Our Neighbourhood.
It's a sunny day, peaceful and calm.
Vroom...! The car speeds up and turns left, where a sign board reads 'Welcome to Maplewood'.
A small truck loaded with furniture follows closely behind, hinting that a family is moving to a new house in the quaint town.
'Maplewood' was a town surrounded by greenery and nestled in the hills. Rosy's family is moving there because her dad's job got transferred, leaving her to navigate a new life far from the city she knows.
Rosy never imagined that leaving the bustling city behind for a quiet town would feel like stepping into a whole new world, where every familiar comfort was replaced by the echo of uncertainty.
As the car turns onto Main Street lane, she gazes out the window at the charming street lined with tall oak trees, their leaves rustling in the gentle breeze. The street has old-fashioned lamps and shops like bakeries and cafes.
Finally, the car pulls up in front of a cozy house. Rosy steps out of the car, the summer sun beating down on her face as she explores her new neighborhood.
She removes her sunglasses while looking at her new house. The house is charming, with a white picket fence and a garden bursting with colorful flowers.
But all Rosy feels is a heavy sigh escaping her lips as she thinks about leaving the city she loves behind for this quiet town that feels strange and unexciting.
"How do you like our new home, sweeties?" Sarah asks, looking at Lily and Rosy.
"It's so charming, Mom!" Lily exclaims with excitement.
"Charming? Where??" Rosy exclaims with an unbelieving face, her eyes scanning the house. The house may have a charming facade, but it's clearly showing its old age with peeling paint and broken windows that need repair.
"I can't wait to see my new room!" replied Lily, bouncing completely unfazed by Rosy's words.
"Come on, Rosy! Help us with the boxes!" her step mom, Sarah, called out.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming, Mom," Rosy replied, rolling her eyes.
"Be careful with that one!" Sarah said as she handed Rosy a heavy box.
"Ugh, this is so heavy!" Rosy complained, trying to balance it.
Lily, her younger sister, bounced up beside her. "Rosy, look at our new house! Do you like it?" exclaimed Lily, her excitement unwavering.
Rosy carrying a box with a stern expression. "It's smaller compared to our old place and I hope our room has a view," Rosy muttered while walking towards the main door.
They stepped inside the house. "It will! And we can decorate it together!" Lily said cheerfully.
"Fine, but only if you promise not to put up any more unicorns," Rosy replied rolling her eyes.
"No way! I can't imagine my room without unicorns!" said Lily.
Rosy sighed. "Then we'll just have to separate our rooms. I need my space."
She placed the box aside.
"But it'll be more fun if we share our rooms!" Lily insisted, trying to convince Rosy with a big smile.
"Fun for you, maybe. But I need my space," Rosy replied, crossing her arms.
"Okay, but you'll miss my unicorns!" Lily teased, sticking her tongue out and holding up a unicorn figurine.
"Do I miss them? I'm not a kid, and those are childish things only kids like!" said Rosy, pointing at the unicorn.
"Only aliens dislike unicorns!" Lily shot back, holding a camera to record the new house and neighborhood for her vlog.
Rosy's face reddened. "What did you say?!"
"Ugh, nothing! I said humans love unicorns, but you're an angel, right!" Lily said with a mischievous grin.
"Like that's supposed to make me feel better!" Rosy shot back, arms crossed.
And their banter continued as part of their daily routine.
---
As they began unloading the car, a friendly neighbour approached, waving enthusiastically.
"Welcome to the neighborhood! I'm Mrs. Laura Wilson," she said, her smile warm and inviting. "Need any help?" She asked genuinely.
Sarah replied, "We're grateful for having kind neighbors like you."
Mr. Liam joined them, saying, "Hey, I'm Mr. Liam Wilson! Let me help you with those boxes."
Robert Williams, Rosy's dad, appreciated the offer, "Thanks! This is my daughter, Rosy."
Laura smiled at Rosy, "Nice to meet you sweetie! You'll love it here once you settle in."
Rosy hesitated but replied, "I hope so."
Robert introduced Lily as his younger daughter, Liam smiled at her and said, "Hey sweetheart, seems you're so excited!"
Lily replied with a bright smile,"Yeah... I love this town and neighborhood!"
The warmth of the community was starting to shine through, making everyone feel a little more at home.
---
As Rosy watched her family and the neighbor start moving boxes, she glanced around the neighborhood.
Kids played in the yards, laughter echoed in the air, and she felt a pang of longing for her old life.
"This is going to be the longest summer ever," she muttered under her breath.
Just then, Lily showed up beside her. "Hey Rosy, just say hello to my YouTube family," asked Lily while holding a video camera.
Rosy shot her a look that said, "Leave me alone."
Lily started asking her a million questions about their new place. "What do you think about our new neighborhood? Do you think we'll make friends here? Can we explore the park later?"
Rosy sighed, trying to keep her patience.
"Lily, I'll kick you if you keep annoying me," said Rosy furiously.
"Okay! Miss Rosy. Seems you're busy, I will disturb you later," Lily smirked while patting her on the shoulder.
Lily escaped from there and thought to herself, "ufff! She would definitely kick me if I still stand there!"
~To be continued...