Dear Life [Discontinued]

02

(y/n) - your name

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I quickly enter my house and close the door before dropping the box on the floor. My back against the door, I slide down to the floor, my heart thumping fast in my chest like it might escape. Standing up again, I check out the window to see if he was still there. My eyes widen when I see him carrying the boxes one by one to the front of the steps. I quickly pull the door open, surprising the man as he drops the box he was carrying, narrowly near his feet.

"Shoot! That was close. Almost lost a toe there." I twitch a smile at that as the man looks up at me. My smile disappears as he picks up the box again.

"What are you doing?" I ask, scaring the poor man once again.

"Ah, so she speaks." He muses, grinning. I narrow my eyes at him and grab the box from his arms, putting it down. I straighten my back to see a hand thrusted in front of me. I look down at him and back at his arm, doing this twice or so. He seems to be nervous.

Why?

I tilt my head to the right, confused. I notice the little beads of sweat on his forehead as he removes his hand and rubs his nape. "I thought I could be of some help since I wanted to come over to introduce myself in the first place." I stare at him and blink, visibly making him uncomfortable. "Uh, the names Jackson." Narrowing my eyes at him, I nod my head.

"(y/n). And don't go pulling some cheesy line like 'a beautiful name for a beautiful girl' type of shit." I roll my eyes, waving my hands before picking up a box and placing it by the doorway in the house. I turn back around to see Jackson gawking, a slight blush on his cheeks. I raise a brow, smirking as I've caught him.

"I-I wasn't going to say that." he mumbles.

"Sure, sure."

Nice going (y/n), you scared him off with your casual nonsense.

I walk past him, the limping more noticeable as I walk over to pick up yet another box. I turn around to see Jackson narrowing his eyes at my right foot that's slightly lifted off the floor. I wince in pain again as I try to put weight on the foot. His eyes widen.

"You're hurt aren't you?" I shake my head as he walks over to me.

"I'm good. Nothing to worry about." I continue until the box was taken from my hands. I glare at the man and huff, hands at my hips.

"Yes, you are. Let me help." being the stubborn person I was, my answer was obviously going to be no.

"Nope. For all I know, you could be some thief." Jackson rolls his eyes and grins at me.

"So the new girl has trust issues." Thinning my lips, I glare at him. Since that family secret was out in the open, I was never able to trust someone again, scared to be hurt by someone who I cared deeply about. I'm done being betrayed by those who I trusted my life with. And I'm done being a burden to people. It's best if I stayed alone. Jackson softens at my expression, knowing he hit a nerve. "I'm really-"

"Forget it." I take the box from his hands and briskly walk back in the house. Slamming the door, I put the box down and look out the window. Guilt wells up inside me as I see Jackson let out a defeated sigh, stuffing his hands in his jean pockets before walking back home. Debating in my head to run after him, I groan before walking out and walking to his house. I shift my weight on my left leg, nervous as hell.

Should I knock or not?

"Stuff it." I knock on the door three times, waiting for the door to open. The door opens to be greeted with an elderly couple. The man was way taller than me, his soft hair greying, cold, dark hazel eyes, a very stiff smile but a face that could calm any person. The woman next to him seemed kinder at first glance. She smiled brightly up at me, with soft blue eyes. She was a bit shorter than me and her long blonde hair was tied up in a loose braid. I stiff up completely, looking at the man and the woman again.

"Can we help you?" The man huffs out as the woman elbowed his ribs. He groans out as the woman took my hand in hers.

"Hello sweetie. How can we help?" I gulp slightly.

"Um, I just wanted to greet myself to my new neighbours. I'm the one taking residence in the house next to yours." I squeak out as the man glances at me and then the house next to me.

"Not another teen. I've had enough with the loud music and the partying." he grumbles out.

"I'm sorry sir, but I'm not that kind of person. I don't particularly like parties. It took me a lot of courage to come here even." I chuckle nervously, rubbing my nape. He glances at me, noticing my glasses hanging off my shirt. His eyes widen, probably guessing I'm a reader. He lets out a soft smile.

"So sorry dear. The previous owners were just a bunch of riffraff. Welcome to the neighbourhood." I smile and the man.

"Jackson dear! Come greet the new neighbour." I gulp as Jackson comes out. The woman quickly turns to me. "I almost forgot. What's your name?"

"(y/n). And what may yours be?"

"Well mannered I see. My name is Arthur. This is my wife Greta. Jackson is our son." My eyes widen and I smirk internally.

So, Jackson still lives with his parents.

Arthur and Greta walk back in, leaving me and Jackson outside.

"I'm so sorry." I quickly let out, Jackson's eyes widening then softening.

"What are you talking about? Don't apologise." Jackson tries to stop me from saying sorry multiple times until he cupped my mouth with his hand, just to shut me up. I remove his hands, putting a wisp of hair behind my ears.

"I really am sorry about how I talked to you back there." He shakes his head grinning, walking past me to my house once again. I follow behind him slowly, helping him put the rest of my boxes in the house. I drop the last box by the kitchen and slump onto a dining chair. I groan as I lift my right leg, checking out my ankle. I don't see any bruising. Before I could stand up, I get pushed back onto the chair with an icepack on my foot. I shiver at the contact, blushing at Jackson's close proximity to my body. Pulling his hand off, I hold the pack to my foot. Jackson grabs another chair and sits in front of me. In the end, we talked for the whole day. Jackson eventually stayed over for the night and fell asleep on my couch, which was funny. That's when we started to get closer, creating a friendship together.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------