Brink of Love

Chapter 5

Hey! I just wanted to mention quick to anyone reading this story: please go back and reread! I have been busy MAJORLY editing the first four chapters and tweaking the plot. Anyways, onward. Enjoy. :)

Chapter 5

Sandy texts me a couple hours later with her address. I finish up my potato salad and throw on some light sweats with a tight pink tee. 4:20 pm. I get the directions and hesitate. She lives on the outskirts of town in the multi million dollar houses. Hopefully Sandy isn't a serial killer or something, because there aren't so many neighbors out there.

I cross my fingers and drive the twenty minutes to her house. As I get closer, I start to get an uneasy feeling. The last house (or mansion, technically) on this road is Dylan Lawson's. Please don't tell me he has a younger sister named Hallie.

I wait for the GPS on my phone to speak up and tell me to turn. I pass the first house, then the second. Nothing. I can see the second to last house and I know Dylan's is around the bend. As I pass the driveway of the house I scowl. Of course that was Dylan's mom. Just my luck.

"Destination to the right."

"Oh shut up," I huff. 

I hurry up to the porch and ring the bell and wait. Sandy unlocks the door and ushers me in with a huge grin. "Hey sweetie! Thank you so much again, I really appreciate it." She envelops me in a quick hug.

"Of course, it's not a problem."

"Hallie?" she calls over her shoulder towards the kitchen.

An adorable face peeks around the archway leading to the kitchen and the little girl giggles and disappears. Sandy glances at me and says, "She's a bit shy at first."

I nod and Hallie wanders down the hall, her long blonde hair reaching nearly to her waist. She has yet to meet my eyes so I crouch down to her level and give her a warm smile. "Hey Hallie. I'm Kennedy."

There's an awkward moment of silence before she looks me over and her lips quirk up a bit. "Hi," she says quietly. 

She's wearing one of those rainbow loom bracelets and I lean closer to take a look. "Oh my goodness!" I gush. "Did you make that?"

Her eyes light up excitedly and she nods her head.

"Can you show me how?" I ask excitedly.

Hallie squeals and claps her hands together. "What color?"

"What colors do you have?"

"Tons! Follow me!" She grabs my hand and starts to hurry up the steps.

I look over my shoulder and Sandy is standing in the doorway with a look of surprise. She recovers as we make eye contact. "I'll be back around ten tonight, hopefully. Have her in bed by nine please. Oh! And help yourself to whatever you need. There's macaroni you can microwave on the second shelf in the fridge. Have fun you two!" She blows a quick kiss to Hallie and waves to me.

"Bye Sandy, see you later." I wave back and let Hallie pull me up the steps.

Hallie's room is every young girl's dream. It's purple and white for the most part. The bed is what I imagine princesses would sleep in with it's spirals and cloth that hangs like a canopy over the top. There's a huge plush unicorn in the corner that's larger than Hallie. A little wooden swing hangs from the ceiling over by a bookshelf overflowing with books and trinkets. Across from the bed, a ladder leads up to a small area to sit.

"Wow," I breathe. "This is beautiful."

Her eyes sparkle up at me and she blushes. "Thanks! Mommy let me decorate it mostly."