The In-Between

✎ Chapter 1

I leaned back in my chair, stabbing the Brussels sprouts on my place with my fork. I blocked out the sound of my parents' laughter, emerged deep in conversation with our new neighbours, the Jacobs. I found myself fixated on the boy sitting across from me.

When my parents said we were having new neighbors with a kid my age, I was pretty excited. But now, I take that back.

The guy had messy black hair just covering his eyes, a black flannel jacket and white shirt underneath, and baggy jeans. I'd been staring at him the whole time, trying to spark a conversation, but he didn't even look my way.

"So, Callix, how are you settling in?" My mom asked, her voice cheerful as she served another helping of lasagna.

"It's fine," he replied flatly, his gaze still glued to the table as if he were studying the patterns in the wood.

"He's just shy," Mrs. Jacobs chimed in, rubbing Callix's shoulder as if trying to coax him out of his shell. "He takes a little while to warm up to new people."

Finally, Callix looked up, his expression a mixture of annoyance and mild embarrassment. I caught a glimpse of his features—he had a rather chiseled face, with piercing blue eyes, and full lips that could have been inviting if they weren't twisted into a permanent scowl. He'd be way hotter if he dropped the attitude and trimmed that messy hair a bit.

My mom, the hopeful matchmaker, glanced between me and Callix, a warm smile spreading across her face. "You know, I have a daughter about your age," she said, her voice dripping with optimism.

I felt my heart sink and looked up from my plate, dropping my fork onto the table with a loud clatter. Not this again. I looked at my dad for support, but he was already gone with Mr Jacobs, probably showing off his fishing hook collection. I glanced over at the twins, Kaia and Kyle, but they were busy in their own world, bickering over who the best superhero was.

"Mom, can we not?" I said, trying to keep my tone light but failing to hide my irritation.

Her smile faltered slightly, and she tilted her head, clearly not picking up on the vibe in the room. "Oh, come on, Aurelia. You two should really get to know each other. You might find you have a lot in common."

Callix shook his head, facial expression returning to his familiar scowl. "I'll pass. She's loud and obnoxious." His tone was dismissive as if he were already done with the conversation.

"Callix! Watch your mouth." Mrs Jacobs snapped, her voice a sharp warning.

I felt my cheeks flush. I slapped my hand onto the table, the sound echoing through the room. "What do you mean I'm loud? I haven't even said anything to you yet!" I shot back, frustration boiling.

He raised an eyebrow at me, a flicker of amusement flashing in his piercing blue eyes as the corners of his lips tugged upward into a smirk for a brief moment.

"Exactly," he replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm as he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.

He got me there. "Whatever," I murmured, the word slipping out with a huff of annoyance. Grabbing my plate, I pushed my chair back with a little more force than necessary and headed toward the kitchen.

I could hear the hushed apologises of Mrs Jacobs to my mother, and the twins now trotting closely behind me. I tossed my uneaten Brussels sprouts into the garbage and dropped my plate into the sink with a clatter.

"Need any help?" Kaia's voice broke into my thoughts as she strolled into the kitchen, Kyle bouncing energetically beside her.

"No, I got it," I replied, forcing a smile for her sake. "Just trying to clean up a little."