The House Next Door.

Addison legs screamed as she doubled around the track. Her limbs shook causing her to stumble a bit. Addison's gaze turned to the left to sulk at the coach, who grip the whistle in his grasp.

Blow the damn whistle

Addison wore a sweater and shorts, but the chilly first week of October cause her limbs to shake from the chill.

Mr Hardy stood at top of the track, near the bleachers.
Tomorrow was going to be her last day if suspension.
Mr Hardy was being particularly hard on Addison.

Mr Hardy lips grazed the whistle and it sounded off. Addison sighed almost sagging down.
Addison slowly paced toward him. Inches away from where he sat, Addison threw herself against the cut grass.

"Over dramatic"

Addison leant her head up to express her sour expression. "I am not"

"Take a breather" Mr Hardy gaze turned to his papers that where sprawled everywhere.

"The sun is setting" Addison stated dumbly.

"I am aware" Mr Hardy said gazing down.

"It's going to be dark" Addison shot up to lean against her elbows. "Practice is over.. Isn't it?" She glanced at him nervously.

"Practice is over" Mr Hardy pursed his plump lips. "For now"

"Ah" Addison groaned. "What does that mean?"

"Accompany me for a lovely jog" Mr Hardy, finally met her gaze with a crooked smile.

Addison rose her brows.

"Say around eight?"

Addison lightly laid back down on the fall grass. "Uh" she trailed off dazed. "Okay"

"See you then" Mr Hardy said his eyes narrowing as he graded.

"I may leave?" Addison sat upright. "Really?" A smile form on her lips.

"Yes, Addy" Mr Hardy mused.

Addison stood and brushed the little grass away from her lap.
Addison past Mr Hardy and rose her hand.

"High five" Addison smiled.

Mr Hardy grinned and met his hand with hers. "Excellent job today"

There hands smacked together. Addison felt the warmth in his palm.

"You weren't so bad" Addison joked.

"Go away" Mr Hardy.

"See you later"

"Looking forward to it" Mr Hardy called from where he sat.

Addison trailed along the fence and glanced back smiling.

Addison was looking forward to it as well.
___________________________________

Addison was allowed to drive the family SUV to and from school. Well, during her suspension.
Addison eased into her driveway and opened the door.

"Addy"

Michael ran up to the door and bounced on his heels.

"Michael" Addison said matching his enthusiasm.

"Mama made your favorite"

Addison smiled with glee.Chicken Pasta with Alvarado sauce.

"Louis came over after school" Michael said as he held Addison's hand and they both walked inside.

"Hi, Addison" Louis called from the den.

"Hi" Addison smiled and placed her bag on the end table. She walked swiftly toward the sofa where the boys were sprawled out.

"How was school?" She asked them sitting in between them.

"Good" Michael nodded. "I got picked first to lead the line"

"Ah" Addison nodded.

"I'm the leader tomorrow" Louis informed her.

"That's something to look forward to"

Louis nodded in agreement.

The double doors opened and in stepped Logan. He rounded the corner and stepped into the den.

"Hey guys" Logan said brightly loosening the tie around his neck as he spoke.

"Hi" Addison and Michael and Louis said together.

Logan glanced at Addison. "Practice?"

"Ah" Addison shrugged.

Logan rose his brows, a smile plastered on his lips. "Ah?" He asked.

"It was fairly well"

Addison glanced at Louis smiling.
Louis smiled back with his hands toward his face.

"I'm gonna tell him you said that" he whispered to her. It cause Michael to bust into a fit of laughter.

"Oh no" Addison hand mocked a spider that crawled toward his neck, tickling him.

Louis screamed with laughter. Addison turned to Michael, tickling him as well.

It led the boys to run away screaming.

"Dinner" Elizabeth called from the dining room.

Addison smiled pushing herself off the couch.
Logan bumped her shoulder as she past him.

"I am going to tell Edward you said that"

"Do it"

Then Addison grinned.
_____________________________________

Addison awoke, jumping in the process.

"Shit"

Addison eyes squinted as she read the digital numbers on her clock.

It was eight-forty five.

"Ah" Addison screeched scrambling out of bed.

Addison leaving on her tank and sweatpants stormed down the stairs.

"Yo" Logan said inclining his head from the plasma. "What is wrong?"

"I'm late" Addison called running toward the double doors.

"For what?" Logan called back.

But Addison ran out the door to say another word.

Addison hoped over the family stone and ran widely across her mowed lawn.
Addison rounded the fence and ran up the steps to the house next door.

Addison ran to the door.

"You're late"

Addison jumped back, her hand covering her wanted scream.

Mr Hardy sat in the rocking swing that laid against his house. He grinned gazing down.

"I fell asleep" Addison said stepping toward him. "I'm sorry"

"Practice led you to be sleepy" Mr Hardy nodded. "It was ah?"

Addison grimaced. "I was actually being sarcastic"

"Noted" Mr Hardy smirked.

Addison crossed her arms as the breeze touched her bare arms.

"You cold?" Mr Hardy asked.

"I forgot a jacket" Addison said. "I can go back for mine"

"Nonsense, darling" Mr Hardy stood. "I will lend you one of mine"

Addison lips twitched at the thought. Mr Hardy lightly patted her shoulder as he passed.

Addison waited outside.
Excitement rose in the pit of her stomach.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid

Mr Hardy returned grasping a black pull over sweater.

"It will be rather large compare to your own"

Addison was handed his sweater.
Addison smiled shyly and rose her arms and she pulled the black sweater over her head.
Pulling down the sweater, Addison locked eyes with him.

"It fits you well. Surprisingly"

Addison gazed down almost smiling. The sweater did fit Addison well.
It clung toward her slender waist.

Mr Hardy cologne was intoxicating to Addison nostrils.

"It smells nice" Addison mumbled.

Then, she groaned inwardly.

Mr Hardy lips raised in the corners. Addison sighed, seeing that what she just said was so inappropriate.

Mr Hardy stepped away from her and swiftly moved down the two stairs to his porch.

"I want to show you something" Mr Hardy murmured.

Addison cocked her head meeting him on the sidewalk.

Mr Hardy stepped in tow with Addison.

"What do you have to show me?"

"A lovely place I found on my walks with Louis" Mr Hardy replied.

"Where?" Addison questioned.

"A place"

Addison rolled her eyes. Her gaze turned toward the sky as it shone bright with the stars, lighting up the sky.

"I enjoy looking at the stars" Addison said suddenly.

"I completely agree. There're magically aren't they?"

Addison sighed and peered down, to only peer up again to stare at Mr Hardy.
Addison nodded.

"I must say you're actually lovely company" Mr Hardy said.

"Why is it shocking?" Addison laughed.

"For you're age. Yes" Mr Hardy nodded bleakly. "You seem much older. Very mature"

"I'm sure i will have a slip and act like a seventeen year old girl" Addison said rolling her eyes.

"I hope so. You have me worried" Mr Hardy said. Addison laughed nudging him with her hand.

Mr Hardy simply took hold of her hand suddenly. Addison caught her breath as they both locked eyes with each other.

A lazy crooked smile plastered on his plump lips. As he held Addison's wrist, Mr Hardy slowly led her hand to meet his.

To a high five.

Addison laughed yanking her hand away.

"Talk about maturity" Addison mumbled.

"It was a slip" Mr Hardy grinned.

Addison couldn't resist to not to grin back.

"You know" Addison eyes narrowed at thought. "We aren't jogging"

Mr Hardy orbs narrowed into hers. He lowered his head smiling.

"We don't have to" His lips twitched.

"Oh" Addison said. Then she smiled "Great, I am tired of jogging"

"Cheeky" Mr Hardy smirked. "Anyway it's a lovely night to take a walk"

"With your neighbor" Addison said brightly nodding. "And your student"

Mr Hardy chuckled. "Also my star athlete"

"So you take me as your star?" Addison asked smiling.

"Beyond that" Mr Hardy replied calmly.

Addison turned her gaze forward to hide her blush.

Mr Hardy smiled seeing her sudden rosy cheeks.

"We need to cross that unsafe wooden bridge"

Addison glanced at him. Her brow furrowed.

"Don't you trust me?"

Then, his hand raised, waiting to take Addison's hand in his.

"Is this the part when you kill me?" Addison murmured glancing at the dark direction.

The wooden bridge was built by the townspeople of Castine. It led to the forest and the forest was known to be extremely beautiful during the fall.

"I wouldn't kill you before you seen the trees, Addy"

Mr Hardy impatiently raised his hand.
Addison hesitantly took his hand. They laced there fingers together.

Addison seemed to burst with sudden intensity.

Mr Hardy gently led Addison to the bridge.

"I can't see anything" Addison whispered into his broad back.

"I got you" Mr Hardy replied with a murmur.

"I know"

Addison heart seemed to thump abnormally in her chest.
Not from the darkness.
But from the circles being drawn against her skin by Mr Hardy.

Oh my god.

Mr Hardy turned and they both stood on the bridge.
He still held her hand.

"Look up" Mr Hardy whispered.

Addison smiled before peering up.
The trees were scattered as the open sky revealed thousands of twinkling stars.

"Beautiful" Addison said.

"Extremely" Mr Hardy replied directly looking at her.

Addison smiled once more and met his gaze.

Mr Hardy tugged her hand and turned again.

"The opening is right here" he murmured.

Mr Hardy abruptly stopped. The opening of the forest brought light from the bright sky, so this led to Mr Hardy releasing her hand.

Addison gaze fell on the colorful trees surrounding them. The weeds seemed to blow against the wind.
Dying tulips grazed her tennis shoes.

"Tulips are my favorite. It's strange that there in the forest"

"A person might have planted the flower" Mr Hardy shrugged.

Mr Hardy stood facing the high moon in the sky. Addison stood beside him.

"I'm glad you showed me this place" Addison told him.

"I am too" Mr Hardy glanced at her.

God, I really like him

"Any writing done?" Mr Hardy asked.

Addison blinked and comprehend his words. "I started writing in a different journal"

"Excellent" Mr Hardy beamed.

"It's just my thoughts" Addison shyly. "Nothing to grand"

"I beg to differ"

Addison chest rose with his compliment. Mr Hardy seemed to be always complementing her, praising and kind to her.

"May I say something?" Addison wondered.

"Speak your mind" Mr Hardy nodded.

"I know you have a good heart" Addison said shyly. "It's in your smile"

Mr Hardy slowly smiled.

"I would agree to disagree" Mr Hardy said as his lips twitched.

"But I know" Addison urged.

Mr Hardy sighed turning to meet her stubborn gaze.

Addison bit down to keep from smiling.

Her eyes widen as Mr Hardy hand clamped down on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

The pair locked eyes and he smiled down at her.

"Addison" Mr Hardy said peering into her eyes. "You're heart is just as much beautiful as you are"
________________________________

Addison laid in bed as the drowsiness from the sleep aid effected her.

Mr Hardy words traveling into her dreamlike state.

Addison smiled in her darken room, her gaze lingering toward the curtains that were drawn purposely to catch a glimpse of Mr Hardy.

Such a pretty man. A man can be beautiful

It astounded her to know someone, a man, can be that beautiful.

As well in his heart. That was appealing to Addison.

And his words echoed in her memory.

Then, Addison remembered she had not given back the sweater.

She laid in her bed still wearing it.

Addison smiled once more.

Addison fell asleep in Mr Hardy's sweater, as his scent filled her room.