A Penny For Your Tears

Three

"That was delicious." I praised, rubbing my stomach in satisfaction. My grandmother smiled as Amelia came over and took away our plates. I moved to help her, but she shook her head, with a small smile on her lips. I guess you could say she was a house help, but I could tell that she meant so much more to the family. My grandparents doted on her and did most things on their own anyway, in fact, it seemed like they kept her here as more of a companion than a help.

"So, who lives next door?" I questioned as we waited for desert, curiosity of the man I had seen earlier getting to me.

"Next door?" Grandma looked at me confused for a second before her eyes lit up in realization. "The Van Dykes? Yes, well a young man by name of Elias Van Dyke and his sister lives next door. They're dutch and arabic I think and he owns a large business in London-"

"Why doesn't he live in London then? Why does he live here, in this small village?" I interrupted, eager to know more. Although, I didn't know why.

"That house is his late parent's house, perhaps he didn't want to leave it, people cope in different ways."

"Yes, oh and he has a younger sister. She comes by often, you two would get along so well."My grandfather suggested and I felt my stomach drop at the thought of meeting other people, I gave them a surpressed smile;

"Friends? I don't need anybody else, I've got you." I joked,hoping to change the subject.

"Darling, you live here now, you'll have to go out and meet people eventually. Besides, poor girl has had it so tough, she lost both her parents at a young age, just like you. Perhaps, you could be of some comfort to her?" I opened my mouth to speak but before I could utter a word, the door bell went. Amelia emerged from the kitchen, placing a tray of cakes on the table before heading towards the door.

"Grandpa, I've only been here for less than a day. We can talk about this another day." Finally succeeding in changing the subject, we began eating dessert but my glory was short lived. All of a sudden, a young, beautiful girl came sauntering in to the room. She had black hair and dark brown eyes and wore a small, innocent smile on her lips.

"Hi!" She exclaimed going up to my grandparents and kissing them on the cheek. They began conversing, her accent was thick so I could only pick up a few words. So I just sat there,lost.

"Oh, Olivia, I'm so sorry. Honey, this is Aaliyah Van Dyke. Our neighbour that we were just talking about." My grandma explained.

"All good things I hope." Aaliyah joked as she reached over for a cake. I stared at her, unsure of what to do and what was expected of me.

"Olivia, why don't the two of you, go out for a walk. Talk, get to know each other and perhaps become friends." Grandma suggested, and I stared at her increduously.

"But, Grandma, I just got here. Perhaps, we could do this another time." I argued softly, hoping that Aaliyah couldn't hear me.

"Olivia, I know you just got here. But, I promise I can make this place fun for you." She butt in. Her accent was thick and unlike the posh London one my grandparents and everyone else I've met had.

"It's ok, Aaliyah, I'm not in a friend-making mood right now."

"You can call me Liya, please let's just go for a walk get to know each other. If you still aren't in a friend-making mood by then, I'll leave you alone." She begged, she grabbed onto my hand causing me to flinch a little but it went unnoticed by her and my grandparents.

"Come on, Olivia, just give it go.Bring Arie with you." Grandpa said, I sighed, standing up and grabbing a jacket and Arie's leash. Arie was my grandparent's dog, he was a siberian husky that they had adopted from a woman in the village that was sick with cancer.