2 Rhys

2 PM, Rhys' Room

"Hey. Looks like we have a new neighbor." Jess said while stretching in front of the window.

Rhys got up from the bed, placed the notebook where he writes song lyrics on top of his pillow and walked towards where Jess is stretching. Indeed there is a moving van parked in front of the neighbor's house.

"I don't think the family living there has moved out though. Maybe a relative is going to live with them?"

Before Jess could reply, someone knocked and opened the door.

"Hey! Hey! I just talked to Mrs. Go and she said that her niece is going to live with them and help take care of her baby since she has to go back to work soon," Dave said as he laid down Rhys' bed. "Oh. And Emmett's helping them move in some of Mrs. Go's niece's things in since her husband is still at work." He added as he sat up and checked out Rhys' notebook.

Jess sat beside Dave and placed his arms around his shoulders. "It seems like our youngest has already checked her out, huh? So, how is she?"

"I haven't seen her yet, actually. We can ask Emmett later when he returns."

While the two were still talking, Rhys continued to look out the window. The moving van started to leave when a girl came out of the house running and called for the driver. When the van stopped, she opened the passenger door, took out a pink cap and wore it after thanking the driver.

Not that he heard her say 'Thank you' or anything. He just assumed that's what she said since she gave the driver a small bow.

The girl, who's probably Mrs. Go's niece, is wearing a loose white shirt and light colored denim shorts.

Then the girl looked at where he is, as if she knew that she was being watched. He couldn't see her eyes because of the shadow of the cap she's wearing but he knows that she's looking at her, so he just smiled and waved at her.

He thought that she would do the same but instead she just continued walking and went straight home.

A few seconds later, Emmett came out of the house and waved goodbye to the girl when he reached the gate. He then looked at Rhys and gave him a smile and a thumbs up.

***

Go Family's house

"Oh my! How come all I see are books? Where are your clothes?" Marjorie Go, her mom's younger sister - exclaimed as she entered the room.

"That's because I own more books than clothes. And since I only have a few clothes, I have already organized those in the dresser." The girl said as she opened the last box, took out the books and placed them on the floor. "Speaking of books, where will I put these?"

Marjorie placed the tray she's holding on top of the bedside table and offered the girl refreshments. "If I had known you will bring this many books I would have bought more shelves!"

The girl drank the juice in one go and continued arranging the books in the shelves.

"Heather, darling, once you're done do take a bath and then we'll have dinner. Your uncle just texted me and said he's already on his way home." Marjorie continued before she left the room.

It took her almost 20 minutes to finish arranging the books in the shelves. The rest of the books that cannot fit the shelves were placed under her bed.

Heather laid down on the bed and closed her eyes.

'I'll just rest for 10 minutes and then I'll take a bath.'

She already took a bath before she left her old apartment however the moving van's air conditioner was not working and it was so hot that day so even before Heather arrived at her Aunt's house, she was already covered in sweat and her skin feels sticky.

Heather was supposed to only rest for 10 minutes, but when she opened her eyes it was already dark. She reached for her phone and looked at the time: 10:48 PM.

'Uggghh... So much for 10 minutes.' She sat up, turned on the bedside lamp and stretched.

After taking taking a shower and putting on her robe, she went out of her room and noticed that the lights downstairs were still on so she went down.

"You're awake." Marjorie said when she saw Heather coming down the stairs. "I tried to wake you up earlier when your uncle came home but you just wouldn't wake up. You even reprimanded me for trying to wake you up!" She continued.

"Sorry. I just got so tired from all the unpacking that I did." Heather replied as she took out the food in the fridge and reheat them in the microwave oven.

"Yeah, who wouldn't be tired arranging all those books! Well, don't forget to clean up after you finish your food. I'm going to bed now." Marjorie kissed her cheeks and left the kitchen.

***

Rhys has just turned off the lights in his room when the neighbor's lights turned on and he saw her silhouette.

She was rummaging through her closet and when she finally found a pair of pajamas that she wanted to wear and took off the robe she's wearing.

When Rhys who was walking towards his bed saw this, his eyes widened and didn't noticed the dumbbell on the floor and tripped.

Heather covered her chest and turned her head towards the window when she heard the sudden crash from the neighbor's house. She thought that the windows were closed when she fell asleep earlier. Her aunt must have opened them when she tried to wake her up.

When Rhys reached his bed, he slowly closed his window so as not to make a sound. His window is heavily tinted so people outside wouldn't be able to see inside his room.

Heather's curtains were closed and these curtains are the type where in you will only be able to see someone's silhouette on the other side. Still she checked if her neighbor is still awake.

She drew the curtain a bit with one while the other was covering her chest. The lights in the other room was off and the windows were closed.

"Huh" She looked down the window just in case something or someone fell from the second floor but there really isn't anyone or anything out there so she just ignored it, got dressed and then turned off the lights.

***

Heather woke up earlier than usual the next day to jog. She wanted to have a look around the neighborhood to see if there were any changes since the last time she stayed here.

'Oh wow, there sure are a lot of new shops here and there. Those were definitely not there last time I was here.'

It had been 10 years since she last stayed with her Aunt and Uncle so it's only normal that there are a lot of new establishments/businesses around. She was seven then, and she remembered that there was a boy that she got really close to during her 3 months stay here but coudn't remember his name.

She remembered the the boy would even sleep over at their place sometimes. He was the son of her Aunt's friend and he said then that he wanted to become a singer.

'I wonder if his dream came true. I'll ask Aunty Maggie if she has any update regarding that boy.'

She smiled as she thought about reconnecting with the boy again.

Rhys was walking to his favorite coffee shop when he saw Heather go inside with a smile plastered on her face. Since she was wearing workout clothes, it accentuated her hour glass figure. Her skin was glistening due to the sweat coming out of her body. He can't help but remember what he saw last night and his face turned crimson.

When Heather peeked out the window last night when she heared a crash from his room, he was actually looking out the window and saw her covering her chest with her other hand.

'Ugh... If the guys saw me last night, they would definitely think that I was a creep.'

He was lost in his thought so when he was about to pull the door of the coffee shop open he didn't notice that someone on the other side pushed and the door swung open and hit his head.

"Aaaahh!" He exclaimed as he touched his forehead with both his hands.

"Oh my god! Are you okay? I am so sorry!"

Heather frantically moved the guy's hand away to look at his forehead and saw that it was slightly red.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't know someone was on the other side of door and pushed it harder."

She was actually texting someone on her phone and pushed the door using her body so of course she didn't notice that someone was about to go in.

"It's alright. I wasn't paying attention myself so I'm also at fault."

His face reddened again when he saw Heather's face closely examining his forehead.

"Oops, sorry. " She backed away a bit. "Would you like to have some coffee? No, I'll buy you one as my way of apology."

"No, no, it's okay. Really."

"I insist." She grabbed his hand and pulled him inside the coffee shop.

Since she insisted and he was already pulled inside the coffee shop he just let her pay for his coffee.

"Thank you for the coffee."

"You're welcome."

When he saw her smile he couldn't help but smile as well. But since he was wearing a mask she couldn't see that.

"I'm Rhys."

"Heather." She shook his hand. "Pleased to meet you."

Upon seeing the time, she decided to say goodbye to Rhys.

"Well, I better get going. I have to babysit my nephew. Take care not to bump your head from now on." She teased him.

Rhys laughed. "Yeah. You too."

***

"I'm home." Heather announced as she entered the house.

"Welcome back. How was your jog?" Her Aunt asked from the kitchen.

"Great. Though on my way back from the coffee shop I actually hit someone's head with the door."

Marjorie let out a gasp upon hearing what her niece said. "You hit someone's head with a door?"

"Accidentally." Corrected Heather as she entered kitchen with her nephew in her arms.

Remembering what she wanted to ask her Aunt, she sat on the counter.

"Aunty, remember when I was younger and stayed here, there was a boy that I got close to. I remember him being the son of your friend. Do they still live around here?"

Marjorie thought about the boy she was talking about and smiled.

"Well... They moved a year after you went back home, but I still kept in touch with them." She said as she placed the fried eggs on a plate. "He'll actually be joining us for breakfast."

"Really?" She got down from the counter and followed her Aunt in the dining room.

"Yes." Marjorie confirmed and took her son from her niece's arms and placed him in his crib. "So why don't you take a shower, girl. You stink." She pushed her lightly.

"I do not!" She puffed her cheeks. But she still went up to take a shower and made herself presentable.

She was still doing her morning skin care routine when her Aunt called her. She opened the door slightly and said "Yes, yes, I'm almost done." She continued applying her moisturizer and then sunscreen.

Marjorie answered the door when the doorbell rang and in came the boy that her niece asked her about.

"Good morning, Aunty Maggie." He greeted as he kissed her cheeks.

"Good morning, darling. Breakfast is ready, come." She started walking towards the dining room.

The boy removed his shoes and wore the slippers prepared for him.

"You remember Heather, right? The little girl who's always following you around when you were ten."

"Yes. I remember."

"Well, she's staying here right now to help me take care of my son. I hope you two can still get along like you used to. I know you haven't had any contact with her for the past ten years. But you're the only other person that she knows aside from us. You get what I mean?" She asked.

"Yes." He answered.

As he removed the beanie and mask and placed it on one of the seats, Heather was going down the stairs when she asked "Who was it that rang the doorbell... " but paused when she saw a stranger in their dining area.

Recognition flashed in her eyes when she noticed that the guy in front of her was wearing the same clothes as the guy she met at the coffee shop earlier. White sleeveless loose top with denim jacket and dark jeans, the beanie and mask was placed on top of the chair beside him.

When Heather didn't move from where she was standing at at the stairs with her hand still holding the railing, he then looked at her. She was no longer wearing her workout clothes. Now she was wearing a pink shirt with a statement that says HOT MESS and short shorts.

His gaze then moved to her long legs which he thought was just right for him. They were rounded but not big nor skinny like the ones celebrities have.

Heather's face turned crimson when she noticed the guy staring at her legs. Just then her Aunt came back from the kitchen holding a pitcher of fresh orange juice.

"There you are. I thought you wouldn't be joining us for breakfast." Marjorie placed the pitcher on the table and continued, "Heather darling, this is Rhys. The boy you were asking me about earlier.