Love and All It Does

02

Anika's POV
It's Saturday and as soon as daylight breaks, I put on my running clothes and pull my hair into a tight ponytail. I change into my Nikes and rushed down the stairs. As per usual, I arrived to Anne already busying herself with breakfast. "I heard we have a new neighbor." she says as I was filling my bottle to the brim.

"And?"

"I heard he's cute." She wiggles her eyebrows at me which I found annoying. "You should start dressing up more. You're being given a chance."

I squinted my eyes at her. "I don't dress for anyone but myself." I say, cocking an eyebrow at her. I plugged in a pod of my earphones and headed out.

Sure enough, a huge truck was parked in front of the house next to ours. A boy about my age rushes outside to help unload the furnitures and when I took a closer look, I recognized Niall Horan from my school. Niall Horan from the soccer team, Niall Horan who's Harry's close friend. He must have noticed my still figure because he stops to look, then his lips part open and he tilts his head. I gave him a little wave and turned to run because I'm that awkward.

Why of all people do I have to be neighbors with someone close to Harry? Why all of a sudden am I being reeled in to a path he's also walking on? Fate works in a funny way. I shake my head and played some music instead to distract myself.

I ran my usual route; from the house to Café Benette then around SD Swimming Arena to Meadows Lake and back home. A total of 7km. I had drank my water to its last drop and had arrived at home in dying need of hydration.

Anne was now folding the laundry while watching the telly. Granddad was dozing off on the couch next to her and Arren was busy with his Lego. "So, have you seen him?" Anne asks me and gives me a knowing look.

"Seen who?" Arren whips his head and barely acknowledges me.

After chugging down a glass of water, I say, "Yes. He's not that cute."

"He's blonde!" Anne has soft spots for blonde guys. He's had two boyfriends and tons of crushes and all of them were blondies.

"Who? Who is blonde?" Arren prompts but he still gets ignored. "Anne's boyfriend?"

"No, Arren. Just—keep doing your thing." I dismiss him and he frowns, mumbling incoherent things to himself as he diverts his attention back to building a Lego.

"Have you heard from Harry?" Anne asks all of a sudden and catches me off guard.

Arren looks at both of us. I knew he'd ask who Harry was, so I went ahead of him. He was only born right after he had left. "You don't know him." I say and he frowns again. Then I stare at Anne, confused.

"Nothing, I was just curious. It just came to mind how ages ago was it when I heard from him. Ever since he moved to France, he hasn't kept in touch." She pauses for a while to place the shirt she has folded on the pile. "Has he?"

He did once. It was a letter addressed to me and I remember perfectly what was written on it, his handwriting much so. No one was at home back then except me, and I had to clear the mailbox for it was already stuffed with letters. As I was scanning through them, I came across his letter.

Dear Anika,
It's me Harry. Obviously. Forgive me, I don't know how to write a proper letter. Anyway, I hope things are good back there. I miss our neighborhood and the unpredictable weather. I miss the food there. France is...how do I say this...too FRANCEy (fancy) for me! See what I did there? Haha! When I get back, the first thing I would do is to eat Granddaddy's chicken parmigiana. Only then can I hug you or talk to you. Sorry Milly, food is top priority. Haha kidding. I have no plans of making this "novelly", my hand is sweating so much. I hope to see you soon Milly! I promise you I'd be handsome when I get back, no, actually I'd be more handsome! So that you can't call me Mophead Frog anymore x