The Change(Ansel Elgort and Nick Robinson)

new neighbor

  (ben⬆)

"What do you want?" he yelled. "You!" i cried, throwing a pillow. "What do you want?" he yelled again. "You!" i screamed, throwing another pillow at the tv.

   Lets just say these past 2 months have not been the most productive. Instead of getting ready for sophmore year, ive been crying...and watching their snapchat story. Probably not the best way to move on.

   They know I'm watching it too since it tells you who views it. Ever since they found out i watch it, they haven't been posting as much coupley stuff.

   Sometimes they post shit like "miss you" or "sorry it had to end this way". It makes me realise i overreacted, but if i were to admit that, I'd go back to being passive aggressive and jealous. That cant happen.

   I huffed, turning off The Notebook and leaning back on my pillowless bed. 🎶Its my party and ill cry if i want to🎶
   My ringtone went off. It was my mother. I answered it. "Hello."

"Hey sweetie, i get off early and our new neighbors moved in this morning. I talked to them and we decided to all have dinner tonight."

I sighed, "do I have to go? Can't you and dad just go?"

"You haven't been out of the house all summer. Not once. You wont tell me what happened with you and your friends, so unless you wanna tell me whats going on, you're going. Besides, theres a boy around your age, possibly you could make a new friend."

"Fine. I'll go."

"Love you, bye."

"Love you." i hung up. Tonight's gonna be awful.

   I hadn't showered in 5 days so i decided to hop in. I scrubbed my body, shaved, and washed my hair.

   Maybe tonight i could prove to them i was gonna be okay. If they saw my story and i was hanging with other people, id prove to them they didn't need to worry. I know i seem petty and bitter about it all, but to be honest, im not angry.

   I mean, I'm kind of angry, but you can't help who you fall for just as much as you cant help who doesn't fall for you. It just hurts and whereas most people can suppress the jealousy and hurt, i couldn't and i dont need to guilt trip them. I just need them to know i left because it was the right thing to do...even tho ive been sad so far this summer and haven't left the hosue. Im processing still.

   When i got out of the shower, i lightly curled my hair, to make it look like beach waves. I put on minimal make up. Just foundation, lipstick, and mascara. I changed into a black tanktop, jean shorts, and a floral kimono, topping it off with a flower crown and pairing it with tan ankle boots.

   I walked out of my room and into the living room. My mom was sitting on the couch. "When did you get home?" i asked, sitting next to her. She pulled me in for a side hug, then payed her attention back to the tv. "An hour ago."

   "Ive been getting ready that long?" she nodded.

   "Is dad going?"

   "Your dad's working late, but he has off tomorrow."

   I nodded, watching her soap opera she had on. It ended. "Okay, let's go." she stood up, looking at her watch. She grabbed 2 plates wrapped in a lot of saran wrap. She handed me one and we walked out the door.

   Our new neighbors lived 3 houses down. My mom knocked on the door. The door open and it caught me off guard. It was a guy who looked my age, maybe a year older. He was tall. And cute. And wow. "Hi." he shook my moms hand, "you must be our neighbor. My moms in the kitchen." he opened the door for us, taking the plate out of my mom and mines hands.

   "Arent you a gentleman?" my mom laughed. "This is my daughter, Nina. She's alittle shy."

   I cringed and tensed. "Mom, im not shy." i very fakely smiled. She shook her head, walking to the kitchen. He followed her, then came back with nothing in his hands.

   We stood there awkwardly for a couple minutes, looking everywhere, but at eachother. He broke the silence, "so, what's it like here?"

   I shrugged, "its okay. Were a pretty boring town. Not much goes on."

   "Then what do you do for fun?" he gestures to the couch and we sit. "Hmm...we meet new people and eat dinner with them."

   He smiles, letting out a very light chuckle. "That sounds fun." i nodded, "it is."

   "My names ben, by the way."

   "Well, welcome to Nevada, Ben." i smile at him and he smiles back. "So, what grade are you in?" i ask. "About to be in 11th."

   "Ooh older guy. Im about to be in 10th."

   "Ben, it's dinner!" his mom called. We stand up and walk to the dining room. We sit down next to eachother.

   On the table was spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, coke, and rootbeer. "Wow, this looks so good." i said. "Thankyou." his mom smiled at me. "And we brought some dessert for later." my mom told me. I nodded.

   We all served ourselves and i took the time to snap a recording of the food and everyone at the table. We sat there for the next 20 minutes digging into the food and chatting about school, which started in 2 weeks.

   After we finished, Ben and his mom took our plates, even though we offered to take our own. My mom insisted on helping with the dishes. "Ben, why don't you give nina a tour of the house while we do the dishes and get dessert?"

   Ben nodded and we walked around the 1st floor. "So any interest in sports?" i asked. "Yea, actually im planning on joining football."

   Zach plays football. God he looked so good in his jersey. Snap out of it!

   "That's cool. We have a really good team."

   "What about you? Any sports?"

   "Sports and i don't get along. Me and my best...my old friend and i we both tried out for soccer. Only she got in."

   "That sucks. Know any football players?" he asked, smiling at me. "Umm...a couple...not that many."

   He led me up the stairs. "This is my room." i followed him in and he shut the door behind us. "Wow, this is nice."

   "Thanks. Im not close to being done unpacking."

   I looked around and noticed all the boxes stacked in his room. "So you got snap?"

   "Yea." i gave him my phone and he typed in his username. It took him a good minute. "I took the time to type in my number in case you ever need to reach me or want to talk or something."

   "Lit."

   "So, what do you want to do?"

   "We could go to the park." i suggested. "I mean, it's only 6. I guess we could."

   We zoomed down the stairs. "Mom, im taking him to the park!" i shouted. "Okay, im gonna show Mrs. Mitchel our flooring! We'll be at home!"

   "Okay!"

   We slammed the door behind us, strolling towards the mini park in the corner. "I used to hang out there all the time." i pointed to the park.

   "What happened?"

   "Its been more of a chill in the house summer."

   When we hopped on the curb, I froze. "Lets go back." i whispered. "Why? You're grossed out by a couple making out?" he smirked, hitting my shoulder. I fakely grinned. Only when it used to be my 2 bestfriends.