Since Forever

The sound of a truck engine hummed outside, loud enough to rattle the windows. Millie pressed her nose against the glass, watching men in uniforms carry big boxes across the street. Cardboard piled up on the grass, and someone had already set two bicycles near the driveway. “They’re here,” Mrs. Carter said behind her. She was tying her hair up in a messy knot, already looking like she planned to bake a pie and carry it over. “Come on, you two. Let’s go say hello.” Jacob groaned from the couch. “Do I have to? We don’t even know them yet.” “That’s the point, Jacob.” Mrs. Carter smoothed down her shirt, then gave him that look that meant no more arguing. Millie stayed quiet. She didn’t like the noise outside, didn’t like the idea of standing in front of strangers who’d stare at her like grown-ups sometimes did. Since Dad’s accident, everyone always seemed to look at her with that same face — the soft, sorry one she hated. She tugged at the hem of her t-shirt and mumbled, “I don’t want to.” “You’re going,” Jacob said, bouncing off the couch and shoving her lightly on the arm. “Don’t be a baby.” “I’m not a baby!” Millie snapped, but she reached for her mom’s hand anyway. Mrs. Carter squeezed her small fingers. “No one’s forcing you to talk, sweetheart. Just walk with me. It’s good for us to meet the neighbors.” Millie didn’t argue again, though she stuck closer to her mom’s side as they stepped outside. The late afternoon sun was warm, and the smell of cut grass drifted across the street. Jacob ran ahead, already waving as if the Hayes family had been waiting for him all along. Millie’s sandals scuffed the sidewalk. She looked both ways before crossing, heart beating a little faster as the rumble of the moving truck engine picked up again. She hated that sound — the deep growl that reminded her too much of screeching tires and broken glass. Without realizing it, she pressed closer to her mom’s hip. Mrs. Carter looked down, brushing a strand of Millie’s hair behind her ear. “It’s alright,” she said softly, just for her. Millie nodded, pretending she was fine, but she didn’t let go of her mom’s hand until they reached the Hayes’ driveway. Across the lawn, the new family was busy. Mr. Hayes was balancing a heavy-looking box against his chest, calling something over his shoulder to his wife. Mrs. Hayes, smiling even though her arms were full of kitchenware, noticed them first and waved. “Hi there!” she called cheerfully. “You must be our new neighbors!” Jacob grinned and waved back like he owned the place. Millie half-hid behind her mom, wishing she could disappear into the box pile instead. Mrs. Carter let go of Millie’s hand to wave back. “Welcome to the neighborhood! I’m Sarah Carter, and these are my kids—Jacob and Millie.” “Nice to meet you!” Mrs. Hayes said. She set the box in her arms down on the porch step and wiped her hands on her jeans before walking over. Her husband followed, carrying the heavy box like it was nothing. He had that easy grin people liked right away. “I’m Daniel Hayes,” he said, shaking Mrs. Carter’s hand. “This is my wife, Claire. And somewhere under a mountain of boxes are our kids.” Jacob laughed like that was the funniest thing in the world. He elbowed Millie, whispering, “Bet they’re cooler than you.” Millie didn’t bother answering. She just shifted her weight from one foot to the other, eyes on her sneakers. “So how old are your kids?” Mrs. Carter asked, glancing around. “Ethan’s nine. Same grade as your son, right?” Claire Hayes smiled down at Jacob. “And our youngest, Lucy, she’s four. She’s around here somewhere—probably already unpacking her dolls.” Jacob puffed his chest out a little. “I’m nine too. Fourth grade.” “Perfect!” Daniel said. “Built-in best friends.” Jacob grinned. “Cool.” Claire’s gaze softened as it moved to Millie. She crouched down so she was eye level. “And you must be Millie. Pretty name. How old are you, sweetheart?” Millie’s cheeks went hot. She hated when people talked to her like that, all sweet and careful. “Seven,” she mumbled, barely above a whisper. Claire tilted her head, smiling kindly. “Seven’s a great age. You like school?” Millie shrugged, not really answering, then edged closer to her mom again. Mrs. Carter gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. “She’s a little shy,” Mrs. Carter said quickly, though her smile never wavered. “That’s alright,” Claire said, standing back up. “We’re really happy to be here. Everyone seems so friendly already.” Daniel chuckled. “Except maybe the moving guys. They’ve been grumpy all day.” That earned a laugh from Mrs. Carter, and just like that, the grown-ups slipped into easy conversation about work, schools, and the neighborhood park. Jacob stood there nodding like he belonged in the adult talk too, but Millie just kept quiet, wishing she could fade into the background. Just then, a boy came jogging down the driveway, arms wrapped around a big box that looked too heavy for him. His t-shirt was sticking to his back, his hair messy from the heat, but he wore a grin like he didn’t notice at all. “Mom! Where do you want this?” he called, shifting the box against his chest. Claire Hayes turned and waved him over. “Ethan, honey, take it inside. Living room!” The boy—Ethan—paused when he spotted Jacob standing with the Carters. His grin widened. “Hey! Are you my new neighbor?” “Yeah,” Jacob said, already stepping forward. “I’m Jacob. I’m nine too.” “Awesome.” Ethan plopped the box down with a loud thud right there on the driveway. “Wanna help me carry stuff? My dad says I have the muscles of a grown man, but I think he’s exaggerating.” Jacob snorted. “Probably.” But he looked impressed anyway. Millie watched the exchange from behind her mom’s arm. Ethan noticed her next, eyebrows lifting. “Who’s that?” “That’s my sister, Millie,” Jacob said. “She’s seven. She acts like a baby though.” Millie’s head snapped around. “I do not!” Ethan smirked, like he’d already figured her out in two seconds. “You hiding back there for a reason? Afraid of boxes or something?” Millie’s face went hot. “No. I just don’t want to talk to you.” Jacob laughed way too loud at that, doubling over like it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. Even Mrs. Carter pressed her lips together to keep from smiling. Ethan didn’t look offended. If anything, he seemed amused. He leaned down a little, squinting at her like she was some strange bug. “Huh. Guess you’ve got a little bite, huh?” Millie crossed her arms. “Better than being annoying.” Ethan grinned like she’d just given him a challenge. The grown-ups chuckled, and the moment passed, but something sharp had already clicked between Millie and Ethan—like two kids who couldn’t decide if they were going to fight forever or become friends. Maybe both. After a few more minutes of chatting, Mr. Hayes clapped his hands together. “Alright, kids, why don’t you run around for a bit? Give us old folks a chance to finish talking without interruptions.” Jacob was already nodding before he finished. “Yeah! We can play catch.” He grabbed the baseball from their porch and tossed it up in the air. “Sure,” Ethan said. “I’ll crush you.” “You wish.” Jacob dragged Ethan toward the backyard, and of course Mrs. Carter gave Millie that gentle nudge. “Go with them, sweetheart. Just for a little while.” Millie sighed, staring at the ground, but she followed anyway, trailing behind. The three of them ended up on the Hayes’ backyard grass. The air smelled like dirt and fresh paint from the moving boxes stacked by the porch. Jacob wound up and tossed the ball to Ethan, who caught it with one hand and smirked. “Too easy.” He threw it back hard. Jacob almost missed but managed to catch it, stumbling back a step. He laughed like he meant to do it that way. “Millie, you’re up,” Jacob said, tossing the ball toward her. She caught it against her chest, frowning. “I don’t want to.” “Come on, don’t be lame.” Jacob was already bouncing on his toes. Millie hesitated, then finally threw it—not very far, not very straight. Ethan darted sideways and caught it with a showy spin. “That was… terrible,” he said, grinning. Millie scowled. “I didn’t even try.” “Exactly.” He lobbed the ball back. They kept going like that, Jacob and Ethan throwing harder, Millie half-heartedly joining. It was almost fun—until Jacob aimed too high. The ball missed Ethan’s glove, smacking into a metal trash can by the fence. The clang was deafening. Millie froze instantly. Her stomach dropped, her throat closing tight. The sharp metallic crash felt like the squeal of brakes, the slam of glass shattering. She couldn’t breathe. Her hands trembled at her sides. She wanted to move, to run, but her legs wouldn’t work. Jacob groaned, not even noticing. “Nice one, Ethan, you missed!” “I didn’t miss, you threw like a grandma—” Ethan stopped. His smirk faded when he saw Millie’s pale face, her wide eyes fixed on the dented trash can. She looked like she was somewhere else entirely. Jacob rolled his eyes. “Oh, don’t start. Millie’s being dramatic again.” “Shut up, Jacob,” Ethan said quickly. His voice wasn’t teasing this time. He grabbed the ball and tossed it lightly at Jacob’s chest. “Your throw, not mine.” Jacob blinked, confused. “Uh… whatever.” He shrugged and started bouncing the ball in his hand again. Millie blinked hard, like she’d just snapped out of a bad dream. She realized Ethan was still watching her, like he actually knew. Her face burned, and she spun around, pretending to adjust her sandal strap. Ethan didn’t say anything, but the smirk was gone. Jacob ran back toward the front yard, yelling something about showing Ethan his baseball cards. The sound of his sneakers faded around the house. That left Millie standing by the fence, arms tight across her chest. She hoped Ethan would follow Jacob, but he didn’t. He lingered, brushing dirt off the ball, sneaking glances at her like he was trying to figure out a puzzle. “You okay?” he asked finally. Millie’s stomach twisted. She hated that question. Everyone always asked it like they already knew the answer. She stared at the grass. “I’m fine.” “You didn’t look fine.” Her head snapped up. “I said I’m fine.” Ethan tilted his head. Not smug this time, not teasing. Just curious. “You got really pale. Like you were gonna puke.” “I wasn’t,” she muttered. “I just don’t like loud noises, that’s all.” He bounced the ball in his palm, slow. “Like… trash-can-loud, or car-crash-loud?” Millie froze. Her lips parted, but no words came out. Nobody said that word around her. Nobody dared. “How do you know about that?” she whispered. Ethan shrugged, looking suddenly awkward. “My mom told me. She said… about your dad. And the accident. She told me to be nice.” Millie’s throat burned. She spun away, blinking hard, wishing she could disappear. She hated when people knew. She hated the pity face. But Ethan didn’t look pitying. He just looked serious. “I didn’t tell Jacob. He doesn’t know, right?” She shook her head. “Nobody does. Except… family.” “Good.” Ethan tucked the ball under his arm. “Then I won’t say anything either.” Her eyes flicked toward him, suspicious. “You promise?” He stuck out his pinky without hesitation. “Promise.” She hesitated, then hooked her small pinky with his. It felt silly, but also heavy, like they’d signed some kind of deal. Ethan grinned a little, the smirk creeping back. “Guess that means we’ve got a secret now.” Millie rolled her eyes, pulling her hand back quick. “Don’t make it sound weird.” “Too late,” he said, tossing the ball in the air. “It’s already weird.” But his smile wasn’t mean this time. And when Jacob’s voice shouted for them again from the front, Ethan gave her one last glance before jogging off—like he knew something about her no one else did.