Ｓｅｌｃｏｕｔｈ

1

Melissa, Mel, Jones stood at the door of the house she'd happened to stop by a few years prior, with a clearly full backpack and heaving chest. Her slightly coloured cheeks had a soft red tingle and her dark brown eyes shining her hand released the strap of the bag and raised to knock on the door a third time when it suddenly flung open.

On the other side was her best friend, Hope Marshall, with a beaming smile, behind her, looking worried, were her mother, Hayley Marshall and her nanny, Mary, although the worry quickly cleared their features the second they saw her. "Hope!" Mel squealed, throwing herself forward and into the auburn-haired young child. 

"Mel!" Hope squeals in return, having been awaiting patiently for her arrival, their embrace lasts for a few good minutes until Hayley pulls them further inside and closes the door behind her. "Melissa." Hayley greets with an honest smile as she kneels down to hug the child before her, "Hey Momma Hayley." Mel replies, her sweet voice filling Hayley's ears while Hope rocked herself on her feet.

"Were you followed? Do your mothers know you're here?" Hayley inquired as she pulled back from the dark brown-haired child, "Nope, I was very careful. Masked my scent and didn't leave a trail. And yup, I made sure they heard me." Mel replied earning a nod from Hayley. At the nod Hope and Mel ran off to Hope's bedroom leaving Hayley and Mary at the entrance of the house.

"You know, I never thought you'd befriend vampires." Mary teased the young-looking mother, "Me neither but Becky and Amy don't really talk with other supernaturals, they prefer to keep to themselves. Just like I do." Hayley replied with a soft smile on her face as she watched the girls' retreating backs. "Aren't you afraid they might tell someone?" Mary pressed. It wasn't that she didn't like the Jones's but she wanted to understand the friendship between the vampire couple and Hayley. "No. They wouldn't dare, they don't want attention nor problems." Hayley explained, shifting her eyes to the older woman nodding towards the kitchen.

In Hope's bedroom, the two girls sat on Hope's bed playing with Barbies that Mel brought from home, their laughter filled the whole room and the at least half the corridor, innocent childish laughter that knew no wrongs the world could bring them.