Serendipity

Chapter One

Beverly was a place you could compare to an aging fairy tale such as Hansel and Gretel or Cinderella. 33,000 citizens and barely counting, it was a town in East Yorkshire that many came to retire. Mum said she came here to wipe her slate clean, and my dad said the market for accountants seemed almost too good to be true.

My parents made enough for me to go to university, and with the scholarship money I could of saved them, you might of mistaken them for the rich. Each of my neighbors expressed their concern for me taking a year off, and didn't bother to gift me when I graduated like the universal tradition.

Reading was the only way I could pass my time except when my 37 year old uncle came out rarely on the weekends. That's when him and my dad would pack the bags for a fishing trip while I made a ham and cheese sandwich that we'd eat along the shore at noon, or after we caught five fish - which ever came first.

It didn't surprise any of us when a securely folded envelope was dropped in our mailbox from Diane just three houses over.

My dad grumbled as he skimmed the words on the page before quickly passing it over to my mum.

"The annual autumn party next week!". She tore off a piece of tape to attach it to the fridge. "Harry, would you help me make the pie?"

"I always do." She let a smile loose from her lips before pulling her stray hairs away from her face. Her shoulder-length locks started to fade from the peppery brown shade we both shared. I too, beamed a bit before making my way to the library.

There wasn't much to do at Diane's house, as per usual. It seemed to be perfectly made up, as if it were a set on a movie. A dash of pumpkin spice scent floated through the room as my neighbors made small talk and sipped from sparkling glasses of champagne.

"Harry, thank you for coming. I'm sure Alyssa is around here somewhere. I'll go find her for you." The host was dressed in attire I'd expect she would wear to her first born's wedding. My eyes followed hers till I spotted the most beautiful girl in Montclare's graduating 2012 class.

"Hi." She whispered sweetly into my hair when she pulled me into a hug. "It's been too long."

I sat down on a rickety chair, trying to cross my legs, then just at ankles, then giving up to just sit tall and straight. Her crystal blue eyes,clearer than the ocean stared into my mucky ones.

"Uni's going well." She flipped part of her dyed, blonde hair behind one shoulder. "Thanks for asking. Lots of new people, fun sports games." She leaned in a little from the couch after scanning the area for her mom. "Good parties." She straightened back up. "Of course, no cute boys there. They're back home." she winked, but I straightened out my jacket instead.

"That's too bad." I nearly squeaked from my chattering lips.

"You don't get the hint do you?"

"What?"

She sighed before setting her glass of water down on the wooden, antique table that I heard once belonged to her great-great-great-great-great grandfather, captain of the Mayflower.

"You've always been awkward, Harry. There's no doubt about that." She paused, almost looking lost in thought. "I bet you haven't done nearly what I've done. That's why you should of gone to university."

"I-"

"You're right. You probably wouldn't of done anything there either."

I desperately searched the room for anyone I could talk to instead. To find my parents. To find a valid excuse to leave for home.

"Why didn't you invite them Diane?" I heard a petite voice ask in one of the adults' high-school-like cliques.

"I will for the next season party. They have a child younger than my Alyssa but I'm still yet to find out." She replied.

"I heard they went bankrupt last year." The rumor was tagged along with several "what?!" and "nooo"'s. Many sets of eyes looked out to the house across the street, freshly marked with a 'Just Sold' sign.

"I heard that too." Someone else admitted. "And their daughter went to a psych ward."

"They can't be on our street."

"We can't be known as the neighborhood with the crack addict skank!"

"Girls." Diane butted in with the same bitchy smile as her daughter. "We can't judge them till we see them."

I turned back to Alyssa who's shocked eyes were as wide as her moth that dropped. She got herself back together and took a drink out of a nearby adult's glass.

"Naive Harry. Naive Harry who's never downed shots of tequila. Naive Harry who's never touched a girl. Hide your eyes sweetheart, because things aren't going to be pretty."