The House Next Door.
Romeo and Juliet
"I" Addison began completely and utterly dumbfounded. "What are you talking about exactly?"
There it was, the heartbreaking smile that appeared on Mr Hardy lips.
Addison leg seemed to twitch, a nervous and annoying habit. Placing a hand on her leg, she peered up at him.
"The anonymous journal" Mr Hardy said. "I know it was you"
"I know" Addison spoke the words softly.
"I advise you to write in a more subtle color next time" Mr Hardy teased.
Mr Hardy clasped his hands together and leaned into his chair, inches away from Addison. "You want to succumb a feeling?"
"I.." Addison began puzzled but shook her head. "Why does it worry you?"
"I care"
Addison heart seemed to drop in her ribcage.
"I feel as if I have to" Mr Hardy smiled.
"You don't have to" Addison corrected.
"I want to" Mr Hardy tap a finger on her desk. A single brow was raised. "I care for all my students"
"But you're more the exception. There's a personal matter with you" Mr Hardy met her gaze with a chuckle.
Addison cocked her head absorbing his words carefully. "I actually understand that. I'm your neighbor, I mean you taught me to swim and-" Addison pressed her lips together as she saw Mr Hardy smiling down at her with his chin in his palm. Just peering at her.
Addison was rambling. A blush redden her features.
"Back to the attraction" Mr Hardy said bringing his palms forward. "I am sure it's not a massive ordeal of the little crush that sits beside you as you describe it to be"
Oh
Addison grimaced slightly.
Oh
"You aren't trying to pull a Romeo and Juliet on us?"
He thinks I'm writing about David.Play along
"Ha" Addison burst quickly. "Of course not"
Mr Hardy pursed his lips nodding. "I don't want a love stricken suicide on my hands"
Addison winced and couldn't resist the urge to grimace as well. "That might be a a tad bit overdramatic"
Mr Hardy waved his finger, a laugh escaped his lips.
"You never told me the reason of why you wanted me here during lunch" Addison reminded.
Mr Hardy shifted in his chair. "You're company"
Addison caught her breath seeing as if her breath suddenly ceased from her lungs.
Addison heart shuddered in her chest.
"You want me to grade papers"
Mr Hardy lips curved in the corner of his mouth. "That and I also enjoy you're company"
Mr Hardy grasped a pile of papers and slid them toward Addison.
He handed her his pen as well.
"Keep that and throw away the despicable pen"
Addison pursed her lips. "Okay fine" She lowered herself to grasp her own pen from the spiral of her notebook. "I rather give it to you"
Addison handed Mr Hardy her pen.
She glanced down at his pen and her lips raised into a smile.
It was a ballpoint pen. The cap of the pen was a little dented from chewing on it.
Mr Hardy chuckled. "I'll keep the girly pen"
Addison beamed up at him.
Addison peered down and began pouting, her lip concentrating on the papers in front of her.
But she glanced up for a moment and caught Mr Hardy gazing at her.
"What?" Addison's eyes narrowed self-consciously.
"You seemed to be a one of a kind"
Addison body seemed to tense then the butterflies- No, it was more hornets to unleash in her stomach.
Mr Hardy laughter filled the room.
And it was music to Addison's eardrums.
_________
"Please be careful" Elizabeth called from the doorway to the house.
Addison waved as she shifted herself in the BMW.
The vehicle was Logan's pride and an joy. Besides his children, Of course.
Addison strapped herself in and shifted the gears and the pebbles against the curb flew as she burn out of the driveway.
Addison drove carefully gripping the steering wheel.
The windows were tinted and the sun shone against the black interior and exterior.
Addison tapped her fingers against the wheel and her hands fiddle on the knob of the radio.
Addison chose the classic oldies station.
And it caused her to smile.
And to think of Mr Hardy.
===
Addison stepped inside the bookstore in town and greeted the owner with a smile.
Wendy Collins stepped around the counter embracing Addison.
Addison pulled away from the older women.
Addison had been coming to the bookstore since she was eleven. This sparked a friendship between Wendy and Addison.
Addison loved Wendy.
Wendy was smart, wise and hilarious.
"I haven't seen you in ages" Wendy frowned.
"School has my attention" Addison said bleakly.
"How is your senior year?" Wendy smiled.
"It's.." Addison said pondering. "Interesting"
"Tell me about the boy" Wendy thrilled lowly.
"Uh" Addison smiled ducking her head. "No boy"
"Whatever you say, Addy" Wendy smiled knowingly. "You know where to find me if you need me"
Addison watched Wendy as the flow of her crisp white hair graced with her steps. Addison sighed and stepped toward the shelfs.
Addison fingers brushed against the spines of the novels.
Her eyes narrowing reading the titles. Gripping a red-stone novel Addison began to read.
It held no titles or author, it was all un-descriptive.
So, it automatically sparked her interest.
The bell that hung on the door chirped as the door open revealing another customer for Wendy.
Addison kept her nose in the novel absorbing the first page.
A tap on her shoulder caused Addison to glance to her right.
But no one was there.
A chuckle filled her left ear.
The laughter held a accent.
Addison whipped her gaze toward the left.
"Ah" Addison jumped.
Mr Hardy smiled devilishly as he leaned his shoulder against the shelf.
"Did I startle you?" Mr Hardy murmured smiling slightly.
"No" Addison grumbled which caused Mr Hardy to smile even more.
"I wasn't aware you come here" Mr Hardy said.
"It was never brought up in conversation" Addison smiled. "I love it here"
The fireplace to the left of the pair crackled against the wood.
"It's a lovely place" Mr Hardy agreed, his lips twitching.
Addison peered up at him slowly smiling. "Here alone?"
Addison searched for Louis but winced at the meaning of her words.
Mr Hardy instead smiled.
"It's just me, myself and I"
Mr Hardy leaned toward her examining the novel in her grasp. "How mysterious" Mr Hardy brooded.
Addison snickered beside him. "I enjoy mystery"
"As do I" Mr Hardy locked gazes with her.
Addison absently leant toward him almost touching his chest with the novel.
Mr Hardy peered down at her.
"I wonder who the author can be" Addison frowned then titling her head to peer up at him.
Mr Hardy finger rested on the shelf, her shoulder grazing his finger in the process.
"Lovely that we have the technology of google" Mr Hardy teased.
Peering up, Addison smiled. "Very true"
"We're you searching for a book?" Addison asked.
"I found mine" Mr Hardy grinned.
Addison glanced down at the novel in his grasp and burst into laughter.
"Will you stop teasing me?"
Mr Hardy mocked outrage. "It a lovely read"
Addison snatched the copy of Romeo and Juliet from his grasp.
"You are despicable"
"As well as your pen" Mr Hardy grinned.
"You are a-" Addison pressed her lips together controlling the fury in her stomach.
"Finish your sentence,love" Mr Hardy murmured intently.
"I rather not" Addison raised her chin.
"Ah" Mr Hardy lips twitched as he shook his head. "Disappointing"
Addison opened her mouth to protest but Mr Hardy twirled around and stalked away.
The brown leather jacket formed against his back. Addison watched him pay for the novel and stalked out of the store with no word or glance to Addison.
Addison scoffed and stepped toward the counter. "Just this"
"That's the boy" Wendy smiled. "He's in college?"
"Wendy" Addison frowned deeply. "That's my teacher" she whispered.
"Oh" Then Wendy expressed her own frown. "Oh dear"
===
Addison stepped out of the bookstore and trailed toward the BMW.
Addison stopped mid-step as a brown paper bag grazed the windshield of the vehicle.
Eyes narrowing Addison stepped around the BMW and grasped the brown bag.
Addison wiggled the brown bag and out came a novel.
William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet.
___________
The digital time on her dash struck nine Addison decided to step inside her home.
No one was there to greet her. Every family member was sleeping.
Addison trailed the stairs slowly gripping the railing and the two novels.
Opening the door to her room, Addison kicked off the flats she wore and placed the books on the shelf.
Addison stood unmoving in the middle of the room.
Her gaze turned to her window.
Addison wrenched open the curtain and almost dropped to the ground.
Mr Hardy leaned his shoulder against the windowsill staring right in the direction of her room.
Addison shoulders slumped and expressed a sour expression.
Mr Hardy notice the slender figure and waved his fingers in her direction.
Addison grimaced and held out her fingers to him.
Expressing a 'gimme a sec'
Addison took the Shakespeare novel and brought it to the glass of the window.
Mr Hardy shoulders shook from laughing.
Slowly, a smile formed on her lips.
Minutes later as the laughter stopped Addison watched him slightly amused.
Mr Hardy leant against his own window. His hand rested on the glass and he mouthed the words.
"Goodnight"
Addison smiled instantly.
She waved smiling at Mr Hardy.
Mr Hardy tucked his hands in the flannel pockets of his pajamas as he stepped back from the window.
The pair smiled.
Then, Addison pulled back the curtain causing Mr Hardy to disappear from sight.
There it was, the heartbreaking smile that appeared on Mr Hardy lips.
Addison leg seemed to twitch, a nervous and annoying habit. Placing a hand on her leg, she peered up at him.
"The anonymous journal" Mr Hardy said. "I know it was you"
"I know" Addison spoke the words softly.
"I advise you to write in a more subtle color next time" Mr Hardy teased.
Mr Hardy clasped his hands together and leaned into his chair, inches away from Addison. "You want to succumb a feeling?"
"I.." Addison began puzzled but shook her head. "Why does it worry you?"
"I care"
Addison heart seemed to drop in her ribcage.
"I feel as if I have to" Mr Hardy smiled.
"You don't have to" Addison corrected.
"I want to" Mr Hardy tap a finger on her desk. A single brow was raised. "I care for all my students"
"But you're more the exception. There's a personal matter with you" Mr Hardy met her gaze with a chuckle.
Addison cocked her head absorbing his words carefully. "I actually understand that. I'm your neighbor, I mean you taught me to swim and-" Addison pressed her lips together as she saw Mr Hardy smiling down at her with his chin in his palm. Just peering at her.
Addison was rambling. A blush redden her features.
"Back to the attraction" Mr Hardy said bringing his palms forward. "I am sure it's not a massive ordeal of the little crush that sits beside you as you describe it to be"
Oh
Addison grimaced slightly.
Oh
"You aren't trying to pull a Romeo and Juliet on us?"
He thinks I'm writing about David.Play along
"Ha" Addison burst quickly. "Of course not"
Mr Hardy pursed his lips nodding. "I don't want a love stricken suicide on my hands"
Addison winced and couldn't resist the urge to grimace as well. "That might be a a tad bit overdramatic"
Mr Hardy waved his finger, a laugh escaped his lips.
"You never told me the reason of why you wanted me here during lunch" Addison reminded.
Mr Hardy shifted in his chair. "You're company"
Addison caught her breath seeing as if her breath suddenly ceased from her lungs.
Addison heart shuddered in her chest.
"You want me to grade papers"
Mr Hardy lips curved in the corner of his mouth. "That and I also enjoy you're company"
Mr Hardy grasped a pile of papers and slid them toward Addison.
He handed her his pen as well.
"Keep that and throw away the despicable pen"
Addison pursed her lips. "Okay fine" She lowered herself to grasp her own pen from the spiral of her notebook. "I rather give it to you"
Addison handed Mr Hardy her pen.
She glanced down at his pen and her lips raised into a smile.
It was a ballpoint pen. The cap of the pen was a little dented from chewing on it.
Mr Hardy chuckled. "I'll keep the girly pen"
Addison beamed up at him.
Addison peered down and began pouting, her lip concentrating on the papers in front of her.
But she glanced up for a moment and caught Mr Hardy gazing at her.
"What?" Addison's eyes narrowed self-consciously.
"You seemed to be a one of a kind"
Addison body seemed to tense then the butterflies- No, it was more hornets to unleash in her stomach.
Mr Hardy laughter filled the room.
And it was music to Addison's eardrums.
_________
"Please be careful" Elizabeth called from the doorway to the house.
Addison waved as she shifted herself in the BMW.
The vehicle was Logan's pride and an joy. Besides his children, Of course.
Addison strapped herself in and shifted the gears and the pebbles against the curb flew as she burn out of the driveway.
Addison drove carefully gripping the steering wheel.
The windows were tinted and the sun shone against the black interior and exterior.
Addison tapped her fingers against the wheel and her hands fiddle on the knob of the radio.
Addison chose the classic oldies station.
And it caused her to smile.
And to think of Mr Hardy.
===
Addison stepped inside the bookstore in town and greeted the owner with a smile.
Wendy Collins stepped around the counter embracing Addison.
Addison pulled away from the older women.
Addison had been coming to the bookstore since she was eleven. This sparked a friendship between Wendy and Addison.
Addison loved Wendy.
Wendy was smart, wise and hilarious.
"I haven't seen you in ages" Wendy frowned.
"School has my attention" Addison said bleakly.
"How is your senior year?" Wendy smiled.
"It's.." Addison said pondering. "Interesting"
"Tell me about the boy" Wendy thrilled lowly.
"Uh" Addison smiled ducking her head. "No boy"
"Whatever you say, Addy" Wendy smiled knowingly. "You know where to find me if you need me"
Addison watched Wendy as the flow of her crisp white hair graced with her steps. Addison sighed and stepped toward the shelfs.
Addison fingers brushed against the spines of the novels.
Her eyes narrowing reading the titles. Gripping a red-stone novel Addison began to read.
It held no titles or author, it was all un-descriptive.
So, it automatically sparked her interest.
The bell that hung on the door chirped as the door open revealing another customer for Wendy.
Addison kept her nose in the novel absorbing the first page.
A tap on her shoulder caused Addison to glance to her right.
But no one was there.
A chuckle filled her left ear.
The laughter held a accent.
Addison whipped her gaze toward the left.
"Ah" Addison jumped.
Mr Hardy smiled devilishly as he leaned his shoulder against the shelf.
"Did I startle you?" Mr Hardy murmured smiling slightly.
"No" Addison grumbled which caused Mr Hardy to smile even more.
"I wasn't aware you come here" Mr Hardy said.
"It was never brought up in conversation" Addison smiled. "I love it here"
The fireplace to the left of the pair crackled against the wood.
"It's a lovely place" Mr Hardy agreed, his lips twitching.
Addison peered up at him slowly smiling. "Here alone?"
Addison searched for Louis but winced at the meaning of her words.
Mr Hardy instead smiled.
"It's just me, myself and I"
Mr Hardy leaned toward her examining the novel in her grasp. "How mysterious" Mr Hardy brooded.
Addison snickered beside him. "I enjoy mystery"
"As do I" Mr Hardy locked gazes with her.
Addison absently leant toward him almost touching his chest with the novel.
Mr Hardy peered down at her.
"I wonder who the author can be" Addison frowned then titling her head to peer up at him.
Mr Hardy finger rested on the shelf, her shoulder grazing his finger in the process.
"Lovely that we have the technology of google" Mr Hardy teased.
Peering up, Addison smiled. "Very true"
"We're you searching for a book?" Addison asked.
"I found mine" Mr Hardy grinned.
Addison glanced down at the novel in his grasp and burst into laughter.
"Will you stop teasing me?"
Mr Hardy mocked outrage. "It a lovely read"
Addison snatched the copy of Romeo and Juliet from his grasp.
"You are despicable"
"As well as your pen" Mr Hardy grinned.
"You are a-" Addison pressed her lips together controlling the fury in her stomach.
"Finish your sentence,love" Mr Hardy murmured intently.
"I rather not" Addison raised her chin.
"Ah" Mr Hardy lips twitched as he shook his head. "Disappointing"
Addison opened her mouth to protest but Mr Hardy twirled around and stalked away.
The brown leather jacket formed against his back. Addison watched him pay for the novel and stalked out of the store with no word or glance to Addison.
Addison scoffed and stepped toward the counter. "Just this"
"That's the boy" Wendy smiled. "He's in college?"
"Wendy" Addison frowned deeply. "That's my teacher" she whispered.
"Oh" Then Wendy expressed her own frown. "Oh dear"
===
Addison stepped out of the bookstore and trailed toward the BMW.
Addison stopped mid-step as a brown paper bag grazed the windshield of the vehicle.
Eyes narrowing Addison stepped around the BMW and grasped the brown bag.
Addison wiggled the brown bag and out came a novel.
William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet.
___________
The digital time on her dash struck nine Addison decided to step inside her home.
No one was there to greet her. Every family member was sleeping.
Addison trailed the stairs slowly gripping the railing and the two novels.
Opening the door to her room, Addison kicked off the flats she wore and placed the books on the shelf.
Addison stood unmoving in the middle of the room.
Her gaze turned to her window.
Addison wrenched open the curtain and almost dropped to the ground.
Mr Hardy leaned his shoulder against the windowsill staring right in the direction of her room.
Addison shoulders slumped and expressed a sour expression.
Mr Hardy notice the slender figure and waved his fingers in her direction.
Addison grimaced and held out her fingers to him.
Expressing a 'gimme a sec'
Addison took the Shakespeare novel and brought it to the glass of the window.
Mr Hardy shoulders shook from laughing.
Slowly, a smile formed on her lips.
Minutes later as the laughter stopped Addison watched him slightly amused.
Mr Hardy leant against his own window. His hand rested on the glass and he mouthed the words.
"Goodnight"
Addison smiled instantly.
She waved smiling at Mr Hardy.
Mr Hardy tucked his hands in the flannel pockets of his pajamas as he stepped back from the window.
The pair smiled.
Then, Addison pulled back the curtain causing Mr Hardy to disappear from sight.
♠ ♠ ♠
❤