All The Pieces

I drove home slower than normal, trying to get a better look at Viola's house. It was big, that was for sure. I couldn't tell much else about it. 

I shrugged it off and kept driving. Only a minute later, I was home. I parked my car and walked the five million miles to get from the garage to the house. I didn't see why my parents needed so much space. 

"Mom!" I yelled through the house. I was fairly sure I heard my voice echo from somewhere ahead of me. When she didn't respond, I figured she'd left to get her nails or hair done like normal.

I went strait to the home entertainment center and plugged in my iPod. I turned my music on as loud as I could before walking away to my room. Yet another uneventful night of my life. At least I had met one of the neighbors.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. I knew who was calling. "Hello, Dave's meat market, would you like to try our special?" I asked right away. 

"Tell me about the new place," was her reply. My greetings didn't phase her anymore. My best friend back home was Savaunah Wates. She was my second cousin four times removed and a bunch of other crap I didn't remember. She was family and we just called each other cousins. 

"It's not too bad. A little colder here. Cute neighbor. Good ice cream," I stated as I sat down in my kitchen. 

"Oh, tell me about her!" Savaunah demanded. 

"She's gorgeous, that's for sure. She's also got an attitude, she doesn't just sit back and let things happen. She stands up against you," I told her as I thought about earlier. 

"How do you know all this?"

"We met at an ice cream place. Sort of. I changed her boring ass chocolate ice cream into an amazingly delicious piece of Heaven's most amazing food ever."

She laughed. "You didn't even know her and you did that... Why am I not surprised?"

"Because I did that to my last girlfriend?" I asked. 

"What, two years ago?" She laughed again before pausing. "So... Why has it been two years since you've had another girlfried?"

I chewed on a grape. "Girls always want to meet your parents. They want to see your family. I didn't want anyone fishing around in my family... So I didn't date," I quickly finished.

"Oh..." was all she said in reply. 

+-+-+

"Nathaniel Herrick, put that damned guitar away!" Karen snapped at me, adding a stern finger point at me. 

I simply stared at her. Karen was my step mom. I didn't like her to say the least. She was self centered, absorbed in her appearance, and was young enough to be my older sister. It was creepy to say the least when my dad married her. 

Karen half yelled and half groaned as she stomped away from my room. I went back to practicing my electric guitar. It was a dark blue with a few autographs on it in black Sharpie.

I'd been playing guitar since I was young enough to hold one. I spent most of my time playing it when I was growing up, trying to escape the "home" I lived it.

That house wasn't much of a home. A home was somewhere you were supposed to feel safe and loved. My house was only shelter to my brother and me.

My brother was a year younger, getting ready to be a junior. His name was Zack and he was basically my opposite. He was into the rougher crowd at school, getting into fights, doing drugs, partying. I partied a little, but more as a fun night out rather than just trying to get high or drunk. 

"Nate, dad wants us down stairs. Apparently someone is here," Zack yelled as he stumbled down the hall. I was fairly sure he was on pot at the moment. 

I ignored him and kept playing, working on a solo I'd heard on some CD my brother bought. I had an ear for music, as my old music teacher used to say. It wasn't hard for me to play a song by ear or figure out when something was off. 

I sighed and set my guitar down. I made my way down the stairs to the entry way. I could see Zack standing at the entrance to the living room. 

"Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked someone bluntly. 

I walked up to stand beside him. "Who are you bugging already?" I asked him. 

He glanced to me before pointing into the living. I looked at the couch where two people sat. I smirked.

Viola's mouth was opening and closing like a fish. The guy beside her looked unsure. "No," he finally answered for her. 

Zack smirked. "Sweet," he mumbled softly. 

My dad was bouncing his leg up and down. "Nathaniel!"

"Nate," I quickly corrected. I didn't really like my full name. 

He sent me a warning look. "I was just telling our new neighbors, Vaughn and, sorry dear, what was your name?" he asked the girl. 

"Viola," I told him, my eyes locked on hers. 

"Yes..." my dad said slowly. He gave me an odd look. 

I sighed, knowing he was thinking the worst of me. "We met earlier," I stated. 

He cleared his throat, shifting positions. "Well, I was just telling them I had a business meeting to go to so I won't be able to stay, but you two would be willing to greet them and be good hosts," he said sternly. 

I glared at him, as did Zack. He just shook his head and left the room. "Fucking prick..." Zack muttered. Zack and Dad didn't get along at all. Zack didn't get along with many people as it was, but Dad refused to even try to connect with his younger son. He refused to try to connect with either of us. 

Vaughn's phone went off. He mumbled a few responses before standing up. "My brother needs a ride home from the skate park and I have to go get him. Do you mind walking Vi home?" he asked me. 

I glanced at Viola, who looked like she was either teriffied or very mad. 

"Sure," I mumbled. 

Vaughn said a thanks before rushing out. Zack just left the room, not even bothering to say bye. Viola stood up, wringing her hands. 

"Um... I'm just going to go home," she rushed out before all but running out of the house. 

I ran after her, catching up easily. "You don't have to walk me home," she said under her breath. 

"Just following orders," I told her with a cheeky grin. 

She rolled her eyes and walked faster. "Why are you so... Nervous around people?" I asked her curiously. 

She stopped and gave me a weird look. "I-I'm not."

"Yeah, you are. You've got all the nervous habits around lots of people you're forced to interact with: biting your nails, tucking your hair behind your ear, biting your lip. You were fine when no one talked to you at the ice cream place, but when you have to interact you get all..." I was at a loss for how to describe it. 

She just stared at me. "I don't get nervous," she repeated before walking on. 

"Then why all the habits?" I asked as I walked beside her. 

"They're just something I do."

"That's a lie. I saw you at the ice cream place. You were perfectly fine until I talked to you. You were even better before the girl behind the counter said your name, too. You push people away. You don't give them chances," I guessed.  

I could tell I struck a nerve. "Why should they get chances when they'll just fuck you over and leave you, huh?" she snapped at me. 

I raised an eyebrow. "So... I'm guessing something happened. Can I ask what?"

She rolled her eyes and kept walking. "No. Nothing happened," she said quietly. 

"Well, I'm guessing something did. You answered my question first, after all," I stated. 

She rolled her eyes at me yet again. "Are you some type of psycologist or something?"

"No. I just study actions and link them to possible reasons," I answered. I'd always done that for some reason. Even when I was little, my dad told me I'd watch my mom clean the house after they fought and I'd always ask why she was upset. She never cried or anything. Just cleaned. It was repetative to get her mind off the fights. 

Viola rolled her eyes and tried to hurry to her house. "You're a freaking creeper," she muttered under her breath. 

"I may be a creeper, but at least I give people chances," I called after her. 

She turned to glare at me. Something had happened, that was an almost positive thing. 

"And once I decide I like someone, I never leave them hanging. I stick around, through shit and bright sunny days." 

She clenched her jaw and let her arm drop. That was part of it, too, maybe. An old boyfriend who left her high and dry? An old best friend who was crappy?

"And I think I kind of like you. You make me curious," I warned with a smirk. I wanted to know the story behind all of her attitude and her actions. Once I set my mind to something, God knows I never give up.