"Looking back 17
Was all that it was supposed to be
And always something beautiful
To know you'll never know"
---
Not going to lie, school was rough, but it always is. However, teachers have been giving us less work since school ends in a few weeks. Remember in elementary school when you had one or two teachers? What happened to that? How did we go from that to about ten or eleven different teachers?
"Ah, there's the slowpoke," my sister joked as I made my way to my car. I had given her the keys at the end of the day while I went to talk to my art teacher, Mr. Stevens. He was my favorite teacher and he claimed I was his favorite student. He was fairly old but looked like he was under fifty which he calls a blessing and a curse.
"Calm down, I was gone for like five minutes," I got in the car and pulled out of the parking lot.
"Seven and a half, but same difference," Sadie shrugged and I plugged my phone into the Bluetooth again, turning up the volume, Hey, Everybody! playing, "remember you get to talk to Cash today," my sister reminded me, causing my mood to completely shift.
"Holy crackerjack, you're right!" I exclaimed maybe a little too loud. A few nearby students looked my way and I debated flipping them off. I decided against it when Sadie spoke again.
"Excited?"
"Very."
"Why?"
"I-" I actually didn't know why I was so excited, "because it's been a while and he's probably just wanting to talk like old times."
"Or he's going to propose," when I shot my sister a death glare, she put her hands up in surrender, "just a thought."
A few minutes later, I pulled into my driveway. Sadie got out and made her way inside the house while I got out and made my way across the street. Knocking on the door, I felt my palms get sweaty.
What did Cash want to talk about? Was Sadie right? No, she wasn't right, are you crazy? Maybe he-
"Well, well, well, Laci Quinn. It's been quite a while! To what do I owe the pleasure?" I was called out of my thoughts by Cash's mom, Tara, smiling wide. She was the nicest woman I had ever met back in the day and it seems nothing has changed. She would always house me and Sadie when our parents had to leave.
"Hi, Tara, is Cash here?" I asked, feeling like I was twelve again, asking if Cash and Maverick could come out and play until the sun had set and we were called inside for dinner.
"Right up the stairs," Tara told me, moving out of the way to let me into the welcoming home. It smelt the same and everything was in the same shape it was so many years ago. A wave of nostalgia hit me when I followed Tara's instructions and made my way up the carpeted stairs. As I was walking down the hallway, I heard faint singing. Pushing Cash's door open slightly, I was taken back by his voice.
"When I'm with you I am myself and I don't want nobody else but you," Cash sings quietly and my eyes darted to the floor where he was scribbling in a notebook.
"Hey, stranger," I said, softly. I stood over Cash and watched his gaze move up my body to meet my eyes.
"Long time no see," he responded, his smile growing bigger. He quickly shut the notebook and tossed it onto his bed. I held my hand out and he took it, pulling himself up onto his feet.
"Where are we headed?" I asked as Cash dug through his sock drawer for a pair of well, socks.
"Just for a walk, like I said, I wanted to talk," I looked around at the messy posters on Cash's wall. We made our way downstairs to where Tara was in the kitchen.
"Have fun, you two! Cash, just be back in time for dinner," Tara called out and Cash shot her a thumbs up. We started walking down the sidewalk in, I know you expect me to say comfortable silence, but it wasn't, it was very awkward. But a good awkward? I'd rather be on an awkward walk with Cash than a relaxed walk with someone else.
"Remember back in first grade when our families went to the beach and you kept writing your name in the sand over and over again because the water kept washing it away? And then you got so mad you kicked the water thinking it would stop?" Cash asked, breaking the silence.
"Yeah," I laughed, "remember in fifth grade we went to Hollywood Boulevard and watched the sunset?" Remembering all of these memories with Cash made me want to make new ones with him but I wasn't sure how to feel.
"Yeah, we thought we were so cool," Cash laughed and I joined in. We walked past familiar houses as the sun slowly set behind the horizon. We walked past the open football field at the school and I remember when Cash and I would race back and forth, trying to see who the first to pass out would be.
"We were the coolest," I ran a hand through my hair. It felt nice to have a genuine conversation with Cash, reminiscing about old times.
"We were so close, what happened to us?" Cash sighed, looking down at his shoes as they scuffed the ground. I knot formed in my stomach as I chose my next words carefully.
"We grew up," I mumbled while playing with the hem of my shirt.
"I- um I heard you singing," I said, catching Cash off guard.
"Oh god, you did?" He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed.
'Yeah," I laughed a little. "You were really good," I nudged Cash's side and he shook his head.
"I don't know," Cash's head tilted up towards the sky.
"Don't even start, Cash," I shook my head and sighed. "Your singing is better than good. You shouldn't worry about what people have to say about you or your singing. You should post covers on Instagram or something. I mean, if you're happy, who cares?"
"I might have to take you up on that," Cash said and our conversation ended there.
---
god this chapter's so boring
anyways
i guess this is like a filler chapter but i PROMISE drama is coming!!1!
YOU ARE READING
Neighbor ➣ Cash Baker ✔️
Fanfic"We were so close, what happened to us?" Cash sighed, looking down at his shoes as they scuffed the ground. "We grew up," I mumbled while playing with the hem of my shirt. --- Laci has lived across the street from Cash Baker her whole life. They u...
