Chapter 2.17

—Josh—

I looked around my new place. I wasn’t sure if it was really “me,” but it was definitely a nice place. And it was mine. Or at least it was for as long as I rented it. This was my second day here, so everything still felt pretty foreign. I’d rented out half of a duplex and it’d come fully furnished; nothing here was mine. It was a little like living in someone else’s house, but I’d get used to it. Make it my own, you know.

I went into the kitchen and started scrambling some eggs. Living on my own meant I had to cook for myself. I wasn’t particularly good at it, but I was getting by. I missed Mom’s cooking a lot. I had ever since I moved in with Dad, but, somehow, I missed it even more now.

I sat down to my solitary meal, thinking of the day ahead when I got a text from Alison. I smiled at my phone and the funny picture she’d sent me. I responded with something and then just leaned back in my chair.

My feelings for her weren’t gone. A few months couldn’t erase them, but, as I’d told her couple of months ago at her house, I was okay with where things stood. I had to put on my big boy britches and move ahead with my life.

And, actually, I think that I had.

On the other side of this duplex is a girl. She’s really the bookish type. I think she might actually work down at the library. I saw her yesterday while she was getting her mail. She’s got these really cute freckles all over her nose and cheeks. I’ve never noticed a thing like that before.

My thoughts of the cute girl next door got interrupted by the alarm on my phone bleeping at me. A reminder that it was time for work. Of course, my days of baseball practice were over. Now I was working for one of the local corporations. I wasn’t sure I liked it much, but I’d see how it went.

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I stopped as I approached the stairs. There she was again, checking the mail. Nut up or shut up, I thought to myself.

“Hey,” I said, as I approached her.

She turned to look at me with surprise. “Oh, hi. You must be the new neighbor.”

I stuck out my hand. “Josh Yuen.”

She smiled warmly at me and shook my hand. “Maggie O’Henry. It’s nice to meet you, Josh.”

“It’s nice to meet you, too.” Man, she really was pretty when she smiled. “Hey, would you…would you like to get coffee some time?”

The corners of her eyes crinkled at her smile broadened. “I’d love to.”

A/N: I know this one is short, but I just really liked the feel of this chapter. I couldn’t bring myself to find anything to add onto it.