonna have to tell him, "i live in this neighborhood i moved here about three months ago." shawn laughs again.

"yeah right, there's no way." now i raise my eyebrow, what the hell does he mean no way? does he think i can't afford this place?

"fine, i'll show you, follow me." i mutter, and we walk to my house in silence, it was only about a five minute walk, i point to my house through the gates, "i live there."

shawn shakes his head, "i'm going to need more proof than that." i scoff, really?

i ring the buzzer to the house, "hey jason? it's natalie." and the door immediately unlocks, we walk past the gates and to my front door.