Thanks so much for being my first reviewer Glistening Shadow I can always count on u to help me out. I apologize immensely for my absence and I will do my best to keep up with skewl pressure! Finals coming up so hopefully ill stay still be able to make plenty of time for my readers!
Miley was quiet, fuming under her mask of calmness, and not making contact with her husband. She gazed out at the neighborhood, stewing in the anger she felt, and trying to let the calmness of the countryside take her. It didn't. It looked awkward and dilapidated. This place was pure hell. There were giant houses all about the area, all looking beautiful and staged. They had quite a few neighbors, a few unoccupied houses, but mostly just the grassland that was the country. Small neighborhoods were unappealing to a City girl.
As she carried another box into the living room, she noticed her two sons sprinting across the streets.
"Jordan, Riley, get back here!" she cried out in vain and barely caught a glimpse of the speeding boys.
"Hun, I'll worry about the boxes, maybe you should head over and wrangle them in?" Jake attempted a kind and questioning look at his wife. He knew she was mad; she'd been mad from the moment he'd broken the news. She was a big city girl at heart and this new environment was suffocating her.
She let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine." She adopted an annoyed tone and went on, taking her sweet time, to find the boys down the street.
She looked up at the last lot on the block. It was a dark red brick house. The front yard looked chewed and spit, the house looked decrepit, and if there really was an owner, it would have to be a dangerously old man. Jordan and Riley were beginning to climb the great oak tree, not caring about abiding any rules. It was then that she noticed a small figure walking up to them.
From the distance, the age was unidentifiable. She didn't look old, but she did look tired and aged beyond herself. There was nothing but blonde hair and a female frame that could be seen from the distance. And the way she was walking suggested that the conversation she planned to start was not a pleasant one.
Miley moved in to defend her boys. She was quickly becoming exhausted with the overly-cheerful or overly-dreary townsfolk. As she neared the woman, she could better make out her figure. The poorly chosen clothes hung loosely over her abnormally skinny body. Her face was cream and her cheeks and lips were a pale pink. She was beautiful, but looked defeated, the effects of her defeat lying deeply in the sadness of her young face. She looked older than she was. But one thing remained stunning. Her eyes. They were the greatest pierce of blue she'd ever seen, that is, under the heavy coating of apathy that sat in dull places about her nature.
As the blonde girl moved closer to the boys, Miley could make out an indefinite scowl forming on her features. This would be the time to move them.
"Jordy, Riles, get out of our neighbor's yard this instant, and keep yourselves out of trouble. Now go help your father unpack." She tried to lower her voice, tried to keep her obvious distaste hidden in the fake patience of her speech. But she was failing, and her boys were scared to disobey.
As much as Miley would have preferred to just take the boys and leave the clearly unhappy woman alone, something reminded her of her obligations to be neighborly. Therefore, as her boys sprinted in the direction of their new house, the brunette steadily walked up to the blonde.
"Hello, I'm your new neighbor, Miley Ryan. I live two doors down in the yellow house." She awkwardly offered her hand to the less-than-interested figure.
"Guess you are then. Lillian Truscott. Please remind your children to refrain from playing on my property, and climbing on my greenery." She kept a monotonous seriousness as she took the hand in a rigid shake, immediately pulling it away when the meeting was satisfied. Her eyes kept a stolid guise.
Miley didn't make a departure when the handshake was over, and it confused Lily to no end as to what to do next. Her social skills had long been forgotten in her years of loneliness, and with no persuasion to remain connected or caring of anyone who surrounded her, she was unsure of how to handle conversation.
"I apologize Lily; I'll make sure they stay clear of your yard. I know how important it is to some people."
"Alright then." She replied emotionlessly.
"Umm well Lily could you tell me where there's a grocery nearby? I have to pick up some food and I don't know where anything is around here."
Lily was silent, thinking; she hadn't ever paid attention to this place. Whenever she needed groceries, she simply got in her old truck and drove. Somehow, she knew where she was going, knew what she needed, had enough money to purchase it, and knew her way home. No names stuck out to her, no directions could be given. These were the negatives of living out of body. She was often so numb she could barely comprehend her environment. Crowley was the town she moved to after she couldn't stand the idea of being anywhere near the expansions of her sadness. This town was just a blur, a resting place for her soulless body. Honestly, she couldn't name even one of her neighbors or even one of the stores in the area.
"Sorry, I don't know any of them by name."
"Oh, uh, lived here long?" Miley looked confusedly at the woman before her. Was she mentally impaired or something?
"Something of two years. I apologize for being unhelpful, but I must excuse myself. I hope that your move was safe and I hope you enjoy it here in Crowley. However, I'm due to work in a matter of minutes. I simply wish you keep your children off my property. Good day Mrs. Ryan."
Lily began to turn and leave, not even waiting for a reply from the other woman.
"Uh no problem Lily I'll keep them far away. Thanks for the welcome." Miley shouted after the retreating form, being met with an unturned back. And as she, too, walked toward her house, she couldn't help but think that there was something very strange about Ms. Lillian Truscott.