It was a brand new day in the life of Jess Mitchell, a new beginning in a new home, new school, and a new place where no one knew of her and her problems. She had began her schooling at Lawrence High School in Marathon, Florida, through correspondence so she would not be behind when once she started attending in person. After her second day at her new school she was late arriving to her bus stop and it had left her behind, so she began her long walk home.

On her way home she stopped at a small market to get some supplies for an upcoming activity that she would be involved in later in the school year. While she was in the store she ran into someone who looked very familiar, she stared at him trying to place his face. The guy noticed her staring and came over to her. He asked her if she had just moved to town, and if she moved into the house on Brier Road. Instantly she realized that he was her new cute neighbor. He got in the checkout line with her and grabbed her bags with her supplies, and carried them out as if to go to her car. She was confused by this because 1) she had no car and 2) no guy has ever been sweet enough to carry her things…especially good looking guys. “Where did you park?” he asked looking around.

“I don’t have a car so I wa…” she started before he left and walked towards his black SUV. “What are you doing?” she asked.

“I’m putting this stuff in my car so you don’t have to carry it home.”
“oookay” she said slowly before she turned and started to walk away.

“Don’t you want a ride?” he asked.

“ummm” was all she could out. She looked towards the sidewalk then at his car.

“Well…” he said with a cocked eyebrow. ‘What is she thinking about’ he thought to himself.

“Yea” she whispered “but I thought that…”

“I was just gonna let you walk home in this heat, it’s like a 45 minute walk from here and it’s like 200 degrees!! Not to mention you probably don’t know your way around yet, and you could get lost. Then I’d be worried about you.”

She stood there a little uncertain while he got in. After all she did just meet him.

“Aren’t you going to get in?”

“I don’t even know your name.”

“Well my name’s Nick, and yours?

“Jess.”

“Well there now that we know each other, let’s go it’s HOT!”
They both laughed at his goofiness.
“But not 200 degrees hot” she said.

“Ah true, but it does feel like it”

After that the ride home was fairly quiet except for the music playing on the radio. Once they got home Nick helped her carry the bags into her house.

“umm Jess…”

“Yea”

“What are you doing tonight?”

“I don’t know, probably nothing because my mom isn’t home, why?”

“Same here so I was wondering if you want to come over and we could order a pizza or something?”

“umm sure I guess. What time?”

“Well it’s 4:30 now so how about around 7:30?”

“Yea sounds good I’ll see you then.”

“See you then.” He said as he started to walk back towards his house.
When she got inside she immediately got started on her mountain of homework, and before she knew it, it was 7:00. She began to clean up and get ready to go over to Nick’s when the phone rang.

*sigh* “What now!” she exclaimed.

“Hello…oh hi mom…yea I’m fine…no actually I’m getting ready to go over to Nick’s house…our new neighbor…yea I finished everything…where are you?...you’re WHERE?!?!...you were supposed to be home tonight because the program starts tomorrow and it’s required that you go!!!...well why can’t you cancel the meetings or postpone them?...can’t you tell them that your daughter is more important?...fine…alright…what ever…okay bye mom, yea love you too.”

By the time she got off the phone with her mom she was near tears, she looked at the clock and it was 7:45, she was late to Nick’s…

Meanwhile...

When Nick stepped into his house, he walked right into a giant mess. He was running around trying to clean the house up when someone said “Whoa check it out Nicky is actually cleaning” joked one of Nick’s friends.
“Hey Brian. How are ya?”

“Good so are your parents coming home tonight?” asked his friend Alex.

“Nah, not for another week, and before you ask I’m cleaning cause my new neighbor is coming over and we’re ordering pizza.”

“Ohhh” they both said.

“Either start helping or leave. She’ll be here in half a hour” Nick told them.

“I knew he wouldn’t clean unless it was over a girl”

“Shut up Bone!!” Nick said.

Both Brian and Alex started laughing and Nick blushed. The 3 boys finished cleaning right at 7:30. It was 7:31 and she wasn’t there.

It was 7:37 and she still wasn’t there.

It was 7:45 and she still wasn’t there.

“Maybe she forgot” said Brian.

“Or she could’ve thought 8:00 instead...” offered Alex.

“Or she...” Nick started before the doorbell interrupted him.

It was Jess...

“Jess I thought you weren’t coming.” He stopped when he saw her tearstained face. “What’s wrong is everything okay?” He asked with concern written all over his face.

“Nick I’m sorry I’m late” she choked out.

He enveloped her into a hug, she didn’t even notice that there were two other boys there too. They looked at Nick and mouthed that they were leaving and to call them later, they quickly slipped out the front door without being noticed.

“What’s wrong?” he asked leading her over to the couch.

“Nothing it’s...it’s stupid” she said wiping at her eyes.

“Try me” he said with his arm still wrapped around her.

“My mom was supposed to be home tonight and she won’t be home for another week.”

“I’m sorry. If you feel uncomfortable staying at home by yourself for that long then you can stay here. My parents won’t mind.”

“Thanks but that’s not it.” she regretted the words the moment they escaped her lips.

“Well, What is it? Can I help in any way?”

She couldn’t tell him what was really going on because he couldn’t know. So she had to lie at least partially.

“Well ever since my dad left us when I was little, my mom and I always do something special together. It was supposed to be tomorrow because it was going to be her first day off in a long time.” she said in a rush.

“I’m sorry”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about”

“Are you still hungry?”

“Yea a little. You?”

“Same. Do you want a sandwich?”

“Yea that’s fine.”

“What kind do you want? We’ve got ham, turkey, and bologna.”

“Bologna and mayo please.”

“Sure coming right up my dear” she smiled.

They sat there ate and made small talk about the things they liked to do, all of the things that they wished to do, and what she was going to do after graduation. He was a year older, so he graduated the year before.
Before they knew it, it was 10:30 and Jess needed to go home. She said bye to Nick and gave him a hug. Before she left he gave her his number in case she’d need anything.