A New Home

[Jei Hawkins]

A New Home

It's a sunny fall evening in this town. Not that I'd noticed because I'd been driving almost non-stop for the last few hours. I always wanted to drive my grandfather's yellow and black 1970 Ford Mustang, but now that I was finally driving it I just wanted to stop. I needed a shower and to change out of this red short-sleeve shirt, gray mini jacket and jeans. I took the opportunity to drive the second half of the trip from Dearborn, Michigan to Mystic Falls, Virginia. My aunt's friend Michelle who had business in Lynchburg drove the first 5 hours of the trip. She agreed (after some strong bribing by my aunt Naomi) to be my passenger in case we were pulled over the second half of the trip.  Naomi had decided to ride with my sister Areya, and my little cousin Eric, along with the rest of the things that couldn't fit on the moving trucks in her 2010 Gray Ford 4-Door Explorer.

I made sure to stay close behind my aunt's car as we drove the final lap of the trip. The moving trucks with all of the furniture we inherited from my grandparents was close behind us. We'd finally reached the residential district of Mystic Falls and after driving for a few moments pulled up into the driveway of our new house. “So this is it.” I said as I parked in front of the renovated old house.  On the picture I'd seen before, the house looked different. It was mostly black and white before.  I'd heard that even though the house was vacant for a long time, it had still been kept up by the bank. It was a pretty nice looking street and neighborhood so even though it was uninhabited they probably didn't want the house to look abandoned, unlike most of the abandoned houses I'd seen in parts of Detroit.

Naomi had parked in front of me, leaving the driveway clear for the movers as they parked. I saw my sister and Eric get out of the car first. Areya looked glad to see the new house, but I knew that she was worried about her friend Elizabeth back in Michigan.  Areya wore a green long-sleeved plaid shirt with a white t-shirt underneath, and a pair of blue-jeans.  The bottom part of her shirt was tied up, exposing her belly button. Her long hair was tied in a braid which draped down the left side of her shirt. “I told you we'd be fine, Michelle.” I said as I opened the door of the car. “Naomi wouldn't have let me drive here, especially in this car if she thought that we'd have an accident.” “I'm sorry I doubted you. Oh Great One.” Michelle said, jokingly as she got out of the car. 

“Wow, this is a pretty nice house.” Michelle said as she walked towards Naomi.  My aunt normally looks very pretty, but I could tell Naomi was kind of worn out from the stress of the past few weeks. Her red-hair was tied back in a ponytail, and she wore a white blouse and a pair of blue-jeans. She looks pretty young for a 35 year old. I am grateful to her for everything that she is doing for me and my sister. I'm sure it's not easy for her to take care of us and her 8 year old son, but she manages to pull it off despite having a full-time job as a nurse. I guess our thanks to her is taking care of Eric when she isn't able to. That's what a family is after all. People who take care of eachother no matter what. 

As they started to talk I approached Areya. “She's right. It is pretty nice.” I said to her.  Areya was silent for a few seconds. “She'll be fine, and if Lizzie's worried about anything, just mention me the next time you talk to her.” “Get over yourself.” Areya responded. I knew she was joking. “Lizzie's little crush on you ended the moment Robert asked her out, she doesn't even think about you anymore” Areya responded. I could tell that she felt a little better after my reassurance. 

“You're right, she'll be fine.” Areya said  I got an idea in my head at that moment. In a few months Areya would be 16, and I knew just what to get her for her birthday. Eric came over to nudge us over to the new house. He didn't speak much, he hadn't spoken a lot since his father disappeared a few months ago. Eric took his father Thomas's disappearence a lot harder than Naomi did, probably due to the fact that before he disappeared they started having some relationship troubles. Nobody thought however that Thomas would abandon his son. He was a great father, or at least I thought he was. At times he even reminded me of my father before that day a little more than 10 years ago. I still had some good memories left. “Looks like someone is excited about the house. Let's go have a look inside.” I said as Eric started to lead me and Areya inside the house. The movers had already unlocked the doors and were taking things in. "Not you, Jei." I heard Naomi call me back. "You're going to help me and Michelle unload the Explorer, and hand 'em over." I didn't get away as fast as I thought I would. I gave her the keys to the Mustang and started to help her unload while Areya and Eric went to explore the house.

[James Purser]

I walk down the steps and stop on the last step as I see a moving truck and a big family unloading. I was wondering if that house was ever going to be bought. I decide to be polite. I walk down the rest of the steps and walk over, standing a few feet from them so as not to seem "threatening." I'm dressed in jeans, combat boots, and a navy-blue shirt. I offer a small wave and smile. Hi, I'm James, I live next door. I say gesturing at my house. They look nice enough. The boy's an inch shorter than me. Noticeably less fit than I am, but he'd probably pass as a wide receiver on the football team if he wanted to. I don't play anymore, but there was a time.  I notice a few older women struggling to carry some things.  I glance over as a younger girl, maybe 15, walks into the house.  Do you all need any help with anything? I don't have anything else to do.

[Jei Hawkins]

"Nice to meet you, James." Naomi said. "I'm Naomi and my other helper here is my good friend Michelle. Maybe you and my nephew Jei could start with that box and take it in the house." She motioned towards the open trunk of the explorer since she herself was carrying a box.  I heard that Naomi was talking to a neighbor that approached. I walk back out of the house and introduce myself to James. "I'm Jei, nice to meet you."  I offered to shake his hand before we got to work.

[James Purser]

I nod to Naomi and Michelle. Nice to meet you both. I say politely. I nod and shake his hand. Nice to meet you, too. I can sense he's not human. Maybe a witch? He certainly doesn't have supernatural strength. I pick up one end of the lengthy box and wait for him to grab the other. I can tell it's a TV or something. It's heavy as hell.

[Jei Hawkins]

"I'm pretty sure this is my grandmother's old 32 inch television. Maybe dropping it wouldn't be a bad idea, I think it's about time we upgraded anyway." I joked as we carried the television into the house. "So you live nextdoor right?" We entered the house and I noticed that Areya and Eric were coming downstairs. 

[James Purser]

I nod. Yep, it's just me and my dog. I say and nod in greeting to the two people walking down the stairs. Good afternoon, I'm James. I live next door. I wait for Jei to lead the way to where exactly we're taking this thing. It's huge and bulky. Not a good combination.

[Areya Hawkins]

"Hello, James." I said as I came down the stairs. I already had my room picked out. It was near the back of the house and I'd have some room to practice some of my powers. I'm not sure if Jei or Naomi would even believe me if I told them I had powers or how they would react if they saw them. I'll tell them one day, when I'm ready.  "I'm Areya, but you can call me Reya or Rey if you want." I gave myself away. I thought he was kind of cute but giving him my nicknames? Still,there was something about him. Even though he didn't look much older than my brother, I could tell that he'd been through a lot. I decided it was best not to ask questions. "And this is my cousin Eric." I said as Eric looked at James.  "Nice to meet you." 

[James Purser]

I nod politely. Nice to meet you both. I look away from Areya to Jei and wait for him to lead the way. I can tell Areya likes me. It's cute. She's too young for me but I appreciate the sentiment.

[James Purser]

I nod politely. Nice to meet you both. I look away from Areya to Jei and wait for him to lead the way. I can tell Areya likes me. It's cute. She's too young for me but I appreciate the sentiment.

[Jei Hawkins]

"Here is fine." I said. We moved towards the living room and placed the box on the hardwood floor. Whenever Naomi wanted to set it up I was sure that she'd put it exactly where she wanted it to go, with my help of course. I was so glad that my TV was a 24 inch flat screen. I only hoped that the movers didn't break it, or any of my gaming systems. As we walked back outside to help the others I noticed. "Looks like my sister has a crush on you. Funny because we were just talking about a friend of hers that felt the same way about me....." I remembered what he said. "You said it was you and your dog. What happened to your parents.... if you don't mind me asking?" 

[James Purser]

I pick up a box of kitchen supplies and wait for Jei to pick something else up. My parents weren't the best people. When I was 16 they kicked me out and I moved here to live with my grandparents. When I was 17, both my grandparents and parents died. I waited a few months and hid from the police to avoid a foster home. Once I turned 18 I used my inheritance and moved into that house.

[Jei Hawkins]

I picked up a box that had some old pictures and some other things inside it as I listened to his story. "Sorry to hear about your grandparents. I would apologize about your parents but I'm not sure if I should." I realized I was being kind of insensitive about his parents but the words came out anyway. I thought about Thomas leaving Eric. I just didn't really care for people that didn't treat their kids right. "I'm sorry, Areya and I.... we lost our parents about 10 years ago.  We lived with grandparents up in Michigan until my grandmother died. She left us this house and here we are."  

[James Purser]

I shake my head as we walk inside. Don't worry about it. You shouldn't be sorry about my grandparents either. They weren't exactly Grade A guardians. Alcoholics. I say as I walk to the kitchen and set the box down. I'm sorry to hear about your parents, but I"m glad that you still have a good family. I say politely.

[Jei Hawkins]

"Thanks". I said. Hearing James's story made me realize how lucky I was not to only have had my paternal grandparents who were loving, but my maternal grandparents from Bangkok as well. Even though I only saw them a couple of times a year, I could never have imagined any of my grandparents or parents being drunk alcoholics.  Grandma Dee seemed a little odd at times however, but she at most was just being an eccentric. It seemed like she really liked to sample some of the herbs that she and grandpa sold at their shop. "At least you got a house and an inheritance out of it all." 

"I see you've already made a friend." Naomi came into the kitchen. "Thanks for all of your help, James. You wouldn't happen to know of any good places to get any food around here would you? And I don't mean McDonalds or Burger King." I agreed with her. We stopped enough for fast food on the way here, I couldn't wait to go for a run.  "If you know of a good place that isn't one of those you're welcome to stay for dinner."

[James Purser]

I offer a small smile. There's a lovely local place right down the street called Smith and Co.'s. I would love to stay for dinner, but unfortunately I've got to be going. Number one rule of a hunter; don't endanger others by making too many friends. Keep your friends at arm's length. I'd love to stay, but I have some homework to catch up on. School tomorrow and all. Jei, are you enrolled to got to Mystic High? I lie through my teeth, though no one should be able to detect it but the supernatural sister, but I'd hope she'd keep her mouth shut.