” Mia!” The moment Mia stepped into her home, her mother grabbed her and pulled her into her embrace.
” I’m so glad you’re home.” Debby said, holding her daughter tight.
” I’m sorry if I made you worry mom.” Mia smiled a little.
” And where exactly have you been.” But the smile on her face vanished when she heard the voice of another.
Nolan stood by the stairs, his arms crossed over his chest, a stern look on his face.
” Does it really matter, I’m back now aren’t I?” She said not looking happy to see him.
” Mom I’m wet, let me go change into some new pair of clothes.” Mia said.
” A-Alright dear.” Debby released her.
” Just be sure to hurry back down for dinner.”
Mia didn’t say anything, instead she walked towards the stairs.
” Are you going to let me pass…” She said with furrowed brows, staring at Nolan who still stood before the stairs.
” Not until you answer me.” He said.
” Tell me, just what caused you to come home so late, even your clothes are wet, do you plan on missing school tomorrow because you caught a cold.”
” I’m not that weak dad!
It’s just a bit of rain.”
” That’s not the point!” Nolan raised his voice a bit.
” Do you have any idea how worried we were, how worried your mother was after we called your work this evening only for them to tell us you’d left awhile ago, I was planning on looking for you myself!” He said, sounding more and more pressed.
” What if something had ended up happening to you!” He said.
Mia silently clenched her trembling fists at her side, feeling more and more unpleasant.
” I don’t understand what the problem is, why are you making a big deal out of this.
I’m back now aren’t I?”
” You still don’t get it do you, first you refuse to take the bus to school with the other students, you don’t want any allowance from us, you insist on getting a job to get your own money, when will you grow and learn that there’s no point in all of this, just what are you trying to prove Mia?!”
” Why are you yelling at me!” Mia got fed up and glared at him.
” Damnit!
You wanna know why?!
You wanna know exactly why I…” She began saying only to pause in the end.
‘ What use would telling you even have, it’s not like you’ll stop either way…
You always think of me as weak.
You never believe I can handle anything on my own.’
” Forget it!” She clicked her tongue before trying to walk past him.
But Nolan grabbed her wrist before she could do so.
” I’m not letting you walk away from me again, if there’s something bothering you, why not just tell me!”
” Damnit dad!
I don’t have time for this, let go!”
” I said let go!” In a fit of rage she shrugged off his hand forcefully, leaving Nolan staring at her in suprise.
” god you’re so frustrating!” She said.
” Eat dinner yourselves!
I’m going to bed!” She said before storming upstairs, leaving the duo behind.
Debby quietly walked over to Nolan’s side.
She placed one of her hands on his which was resting atop the handrail.
“Maybe we should give her some space for tonight.
She’s been under a lot of pressure lately, and I don’t think shouting at each other is going to help.” She said.
Nolan on the other hand, was silent, he stared at his right arm which she shrugged off earlier for a moment before looking back at his wife.
” Yeah…
Maybe you’re right.” He ended up saying in the end.
Yet his brows furrowed fit a moment.
*******
The next day….
” Uwahh…” Kevin got up from bed.
The sun’s golden rays filtered into the room illuminating it.
He quietly got up before heading into the bathroom.
Some time later, he came out with a towel wrapped around his waist while he used another to wipe his wet hair.
” I wonder what I should have for breakfast.” He said, raising a hand to cover his mouth when he began yawning mid speak.
” Well there’s no ingredients left at home so I might as well head out to the supermarket to buy some.” He stretched while saying.
Kevin then went on to get dressed before grabbing his car keys.
On stepping outside, he stopped to take in the fresh morning air.
” That feels good.” He muttered with a smile before shifting his gaze towards his car.
BAM!
But then he heard the sound of a door being.
” Huh?” Kevin turned towards the sound only to see Mia storming out of her home while leading her bicycle down the driveway.
” Oh it’s her again…
Guess she must’ve fixed that thing last night.” He said to himself.
Seeing her muttering to herself with a not so pleased look on her face, he couldn’t help but look worried.
” Morning neighbour.” He decided to call out to her.
Mira who was about to get onto her bicycle, paused mid motion, turning towards him.
” Oh, it’s just you again.” She said before hopping on and riding down to his house.
” You make it sound like it’s a bad thing.”
” Well it kinda is since you called me on my way to school.” She said.
Hearing her, Kevin couldn’t help lowering his head, letting out a sigh.
Seeing this, Mia couldn’t help but look a bit uncomfortable.
” What?” Kevin raised his head, confused.
” For yesterday I mean…
Thanks for giving me a ride home.” She explained, though the way she was avoiding his gaze made him think she really didn’t want to apologise if she could help.
Nevertheless, Kevin couldn’t help but smile.
” Don’t mention it.” He said.
” Alright, guess I’ll see you later.” She said before pressing down on her pedal.
” Hey, wait a moment–” he suddenly spoke up.
” Huh?
You need something?” She pulled the brakes turned her head and asked.
” Uhh no, I was wondering if you’d like a ride to school too.”
“….” Mia suddenly gave him a strange look.
” Hey!
Don’t get any weird ideas!” For some reason, Kevin felt that she definitely thought up something weird in her head.
” We’re neighbors aren’t we, plus, you’d end up sweating upon arriving if you took that to head to school.”
” Also I needed to head to the supermarket anyway to be honest.” He said but the lingering suspicion on her face made him believe she still didn’t quite trust him.
” You sure you’re not just lonely by any chance?” She said.
” Because I don’t see why you’d be doing all this if you weren’t.”
” M-Me?
Lonely, as if!” Kevin scoffed.
‘ Wait though…
Could she be right?
I mean I am supposed to be thinking of how I’m going to get better at using the watch so I can take down Omni-Man, so how come I’m more interested in helping her out?’
‘ Don’t tell I just miss having someone to keep me company?’ He couldn’t help looking back at his house for a moment.
A place completely empty, devoid of others, being trapped in this verse, he’d basically lost everyone dear to him, now he was but alone, with no one by his side.
‘ But still…
Of all people, why did I unconsciously chose her?’ he thought to himself.
” Well it does save me a lot of time and stress so why not.” Mia suddenly said.
” Huh?” Kevin snapped out of his thoughts.
” Come help me but this in the back will ya.” She led her bicycle to the back of his car just like she’d done yesterday.
” Oh, Alright.” Kevin said, already moving, as for his earlier question, he wasn’t exactly sure.
At the same time, non of them noticed a pair of eye watching them the entire time from one of Mia’s home windows.
Nolan quietly watched the unfamiliar young man helping his daughter load her bicycle into his car before they drove away together, and although Debbie would probably think nothing of it, the sight left him with an uncomfortable feeling he simply couldn’t shake.
If you’re enjoying the story so far, please do check out my other novel, I’m hoping you’ll find it eggtastic(☆▽☆)