neighbors ≫ a.i. [on hold]

One

"Hello?" I spoke into my cell phone as I finished cooking my dinner. It was Ashton's mom, calling for some reason. I stirred the noodles in the alfredo sauce, finishing my homemade masterpiece. I mentally licked my lips as I waited for her response.

"Ah yes, Violet! I have a question for you!" Her voice erupted from the speaker joyfully, but when has she ever called your phone with a question, and not just walked across the street?

"Not to be rude Mrs. Irwin, but why didn't you just walk across the street?" I end up chuckling a little at the end of my question.

"Well see, Ashton needs a tutor this year, because he failed two subjects last year and failed them in summer school. I was just wondering if you'd like to do it? Cause you know, you have excellent grades and you two seem to have a great friendship since you and Lauren are friends." She blabs, but I intently listen.

"Uhm, I dont know.. how often, and what times? I've recently gotten a job at the Grocery down the street." I say in the politest way possible.

"Every Monday-Friday, 6-9pm. Would that work? Obviously if you're trying to finish a topic I wouldn't come in and scold you for not being done exactly at nine." She giggles.

"Uh. That should be fine, I get off work at 5, yeah. I'd be happy to do it." I say and she tells me to come over. I finished the call and hung up. Looking down at myself I realize I need to change real quick, because I'm still in my work uniform. I mentally cringe, and decide to text Ashton's mom that i need to do a couple things and I'll be over. I quickly get in the shower and wash my body and hair, not taking a extra second to shave, I'll do that later.

I then rush to my room and quickly dress in jeans, as always, and throw on a bra and a black shirt. I don't have time to look at it to see what it is, because as soon as its over my head my hair is being thrown up into a bun, and within seconds I grab my phone and flip flops.

Its a ten second walk to the Irwin's from my house, which is nice. When they first moved in I was excited because I heard they had a girl around my age, and before Lauren, there was only older or younger children. I was ten at the time though, and it's 6 years later and we're still really good friends. We have that bond that's unbreakable even if we go months without seeing each other, and I'm happy about that. Lauren is a wonderful girl, and usually Ashton's mom will want me to babysit Harry during the school year, but with me tutoring Ashton I don't see that anytime soon.

As I walk up to the doorstep, I quickly knock and wait for someone to answer the door. My eyes drift from the color of the door, being a beige, to the grains in the sidewalk as I wait and pick at my fingernails. It's only seconds later that Lauren opens the door wide enough for me to step in, and I make a silly face. She makes one back and we both giggle.

"Do you know why I'm here?" I ask quietly. She nods and tells me to go into the dining room, so I nod and proceed. I almost make it to the archway that is above the hall that turns into the dining room when I hear Ashton arguing with his mother.

"Mom, why her? All she's going to do is talk with Lauren the entire time!" He pleas. I bite my lip a little and continue to listen. She groans and tells him to sit.

"Stop it Ashton, she'll be here any minute." She tells him and goes to get something from the kitchen, because her footsteps become more faint.

"Mom theres already someone I found to tutor me anyway, why bother Violet? Don't you want her to babysit Harry?" Ashton keeps on pushing, and his mom is even more aggravated.

"Lauren is old enough to watch Harry now Ashton, and I told you earlier that your tutor isnt going to be picked just because shes appealing to you, the tutor is here to help you with your grades, Ashton you failed summer school." She sighs. "I'm really trying hard to be nice about this hun, but you have no say in who's your tutor and who isn't. So if I were you, I'd suck it up and deal with it, because Violet isn't all too bad." She says and it brings a small smile on my face, and its silent for a couple more minutes and I hear Lauren shut the door like I had just came in, and I mentally thank her for being aware of the situation.

My long legs carry me past the hall and archway and my hazel eyes bring me the sight of Ashton resting his head in his hands at the table, and his mother sipping some coffee in a plain white mug. She smiles and comes over to the table.

"Hi Violet, I'm glad you could come over for a couple things." She said sitting down next to Ashton, and I across from her. For about forty minutes we talked about his old study habits and how often he did his homework, the basics. Basically Ashton isn't dumb, if he would keep up with his studies and actually do his homework, he'd be passing fine. But his mother cant seem to do that, because he always finds a way out of it. I can believe that, its a classic Ashton move.

"I think that's everything," She says and gets up to put her empty coffee mug in the kitchen sink. I get out of my chair and walk over to her to ask her some other questions and then leave. I tell Lauren that I'll text her, and retrieve home to do my own homework. My mother and father are both a work and my brothers are at sports, and my sister is at her friends house until my mom picks her up, so I have the house to myself for a while.

Hours pass quickly as I rapidly finish all my homework, but when I do I'm drained physically and mentally, so I take a shower and go to bed. The next morning I get up at 5:30 AM, and do the typical. Get dressed, put on make up, do my hair, and eat breakfast. When I finish it's 6:50 AM, so I grab my backpack and shoes, and hurry to my car.

At school things go as normal, I go from class to class and see my friends and talk about our favorite bands at lunch. When the bell rings, I walk out to my car and on the way out I find Lauren.

"Hey girl!" She says with a smile. I'm a senior like Ashton, and She's a freshman.

"Hey, i've got to go to work before coming over later, so i've gotta run! Text me later!" I yell separating from her and she nods and runs towards her bus.

A/N: So basically this was just an opener and I'll update the second chapter soon! If you could, please please please give me feedback or vote! It would mean the world :-)