Chapter Two - Cookies

We got to the airport earlier than expected, good thing there's no traffic. Xyne parked his car where we could see the arrivals. 

"Hey, I'll be back in a few minutes. I'm just going to buy us some snacks while we wait for Gia." Xyne winked at me and I nodded at him. 

Xyne went out of the car to buy some chips and drinks for us to munch on while waiting for Gianna's arrival. While he's out, I checked my social media for some updates about what's happening around the world and also to gather some hot tea online.

I gasped when I stumbled upon a tea online. "Oh, shi- Karma is real."

I need to tell Gia as soon as she gets in the car. She'll love this tea that I'm going to spill to her.

Gianna has been my best friend since highschool. I never thought that we'd become best friends. We were never close when we're in seventh grade but everything changed when we're in eighth grade. Let's just say that we hit it off as best friends pretty quickly. Since my best friend at that time said that I'm only her friend because I have nobody.

We'll biatch, I found my person now.

Xyne got back a few minutes later, holding a paper bag with a lot of chips and drinks. I gasped as I saw him holding a cup of iced coffee.

"You bought me iced coffee?" I gasped, slightly tearing up. "Of course, my princess. How could I forget your iced coffee?" Xyne chuckled as he got into the car. "You knew me too much!" I quickly grabbed the drink out of his hand and took a sip. 

He smirked and grabbed a chip and opened it. "When I saw that they had iced coffee. I thought to myself. Someone is waiting in my car who's addicted to iced coffee. So I gotta buy her a cup." He chuckled and offered me some chips. "Thank you for this, really. You know that coffee brightens up my mood." I said as I grabbed a handful of chips.

Being with Xyne is never boring. As I said, Xyne knew me too well for me to get bored when I'm with him. He and Gianna never left my side when everyone decided to leave me. Let's just say that they're the ones who stayed. 

"Is that Gianna?" Xyne put down his chips. "If you saw a girl with brown hair and brown eyes, who basically looks like Shelley Hennig, wearing flannel and probably also wearing ripped jeans, that's her," I said, not looking anywhere, still enjoying my iced coffee.

"Yeah, that's her." Xyne chuckled and drove to the pickup area. Finally, the excitement of seeing my best friend after a month away from each other hits me.

I squirmed at my seat as I saw Gia standing there with her luggage. As soon as Xyne parked his car. I quickly got out of the car and ran to Gia, hugging her tightly. "Gianna!!" 

Gia immediately hugged me back. "I missed you, Luna Brielle!" 

"Welcome back, Gia." Xyne winked at her as he's putting her luggage in the trunk of the car. Gia raised her eyebrow at the two of us. "Are you two a thing now?"

I scoffed at her and playfully punched her shoulder. "No, and will never be."

"Ouch…" Xyne puts his hand on his chest, acting like an arrow just went through his heart. I chuckled and pulled Gia inside the car. "I have a lot to tell you!" 

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"Did they fix her?" Gia said, trying to hold out a laugh while devouring my favorite chips that Xyne just bought me, laying on my bed. "Yeah, they put makeup on her but it's just not good." I snorted and snatched the bag of chips out of her hand. "And hands off my chips." I huffed at her. Gia rolled her eyes at me. 

Gia got up and sat at my window bench. She hummed. "And who is that?" Gia pointed at the man outside, who once again I can't see his face because this time he's turning back at us. I sat beside her and tried to get a look at his face. "Probably the new owner."

The man we're staring at has an athletic body type, jet black hair, he definitely has stubble, I can tell that from here. He's wearing Henley long sleeves and black jeans.

Maybe he's cute. What am I thinking!

Gia's phone chimes. "It's Calvin. I need to pick him up from school. I gotta go." Gia sighed as she picked up her body bag. I nodded at her. "Well, let me walk you outside." Gia chuckled. "Pfftt. You just want to see what he looks like." I shrugged. "No, I don't." I rolled my eyes at her. "Whatever, Luna."

Well… I kinda do. 

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"I'll see you tomorrow at school." I waved at Gia as she drove off.

As I'm walking back towards the house after Gia drove off. The lady, I suppose the mom of the new owner, who's talking to my mom earlier called me. "You're Brielle, right?" 

She smiled at me. "I'm Lori, my son Tyler just moved in and we're handing out cookies." I gave her a soft smile. "Oh, that's so sweet of you and It's nice to meet you." I offered her a handshake which she took immediately, not even hesitating. 

She's nice. I love her.

"Tanner! Can you bring out the cookies?" She called out. "Okay, mom." A voice from inside the house answered. 

A few seconds later, a boy who looked like in his mid-twenties came out with a box of cookies. He handed me the box of cookies as I observed him. 

He's not the one Gia and I were looking at earlier. He's different from him. This one has an almost brunette hair color. He's also wearing a jacket and a t-shirt inside. Very different from the other one or should I say, Tyler.

"We always do this whenever we or one of us move into a new neighborhood." Lori smiled at me. "Well, this is my son, Tanner." Lori introduced him. "Hi.." Tanner gave me a small wave and I smiled at him. "I'm Brielle. It's nice to meet you, Tanner."

"You too, Brielle." Tanner smiled back. A little girl ran out of the house and Tanner picked her up. I smiled at the little girl. "Hi, there!"

The little girl shyly rested her head on Tanner's shoulder and he chuckled. "Meet, Elara, my daughter but you can call her El. That's Brielle, Uncle Ty's new neighbor." Tanner pointed at me. "Nice to meet you, El." I smiled at her. 

Elara examined me, looking at me from head to toe before smiling sweetly at me. "She's pretty. I wish Uncle Ty made her his girlfriend." Everyone chuckled at her and Tanner tried to shush her. "If he's handsome why not?" I joked.

Why did I say that?

Lori chuckled. "Tyler went out to get some things with his dad but I hope you two meet each other soon," Lori said, still smiling.

"I'm not going to keep you for too long." Lori chuckled. "Thank you for the cookies. I bet they're delicious." I winked at her. "They're the best and also our favorite. No, they're everyone's favourite." Tanner chimed in. "I helped Mimi to make them!" Elara smiles proudly. "Well then, I can't wait to dig in. Again, thank you for the cookies and it was nice meeting you three." I giggled. "Same goes to you, Brielle." Lori waved at me as they headed back to the house.

I waved back at her and went inside the house. The cookies actually look amazing. I sighed and placed the cookies at the kitchen counter. 

I opened the box of cookies and sat at the counter as I ate some. My eyes widened as I realised that Tanner is not joking about the cookies. They're amazing! Probably my favourite too.

My mom texted me that she and Lexie went downtown to grab some groceries. 

Suddenly my phone started ringing. I picked it up to see who's calling. I immediately answered the call when I saw it's my dad who's calling. "Hey, Dad!" 

"How are you, sweetie?" Dad chuckled at the end of the line. "I'm great, dad. You?" 

"I'm great too, sweetie. Your mom told me that someone moved into Mr. Jenkins' house already?" Dad asked. "Yeah, I met them earlier, they're nice actually." I sighed. "I miss you, Dad."

I can hear dad chuckled at the other end. "Me too, kiddo. I miss you, your mom, and Lex. I'll be home soon." 

"You've been saying that for years, dad. How soon? Next week? Next month? Or next year?" My lips quiver as I try to hold back my tears. "I know, sweetie. And what did I tell you about sitting at the counter?" 

I rolled my eyes as I wiped my tears away. "I'm not a kid anymore, Dad. Wait- how did you know that I'm sitting at the counter?" I frowned. "Turn around, kiddo."

"Dad!!" 

I cried as I ran in his arms, hugging him tightly. "Hey, Tweedledee. I miss you so much." Dad rubbed my back as he hugged me back. "I missed you too, Dad," I mumbled in his chest, softly sobbing.  

"Brielle, we're ho-" Mom gasped as she saw Dad. 

"Dad!" Lexie runs to our Dad immediately clinging to him. "Woah, you grew a lot, Tweedledum!" Dad kissed her forehead. 

Dad gave us a tight hug before letting us go. He smiled at Mom opening his arms for her. "Get in here, Love."

Mom's tears fell as she walked towards Dad. "You! Why didn't you tell me you're coming home?" Mom cried in Dad's arms. "To surprise my girls. Get in here you two." Lexie and I rushed again to him. 

"Since you're here now, Dad. Maybe you can talk to Mom about letting me get my apartment." I looked at my Dad. Dad shook his head at me and looked at my mom. "We'll talk about that." He chuckled. 

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