In Love With My Neighbor

Chapter 7

I looked up slowly, afraid of what sight would await me. It was all Chris' fault! He had gotten me into trouble, and right now I was probably warned about in the classroom.

Inside the football field stood a very angry man with a sports suit on, and a whistle hanging around his neck. I guessed he was the coach of the football team. He had short, brown hair, was small and had a beer belly. Not exactly something that screamed "football coach".

We all got up quickly, and looked at each other in panic. It was extremely disgusting to have paint all over my body. Everything was sticky and my fingers sat together - impossible to get apart. I also did not like to think about how much hair washing I had to go through to get all the paint out. s**t.

"Why do you look like snowmen? You should be dressed up here on the field and have training right now!" He shouted at the boys.

"Detention, coach," Chris mumbled, running a hand through his white, stiff hair. "We were going to paint the whole fence!"

"Detention, hmm ... Well what the hell are you staring at? Go into the shower and get dressed - we have an important match to train up to," the coach shouted, gesturing wildly. 

I just stood there with my mouth open. Was he allowed to go? What about me?!

"Coach, you can not just leave it all to me?" I exclaimed with wide eyes. "I also have something to do!"

"Ahh, I had not seen you at all, girl," he said. "You can go too, hurry home before the paint dries. I'll have a serious talk with the office," he just said, and left.

A smile spread across my face and I made a jump of joy. "Thanks!" I shouted after him.

I waved to the boys, and sprinted over to my bike. It would be an unbelievably embarrassing trip home, but at least no one could recognize me, and at the moment I was too relieved to be embarrassed.

*****

"Emily Amy Scott!"

I gulped and sank down in the chair. The earful in the office seemed completely relaxing in relation to this interrogation.

"I come home from work, and get to know that you have been up in the office, and had detention on your SECOND DAY?!" Shouted my mother, staring evil at me. I remained silent and looked down at the table.

I would make the situation worse by talking.

"If you do not want to be sent straight back to Florida, I suggest you take yourself very seriously, young lady! Your father and I are toiling and dragging for you and Louis to have a good time and see what we get back! Rebellious teenager kid!

I'll never hear from the office again, okay, Emily?"

I nodded.

"And now go up to your room and get ready - we'll get the neighbors over for dinner," she concluded, and began slicing carrots.

My mouth hung open. "Wait, what? Which neighbors?" I stammered.

"The Hall family. I had a chat with the mother, Kathryn, and she seemed really sweet, so I invited her and her family over to eat. They also have a boy your age, I think.

Well, Emily, I'm trying to be angry here, "she said with a smile. "Now go up to your room and get ready!"

With a strained smile, I headed up to my room. Chris would come over. We had to sit at the table together, eat food together, be polite together.

Help me.

I curled my hair, put on some lip balm, jumped in some more presentable clothes, and then I was ready.

It had taken me hours to get all the paint out, and my hair had had a hard time. But after a nice homemade hair treatment, it was thick and soft again. The clothes could not be saved, however, and I had to wave goodbye to my otherwise so new t shirt. *Sigh*

I jumped down the stairs as I walked around. It may have looked extremely strange, but it was a habit I had. 

I simply could not go down stairs normally.

At the end of the stairs stood Louis, which I lovingly tugged at his hair.

"What's up with you, gnome," I said enthusiastically, but he did not answer, and just stood looking at the front door.

I turned around and looked. In the middle of the doorstep stood the whole Hall family, and as always hot but annoying Chris, who sent me a smug smile.

"Come inside," my mother called happily from the kitchen.

Oh yes, this was probably going to be an interesting evening.

*****

We were halfway inside the dessert.

My parents and Chris's, seemed to get along really well with each other. They talked about everything from angry employers to the adoption of orangutans. There was laughter and nodding - all in all, they seemed to be having a good time.

The same could not be said for us children.

Me, Chris and Louis sat in complete silence, not talking unless one of the adults asked us something. It did not look like Chris to be so quiet - I would have taken him for the type who chatted loose during the meal, but we all sat and just played with the food while listening to the adults' conversation.

"Emily, dear, why have we never seen you over with us?" Asked Mrs. Hall and sipped to her cake.

Because your son is a complete i***t, I wanted to say, but I just bit my lip and said instead:

"I'm just been a little busy, here with the moving and stuff like that."

"Oh yes, it's also a big change to suddenly move all the way from Florida to England!" She exclaimed, looking indulgently at me.

"Wait, did you live in Florida?" Chris asked, breaking his silence. "Then that's why it sounds so cute when you talk," he mumbled, looking intently at the tablecloth.

"Yeah I did. And hey, did I just hear something? Did Chris Hall really just say something sweet to me?" I exclaimed, taking myself dramatically to my heart.

Chris sent me killer eyes, and was about to defend himself when the doorbell rang.

"It must be Gloria coming to hand over Melissa," muttered Mrs. Hall and got up from the table.

Melissa? Who was Melissa? I had not heard of any Melissa?

The door opened and I had to stop myself from collapsing on the floor.

On the doorstep stood the cutest little girl I had ever seen. She had big blue eyes, surrounded by fine little eyelashes, red cheeks, brown, curly locks and a big smile. She did not look like she was more than 4 years old and she was adorable.

The woman who had come with Melissa quickly said goodbye, and hurried away. With Mrs. Hall in hand, she stepped inside, but when she saw that everyone's eyes were on her, she quickly hid behind Mrs. Hall's legs and blushed. 

"This is Melissa, our daughter. Melissa, say hi," urged Mrs. Hall, and a tiny little "Hello" was heard. It was just before that my barometer of cuteness was about to overflow.

"Chris," she exclaimed, running happily over to him. He broke out in a smile, lifting her up into his arms.

"Do you want to come with me into the living room and play?" He asked her, who nodded nervously.

He tapped her on the nose, excused himself and rushed into the living room with a grinning Melissa, who clearly idolized her older brother very much.

Soon laughter and giggles were heard from there.

This was a new side of Hall, and honestly I was pretty crazy about it.