The Boy Next Door

Prolouge

A nine year old Alastor sat reading on the steps of his porch. They lived on a more quiet street, but there were still a few kids playing outside. He did his best to ignore them and focus on his book. When kids asked if he wanted to join, he would just politely decline. Despite his mother's efforts, he simply saw no need in friends. Most of the kids were either loud or to energetic for him. He heard the front door close at the house next to them. He glanced to the side to see a young blonde girl, wearing a light blue dress with a white bow in the back of her hair. She stood, brushing her skirt down with her hands. She felt eyes on her, tilting her head and noticing Alastor. She smiled and waved at him. Alastor may have been quiet, but he wasn't rude. He waved back. "I like your dress." He called over to her. Her face lit up, picking up the edge of the skirt and fiddling with it. "Thank you! My ma made it!" She said cheerfully. Alastor smiled a little wider at her reaction. "I'm going down to the park with my brothers. Do you wanna come too?" She asked. Alastor was about to decline, when he heard his mother's voice behind him. "Yes, he would like that very much!" She said. Alastor whipped his head back to face her. She nodded at him, giving him a look on that said 'go on.' And 'You're going. Don't bothering arguing with me.' Alastor hesitantly handed her his book. Getting up and walking over to their porch. "I don't think we've met yet!" The girl said cheerfully. "I'm Alastor." He said, smiling a little wider. The blonde grabbed his hand. Shaking it. "Nice to meet ya! I'm molly!" She said. Alastor nodded, looking down at how she was still shaking his hand. She noticed and let go. A boy came out of the house, about eleven. Looking Alastor up and down. "Who's this?" He asked. "This is Alastor! He lives next door." Molly said, putting an arm around the brunette's shoulder. Alastor was visibly uncomfortable. But tried to play it off the best he could. He was taught to be polite. So he wasn't going to push her off. "Where's Tony?" She asked, looking the older boy up and down. "He doesn't want to come. Ma's just tellin him that he has too." He explained, glancing behind them. Molly nodded. She pointed at the boy on the porch. "That's my big brother Lucio." She said. Alastor's smile wavered. Wanting desperately for her to let go of him. After a few minutes of waiting finally the supposed other sibling came out. His hair was blonde like Molly's. He kept his eyes on the ground as he walked out. Clearly looking unimpressed by having to go out. Lucio and him walked down the steps. "Come on, let's go." Lucio said, starting to walk up the street. Molly glanced at the blonde. Alastor walking just behind the three of them. "Tony, are ya gonna say hi?" She asked. The blonde glanced back at Alastor. A reluctant smile on his face. "Hi..." Alastor nodded at him. Waving a little. "That's Alastor. He lives right next to us! He was reading a book when I came out. He said he liked my dress. So I invited him to come with us!" Molly explained in her usual peppy manner. Her brother only nodded. She turned back to face Alastor, walking backwards. "This is my twin brother! My ma says it's special that I have a twin. Because normally people only have one baby at a time. But me and Anthony both were at the same time! He's older than my by a few minutes. But I'm taller! So I think that makes me more mature!" She said, the amount of confidence in her voice made Alastor laugh. "Are you a twin?" She asked, tilting her head. "No, I don't have any brothers or sisters." He said. Molly only shrugged. "So do you like playing games?" She asked. Her face lighting up. "The other kids make up some really fun ones!" I only shook my head. "I don't play with the other kids." He said simply. Molly looked from her twin to Alastor. Smile only growing. "Perfect!" She said. Grabbing Anthony by the wrist and taking him stand next to Alastor. "You already have things you both like! You both don't play! You to are gonna be best friends! I can tell!" She said. The excitement visible on her face. Alastor looked at the lightly shorter boy. He kept his eyes on the ground, clearly uncomfortable about the situation. Alastor sighed as they kept walking. Soon arriving at the park. Molly dragged Lucio off the small creek to find some rocks for her collection. Leaving Anthony and Alastor standing next to eachother in silence. After a few minutes, Alastor was about to say something when Anthony looked up at him. "Do you know how to climb?" He asked. Alastor took a moment, seeing his two different coloured eyes. He stared at them in amazement. Almost forgetting to answer. "Yes...yeah I can climb." He said. Anthony nodded, grabbing his wrist. "There's a good tree over here." He said, walking off into the more forested area of the park. Alastor simply let himself be pulled. He didn't have much experience with other kids. Anthony stopped at a fairly large tree, jumping up to grab the first branch. Once balanced on top of it. He reached his hand down for Alastor. Hesitantly taking it, Anthony used what little strength he had to pull him up. Alastor trailed behind Anthony, copying his exact movements for climbing certain branches. Until they were pretty high up. Anthony perched himself on a large branch, patting the spot next to him. Alastor pulled himself up to his level and sat next to him. "You're good..." Alastor said, taking a second to catch his breath. Anthony was hard to keep up with. "Thanks. You're pretty good too." And after that it fell to awkward silence. Listening to the leaves shaking in the breeze, they both sat quietly. Alastor looked over at Anthony. "Do you climb this tree a lot?" He asked. "No one climbs this one. It's too big for everyone else. So I get to be by myself." The blonde said simply. "Well, if you don't mind. I might start climbing it too. I like it up here." The brunette said, looking down at the ground for a moment. Anthony nodded his head. "Sure, this can be our spot. Don't tell your friends about it." He said, following Alastor's gaze. "I don't have friends. So that's easy!" Alastor says cheerfully. Anthony looked at him for a second, before looking back at the ground. "Same." Was all Anthony said.