I woke up to the sight of my mom leaning against the door, a gentle smile gracing her face.

Jumping out of bed, I rushed over to her with a wide grin and pulled her into a hug. "I missed you!" I said, embracing her delicate frame.

"How have you been?" she asked, examining my face.

"Just fine!"

She glanced around the room and approached the closed window. "Jake said you went down to the lake. Do you like it here?"

"Of course," I fibbed, "It's a cool place. Even better than Rivera."

Truthfully, I didn't have the heart to tell her the real story. There was nothing about this place that made me want to stay. It was just the beginning of summer, and I already longed for my friends, especially Aria, my dad, and my old school.

Thinking about my dad was a touchy subject. I hadn't called him since the day we left the house, and he hadn't tried to contact me either.

But sharing that with Mom would only make her sad, and that was the last thing I wanted.

So, I put on a brave face and smiled. "Thanks for the room. I'll unpack my boxes and organize my shelf. And then maybe take a stroll, explore the area, and try to make some friends, I guess."

She grinned back, her eyes squinting slightly. "Sure, do whatever you want. But first, clean up and come downstairs. Breakfast is ready. I'm heading out to buy some groceries." She looked tired and aged as if the divorce and her cheating husband had taken a toll on her health.

"Okay!" I replied as she walked away. Opening my bags, I got ready for a long, hot shower.

Last night, or rather, the whole day, had been quite... eventful.

New places always messed up my sleep, and last night was no exception. I struggled to fall asleep, and my heart raced like crazy until my alarm went off.

Despite the new houses around, this place had an eerie vibe. My room didn't feel as isolated as it should, and I had a constant sensation of being watched.

The old woods in the backyard and the calm lake only added to the unsettling atmosphere. Except for that weird stranger, I hadn't seen anyone around. It felt like I was on a deserted island. Maybe all of that contributed to my state of mind.

All I needed was a relaxing soak in the bathtub.

After drying my hair and changing into a fresh, crisp top and a pair of shorts, I was ready to kick off my summer.

I was supposed to have a "new start," as my mom forcefully threw that phrase around every time I argued about moving across the state.

As I descended the stairs, humming a tune, I found Jake sitting at the dining table, engrossed in the newspaper, a habit reminiscent of my dad.

"Morning!" I greeted cheerfully.

He looked up with a lifeless stare and returned to the mundane news. It seemed I wasn't the only one who hadn't slept well.

Sipping on my tea, I glanced around the kitchen and out the window behind Jake. I had to get used to this new view.

As I buttered the toast, the main door suddenly slammed open, making me jump.

Jake entered, carrying bags of groceries, followed by Mom.

Wait, what was he doing there? I shot a quick look across the table where Jake had been sitting just a couple of minutes ago. Now, he was walking in through the door. How was that possible? What was happening?

"When did you go out? I didn't notice." I spoke as Jake walked towards the kitchen and placed the bags on the counter. 

 "What do you mean?" He began shelving the packets, "I went with Mom to the supermarket."I looked at Mom to confirm it. 

She gave a confused look, "Doesn't he always?"

I took another sip of tea, trying to shake off the confusion.

My mind was exhausted, and I seemed to be seeing things that shouldn't be there. Maybe I needed to get out of the house for a while.

Luckily, there was a lake behind my backyard.

Rinsing the cup in the sink, I announced that I was going for a stroll by the shore. Mom and Jake nodded as they chatted about the restaurant where Mom worked. Apparently, something had happened to the owner's daughter.

I pushed open the backdoor and stepped out into the summer breeze, taking in a deep breath of fresh air. The lake water reflected the sunlight, creating a mesmerizing glimmer on its surface. Havendell still had some things to be grateful for.

The feeling was short-lived.

"What the hell are you doing here?" a familiar voice called out from my right.

I turned around to find none other than the weirdo from last evening, and I let out an exasperated groan. I should've ignored him, gone down to the lake, and just enjoyed the summer.

But I was not one to back down easily.

I walked over to the swing he was sitting on, which was in my backyard, and said, "I can do whatever the hell I want. This is my house."

He gave me a confused stare. "Which house?"

"This one," I scowled and pointed toward the tall wooden structure beside us. "Which reminds me, you shouldn't be here. This is my backyard, and that swing belongs to me."

I could see the cogs turning in his head as he tried to comprehend my words - not that it was too difficult.

"Damn it," he cursed under his breath and stopped swinging, "For how long?"

Did he really expect me to care? Why, in the goddamn world, would it matter to him?

"You can't stay here," he further commanded, as if I would actually listen to him.

I chuckled mockingly, "And who are you to decide that, weirdo?"

He raised an eyebrow as if he didn't expect me to insult him. What did he expect? After that childish prank of his?

His gaze shifted towards my house, and he stared intently before standing up from the swing. The guy, dressed in a loose white shirt and tight jeans, strolled closer. Closer than he should.

I took a few steps back, trying to fake confidence that I didn't possess. Maybe if I held my chin up high, he would back off in fear.

Or maybe not. He closed the gap between us and murmured right into my ear, "Your neighbor."

I looked up at him, my eyes wide open. He pointed towards the new house beside mine, the one that faced my window. "That's mine," he said with a smug grin, "And there's no fence between us. We share the backyard."

I turned towards his house and noticed the backyard with a non-existing fence. My bad summer was already turning worse.

He tilted his head to the side and uttered the words with a grave warning, "You made a big, big mistake coming here, agapi mou. And you will regret it."

I retorted, mocking him, "I'm absolutely thrilled to be your neighbor."

With that, he pushed past me without giving me a second glance and strolled back toward his house. I reached the conclusion that I utterly hated him.

My enthusiasm quickly turned sour, and I retreated into my home.

"You're back already?" Jake and Mom were sitting in the living area as I dashed up the stairs two steps at a time.

"I changed my mind. I'd rather bury myself in a book than face reality." I called out to them, slamming the door shut, but not too harshly. After all, we still had to pay rent.

I cursed myself. Why did I even bother? No matter how many rainbows and sunshine I tried to find in this situation, all I got was a downpour.

Not that I blamed that nameless neighbor. It was everything combined that made me feel this way. Pretending to be happy and hoping things would get better was exhausting. There came a time when the facade was too much to bear.

And it was exactly at that moment when a book would work best.

I collapsed onto my bed, eyeing my empty shelf. Just like my wardrobe and nightstands. I kicked my feet and hands in the air like a baby, groaning. I needed to unpack my stuff.

I could have waited and procrastinated, but my phone wasn't charged, and there was nothing else to do.

So, I forced myself, for the first time in my life, to actually do what I was supposed to do. Kudos to me!

After hours, I finished most of the unpacking, leaving the rest of it for later, and I was finally done. Even my body was surprised by my productivity and demanded a nap.

And who was I to deny that?

When I woke up, I had no clue whether it was the next morning or the same evening. All I knew was that my stomach needed food. The house was quiet. My mobile screen showed 5:44 PM, which meant Mom was at the restaurant. There was a message from Jake saying he was outside and would return home by 6:30.

So, as I ventured downstairs in search of food, I saw some movement behind the open refrigerator door, and my heart skipped a beat.

My feet turned cold when I saw a broad-shouldered guy rummaging through my fridge. Even though I knew it wasn't my brother, I called out, "Jake, is that you?"

The door closed, and the person looked up with his trademark smug smile.

"Greetings, neighbor."