(Un)Lucky Number 13

13 Greetings

There is a moving van in the Peterson's driveway. It isn't really their driveway anymore, though, seeing as they'd moved to Tennessee two weeks ago, I reason.

"Sawyer!" mom calls "Come downstairs and take this housewarming gift over to the new family across the street, please."

Letting out a sigh, I tear my gaze from the window and swing my feet off the cushion. Lingering for a bit to let the pale morning sunlight wash over my face, my mom yells again, "Sawyer, hon, I mean it! Come down here!"

I hoof it downstairs and reluctantly take the basket from my mother's waiting, outstretched hands.

"Ok, ok. I'm going." I say,
opening the front door and disappearing outside as Mom waves cheerily.

I take a few moments to stand on the porch and breathe in the cool Massachusetts air. Then I step
off the porch and jog to the other side of the road. Taking a deep breath, I knock on the door.

"Well hello there!" a round faced, motherly woman greets me.

I blush. "Are you the new family then?"

"Indeedy we are! My name is Lisa Cook, no need for the uppity Mrs. Cook nonsense!" Lisa says.

Finally remembering the basket full of gifts in my trembling hands, I stuttered, "I-I have a housewarming gift for you...Lisa."

Mrs. Cook-Lisa!-beamed, showing off a smile full of bright white teeth. "Thank you so much," she replies gratefully as she takes the basket, "It's nice to know that some people in the neighborhood are, you know, nice."

I nod. "Everybody is nice if you give 'em a chance. It's a very supportive community."

Suddenly, a boy's voice emanates from the space behind Lisa. "Mom? Who's at the door?" he asks as Lisa moves to let him through. Standing in front of me and looking adorably dumbfounded is the cutest boy I've seen in a while.

"Hi." I say, jamming my hands into the pockets of my overalls.

"Hi." he replies, running a hand through his already sufficiently tousled honey blond curls.

Lisa smirks, obviously taking the awkwardness between us as a sign of young love, not a sign of just being introduced.

"Introduce yourself, Finn!" Lisa scolds, prodding the boy's-Finn's?-shoulder.

He shrugs. "I'm Finn."

"I'm Sawyer."

"'Sup."

"'Sup."

After our 10 second, marvelously elaborate conversation, Lisa interjects with "Well, now you two know each other! You'll have a friend at school, Finn! I know you were worried you wouldn't be able to make any friends."

"Mom!" Finn cries and storms back into the house.

Lisa laughs uncertainly. "Well, thank you for this basket, Sawyer. I'll see you later."

I nod and turn to go back to my own house. But before I open the door, I look back at the Cooks' house and see the mysterious boy, Finn, staring at me through the window. I wave and he disappears.

Picture on the side is the fabulous Lucy Hale as Sawyer!