Chapter 1

Shelly's point of view:

I sighed as I watched my mom cutting the cucumber into round slices and placing them onto another plate one by one. Like seriously, one by one. She is really weird but very patient when it comes to cooking. She likes everything in a proper order and an ideal way. The same goes with her cooking style. She just likes everything to be well organized and I can't really blame her. I usually enjoy watching her but at times; It gets somewhat boring like today.

I was bored out of my mind by simply observing her figure moving around the kitchen from behind the counter. My lazy bum was beginning to hurt from having to sit on this stool for hours now. Okay, this is an over-exaggeration. Sitting idle like this was boring and I was really missing Linda, my nanny.

Since dad is returning back home from his business trip from Alaska, mom gave Linda three weeks off. Well, Linda is my nanny ever since I was born and I got somewhat used to having her around the house. You must be wondering why a 17 year old girl still needs a nanny.

My parents are rarely home. My father is a business man always travelling for his business meetings while my mother is a fashion designer who has to give her full time to her models. So, eventually, she has to be present for every show that she contributed to around the world. My parents wanted to reassure that I would be safe during their absence. 

"Mom, where is dad?" I questioned my mom once again. I am so acting like a spoiled brat right now by being this impatient. You can't really blame me though as I'm seeing my dad after a whole damn month. I know this might sound weird to some people but this type of occasions rarely happens at my place. Having my parents at home made me act childish but I prefer keeping it this way because I rarely spend time with them growing up. I was always accompanied by Linda. She was like a second mom to me and sometimes, I just refer to her as mom. She doesn't really mind because she has two sons; twin ones, who are of the same age as me. She always wanted to have a girl in her house as being around three males in her house sucks. Her words, not mine. 

"Shelly, you have asked this for the fifth time already and the answer is that he'll be here soon." she deadpanned while throwing a glare my way with one of her eyebrows rose up high, almost reaching her hairline. 

Thanks for reminding me mom that it was the fifth time, I thought sarcastically. But I knew better than to reply her at this point. I don't want to face her wrath any time soon. Never mess with my mom and her kitchen while she's cooking. 

When she saw the blank look on my face, she rolled her eyes in response.

Gee mom. Don't roll your eyes at me. It makes you appear like my grandma. Seriously, if I had to spend a day with my grandma, I would prefer watching a scary movie than being lectured by her about the 'sex talk'. You heard that right; my grandma is the most unbearable person on this earth. My mom would always tell me that I am just like my grandma and I'm like 'Go and get your eyes checked up'.

Just then I heard the doorbell and sat up straight in my seat, clearly alerted by someone's presence. I grinned and jumped off the stool. That is definitely my father. It's high time that he arrives. I ran all the way to the living room to open the door.

"Gotcha" I hollered back at my mom who was currently laughing at my childish behavior. I'm so damn happy. After all, I'm a daddy's girl. 

"Dad" I cried, overwhelmed with joy and jumped in his arms, hugging him tightly like a koala.

My dad snickered and pulled away slightly, keeping me at an arm distance after hugging me back to caress my head. I always love it when he does that. I don't know about others but I feel some kind of emotion erupt from within my heart whenever my parents touch me in such an intimate and soothing way. When I do something wrong and they would do such gestures, I would almost cry for doing what I did and I don't even know why.

"How's my princess doing?" my dad asked, breaking me from my trance. I felt complete now, with both my parents at home. You won't know how I felt living alone in such a huge house by myself. Even with Linda by my side, I still felt incomplete without my parents. That's why when one of my parents is back home from their work, they let Linda go and spend time with her family. 

"I missed you." I blinked back the tears and gulped. I wouldn't cry in front of my parents. I'm old enough to understand that my parents are out there fulfilling their dreams and I can't ask for more. I can take care of myself and I have Linda to correct me when I go wrong in life. 

"I'm here now. We will all spend a lot of time together." dad calmly replied but he was no longer looking at me. I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at him but he smiled softly while winking at something behind me, or rather someone. 

I glanced around my right shoulder and surely, my parents were both staring at each other as if they were lost in a world unknown to me. Oh, they seem so much in love. I cleared my throat loud enough to break their little trance. Rude, I know.

Mom quickly stared down at her feet while dad looked everywhere except me, both their cheeks tinted a rosy pink. 

"Come on, guys! stop acting as if you are newly married." I bit my lower lip to stop the giggles that would have made an appearance at their wide opened eyes, like a deer caught in headlights at my statement. I raised an eyebrow suggestively at my mom when she locked eyes with me and she blushed but swiftly morphed her facial expression to a serious one as she regained her composure.

"If you both are done, would you come in for dinner? It's getting pretty late." my mom tried her best to order us while acting tough. She failed miserably.

I chuckled and shook my head at her attempt while my dad just burst out laughing. When my mom threw a pointed glare his way, he immediately started coughing to control his laughter while choking a few times. I tapped his back and he threw me a thumps up once he was okay. He reached down to grab his luggage and hurriedly disposed them on the nearby couch.

"Let's have some homemade dinner!" my dad exclaimed while looping his arms around my neck, making me cry at his weight. I groaned while pushing him away and rushed in the kitchen.

"Don't do that to her." my mom chided, having seen dad crushing me with his weight and joined us at the table as we all sat down. I chortled at dad's puppy face to which my mom rolled her eyes.  

"I told you he would always do that -

"What? I was just -

"Shut up and eat!" my mom scolded both of us.

We both huffed and ate silently. It is actually sort of a rule to eat in silence. According to my mom, one should not talk with a mouth full of food.

Later on, we were sitting in the living room watching television, after listening to dad's long and tiresome adventure in Alaska. Yeah right, as if it was really adventurous. He was too busy in his tight schedule meetings popping here and there that his study room there was filled up with over-pending works. He spent majority of his time in his office doing paper works. 

I was so immersed in swooning over Ryan Guzman in the current show that I did not noticed when my dad placed a huge packet in front of my legs. It was when I was getting up that I almost fell over it.

"What the h-

"Language!" my mom chided and I smiled sheepishly at her.

I glanced at my dad to see him jutting his chin toward the packet as if urging me to open the wrapped up packet with his look. Okay then, I smiled and pulled it up on my lap. I tore open the decorative wrappers and gasped.

"What?" I exclaimed holding the present in my hands.

My dad simply shrugged while grinning at my reaction. 

I screamed.

"No! I'm going to be deaf tomorrow -

"Oh shut up you two!" my mom shouted and dad and I instantly toned down our voices.

When I looked up at them though, I squealed and plopped down with excitement on the couch in between my parents. I just couldn't control it and hugged them both tightly. It was the series of vampire diaries.

I love reading books. I'm a huge bookworm. This is what I usually do to spend my time alone at home.

I am not the party type like most teenagers. I prefer staying at home, well comfy in my bed reading a book or with Netflix while enjoying a chocolate ice cream.

At about eleven o'clock, I was so tired that I went straight to bed. My bed time is normally at ten o'clock but as today is a Saturday; my parents let me spend some time with them. I can sleep till late tomorrow. I smiled and fell into a sound and peaceful sleep now that my parents are back.

At around one o'clock in the morning, I heard some noises from outside in the yard. I woke up with a jolt. I shivered at the chilled air flowing through the widely opened windows making my curtains flapped against each other violently.  When the hell have I left the window opened? I wondered.

I walked slowly towards the window with my arms wrapped around me. I grabbed the window handles to pull them back to close it but I stopped midway when I noticed the lights next door. Who could that be? The house beside us was empty for over a year. I squinted and could actually see the inside of the room through the window adjoining mine. Like seriously, I could strangle the guy who constructed these houses like that. So damn close!

Anyway, we finally got some new neighbours. What an odd time to move in though, I couldn't help but think. I just hope they would be nice. My parents could have some pals. 

A loud boom coming from their driveway made me jump in fright. Okay what's that?

I leaned down a little bit and squinted hard in the darkness to look closely at the front of the house. I noticed something moving down there. I could easily tell that it was a guy by his slim and toned figure. He had a hoodie on, so, I could not really see his face. He was moving large boxes around but then, suddenly, stopped and whipped around to stare right back at me.

I sucked in a deep and long breath, frozen in fear at being caught. Dang it!

I totally don't get a good vibe from him. 

I'm probably dreaming, I thought in confusion.

I shook my head when I realized that I have been checking him out and the way he was looking back at me was really scaring me. I swiftly closed my windows and drew my curtains while pressing my back to the cold wall beside it. I felt like my chest could burst open from the way my heart was pounding. I swallowed hard and waited till my heart calmed the hell down before jumping back into bed. I closed my eyes tightly in hope to get some sleep.