A Thousand Miles and A Million Years

Chapter One

Mae

Eight Years Old

As I walked by myself down the short suburban neighbourhood's side walk, twirling around in the dress I dreaded, I felt something wet land on my forehead. I sighed, and looked up at the dark clouds that my mother had warned me about a few hours earlier. I huffed, picking up my pace a bit, the only sound breaking the birds calling and traffic rushing by being my old, busted up black converse. I watched as my feet stepped over and around wet dots on the sidewalk due to the rain that was no doubt about to come pouring down.

My eyes glided over to another pair of converse that had started walking in sink with mine. Their feet were certainly larger than mine, but not large enough for them to be an adult. I let my eyes fallow the converse, past their torn and ripped jeans and black shirt and to their black hair. He glanced over at my gaze and smiled. He looked to be about my age.

"Hey." He said, his blue eyes keeping my gaze. "I don't think I've ever seen you. Did you just move into the house down this street?"

"Yeah." I answered, looking forward again to see my new house rapidly approaching as the grey clouds that were looming over us got darker. "Where do you live?"

He smiled at me for a second before he answered. "The house to the right of you." He pointed towards the large two story house that looked similar to mine.

"Oh, cool, okay." I said, admiring the house still. Before I even realized, we were in front of our houses. I watched the rain hit the grass around my feet as a stood on my lawn.

"It's cool to get a neighbour that seems to be my age. Not too many kids in this place." He observed, watching my feet too. "What's your name, by the way?"

"Mae." I said simply. After a minute, I look up to his face. "What's yours?"

"Mark." He smiled. "I like your name. It suits you." He started towards his house again.

"Thanks. I like yours too."

"Maybe we can hang out tomorrow then." He smiled as he checked his mail.

"What if it's raining still?" I asked curiously crouching down and picking a few pieces of grass I had noticed were taller than the rest.

"It's okay. I have a tree house in the back." He motioned towards his backyard as he approached his front door.

"That's awesome." I smiled. I had never had one, but always wanted a tree house.

"It is." He laughed. "See you tomorrow then?"

Just then, my mother opened my front door and hollered to me. "Mae, you better stand up out of that mud and grass! You'll ruin your dress! Come inside!"

I rolled my eyes and looked back at mark. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow." We both exchanged smiled before he opened as shut his door, retreating into his house.

I ran through the grass and to my house where my mom was still holding the door open for me.

"Who was that, honey?" She asked as I slid my shoes off.

"Our new neighbour, Mark." I said, uninterested in conversing with her right now. I was still a bit mad that she made me move.

"That's sweet. You said something about seeing him tomorrow? You going hang out with him again tomorrow?" She asked as she retreated to the couch where Maury was playing, some lady who had found the baby father wasn't who she thought it was crying on the screen.

"Obviously." I sassed before climbing the stair to my room.