3. The New Neighbour.

Standing at my door step with a warm and motherly smile was Mrs Palmers. 

“Good day Mrs. Palmer, how may I help you?” I tried my best to sound as polite as possible.

Mrs Palmer is a really nice neighbor but she is also the gossip queen of our street. 

And that’s why her being at my doorstep right about this moment didn’t just feel okay by me.

I hope she doesn't want to question me on the police visits I've been getting. 

"Nothing much my dear, I thought your parents will be home so I could inform them that we have a new neighbor." She said giving me her signature smile. 

A new neighbor? Wow. 

As at yesterday evening there was no sign of anyone moving in.

Trust Mrs Palmer to always have first hand information.

"Okay ma'am, I will deliver your message to them once they come home." I said with a polite smile. 

"Hold on dear.” She said just as I was about shutting the door. 

'Please don't ask me why I'm not at school.' I prayed silently to myself.

"Since you are home, we could go greet the new neighbor together. You'll be representing your family." She said sweetly.

Thank goodness she didn't ask me about school.

Wait...what...hell no. This wasn’t the right moment for me to socialize.

"I don't really know Mrs Palmer, I can't just leave the house empty." 

My excuse probably didn't sound good enough, but I couldn't tell her the details. I don’t need my family being the next big topic for gossip.

"Its no big deal honey, you could lock up the house while we are there and we won't even be long. We're just going over to say 'hi'. Maybe get to know the basic details about this new neighbor and thats all. You’ll be back home in no time.” She said enthusiastically.

“Don't worry, I'll make cookies for both you and our new neighbor, you know that's our custom." She said excitedly.

This woman really wouldn't give up. How is she always this excited when it comes to meeting people.

Front the look on her face, I guess there was no need arguing.

"Alright then, I'll just get myself ready for our visit." I said with a shrug.

"I'll be back once I'm done making cookies." She said happily and didn't even wait for me to respond before walking away.

I had this weird feeling that our 'visit' wasn't going to end well.

************************************

"No one is answering Mrs Palmer, maybe we should just go home." I said not caring that I probably sounded like a 5 years old child whining.

We were currently at our new neighbor's doorstep and we had been waiting for about twenty minutes now.

"Let's just be patient honey, maybe I should ring the bell one more time." She looked at me, a silent plea in her eyes.

"Fine, but in the next five minutes, I'll be on my way home." I said trying to hide my irritation. 

 I couldn't say 'no' to her, she was a nice lady, but I still had to figure out the best way to explain Lisa's disappearance to my parents. And I had to remain at home just incase more officers came around for investigation.

We waited for five more minutes but there was still no response from our new neighbor.

"See you later Mrs Palmer." I said smiling as I turned towards the stairs, ready to run down happily and get home.

Just as I got to the last step on the stairs, a car parked right in front of me. 

I was about to continue my journey home as planned but I couldn't.

I was pinned to that spot in utter and complete shock, because of the person who came down from the car.

"Paige, that's our new neighbor." Mrs Palmer said excitedly.

This put me in even more shock. 

This could not be happening, what is she doing here?

Why now?

My dad and mum are both going to freak out.

"Missed me?!" she said, with her signature smirk as she carried her groceries from her car and brushed past me.

So many memories came rushing back.

Horrible memories of things I didn’t want to remember, memories I had successfully locked away for so long.

This isn't good.

Mrs Palmers was saying something but I couldn’t hear her or maybe I just didn’t want to hear her.

I ran as fast as I could, as far away as I could from there. 

This couldn’t be happening to me. This wasn’t fair, the last few years I’ve been doing so well, it’s almost like nothing had ever happened, but she hauts has to walk back in. 

I sat on a bench at the park and cried my heart out, wishing that all this was a dream.

Because if it wasn’t, I can’t even decide which is scarier between Lisa getting missing and our 'new' neighbor.

***************************************

“Shit.” I said to myself when I heard my alarm go off. 

I slept off at the park.

I checked the time on my phone, it was 4:15 pm. 

My parents will be home in a few hours, the house is a mess and I haven’t even figured out how I’m going to break the news to them.

“I’m just tired.” I muttered tiredly as I dusted off my clothes.

***************************************

I was still putting away my shoes when the doorbell rang.

“Hey sweetie I just wanted to be sure you’re okay.”

It was Mrs Parker.

“Yes ma’am I’m fine, I just wasn’t feeling too well at that moment. Sorry for running off like that.” I said politely.

Leaving Mrs Parker like that was actually quite rude.

“Anyway I brought you some cookies like I had promised.” She said handing over a box of cookies.

“Thanks a lot Mrs Parker.” I said with a somewhat forced smile.

“It’s okay sweetie. Send my love to your parents when they get back.” She said waving as she left.

My parents...I have a lot of explaining to do.