"Thank you for coming over at the last minute," Mrs. Murphy smiled gratefully when she opened the door, her bag in hand. "I just got called in to work and I needed someone to watch Sadie."
"Oh, it's no problem at all," I assured her.
"Thanks again, Piper," she hugged me. "Sadie, Piper's here!" she shouted to her daughter before picking up her keys and heading out the door.
After the door shut and locked, I heard the pounding of tiny feet bounding down the stairs. "Pipie!" a small voice shrieked.
"Hey Sadie," I smiled and lifted the 6 year old up off the steps. "How's my favorite little princess doing today?"
She giggled and wrapped her arms around my neck. "Where's Brycie?" she asked referring to my best friend, Bryce.
Bryce and I had been friends since we were about Sadie's age. We met in the first grade and have been inseparable ever since. Bryce and I have been there for each other through thick and thin, happiness and heartbreak. Bryce was like the older brother I never had.
"Brycie had to go to work today," I told her. She pouted slightly and I set her down on the floor. "He'll visit you soon, I promise. So what do you wanna do?"
"Can we play hide and seek?" she pleaded and I agreed.
She jumped up in excitement and demanded that I count first before running off to find a hiding spot. I counted to twenty, as usual, before beginning my search for her.
Even though she was young, she was very good at this game. Somehow, she always managed to outsmart me and find an extraordinary hiding place.
I looked behind couches, underneath tables, and behind curtains. I searched under blankets and in cupboards, even closets. When I didn't find her in any of those places, I knew there was only one place for her to go.
I tiptoed quietly up the stairs and down the hall to her older brother, Beckett's, bedroom. I noticed that the door was left open slightly and instantly knew that Sadie was hiding in here. Carefully, I pushed the door open and scanned the room for the little girl. I heard a tiny cackle coming from the closet. I crept over to door and flung it open, revealing a giggling Sadie practically drowning in one of her brother's soccer jerseys.
"How'd you find me?" she questioned innocently.
"Next time, don't laugh when I'm close by," I tipped, tickling her stomach. "Now you know you're not supposed to be in here when your brother isn't home."
"I know but Brubby doesn't mind," she tried to convince me.
"Well he might not but I do. Go ahead and take off the jersey," I said.
"But I don't wanna," she whined, "I want Brubby!"
"Brubby isn't here right now." I felt incredibly silly for using the nickname she had for Beckett.
"When will he be here?" she tilted her head to the side ever so slightly.
"I'm not sure, Princess." And with that, she sniffled and began to cry.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm sure Brubby will be here soon," I consoled.
"But I want Brubby now! I miss him!" she pouted.
YOU ARE READING
Neighbors
Teen Fiction"And to think we just started out as neighbors." *** Beckett Murphy and Piper Jennings are two teenagers who just happen to be neighbors. The two are almost polar opposites and it seems that the only thing they have in common is their love for B...
