Time Goes On
by Chelle

~ CHAPTER 1 ~

The air was so humid. The wind barely blew as I listened to kids playing in the street. It was quiet except for their laughter. "Stupid thing!" I said out loud to no one as I tried to move a heavy box across the floor. I had just moved into the secluded neighborhood and was trying to get things unpacked. I stood in the livingroom filled with boxes looking around. The door was open as were the windows and I had fans going due to the fact that I'd not bought an air conditioner yet. "I don't know how can it be this hot this early." I'd stated to myself, grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge. It was barely 10am and already 88 degrees. I stood in the kitchen for a moment, listening to a kid outside calling for a recount about something while nearly bending double with laughter.
I'd convinced myself that moving had been the right thing to do. My life had taken too many wrong turns and now I'd gotten the chance to start over. I walked out of the kitchen and back into the livingroom. Humm, not really spacious but nice, I thought as I made my way back into the kitchen and looked out of the window. It was a nice place to live, quiet but with a few children. I didn't think about the fact that I was 18 and completely on my own, miles away from my home and family... which I'd managed to avoid for the last 4 months. I was never close to them and I'd never actually gotten along with them to begin with. They just sort of ignored me as I did them. It was clear that the minute I turned 18, I was out of there. And I had been really... the day after my birthday, I'd left. First living in Florida with a friend and now had made it to Tulsa, Oklahoma.
"Hello!" someone called from the front door. I walked in wiping my hands on my red shorts. "Hi." I said. I saw a woman standing there with a little girl at her feet. "Come on in." I said as I gestured to her. She walked in smiling. "I just noticed your door open and wanted to come and say hi and welcome to the neighborhood!" I said, "Thanks." and smiled. We chatted for a few minutes and then she said "Oh good Lord, where are my manners? I'm Diana and this little one here is my daughter Zoe. She's my youngest." I smiled an noticed that the little girl hadn't let go of her mother's hand. They both had blue eyes and long blonde hair, which blew to the side with the wind coming through the door. I replied "It's nice to meet you both. I'm Melissa." as we shook hands. "Nice to finally meet you." Diana smiled, then continued, "We saw you here a few days ago. I was going to ask if you needed some help but you left in a hurry." I grinned as I stuck my hands in my pockets. "Yeah, I just came to pick up the keys and drop off some cleaning products." I answered. "Oh, well listen if you need some help getting things moved around," she gestured around the room and smiled, "I've got a husband, four strapping boys and two other daughters. We'd be glad to help." I smiled at her, already deciding to take her up on that offer but wanting to wait 'til the next day so I didn't appear too eager. "OK thanks. I'll give ya a yell if I need some muscle." She grinned "Alright hun. We're in the brick house over there with the porch swing," she said as she pointed across the street and 2 houses down, "Just come over anytime and let us know." She and I smiled and then she said, "Well, I've gotta get this one to a birthday party, so you have a nice day and we look forward to getting to know you." I shook her hand again and said "You too. Bye Zoe." The little girl just waved and as Diana (as she insisted on being called) smiled, she walked out and back to her house.
I began unpacking again. As I walked out to my car to get the last suitcase out of the trunk, I tugged at my white shirt. I was sweating and had become aware that my clothes were sticking to me. Stopping at my car, I tightened my ponytail, then lugged the suitcase out and slammed the trunk closed. Barefoot, I walked up on my porch and sit the suitcase inside the door. I turned stretching my back and then my arms and as I looked around I noticed a young guy in the front yard of Diana's house waving at me, smiling. I smiled quickly and waved back. Then I watched as he gathered a small child in his arms and began spinning in a circle. I smiled as I heard the child scream with laughter.
Then, walking back inside, I closed the door and headed into the bathroom. I took a shower and changed into a pair of black, denim shorts, a blue t-shirt and black strap sandals. After pulling my hair into a clip, spraying on some perfume and spreading on some lip gloss, I quickly walked out and to my car. I noticed that at Diana's house, the small child now sat on the porch steps eating what appeared to be ice cream, while the same guy walked across the yard. There was a young girl in the driveway washing a car. I saw right away that she had the same blonde hair that Diana and Zoe had. I drove past them as I put in a CD and he waved again as he now stood at the mailbox. I noticed that he'd taken his shirt off. "Must be one of those sons she was talking about" I thought as I waved and drove on. I decided right then and there that I really needed to get those heavy boxes moved into the den that day... and I'd need some muscle. I smiled to myself.

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