My New Life (Teen Fiction version)

Chapter 2

March 16,

The next day I decided that I would walk around the neighborhood and explore my new home. I got dressed and was going to ask Grace if she wanted to come with me, but she was still sleeping, so I just left her a note. I walked down the driveway and started on the sidewalk. The air is cold and crisp, and the wind sends goosebumps up my arms. I wrap my arms around myself, trying to warm up. I follow the sidewalk until it dead ends, and then cross the street and keep going. Walking has always helped me clear my mind. But today, I can't help but notice how big all the houses are. They are all ginormous modern, three-story mansions with Teslas in the driveway. It looks too clean. Too professional. Too perfect. And I hate it.
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I walk the unfamiliar rows of houses until I come to a little park. I'm surprised there's a park in such a fancy neighborhood, but it's full of little screaming, laughing kids, and it reminds me of the park that Grace and I went to as kids. I go and sit on a bench near the play structure and watch them play. They are all so happy and carefree, and it makes me want to smile. I sit there for a good ten minutes, just watching them with a barely visible smile on my face and then realize that I probably look like some creepy pedophile watching these kids. So I get up and walk across the park toward the sidewalk again. I don't really know where I am or how I get back home, so I decide to try and go back the way I came from. I start walking, and as I'm turning the corner, I collide with someone and fall right on my butt.

"Ow," I grunt.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you," I hear the other person say as they reach a hand out to help me up. I take it and start brushing myself off, "Are you okay?" they ask me with their hands on my shoulders to steady me.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I mumble grumpily as I look up, meeting the golden eyes of the guy I smashed into. He's taller than me and stronger too. His dark curls are damp with sweat, and he is breathing harder than usual. I hate to say it but he almost looks like the ultimate fuckboy, like he would crush my heart in .2 seconds. He takes his hands off my shoulders, and I stand a little straighter because well, I mean, he's kinda cute and I don't need to embarrass myself any more than I already have, "Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going, Sorry I... I gotta go. Sorry," I say and start walking away. Yeah, that could have gone better, I think, as I mentally kick myself.

"Wait," I hear him call out behind me. I stop and turn around, meeting his eyes again, "I haven't seen you around before, do you live here?" He asks as he comes and stands next to me.

"Uh yeah, I just moved in yesterday," I say as I push my hair behind my ear and look up at him.

"Really? You wouldn't happen to live on hill rise, would you?" He asks as we start walking together the way I was heading.

"Uh yeah, I think that's it," I say, looking up at him, "Why?"

"I live on Hillrise, and some people happened to be moving into the house next to mine," He says.

"So, you're like my neighbor?" I ask stupidly.

He laughs softly, "Well yes, if we live next door to each other that makes us neighbors," He says with a smile.

"Sorry, I just. That was a stupid question," I say as my cheeks start to heat up.

"No, you're fine. So, where did you come from? Where did you live before I mean?" He asks sweetly with a smile.

We cross the street, and I sigh, "Arizona,"

"Why'd you move?" He asks, and he sounds like he genuinely cares so I tell him.

"My mom, she got a promotion at the hospital she works at and just kinda picked my sister and I up and moved us here," I say.

"What about your dad?"

"He uh, he passed away in a car crash when I was thirteen," I tell him and look up to see his reaction.

He looks over at me, probably to make sure I'm serious and opens his mouth to say something, but ends up stuttering," I-I-I'm sorry, I didn't know,"

"Yeah, no you're fine, It's better to know than wonder," I tell him He kinda nods but ends up switching the subject.

"So, how do you like it here so far?"

"It's good, I guess. I really want to go to the beach, but I haven't gotten the chance yet," I say, looking at the beach on the horizon.

"Well, when it gets a little warmer, I'll have to take you, show you around," He says as he looks down at me and smiles softly.

I smile back up at him and bite my lip, a habit I developed when I was young. We turn around the block, and I see my house, he must have known I was lost. We stop in front of my house, and he turns and looks at me," I didn't get your name. I'm Graham," He says with a grin.

"Aubrie," I say softly as the wind blows around me.

"Well, Aubrie, it was nice bumping into you today, literally. Maybe I'll see you around," He says with a wink.

"Maybe," I say. He smiles and then turns, jogging away, "Graham," I whisper, trying out the name. I walk up the driveway and into the house and see Grace running down the stairs.

"Sooooo," She teases, "Whose the cutie you were just with?"

"No one," I say as I slip into the kitchen. She follows me as I go to the cupboard and grab a bag of chips.

"No one? I find that hard to believe. Talk," She says with a smile chasing me around the island counter.

"He's no one, I just bumped into him on my way home, he lives next door," I say as I open the bag of chips and start eating them.

"Okay, but you can't deny that he's not cute," I roll my eyes and walk upstairs, with Grace following," I mean even I could see it and I was only looking at him from my window" I run down the upstairs hall and into my room, shutting the door behind me, "You know it's true Aubrie" I hear Grace yell from behind the closed door. I roll my eyes and smile as I kick my shoes off and crawl into my unmade bed. The thing is, though, he is cute, and I just can't seem to get him off my mind.

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(Pictured above = Katniss' outfit)