Youth

{chapter 1}

You knew today was going to be different when you looked out your window and saw a bright orange moving van in the driveway of the house next door.

That house had been uninhibited ever since the elderly couple moved out to a retirement home, probably around 4 years ago. Until now, it had stayed dark, lifeless, and extremely creepy at night. Of course, you had never actually been inside it, but sometimes the ripped and torn curtains would sway in front of the window and give the illusion that ghosts lived there. You swear you've seen shadows too, but you don't like to think about those.

Shaking the spine-chilling thoughts from your head, you stand up from your desk and stretch your arms above your head, sighing in satisfaction when you hear some of the bones in your back pop. You already know your mom is at work and won't be there to scold you for disregarding your homework, so you plop down on a pillow next to your window to snoop on the new neighbors.

The first person you notice is a slender, probably middle-aged man, taking a kitchen chair into the house. His hair is so dark that you think it might be pure black, and the stubble around his chin and jawline shows evidence that he hasn't shaved for a couple days.

Right as he walks into the house and disappears from view, another figure steps out from the van, carrying a large cardboard box. It's a woman, with light brown hair and a smaller frame. Even from the window you can see the exhaustion painted across her delicate features, from the dark circles under her eyes to the slight drag in her step.

After the woman comes a younger girl, maybe 11 or 12 years old. Her features are almost identical to her mother's, with the same shape of nose and thin body type. The only difference is the color of her hair, which is darker brown and dyed red at the ends.

Once she goes inside, you watch outside for another minute before walking back to your desk to process the new information you've been given.

You're actually quite surprised that someone's actually moving in to that deteriorating and musty house, let alone a whole family. Sure, it's a nice street that is generally quiet and is pretty well-kept, but that house has been empty for years. Why now?

You're distracted from your thoughts when you hear a feminine voice shouting outside your window. Using your hardwood floors and slippery socks to your advantage, you slide over to the window so hard that Lionel Messi would be jealous and peer out at your neighbor's driveway.

The pre-teen girl is sprawled out across the concrete, water dripping down her face and down the rest of her slender body. Her furrowed eyebrows and gritted teeth make her expression look nothing less than murderous, and her gaze is directed to a figure that is bent over and wheezing from laughter. When the figure finally stands up to full height, your breath hitches and your eyes widen. Holy shit.

It's a boy. A really really really hot boy.

He looks like he's around your age, maybe a year or two older at the most. His hair is a gorgeous chestnut brown that perfectly complements his tanned complexion. As for his facial features, he's got a defined jawline and long eyelashes that show off his almond shaped eyes. What catches your eye the most is his smile. His cheekbones raise up to his eyes to make room for an adorable smile that is almost rectangular in shape.

When his laughter finally starts to die down and he started to talk to (what you assume is) his sister, you press up closer to the glass in an attempt to hear their conversation through the window. Unfortunately for you, you misinterpret the distance between your face and the glass, and hit your nose against the window with a loud crash. You yelp in pain before quickly covering your mouth and peeking out the window again.