Ingratiated [✔] » k.th

4.

Joey

   I was pulled out of my concentration when there was a knock on the door. It wasn't V, because usually he just phases through the wall and into the house.

Unless it was Ava, who was supposed to be in school right now, but since it was the afternoon she could have been out.

Maybe it was one of V's brothers paying me an unexpected visit or my sister trying to dump her kids on me again. She has a really bad habit of doing that.

   "Just a minute!" I call as I pull on some sweat pants and hurry to the door. I open the door and there stands an unfamiliar face. He holds Sunny in his arms, the cat's behind is facing me. He held the animal at arm's length.

   "I think this belongs to you."

   "Oh, thank you!" I took the cat out of his arms. "I was wondering where he went."

   "Yeah, I caught him running into my house this morning when I left the door open. I went around the neighborhood, trying to find out who he belonged to."

   "Well, thank you." I smiled as the cat purred in my arms.

   "I just moved in next door."

   "Oh, so you're the new neighbor!"

   "Yeah," he nods. "May I come in?"

   "Sure," I opened the door wider for him to enter. I closed the door behind him and set the cat down, he scurried off somewhere and I hurried to clean up the mess I created all over the living room.

I picked up the balled up pieces of paper and scattered books. "I'm sorry. I'm an author, so I work from home and I have plenty of time to make messes. Don't mind me, I'm just tidying up."

   "It's fine. I don't mind," he said, looking around.

   "Well, do you want something to drink?"

   "Sure."

   "How does lemonade sound?"

   "Lemonade's fine."

I walked into the kitchen and poured a glass of lemonade.

   "Here you go," I handed him the glass. "Hope it's not too sour."

   "Again, I don't mind." He took a sip and his face turned upside down.

   "Too sour? Sorry, I like my lemonade really sour. It gets my creative juices going."

   "It's fine," he coughed.

   "It doesn't seem fine. Would you like some water instead?"

   "No." He shook his head. "So, tell me about yourself, neighbor."

   "Oh, my name is Joey. Joey Joseph. I go by JJ, also Joe. I already told you I was an author."

   "Yeah, you did." He chuckled.

I sat back down in my swivel chair.

   "There's nothing much to tell you, after all we just met."

   "Yeah, I understand that," he shrugged.

   "So what about you?" I pull my hair back out of my face and move myself in front of my laptop. "Is there anything I should know about my new neighbor?"

   "Well, I've been moving around a lot lately. I've been trying to find the right place to settle down in. My parents are from china, and I really like sour lemonade." He replied. "That's about it. After all, we just met." He ends his sentence with a slight smile.

   "Funny." I reply with a roll of my eyes.

   "So, what books have you written? Are they bestsellers?"

   "My first book, I wrote was actually about a really interesting relationship I had a few years ago. I'm writing the second book now. Can't give out any spoilers."

   "That's alright. I'll just read the actual book."

We talked for a little while longer. He asked about my family and what I did before I became an author. I asked a few questions as well.

   "Wow, you're really nice." I said out of the blue. "When I think of new neighbors, I think of grumpy old men who live in creepy houses and eat children."

   "Why would you think that?" He laughed.

   "Probably because I have a wild imagination."

His phone rang and he picked it up to answer. His tone of voice turned serious. Maybe he was talking to his boss or someone of importance.

   "I have to go," he says as he shoves his phone back into his pocket. "I guess I'll see you around."

   "Most definitely. We're neighbors, afterall." I escorted him to the door.

   "I wish we could talk longer, but--"

   "I understand you have something important to do." I remarked, not wanting him to think that I thought that he was being rude.

   "Ok, well, I'll see you later then, Joey."

I opened the door for him to exit. He steps out of the door and something that I forgot to ask him earlier immediately pops up in my head.

   "Oh!" I exclaim, catching his attention. "What's your name?"

   "Zitao." He says with a friendly smile. "Huang Zitao."

   "It's was nice officially meeting you, Zitao." I say before waving one last time and closing the door.