Let Me Love You | Toni Kroos

Chapter 1 - Boy Next Door

"Gabi!" my mum called from downstairs. "Gabi, why don't you go say hi to our new neighbours?"

I didn't answer her. I was too busy looking out my window at those very neighbours, moving their things from the van into their house. Two boys, both blonde and lanky, and their parents. I stuck my head against the glass, trying to get a closer look.

"GABRIELE!" my mum suddenly appeared behind me, making me jump and hit my elbow against the wall.

"Mum!" I exclaimed, rubbing my elbow. "Don't creep up on me like that."

"Don't creep on our neighbours like that."

"I just want to see how they look like!"

"Why don't you go over then?" she asked, handing me a plate of cookies. "Give them this and say it's from us."

"They're busy," I said, picking up a cookie and stuffing it in my mouth before she could stop me. "Put them here and I'll bring them over later."

She shook her head at me and took the plate back downstairs. "No excuses, missy. Just come and bring them over in 10 minutes or so."

I sighed and continued looking out the window until they all went back inside and the street went quiet. The house across the road had gone up for sale a short while ago, and I wasn't really close to the people who used to live there, especially since they were just a normal, childless middle-aged couple. I wasn't sure if it was a good idea for me to interact with the new owners.

I went downstairs anyway, and took the plate of cookies that were meant for them. It wouldn't hurt to make some new friends, especially since our street was full of old people.

I crossed the road and stood at their door, not sure what to do. After a few moments, I reached out for the doorbell, but before I could press the button, the door suddenly opened.

"Whoa," the blonde-haired figure said as he nearly crashed into me. "Um, hey there."

"Um...hi," I said, suddenly embarrassed. "My family lives opposite. These are from my mum." I handed the plate of cookies to him.

A big smile crept across his face. "Thanks," he said, taking the plate, and then we just stood there silently, not sure what to do or what to say. "Would you like to come in?" he said after a while. "It's a little messy, but I'm sure my family would like to meet you."

"Yeah...okay."

He started leading me through to the living room, but halfway through, he stopped and turned to look at me. "I forgot to introduce myself," he laughed. "I'm Toni."

I started laughing as I realised I'd also forgotten to introduce myself. "I'm Gabriele."

"Felix," he called as another blonde-haired figure scuttered past us. "Felix, this is Gabriele. She lives opposite. This is Felix, my brother."

"Hi," Felix said, attempting to shake my hand but realising he was carrying a huge box. "Um, I'll shake your hand later," he said, before running upstairs with his box.

Toni and I sat on two free chairs in the living room with the plate of cookies in between us, awkwardness lingering in the air as we just stared down at the ground. It seemed like an eternity had passed before Felix and his parents appeared in front of us.

"Hi again," Felix said, sticking out his hand. I grabbed it and shook it. "Nice to meet you, Gabriele."

"Gabi," I said. "Call me Gabi."

"Hi, Gabi," their mum said. "It's really nice of you to come over."

"It's alright, Mrs...um..."

"Kroos," she said.

"Mr. and Mrs. Kroos," I smiled at them awkwardly, but they didn't seem to care. They beamed back at me before leaving to deal with more boxes.

I looked at Toni, then at Felix. "Are you guys twins?"

They looked at each other and laughed. "We get that a lot," they said at the exact same time, and then they looked at each other and laughed again. "He's my younger brother," Toni finally said.

"Oh," I said. "I have an older sister Amelie. She's out with her boyfriend."

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Felix asked, and Toni elbowed him in the ribs.

"No..." I said, embarrassed. "No, I don't."

"Okay, okay, that's enough," Toni said as Felix nudged him on the shoulder. He grabbed Felix and pushed him upstairs. "You gotta go unpack!"

"ME?" Felix said incredulously. "But I'm not even moving in!"

"Shhhhh," Toni said, and I heard a door close before he came back downstairs. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay," I laughed softly. "Um...I guess I'll be going."

"Okay," he said. "Maybe I'll pop by later. I mean, if you don't mind."

"Yeah, of course I don't," I smiled at him. "See you later, Toni. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Gabi."