New girl

OLIVIA JUNE 

It has been a month since our of hospital, and I believe moving to this new city was a wise decision for me. Unfortunately, homeschooling is not permitted in California, which forced me to seek a new school. The prospect of adapting to a different environment and school fills me with anxiety. I find myself stepping into the role of the new girl who feels somewhat broken. I can only hope that this school will offer me a better experience.

My mother has been busy organizing our belongings in our new California home. She mentioned that our neighbors are very kind and have children my age who will also attend the same school as I will. Their names are Ava and Jason, and I can only hope that Jason will be nothing like Reuben.

As I drove to our new residence for the first time, my nerves began to heighten. Upon arriving, I parked the car and noticed a guy sitting on the front porch of the neighboring house. He was holding his phone and wearing headphones, leading me to speculate that it might be Jason. Even from a distance, I could tell he was tall and muscular. He had golden hair, light skin, curved lips, and an undeniably handsome appearance.

****

Jason was on the porch of his house, listening to music while chatting on his phone with his friend Nelly about the new girl in the neighborhood. When he noticed a car pull up next door, he saw a girl who was short and couldn't make out her features, but he caught a glimpse of her from head to toe.

Jason imagined what it would be like to date someone petite, but he was not the type to commit to a relationship. He watched as Mary, the girl’s mother, took some items out of Olivia’s car. This prompted him to approach her to say hello.

“Good day, Mrs. June.” Jason greeted warmly.

“Oh, hey Jason, how are you?” Mary responded with a motherly tone.

“I’m fine, Mrs. June, and yourself?” Jason replied sincerely.

“I’m doing well, child. Have you met my daughter yet?” Mary inquired.

Jason shook his head. “No, Mrs. June, not yet.”

Just then, the front door swung open, revealing the most stunning girl Jason had ever seen. She had curves, light brown hair, pink curved lips, and striking forest green eyes. Olivia approached her mother without even glancing at Jason.

“Mom, the road here was long. I’d like to take a walk to familiarize myself with the area before I finish unloading.” Olivia said as she began to walk away.

“Hold on, Olivia. Before you go, let me introduce you to our neighbor, Jason.” her mother called out. Olivia, not wanting to appear disrespectful, turned around, acknowledged Jason, and smiled.

“Hello, I’m Olivia.” she said, extending her hand.

Jason returned her smile, captivated by her charm, and took her hand, saying. “I’m Jason.” while winking at her when her mother wasn’t looking.

However, Olivia didn’t seem affected by his flirtation. Jason, known for his womanizing ways, had hoped his charm would win her over, but it appeared he had underestimated her.

Olivia merely nodded and said. “My mom mentioned you. It’s nice to meet you.” Turning back to her mother, she added. “I’m heading out now.”

Before she could leave, Jason asked. “Can I walk with you?”

Olivia quickly responded.“You don’t have to; I’m sure you have better things to do than hang out with me.” There was a hint of sadness in her voice that reminded Jason of what Mary had mentioned about her previous school experience, though she hadn’t elaborated.

“Don’t worry; I actually came to see if you needed help with your things.” Jason offered, hoping to reassure her.

Reluctantly, Olivia nodded with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, and they began walking down the street. As they strolled past several houses, Jason found it challenging to get close to her; whenever he tried, she seemed to distance herself.

Suddenly, a car sped by, prompting Jason to pull Olivia toward him, wrapping his arms around her to prevent her from falling. As they collided, Olivia muttered “Shit.” which amused Jason to hear such language from a seemingly sweet girl.

Olivia stepped back, chastising the car for its recklessness, then turned to Jason with a shy expression. “Thank you.” she said with a soft smile, to which Jason nodded in response.

As they continued walking, Jason noticed that Olivia allowed him to walk closer to her. They engaged in conversation, and as Jason placed his arm around her shoulders, he felt her tense up. Regretting his action, he moved to withdraw his arm, but to his surprise, Olivia stopped him.

“It’s fine; you just caught me off guard.” she said while looking up at him with a faint smile.

Jason observed the pain in her eyes, a glimpse of the hurt he had noticed earlier. Questions swirled in his mind—what had caused her distress? Despite his curiosity, he chose not to press the issue and simply nodded, feeling an instinctive urge to protect her, though he couldn’t quite understand why.

Shifting the focus back to their conversation, Jason asked. “So, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?” He was genuinely interested, as all he knew about Olivia was what Mrs. June had shared.

Olivia shrugged. “I love reading novels, catching up on my books, or practicing math. I don’t do much otherwise. How about you?”

“I enjoy all the typical things boys like—playing video games, hanging out with friends, going to parties, or hooking up.” His last comment drew an eye roll from Olivia.

Jason chuckled. “What? Are you a virgin? Your mom said you only focus on your studies and never give her any trouble.”

“Well, what mom doesn’t know won’t hurt her, right?” Olivia smirked, prompting Jason to ponder her meaning.

“Hey, what do you mean by that?” he asked, intrigued.

“Yes, mom is right about a lot of things she said about me. I study hard and don’t seek trouble, even if it seems to find me.” Olivia replied with a hint of sadness before shifting her tone. “But I do go to parties, and I’m not a virgin.” She winked at Jason and started walking ahead, leaving him blushing at her boldness.

They eventually returned to Olivia's house, where she mentioned that she needed to grab something inside. While she went in, Jason stood next to her car and checked his phone, only to see a message from his best friend Lucas.

“Hey man, how’s the new girl next door? What does she look like, and are you really going to hook up with her?” Lucas asked.

“Man, she’s incredibly beautiful. I’m trying to get to know her, but she seems like a tough nut to crack.” Jason replied.

As Olivia walked back toward him, he quickly tucked his phone into his pocket and asked if she was ready. She nodded, and together they began unloading her belongings from the car.