Nothing Feels Like You

“Can I please don't go? Pretty please?" Little five year old Riley begged, her hands clasped together and looking at her mother with hopeful eyes.  "You have to." Claire insisted, "It's only courteous of us to go over to greet our new neighbours."  Riley lets out a sigh, “But I'll be bored over there." She whines, crossing her arms to show her discontent.  "No tantrums Riley Flores. You know the consequences." Claire warned sternly and grabbed her daughter’s shoes that is sitting by the staircase, "Come on now, we have to be back before Papi comes home. Don’t worry about being bored, I saw a little girl around your age. You can make friends with her." She suggested.  Riley reluctantly put on her tiny shoes and tottered over to her mother, "Do we really have to go?"  She didn't really like people, especially not strangers. "Yes, no more grumbling. Let's go." Her mother replied and reached out for Riley's hand, "And be nice." She added before the both of them started walking down the pathway.  "I'm Claire, I live next door. I heard your family just moved here from Cuba?" She introduced once the door to their neighbor’s house opened, reaching out to shake the latter’s hand.  "I'm Jane and yes, we're from Cuba." Jane answered, giving Claire a warm smile, “And who is this little girl?"  "Say hi Riley." Claire encouraged, only to earn a groan from the small girl, "Hi." She mumbled, not once looking up at her new neighbors.  "An angsty little one eh?" Jane joked, "Well, it's normal for children their age. Mine's no better off." She chuckled, "Come down mija, we’ve got visitors!"  Soon, a brown haired Latina comes bouncing down the staircase whilst singing to nursery rhymes. What the young girl didn't expect to see was that beautiful green eyes of Riley’s. "Wow, you have pretty eyes." Juliana thought out loud the moment she met Riley face to face, causing the two older women to laugh.  "Manners Juliana." Jane reminds her after the laughter died down.  "Hi mam." Juliana greeted, "Hi pretty girl with green eyes. My name is Juliana, what's yours?"  "Hi Juliana, my name's Riley!" The green eyed girl said a bit too enthusiastically, making Claire stare at her with confusion; Her daughter never really liked to make friends.  "Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?" Jane offered, stepping out of the way to the Flores’ in.  “Thank you.” Claire smiled softly, letting Riley move in first before she did so herself.  "Can I bring Riley to the treehouse?” Juliana asked, ecstatic to be able to make a new friend; Especially one with a pretty face.  "Okay mija, as long as her Mami is okay with it and that you’ll promise me to be careful?”  “We will! Can we please?” Juliana asked, now directing her question towards Claire in which she gained an approving nod.  “Follow me Riley!" Juliana giggles, pulling Riley by her hand towards the backyard.  Claire stared at Riley in awe, unable to process the fact that she’s going off to play with another kid, “This is the first time I’ve seen my daughter interact with someone her age."  "This might probably be a start of a beautiful friendship." Jane chortled in reply, closing the door behind her.    "Why aren't you climbing?" Juliana asked, furrowing her eyebrows, "Don't you want to join me?"  "I..I'm scared of heights." Riley muttered, her face red with embarrassment.  She’s always liked to put up a brave front, heights are the only things that scares her so much that she’s unable to look tough.  "Don't worry Riley, it's safe." Juliana assured, climbing back down to the latter, "You go first, I'll be right behind."  Nodding, Riley climbed up the ladder a little by little, trembling from the increasing distance that she is away from the found. "Just a few more climbs Rye. You can do it."  Hearing Juliana’s encouragements and most importantly, her new nickname, Riley took a deep breath and took her last climbs and reached the treehouse.  "Woah. Your treehouse is so pretty Jules." Riley exclaimed when she climbed into the treehouse.  "Thank you." Juliana grinned, proud of her treehouse. "What do you do in here?"  "I just play by myself here. I do whatever I want to." Juliana explained, "Will you play tea party with me?"  Riley cringed at the idea of tea party but after looking at the younger girl’s hopeful eyes, she thought that she'll give it a try; Who knows she might like it even though it's too girly for her liking.  "Sure Jules." She smiled.  Both girls played tea party and a game where the knight saves the princess from the angry dragon, just like in the story books that Juliana had read. Well, Riley’s idea was to just hang out and talk about cartoons, but the other girl insisted on princesses and knights so she gave into her.  "Riley, It's time to go home! Papi will be home soon and I have yet to cook dinner!" Claire shouted from the bottom of the treehouse but gained no response from either girls.  Fearing that something terrible might have happened, she climbed up the ladder and was met with two girls cuddled up against each other on a mattress that was placed inside.  She smiled at the sight and sighed contently.  A/N: Hi there! I'm glad to meet you again if you were one of my readers from w*****d, otherwise, I hope that you'll enjoy this story! Tams.