My secret neighbour

Chapter 7- The Understanding

It had been over an hour since father went to retrieve Oscar from the police station, something told me he was having trouble explaining the situation.

The rest of us pottered around the house waiting in anticipation for them to return.

Sat on the end of my bed I watched the harsh rain batter the old worn roof of the abandoned building across the way.

I could hear Zack and my mother talking downstairs although I couldn't really make out what it was they were talking about I suspected he was probably thanking her for the hospitality and apologising for his harsh words at the dinner table.

The sound of a light tap at my door drew my split attention from both the rain and the conversation. Turning to my once semi closed door there I saw Riley. He had what appeared to be a sad expression on his face. Confused I opened my mouth to ask him if he had heard anything but he sighed me with his own words.

"You ok?" He asked as he made his way towards me and sat next to me on my bed.

"Hmm" I mumbled turning back to my window.

"Look none of this is your fault ok. And what ever dad says he doesn't mean, you know how blindly mad he can get. He'll calm down, believe me I've wound him up plenty of times to know." Riley explained honestly.

"But this is different. You got in trouble at school not in trouble with the police." Maddy sighed.

"But that wasn't your doing Oscar is the one that made that happen."

"Yeah but dad told me to stay away from Zack if I had non of this would of happened."

"Maddy listen to me what happened today isn't a big deal there are going to be much more 'big dead' moments in your life and dad just has to deal with it."

"What do you mean?"

"Maddy one day your going to find someone you want to be with for the rest of your life and dads not gonna want to let you go but he'll have to... god if I say one more nice thing I'm going to throw up, so anyway you get the point now grow up and work on your hostess skills your a little rusty." Riley explained as he stood up and gave me a comforting pat on the shoulder before leaving my room.

Riley walked out of my room and crossed paths with Zack.

"She's in there mate." He spoke loud enough for me to hear but then I heard him mutter something under his breath to him.

Next thing I know Zack is standing in my door way looking a little sheepish.

"What did he say to you?" I asked worried.

"What. Nothing." He smiled small," can I come in?" He asked.

Looking down at his feet I answered him," technically your already in" I smiled back. He looked down at his feet and saw that he'd already crossed the freehold to my room. Slowly stepping back he asked again." Hmm I don't know if I want a stranger in my room" I joked. But the look on Zack's face had turned from a smile to a slightly hurt expression. As after all we were strangers, we hardly knew anything about the other.

"Zack you can come in." I smile. He smiled small but his eyes still contain sadness as he walked towards me. I can't even begin to imagine what's going through his head, he ran from home and in now staying in a strangers house. He must be so scared.

"I love your room by the way." Zack spoke up as he looked around, "your room makes my old room look like a prison cell." He explained.

"How so?"

"Your room is so colourful it's calm and warming, my room was bare compared to this, my walls were a white and grey wash, no posters. No teddies" he laughed looking at my vast collection," all I had in my room were business books and spreadsheets. My father didn't exactly encourage my creative side unlike your family who clearly did" he smiled pointing towards a collection of sketches of various people and animals.