The Bully Next Door: Damned to Sin

(Weeks earlier)

Somewhere in New York,

**Claudia’s POV:
 **

On a cold Saturday morning when the autumn season had just begun, the smell of dry leaves hit my nose to its grime. I ignore it. My eyes opened responsively curious to find out why it interrupted my slumber. I lifted my body to sit appropriately to gain a clear vision, the rays of blinding lights blinded my eyes as well. I sighed in distress, would I have a bit of luck on this day or not; I muttered.

I wiped off the sleepiness in my eyes and not to my surprise, mother was standing two feet away from my bed folding her arms. Her stern look alarmed my whole nervous system. I dropped down from the bed abruptly trying to avoid her morning wrath, at least a bold step could be taken at the dying minute. I stood still maintaining a good composure.

‘’Good morning mom, did you just come in” I asked

”I’ve been standing over decades.’’ Mother replied sarcastically ‘’What were you thinking? Have you said your morning prayer anyways?’’ she waited for five seconds for my response, and she interrupted again raising her brows.

‘’Of course, not. How could you ever remember when lazy girls like you wake up several minutes after 7 am!’’ Mother cautioned. I knew she’d come up with something unruly as this. She walked over to the door and halted turning to my still body. ‘’Breakfast in one hour!’’ she closed the door.

‘’Oh, my word! Didn’t the alarm do its job?’’ I asked myself turning to the alarm clock beside my bed. Ding! I took out the batteries last night just to avoid nasty disruption. I held my forehead, how could I forget very quickly? I perceived the smell of dry leaves again.

It lingered around the four corners of my room, I rushed to the window then I realized that it had been wide open all through the night. I took a peep through it. The first thing I sighted was a boy around my age. His scruffy brown hair was aligned neatly, he wasn’t overly for his stature but he was fit and tall as well. His lips curved into a fine smile toward my direction, and I froze. I didn’t know how to respond to this because his countenance engulfed me, I waved hesitantly with a faint smile. This might be a good sign, I whispered to myself. My parents walked towards him giving him a welcoming hug, I was mad at my folly. I would never capture the attention of a guy.

I pulled the shades down and then headed for the bathroom. I took off my PJs to have a warm but swift bathing. Mother would be waiting and again, I haven’t said my morning prayers. I scoffed.

Roughly twenty minutes later, I strode down the hallway leading to the dining room swinging from side to side in a purple dress, my hair was tied into a neat ponytail and my glittering dangling earrings were locked to my ears. I don’t put on makeup, simply because my parents think that it’s a sin and as religious people, we were cautioned not to have such adornment.

‘’Morning Claudia!’’ Chloe hollered. I smiled at her, she was my older sister. She graduated senior high last two years now studying medicine.

‘’Morning Chloe, where’s Mom and Dad please?’’ I asked.

‘’Just outside! We’ve got new neighbors moving into the apartment next to ours!’’ She explained stuffing her mouth with some sandwiches. I sat on my space and pounced on the sandwich served on my plate. ‘’Did you see the neighbors?’’

‘’Nope! I woke up not quite long so I wouldn’t know!’’ I said

’’Absolutely. Do well to stay away from ‘coz mom thinks they are not religious.’’ Chloe added then took a sip from the cup of coffee. My brows furrowed instantly, why would Mom judge too quickly, I muttered inside. I raised my head to look at her.

‘’Why would Mom judge them?’’ I was compelled to ask the question, but she shrugged

‘’Do you think that mom could be wrong when you have not even met them yet? Don’t start the defense thing Claudia, I guess Mom is right anyways. Stay off their lane, though!’’ Chloe stopped to concentrate on her food, If this was my parents’ wish then I wouldn’t bother getting to know the new neighbors. 
My parents walked in five minutes after Chloe and I had conversed.

I greeted them as they approached, Father placed a kiss on my forehead and then proceeded to sit while Mother stood him in her knee-length gown, and her hair had a black clip clasping the strands into order.

‘’I think that our new neighbors are nice people!’’ Father began heartily, she scoffed a bit and then said

‘’No honey, I disagree. They are not religious, can't you see?’’ Mom stated father cut her short

‘’Stop it, Carina, don’t judge right away’’ He cautioned. ‘’We’ll just find out real soon since they are going to be our new neighbors. The Watkins are nice anyways so…’’ he added staring at my mother for more positive comments this time.

She scoffed. ‘’I’m only trying to be conscious though! I won't judge just like you stated, oh help me heavens.’’ She dropped on her seat as well to eat.

‘’Uh Claudia, you’d give them some cakes just like we always do, share amongst friends like the Lord did. Hmm!’’ Mother instructed. My head dropped to the floor in pieces, how could I face that cute guy if he eventually gets the door?

My lips parted to speak but the words wouldn’t come out either. I lacked the courage to do so.

‘’Alright!’’ I said coldly ’’Do I have a choice I said under my breath, Chloe tucked my side with a sarcastic smile. She must have heard it I guess, I focused on my sandwich..

My parents had a way of welcoming family, friends, and strangers, Mother would always bake lots of chocolate cakes or throw a small get-together party to get to know everyone including their religion if they had any.

All of these nice gestures seem bizarre to me simply because I think it’s never necessary. In my family, I am not allowed to wear miniskirts, shoulder dresses or blouses, no makeup, no excessive jewelry, no skinny jeans or leggings, no Alcohol, cigarettes, parties or clubs, no hangouts with ungodly peers, boys are not allowed to go into your room, no early relationships and a thousand rules more. Everyone knew me with a one-way type of fashion which is flare dresses with a little bit of embroidery, even if I looked not too fashionable to everyone in the world; I remained pretty as always, especially for the fact that I was a brunette, my ocean blue eyes were an addition, I’m not so thick and not so slim, I was attractive like father would always tell me.

While Mother was busy dishing the cake into a hamper, I scurried to my room to look at my reflection in the large mirror. For whatsoever reason I was rechecking my appearance didn’t matter to me at all, I wanted to look presentable. I applied a small quantity of powder to my smooth face, I don’t care if I break any of the rules, who’s going to tell on me even if the powder is almost unnoticeable?

I returned to Mother as she handed the hamper to me.

‘’Remember to start in peace as always, ok?’’ she sweetly advised then I nodded positively exiting through the door with a faint smile. I’m sick and tired of our family’s etiquette, it’s a huge task for me to carry out solely. I walked a few steps to the neighbor’s apartment and then stood on the foot mat before the door, it was nicely decorated with flowers and vases, and the fluorescent bulbs brightened like the sun even if the sun was doing a commendable job in the sky.

I heaved a deep sigh as I pressed the doorbell as softly as I could. A part of me didn’t want to offend the new neighbors as early as now, maybe I was beginning to act like my religious parents. I pressed the doorbell again since I had no response then I watched the door knob twist gently. A woman around her late thirties to early forties tilted her head through it then I smiled broadly.

‘’Good day Ma’am, my mother has asked me to bring this…as a welcome gesture. Peace unto you!’’ I added, the woman smiled at me.

She seemed harmless, she received the hamper while her other hand was holding a cigar. Could this be a sign of ungodliness, I asked myself.

I haven’t seen a cigar this close—watching its smoke wander into the atmosphere like lost sheeps. I forced a smile immediately taking my eyes off her mysterious hands. I find this disturbing and I'm really nervous..