Neighborly Love

Chapter 5

Hailey's POV:

I started panic when nobody came open the door. What if they didn't remember that I was coming? What if they had left abroad? I knocked again and wait.

The sun had started pass already and I grabbed my phone from my pocket to dial my mom's number. "Hailey? Is that you?" I heard suddenly a voice calling my name somewhere behind me.

I turned around and looked over the caller. My eyes widened. It was Justin. I tried open my mouth and say something little that I'd not have seemed rude to him, even some parts inside me wanted me to do so. That bastard would decide it Hailey, voice inside me called me.

But thankfully I didn't have to do either of them when mom came just on that moment open the door for me. I turned around and hugged my mom quickly.

"And here she is finally! Welcome home!!" my mom almost screamed and hugged me back. While we hugged, I looked with a corner of my eye still over Justin who decided just continue his way back to home.

"How did your drive here went?" mom asked after we moved inside the house. "Good" I told and put my bags on the floor. I took off my denim jacket and shoes before a tall man appeared next to my mom in the hallway. "Here's Richard" mom smiled and looked me and then him. "Here's my daughter Hailey, honey"

Richard came shake hand with me and we shared also little smiles to each others. "It's such a pleasure to meet you finally, Hailey" he said and I nodded back. "You too... Richard" I said back.

Richard helped me to carry my bags in my old room. It looked still same which I left it. Still same posters on the wall, same carpet on the floor, same curtains. "Your mom has done a dinner for us. Why don't we go eat now?" Richard suggested and woke me up from my thoughts.

We walked to the kitchen and sat on the table before mom sat on the table too. "So how has it gone there without me? Anything new?" I asked to my mom while I took some salad on my plate. "Good... but of course I have missed you too" mom decided add in the end because otherwise it would have sounded that I wasn't expected guest.

I nodded and took a little piece of tomato in my fork and put it in my mouth. "It has been so quiet since so many of our old neighbors have moved away. There's just The Mallarc's and Mr. Bieber left from those who you remember, and to be honest only Mallarc's visit us nowadays"

"Oh" I mumbled and tried dig from my mom's gaze if there was something to tell still. "Why?" I slipped out of my mouth even I thought to push thoughts of him a side.

"We just... I don't even know. Maybe it's just that we don't really have anything in common with Justin since there's not you anymore who he could help with homework" mom mumbled and seemly tried avoid continuing the conversation. I got her and didn't want ruin her chances with Richard now, since he looked a good guy so far.

At least better than seeing Justin here who is almost half younger than my mom. Sometimes when I couldn't sleep, I spent time thinking if I really did overreacted everything which happened on that night. If there was something wrong with my side too but in the end, I didn't find any good reason to his acting.

I mean I ever went any further with Marcus after we moved away from this city and started date later. Before that we stood just as friends. Justin went way too further, way too fast and that was wrong way to handle such a little thing like accidentally forgotten date night.

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I stood up the table and thanked the food before I went wash my plate even mom told that she could do it since I had had a long drive behind and I needed some rest. I wasn't tired at all yet to be honest. I was full of energy still, maybe even more than I usually was.

We chatted the rest of the night about how my studies had started, and how things where going with Marcus who mom would have wanted to see too after a long time. "He had others things to do at home" I simple told to my mom and didn't want continue the conversation about that anymore.

Later on that same night I decided still take a little running course around the block before I would go take a shower and sleep. The weather was warm still even the sun was landing behind the horizone already.

People said 'hi' to me when they recognized me and I gave a nod and smile back but didn't stop to talk. I had decided make this practise without interruptions.

When I passed Justin's house, I saw how he laid on his patio and read maybe some book there. I could feel how his gaze burnt on my skin but I didn't accept myself to look back or answer his 'hey there' comments.

I wasn't ready to face him today yet.
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