01 || Welcome Insult

.ELRISTEYA.

“Elris!” My mother's voice rang out from the kitchen and I blew out a deep breath. I rose from the chair and went to meet her in the kitchen. The smell of her sweet-scented honey cookies wafted into my nostrils and a smile curled at the edges of my lips.

“Mom,” I called, taking a seat as I reached out for the tray of cookies. She used the spatula to hit my hand and I reared back with a wince, gripping my hand as I scrunched my face.

“Mom, that hurts.” I cried and she uttered a scoff.

“These cookies are not for you. Someone moved in next door. Welcome him with the cookies.”

My brows furrowed. Me? I welcome someone? Wait, my mother never even welcomes people. She was always-

“Are you going to go now or are you just going to sit there and stare at me?” Her voice cut through my thoughts and I picked up the tray.

“If I don't come back in the next three seconds, file a missing person report,” I said over my shoulders as I used my feet to hold the door and stepped out.

I tried to tamp out the temptation to take a cookie but my mind drifted to the house right before me.

When did someone move in?

I let out a sigh and held the tray in my left hand as I lifted my right to know.

First knock. No response.

Second knock. No response.

My brows creased together as I glanced around the place. I thought Mom said someone was home.

Third knock again. I heard a shuffling, then the door knob twisted and I came in contact with a male’s bare feet. My eyes slowly slid up to the pair of slightly hairy legs and the black shorts he was wearing, then an almost naked, sorry cancel that, there was a singlet on it but I could still make out his brown nipples, so technically, yeah, he was naked. Finally, I looked up to his face and locked eyes with his eyes. I almost stumbled at how electrifying and alluring they were for a human.

Who was he? Or wait…. What was he?

He was handsome and unlike the guys I have seen around. He was different. He looked like an Adonis with insanely can-never-be-found-on-earth beauty. I knew it in my bones. Did he make a deal with the devil to look sinfully handsome? What price did he pay?

Suddenly, I remembered what I had come to do here. He didn't even say anything about me ogling him. He must be sweet or maybe… Clearing my throat, I mustered a smile and stretched out the tray of cookies. “Hi, welcome to the neighborhood. My mother told me to...” A slam!

I flinched with a gasp. Wait, what happened? What was slammed? I glanced around and… Oh, wait. It was the door. The adonis-like... oh shut up! The asshole actually shut the door to my face.

What the heck? He must certainly be joking.

I knocked again and did not get any response. I let out an annoyed hiss.

I glared daggers at the door like the daggers could go through it and stab him in those eyes. Okay, that was too cruel and unlike me.

So much for wanting to welcome someone. I left the comfort of my home to welcome him with my hands full of cookies only for him to slam the door in my face. I think I am too accommodating or maybe it was my mom.

I marched angrily back to our house, pushed the door open and stepped inside. I walked to the kitchen where I knew my mother and brother were talking because I could hear Joe’s deep voice. They stopped talking as soon as they felt my presence and turned to me. Their eyes scanned me over and I let out an annoyed hiss.

"Whose cookies are these?" Joe asked, reaching out for the tray and taking a piece. He took a bite and I blew the hair that had fallen on my nose away.

"What happened? No one was at home?" My mother took the initiative to ask. I made some annoyed noise in my throat and sat on the stool.

"Someone was at home. In fact, an asshole was the one that was at home and guess what, mom?" I huffed. She looked out of the corner of her eye and dropped the handkerchief in her hands.

"The person must have treated you nicely." She said with emphasis on the ‘nicely’ and I clicked my tongue before letting a scoff out.

"Yes, he was, mom. He fucking slammed the doin my face. If that is what being treated nicely means. Yeah."

"Language, Elris." She warned and I was too mad to even noticed I had just cussed before her.

Joe tried to stifle laughter and I snapped my eyes to him and pointed a finger at him.

"Don't you dare laugh there or I will tell Zoey that you cheated on her with Sam?" I threatened him and he raised his hands in a surrender gesture.

"I won't laugh. I won't, I promise." He said, trying to prevent the laughter from spilling. I pulled my face away from him and picked a cookie before devouring it like it was the one that had angered me.

"But who is this guy that got you on your toes, I would say it has been long since someone got you this mad." He said, this time his face morphing into a serious expression and he chucked the last piece of cookie into his mouth before dusting his hands.

"It is the asshole that moved in next door," I replied, feeling my anger evaporate slowly. He was not worth the anger.

"His name?" He asked and I glared at him again.

"How do you expect me to know his name when the first thing he did when he saw me was slamming the door in my face? He didnot even speak." I snapped.

Oh, I am even tired of talking. I have said these over and over again.

"Maybe you did something bad. Or maybe he just does not like being disturbed. Or maybe you met him at the wrong time and he decided to take it out on you." My mother said from the place she was wiping the plate. Of course, she was always understanding.

I shook my head and poured myself a glass of juice. I bit into my cookie and downed the juice.

"I don't even care. For as long as he stays out of my hair, I will be good." I said and exited the kitchen. Making my way to my room, I picked out my favorite novel, When The Girl He Fell For Dies. It was a soul-wrenching piece of sheets.

I got myself lost in the world, forgetting about the asshole and all that had happened but his eyes kept flashing in my vision. I could not help but close the book and forced my eyes close. When I could not get some sleep, I scrambled up and walked towards the window. Looking outside, my eyes traced every scene and sight and I let out a deep breath. I was not going to let my new neighbor get to me, especially this asshole. I noticed the window to a room was left open and a thought twinkled in my head.

Haha, nice idea.

I moved steadily across the room and picked a pen and paper.

I wrote ASSHOLE in big capital letters and folded it. Aiming for the window, I rolled the paper into a rough ball and raised my hand then I threw it into the window. A grin spread across my face as my face gleamed with satisfaction.

Good for you, asshole.

I stood waiting for maybe a shout or a vulgar gesture or anything. But nothing came.

Disappointment rippled through me and I let out a silent snort before slumping on my bed and putting the bed sheet over me.

I woke up to my parent's loud laughter and Joe's groaning downstairs and I sat up. It was night already and I had slept that long? Woah.

I got down and wore my pair of slippers before heading out of the room. My face contorted into confusion as I found Joe with his butt on the floor and my father shaking his head while my mother had her hands over her mouth as if she did not want the laughter to slip out. I scoffed and treaded carefully down the stairs.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Your brother —"

"Nobody tell her!" He cut my mother off before she could complete what she wanted to say. I arched my left brow at him and snorted a laugh. He knew I would not let him hear the end of it.

"You fell on your butt, that's it," I said and went to sit. "How did you fall?" I asked, sniffing in the air and knowing that dinner was ready. Thank foodness.

"Shut up!" He hissed and rose up to his feet.

"It is all mother's fault." He groaned again and I heard my mother choke on a laugh behind me and my lips curled into my own smile too.

"Stop being a kid, you are grown dude." I clicked my tongue and pulled the plate closer to me.

"Are you going to eat or are you going to sulk?" I asked over my shoulder and he let out a scoff before coming to join us on the dining table.

He looked up to my dad. "Dad, you are also laughing!" He whined. This time I look at my dad and he could not keep the laughter at bay anymore so he and my mother burst out laughing and I joined them too. Joe slumped his shoulders and a ghost of smile was on his face.

"Okay, okay. Dinner everybody." My mother said as she served the dishes.

After we were done with dinner, Joe was the first to leave because he had some girl he had to speak to at night. Duh.

While I was here with my father and my mother massaging his feet. "Dan told me someone already moved into this house." He said, his eyes almost rolling to the back of his head. Oh, please I would rather swallow a bunch of bananas than watch him do that expression again.

"Yes." My mother answered.

Ohh, not discussing this guy again please.

"Did you find out about him?" He asked again.

My mother sliced a glance across to me and I looked away.

"I did but it did not end well." Was all I muttered before standing up and leaving them.

This new asshole was not someone I would like to discuss. At least not to my dad.

That night I found myself looking out of my window and checking if he was there but a dim perhaps a candle light was there with no shadow of human.

**

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