Chapter 3 Neighbours?

RYLIE

"Mom! Dad! I'm home," I announced as I walked into the house. I looked around and found my mom in the kitchen.

"Hey Mom. What are you making?" I asked after pecking her on the cheek.

"Well, I invited our neighbors over for dinner."

"Oh. I'll be in my room then." I turned and tried to make a quick escape but it was too late for me.

"Oh no you don't. Go wash up. They'll be here soon and you'll be joining us."

"But Mom…" I groaned but one look from her made me change my mind. "Okay Mom," I answered begrudgingly, trudging to my room.

I took a shower and wore a comfortable dress before making my way downstairs just as the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," I yelled, making my way to the door.

"Welcome, Mr and Mrs… Wait! What the hell are you doing here!?" I yelled as my eyes fell on a familiar face.

BLAKE

As a former model and actor (sorta), I've met a lot of girls, banged quite a few too and I'm not going to lie and say they were all pleasant but Rylie Myers definitely had to be one of the most annoying girls I'd ever met, maybe one of the most annoying persons period. And in the span of just three encounters (four if you count the one we're having right now), I'd come to dislike her deeply.

Judging and disliking people I barely knew wasn't like me at all but any girl who poured soup on me because she claimed I stole her “spot” was definitely not someone I would want to relate with ever.

Yet as fate would have it, what was supposed to be a nice dinner with my family over at our new neighbours' place had brought me face to face with the snarky snob.

"Oh, fuck no. This can't be happening right now," I groaned under my breath, trying hard to resist the urge to palm my forehead.

"This cannot be happening right now!!" I muttered repeatedly as I stood face to face with her.

"What are you doing here!?" she'd exclaimed on seeing me, her smile quickly turning into a dark scowl. I had no response for her because I was still trying to wrap my mind around what this meant.

We were neighbors! The annoying girl that had ruined my first day at a new school was my new next door neighbour. Go fucking figure.

RYLIE

"Welcome, Mr and Mrs… Wait! What are you doing here!?" I exclaimed as I found myself staring at Blake on the other side of the door.

I quickly realised what this meant, what this could only mean but I didn't want to accept it. Why the hell was this happening to me?

"Um, sorry to break up... whatever this is but do you guys know each other already?" I heard someone ask, breaking I and Blake's heated stare and bringing me back to reality.

"Oh! Um yeah. Yes, we do," I replied, staring at his mom, trying desperately to rein my emotions in. Forgive my manners. Please come in," I said, opening the door wide for them to enter.

"Thank you," his mom said as she, Blake's dad, a girl who I presumed was Blake's sister and Blake himself walked in.

As Blake walked past me, I caught a whiff of his cologne, the same one I'd smelt when he brushed past me on his way out of the bathroom in school and involuntarily cringed. Why couldn't he smell of tomato soup forever?

"Hello! Welcome!" my mom said, walking out of the kitchen.

"Oh hello Janice," Blake's mom said hugging my mom who responded, "Thank you for gracing our home with your presence, Nina."

Afterwards, Nina introduced my mom to Blake's dad as well and then his sister, Ava and finally Blake who'd lost all signs of his earlier shock.

"Blake and Rylie seem to know each other," Nina announced and my mom turned to me, eyebrows quirked up.

"Oh really? You didn't mention that, Rylie."

"Yeah, we met at school but I didn't know that Blake lived next door. He didn't exactly mention that. Then again, he was a little preoccupied, I guess. Weren't you, Blake?" I asked, facing him with a tight smile.

"Yeah, well it's not like you exactly gave me any chance to bring it up. If I remember correctly, you were a little too busy pouring soup all over me."

"Only because you wouldn't move from my seat and then had the audacity to call me a snob!"

"It was a public cafeteria and a public classroom. You can't claim spots in public spaces but I guess Her Royal Highness didn't get the memo," he responded derisively.

"Oh, and is that why I found you in the girls' bathroom this morning? Because it's a “public space”?" I asked in the same derisive tone he'd taken with me.

Blake's face turned red in response to my comment and I was still basking in coming out on top in that argument when I heard someone snickering. I saw Myles standing by the stairs doubling over in laughter and my eyes slowly took in the other people in the room who'd witnessed my showdown with Blake.

"Well..." my mom said, clapping her hand loudly, "sounds like you had an eventful first day of school. Shall we move to the dining room now?"

"Of course..." Nina said and she, Ava and Blake's dad made their way to the dining room, leaving just Myles, Blake and I behind.

Myles walked over to both of us and slapped an arm over my shoulder while extending his hand to Blake.

"I don't think we've met yet. I'm Myles Myers, Rylie's more attractive twin and the most annoying person she knows but I'm willing to concede my crown to you."

Eyes still locked on mine, Blake took Myles' hand and shook it tight. "Blake Weston. Happy to meet you, Myles and I'll gladly take that crown. Do you have any tips for me as your successor?"

"Oh, do I ever! You're about to learn from the best!" Myles said, slipping his arm off my shoulder and leading Blake to the dining room like they were long lost friends.

My twin was a fucking traitor.

"Rylie," my dad said as he walked in, having just arrived from work.

"Hey Daddy. How was work?"

"About as fun as you find school."

"You do know I like being at school and learning, right?"

My dad's face frowned and he shook his head. "Sometimes I forget what a weird... I mean, smart kid you are."

"Yeah, whatever," I chuckled, rolling my eyes.

"Judging by the sounds I'm hearing, I'm guessing our new neighbours are here."

"Yeah..." I muttered, glancing in the direction of the dining room.

"Rylie?" my dad spoke, gripping my shoulder. "Are you doing okay? I know having people living next door won't be the easiest thing on you."

"Oh, yeah. No, it's not that at all. Of course I knew people were going to move there eventually. He used to live there and now he doesn't. I'm fine."

My dad took my face in after I'd responded and for a moment, I thought he would continue to dig but he just smiled and said, "If you say so. Let's join them then." He extended his hand to me and I took it with a smile.