The Neighbours Next Door

Eleven

They say all good things must come to an end but what they don't add is that when they end, something amazing starts. Something ten, fifteen, twenty times better starts and you completely forget about what you had to move on from. Moving away from LA was one of the hardest, most strenuous tasks I've ever had to carry out but little did I know that awaiting me, would be two of the most irreplaceable people in the world. Spending that precious week in LA with Georgie, Ethan and Grayson was tiring, fun and filled with more Jamba Juice than I've had in my whole life but I knew it would come to an end. Mom and Dad were back in Jersey. I had a life here and what was LA now? Just a holiday destination.

"Hayden? You're daydreaming again." Georgie nudged my arm causing my whole body to flinch from the sudden communication. "I'm just heading to the toilet." She pointed to the sign for the women's and left me, Ethan and Grayson at the booth; we were currently in Jamba Juice for the last time before I left for Long Valley. Ethan's phone started ringing in his pocket and he picked it up in an instant, heading for the doorway for better reception. This was the first time me and Grayson had been fully alone since our 'break-up' or whatever it was.

"I'm sorry about what happened back home." He finally plucked up the courage to speak about the one subject that we both wanted to get off our chests. "I guess it was hormones?"

"Grayson, we don't need to make this any more awkward. Let's just agree that whatever happened in the past stays in the past. You kissed me because it was the heat of the moment, not because you loved me." We both sipped our smoothies, inhaled and exhaled at exactly the same moment. "I'm happy for Georgie. Her previous boyfriend was a complete meathead. At least I didn't have to do the whole interrogation thing."

"Wasn't his name Alejandro Lopez?" I nodded, laughing. "How much more stereotypically Mexican can you get?" Our laughter filled the pretty much empty smoothie bar and Georgie was soon returning to us. "We were talking about Alejandro." Grayson informed her and she made a gagging noise in response.

"I'm so glad he left me for Stacey." She laughed. "What's Ethan doing?" We all looked towards him as he paced around outside and nodded. "Looks important whatever it is." Georgie nursed her Tropical Sunburst, Grayson chugged the rest of his Peanut Butter Moo'd Smoothie and I sucked up about a third of my Pomegranate Paradise when Ethan walked back in. He did that face when you're trying to hide your happiness by covering it with some weird constipated frown.

"Hayden?" Ethan's voice was monotone but was laced with a chuckle.

"Mm-hm." I looked up from the table because my boyfriend seemed to tower over me.

"That was your mom." He sat down beside me and held my thigh - maybe for moral support? This was my mom after all. "She says that she tried to call you but you didn't pick up. She wants you to stay in LA."

"Are you joking?" Ethan shook his head rapidly, his pretend frown curling into a smile. "I should call her."

"Put it on speaker." Georgie demanded. The ringing sound lasted longer than any of us wanted and each of us edged closer to the phone to hear what Mom had to say.

"Hello?" I had forgotten how womanly Mom sounded. "Haydey, I'm so glad you called. Did Ethan tell you what I said?"

"Yeah, Mom, what do you mean?" There was a brief pause as Mom fumbled with something on the other end of the phone call.

"Me and your father have given you the choice of moving to LA to be with your friends." Georgie wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me into a tight embrace. Ethan and Gray soon joined to form a group hug/mess. "Whadd'ya say?"

"Yes. Thank you so much, Mom. Say hi to Dad for me and do you mind posting over some more clothes because I literally bought enough for the week." The call ended there and I looked around the table, eyeing up everyone's smiles and thinking of ways I could make this moment even better. Nothing came to mind because my day was already at its peak brilliance.

"Jamba Juice everyday." Georgie shouted, causing the rest of us to turn a bright shade of red. All the workers in the smoothie bar laughed as she danced on the spot. We picked up the drinks that we had yet to finish and returned to what I now called home. I leaped onto the couch to reserve a space for watching movies and Georgie followed after I had moved out the way. We didn't want any injuries. "We are watching The Notebook now." She informed the two boys and they exchanged glances that said,

"Eww, a chick-flick?"

And

"Ugh, girls these days."

"Do you want to join us?" I asked both of them and after I mentioned the word 'popcorn' they were sitting in front of us on the floor, underneath a blanket. The movie started playing on the flat screen TV but the screen went black and static sounds started blasting in the room.

"Ugh, this happens all the time." Grayson got up to sort it out and started fiddling with wires.

"This was a second hand one from eBay and I guess we now know why it was sold." Ethan chuckled, getting up from the couch to help his brother. "Wait, let me do this." He pulled Grayson out of the way and started rewiring stuff. The TV stopped making the sounds, causing us all the squeeze on the sofa and stare at the screen. 

"Please, please, please." Georgie yearned for us to be able to watch the movie. The screen started playing the opening music for The Notebook and the first scene, a dark sunset, appeared to us.

"Yeah!" We all cheered and jumped back into our places with the blankets and whatnots.

A/N

Rejoice, Hayden will be with her boyfriend and her friends forever. Or will they? 

Sorry about this super short author note because I have family over and I need to get this up for Georgie ;)))

From Pia