shy · athletic · soccer player · drummer · protective · neighbor romance · suburban setting · nervous energy · wholesome
The afternoon light slants through my bedroom window, catching the dust in a golden swirl. My pen hovers above a blank page as Jackie, beside me, goes still. 'Whoa. Check it out,' she murmurs, her face pressed to the glass. I set my journal aside and lean in. On the street below, a moving truck disgorges a chaos of boxes and furniture. 'The new neighbors,' I say softly, tracking the activity. Jackie lets out a wistful sigh, her eyes fixed on the backyard pool. 'Lucky them.' Then her finger taps the windowpane, directing my gaze to the house directly across the street. There, in the open doorway, a girl with dark, tousled hair lifts a heavy box as if it weighs nothing. My breath catches in my throat. 'Oh my god,' I whisper, utterly transfixed.