2 Chapter 2

Her hand reaches out to place a knock on the door. Seconds later a woman, who looked around her mid thirties opened the door.

"Oh hello." She smiles at them.

"Hi, we're your neighbours. We just came to visit."

"Oh come in." She ushers them inside. Taking the batch of cupcakes from her mother, she disappears into the kitchen before coming back.

"I'm Jennifer Blaq." Her extends her hand for her mother. "I'm Meghan young and this is my daughter, Reneè." Her mother accepts the hand shake.

"It's very nice to meet you Mrs. Blaq." The woman rolls her eyes, "Call me Jennifer. Mrs. Blaq makes me sound old. I'm just thirty-seven." She laughs and her mother joins her. Reneè frowns not quite understanding what was funny.

"My son is upstairs, let me go get him." Jennifer leaves upstairs. Her mother nudges her, "Son." She whispers to Reneè, making her roll her eyes.

Jennifer come back down with a tall figure trailing behind her. "This is my son, Liam. Liam these are Meghan and Reneè, they are our new neighbours."

Liam nods to Meghan but avoids eye contact with Reneè.

"Well, I was almost done cooking dinner. Why don't you stay?" Jennifer offers and her mother nods. "That will be lovely, let me help you in the kitchen."

The mothers both wander off into the kitchen. Leaving Reneè and Liam alone.

Liam settles on the couch across the one she was sitting on. The silence was awkward. She chews on her lips nervously before opening her mouth to say something but he beats her to it.

"Do you watch all your neighbours through their window or am I just special?" He cocks an eyebrow, Sarcasm lacing his voice.

Her jaw drops as she realises what he just said.

He saw me? But how?

She clears her throat. "I-i wasn't watching you..." he cut her off, "Or do you prefer the term stalking?" He tilts his head to the side, looking so innocent but he was anything but that.

"I wasn't watching or stalking you, o-okay? I just happened to look through your window at that moment. I-i didn't even know that you were my neighbour." She takes a deep breath, "Can we just forget about what happened and start over please?"

He stares at her with a blank expression, she sighs "I'm Reneè." She offers her hand for a hand shake.

His eyes move to her hand then back at her face, then her hand again then back. "Let's get this clear. I want nothing to do with you. We're not friends, we're not pals, we're not buddies, we're not even acquaintances. We are neighbours nothing more, and That's the way I want it. Don't talk to me 'cause I won't talk to you, ever. And I mean it. So if you are really as smart as they say you are then you'll understand this simple request and leave me the fuck alone."

She slowly lowers her hand, her eyes darting to the floor before their moms call them for dinner.

The silence was comfortable. She kept glancing at Liam, who she sometimes caught looking at her.

"So Reneè what school do you go to?" Jennifer asks her.

"Um... West way high."

"I just enrolled Liam there. You must be in 12th grade, right?" Reneè nods, she turns to her son. "Since you guys are in the same grade you can help each other, you know doing projects and studying together. It can really help you Liam."

"No."

"I'm just saying you'll need it..."

"I said no!" He yells, Jennifer quickly seals her lips.

Reneè glances at her mother through her side eye to find that she is already looking at her with a shocked expression.

It was quiet again but this time it was awkward. Thankfully Meghan's phone rings, "Excuse me." Her mother walks out of the room with her phone to her ear.

She comes back after some minutes. "I'm so sorry to leave on short notice like this but there is an emergency at the hospital and they need me."

"It's fine. It was nice meeting you Meghan."

"You too. Thank you for dinner." She pauses turning to her daughter, "I'll be back late so don't wait up for me. You can finish eating here. I love you." Meghan places a kiss on her daughter's head while Reneè mumbles an 'I love you too'.

"Thank you for helping me." Jennifer says to Reneè who is drying off the last dishes. "It's fine, thank you for dinner." Jennifer nods to her.

She was about leaving when Jennifer stops her. "Um, sorry if you don't mind me asking. Did Liam get into any trouble today? " Reneè shakes her head, frowning.

I wonder why she is asking that

"You must be wondering why I'm asking that. It's just that Liam had a hard childhood and he didn't really relate with kids his age or kids at all. It's why I moved us here, so he can start all over again."

"He didn't get into any trouble."

None that I heard off

After bidding goodbye to Jennifer, Reneè retires to her room. Her eyes immediately darts to her window. Liam's own was open. He was inside.

Their eyes clashed for sometime. They just stood there looking at each other before he walks over to his window then closes it, drawing the curtains together.

She sighs lying down on her bed before forgetting and drifting into a deep sleep.

~

A week passed since Liam moved in. Not a word has been spoken to each other after the conversation they had that night.

It wasn't easy to stay away from each other. They both shared a lot of classes together, and they were neighbours so they had to see each other frequently, especially since their mother's have become close friends.

The class was quite noisy since the teacher has not decided to show up yet. Reneè could feel a pair of eyes on her. She scans the class. Her eyes land on Liam who was staring straight at her.

He blinks, recovering from whatever daze he was in before looking away.

Weird

A piece of paper lands on her desk. She frowns, opening it to see a note.

You're looking hot today. ;-)

Hot?

She was only putting on a floral gown and brown boots, with only light makeup on.

'What was so hot about it?' She thought.

She turn to the direction where the note came from.

Austin Shane.

Star quarter back and also the leader of the football team was who sent her the note. He gives her a little wink and his obnoxious teammates snicker behind him. She rolls her eyes, "Boys." She mumbles.

The teacher finally decide to show up twenty minutes after her time began.

"Sorry I'm late." She places her books on the table. "Anyway we don't have much to do today except for the fact that I'm going to be pairing you up with partner for your project. And no you will not be choosing your partners, I will." Sounds of disapproval filled the class, Miss Kimberly smiles.

"Aaron and Petra,"

The football guys cheers for their friend and his 'partner'. The list goes.

"Liam..."

Her ears perk up

"... since you're new I'll pair you with Hudson."

"Um Miss Kimberly." George, Hudson's best friend says "Hudson is not in school, he won't be in school for the next two weeks. He has the flu."

"Oh, well in that case why don't you work with..." She looks around the class, suddenly her eyes land on Reneè. Her eyes widen as she silently pleads with the teacher not to pick her.

"...Renee."

"All of you will have a topic to research about." She says after the pairing. "This project takes twenty percent of your marks so you can't afford to fail this."

The bell rings just in time. Students rush out of the class with speed, including Liam.

She walks after him to the bleachers where he takes a seat.

He pulls out a cigarette from his pocket and lights it.

She scrunches her nose in disgust before waking over to him.

"Hi."

He looks up at her, taking the death device out of his mouth. He blows out a puff of smoke, then throws the cigarette to the ground stepping on it.

"What do you want?" He snaps

Already in a bad mood, great.

"Um I just wanted to talk about where and when we are going to..."

"I'm not doing it."

She blinks, "What? What do you mean you're not doing it? You have to. Twenty percent of our grade relies on this project. You can't just quit before you even start."

"Watch me." He gets up and starts to walk away form her. "Liam you can't do this. If you don't care about your grades I care about mine. And I am not going to do this thing on my own."

He stops walking. He turns around and walks towards her, standing in front of her. Their face were inches apart. She had to crane her neck to look at him, her breath hitching in her throat.

"I told you that we are nothing. I don't want anything to do with you, that includes projects or assignment. So forget it and when you're ready to get your marks you'll do the project... On your own."

He walks away leaving her flabbergasted