Never Too Soon

The Neighbor

POV: Harper

"No, I don't want to meet the new neighbor. I'm sure they're just as vibrant and outgoing as the others." I rolled my eyes and fell back onto my bed. "We literally live in a neighborhood full of old people who are waiting to die."

"Harper, get up. I'm not asking again." My mother's voice was stern, but I was far from budging despite the two strikes on my plate already. I didn't know what they were for, and I didn't know if I ever would.

"Mom, I'm not getting up. I am not going to meet someone who is going to die in a few weeks anyways." I stood my ground.

"She isn't old! She's in her mid twenties! Get up now!" My mother's face was getting red and I knew I had about ten seconds before my third strike would come.

"Okay, okay, I'll get up and go." I put my hands up in surrender and slipped by her in my doorway.

"Thank you." My mother reluctantly mumbled and followed me closely.

"Harper, you hand her the cookies and I'll hand her the lemonade." My dad's smile was bright and encouraging.

"How about mom hands the cookies and you hand the drinks and I stand off to the side? I'm really not feeling up to it today." I tried to pull the daddy's girl card, but it definitely wasn't going to work in a time like this. Not after getting in trouble with mother twice.

"How about you just do as your told?" My mother asked from behind me.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed the platter of cookies off of the counter.

"Let's get this over with." I grumbled and scuffed my feet to the door.

"You better smile, Harper." My mother warned me. "You know my three strike rule, and you've already gotten two."

"I'm seventeen and you still hit me with that." I mumbled to myself and swung the door open with one hand. "Such bullshit."

"There's your third strike." My mother growled at me.

"I didn't even mean for you to hear me! I was talking to myself! How is that fair?" I turned to her and walked backwards towards the road.

"I don't have to justify my strikes." She snapped and I sighed.

"I can't wait to move out." I whispered to myself.

"She's just across the street." My dad tried to lighten the situation and lead us to the house directly across from ours.

This woman better be worth me getting a third strike. If not, she can eat shit and die.

"I'll knock." My mother pushed passed me, almost causing me to drop the platter.

I stood behind my parents with the platter of cookies that my mother bought from the store and took out of the box. I know she didn't bake these things. No one has used an appliance in the kitchen, other than the fridge and microwave, in years.

My mother knocked on the door and a faint 'coming' was yelled from a woman who sounded younger.

After about a minute of waiting the door cracked open and the woman who peaked her head out definitely affirmed my question if I was gay or not.

I was in fact very gay. Not just a little dash of gay for spice. No, I was the whole spice cabinet, but I decided it was in my best interest to keep the cabinet closed so I didn't get slaughtered by my mother.

"Hey! We wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood!" My dad smiled brightly. "We are the Ryan's. We have lemonade and cookies."

"Oh, thank you so much! This neighborhood is so quiet. I just had to come here." The woman opened the door all the way and my jaw nearly dropped. Hell, I almost dropped the cookies from my knees going weak.