Innocence

1

Jackson Marin.
Chills run down my back hearing his name.
If you asked me if I missed him, I wouldn't have the words to speak.
He broke me. He ruined me.

~Two Years Prior~

"Julia, honey, can you take this dish over to the neighbors?"

"Why?"

"They just moved in and we should make them feel welcomed."

"Alright."

My mother hands be the semi-warm dish. She opens the front door for me and lets me walk out before closing it.
Walking on the sidewalk, I hope it's not a bunch of old people. They'll strike up a conversation and I'll be there for hours.

I reach the door, and knock quickly. Standing outside, someone starts unlocking the door. As it opens, I'm caught by surprise.

"Hey," a boy says standing in the entry way.

"I-I, my mom wanted me to send this over," I hand him. "And we just wanted to welcome you and your family to the neighborhood," I say smiling.

"Sweet, thank you," he replies with a gentle smile. "I'm Jackson by the way."

"Oh I'm Julia. Sorry I should have introduced myself," I quickly get out trying not to be too nervous. My hands start getting sweaty.

"It's alright. You wanna hangout sometime?" he asks.

"Sure," I say shaking. He smiles and closes the door. I stand there still in shock. His hair was a beautiful shade of dark brown, his green eyes sparkled, and his smile was absolutely perfect.

The one minute walk back to my house, he's all I thought about.

"How was it? Are they nice?" my mother says greeting me as I walk through the door.

"Oh a boy answered the door. I think he's around my age. He seemed nice."

"Ohh I see," she replies smirking.

"Yes he's cute, no I won't date him."

"I didn't ask that."

"Not with words you didn't, I could see it in your eyes."

"Spshhh no," my mom replies while laughing.

"You're so funny," I say back laughing in return. I then start walking upstairs to my room. I grab my phone and quickly open up Snapchat to text my friend.

A couple hours pass~

"Julia, dinners ready," my dad calls from the bottom of the stairs. I set my pencil down and close my sketchbook, rushing downstairs. Feeling the cool wooden floor below my feet as I enter the kitchen, the sensational small of garlic fills the room. Soon I start smelling an assortment of many other foods and ingredients as I sit down at the table.

Waiting for dinners to be completely done and ready to be served, my father asks me how my day was.

"Like any other day. Sat around, texted some friends. Did some drawing."

"She met the neighbor boy," my mother chimes in.

"I see," he says replying to the both of us.

"Oh that's right. Mom had me take a dish of food over for the new neighbors and I was greeted by him at the door."

"Did you catch his name by chance?" my father asks curiously.

"Yes, his name is Jackson."

"She also said he was cute," my mother adds in.

"Of course she would think that," my father says jokingly.

"Haha very funny dad," I say while I start to laugh.

"Well looks dinner is just about done, why don't you get a plate and start serving yourself some food," my mother states.

Instead of speaking, I quickly get up and grab a glass plate and start serving myself some food.

After dinner~

Running up to my room again, I flop onto my bed, reaching for my phone and headphones. I connect my headphones to my phone, and start playing Harry Styles. As I scroll through Instagram, I hear a faint knock on my door, but can't tell with the music. I ignore it. I suddenly hear it again but louder and i realize someone wants in.

"Yes?" I say after pulling out an earbud.

My dad opens the door and steps in. "The new neighbors are visiting. It would be nice if you to come say hi," he says smiling softly.

"Of course!" I say excitedly, bouncing out of bed.

As we walk towards the kitchen entry way, Jackson looks out at us. The corner of his mouth start rising upwards as he smiles. I smile in return. I assume his mom steps back and smiles greeting us.

"Hi, you must be Julia, I'm Mrs.Marin but you can call me Melissa."

"Nice to meet you," I say grinning.

"Jackson told me all about how a pretty girl stopped by dropping off food and welcoming us to the neighborhood," she states, looking back at Jackson with a smirk. His cheeks start to turn a rosy red. I start to laugh when my mom cuts me off.

"Julia, maybe you could show Jackson around while your father and I talk to Mr. and Mrs.Marin."

"Of course." My dad stands to the side of the entry way, letting Jackson go through towards me. I give him a smile, and start walking towards the basement door. As we walk down the hall, the adult's voices fade. Once we reach the basement door, I feel something creep in between my fingers. Jackson grabs onto my hand. Feeling his sweaty, yet cold hand against my small hand, I look to him

"Everything alright?"

"Yeah," he quickly pulls away. "Sorry I'm kind of scared of the dark." He blushes and turns away.

"It's ok. I am too," I grab his hand, and open the door, quickly switching on the light. We rush down the stairs to our second living room or also known as the hangout where all my friends and I go.

"This is sick."

"Yeah, my parents don't use it as much as I do. Whenever my friends and I are bored we come down here and play games and such."

"That's awesome." I then take a seat on the giant couch and turn on the TV.

"I hope you don't mind if we take a small break even though we just started," I say laughing.

"It's fine by me," he smirks and sits next to me on the couch. I switch through the channels not paying attention.

"Any suggestions?" I ask while switching to Netflix.

"I don't know, just pick whatever," he says looking me in the eye.

"Ok.." I say, starting to shake. He's starting to confuse me a little so i scoot over a bit.

"Are you cold?" he asks.

"Yeah just a little but I can grab a blanket." Getting up and grabbing a blanket from underneath the TV stand, I notice Jackson push's off his shoes and lays down on the couch, leaving only a little room for me. Instead of bothering with him, I go to the beanbag chair and sit there while wrapped in a blanket.

"Sorry, you can still lay over here if you want."

"Where?" I say confused, but catching onto what he is aiming for.

"Never mind."