The wind felt cool against my skin as I wrestled the last box inside. Sweat prickled my forehead. I wiped it away with the back of my hand, then glanced at my mom.
“(y/n)!” she called. “Coming!” I replied, heading toward her. She was chatting with… who *are* those people? I hadn’t noticed them earlier.
“Ah, honey, there you are! Come meet our neighbors,” she said, gesturing me forward with a bright smile. I scanned them both. The woman—I guessed she was the mom—had short, brown hair and deep red eyes that felt…warm. Friendly.
The guy beside her looked about my age, maybe a little older. He had black hair and those same red eyes. They locked onto mine, and a smirk tugged at his lips. I gave them both a shy wave, a small smile escaping.
“Mrs. Kenneth, meet my daughter, (y/n). (y/n), these are the Kenneths.”
My mom squeezed my shoulder. The woman nodded, her smile genuine. The guy beside her… he was still staring. He shuffled his feet, biting his lip, and *kept* staring. Creepy.
“Y/N, this is my son, Ian,” she said, nudging him. “Coleen Kenneth.”
“Hey,” he said, towering over me. He was *tall*—almost six feet—and that height, combined with the stare, felt…intimidating.
“Call me Ian, bunny,” he smirked.
—
“So… you go to Northwood too, right?” I asked. An hour had passed while my parents and the Kenneths chatted. My mom had insisted I talk to Ian, and he wasn’t making it easy. He mostly just *looked* at me. Which, yeah, was starting to feel creepy, so I needed to say *something*.
“Yeah… same school,” he confirmed, a small smirk playing on his lips. He was thinking something, I could practically feel it. “Hmmph.”
“Mind if I give you a tour? You’re new, right?” He asked, looking straight into my eyes.
“Um, I don’t mind,” I said, looking away. His eyes were… intense.
“Don’t worry. It’ll be fun,” he reassured me, sensing my discomfort. He tilted his head back, that same smirk returning.
“Fun?” I echoed, a little breathlessly.