Seventeen-year-old Hazel never saw having a sick mom in her future. And the last thing she expected was for her new next-door neighbor to give her a checklist that would change everything.
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After Hazel Winter's mom got sick, all emotion vanishe...
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RIVER LEFT HIS wallet in my car. Earlier, we took Joy to get her car from the party's house, and I didn't even realize it was in there until I got back from the grocery store, the leather-bound square right on the passenger seat.
So, doing the polite thing, I walk over to his house and knock on the door. I haven't met anyone else in his family, and it's not until now that I realize I know nothing about them. Does he have siblings? Are his parents married? Divorced?
The door opens, and there's a woman on the other side. The same woman that I occasionally see get in and out of the car from my bedroom window. She has kind eyes, a sparkling emerald, but she looks nothing like River.
"Um, hello. I'm-"
"Hazel," she finishes for me. "It's so nice to meet you! Come in, come in."
Opening the door wider, I step inside and hold my breath as I look around. The inside of his house is much nicer than mine. You can tell that his parents have the time to keep the place up and deep clean it. Updated appliances, dusted shelves, and gleaming hardwood floors. It's nice.
"Are you here for River?" She asks, and I nod. Why the fuck am I being so damn shy?
"He left his wallet in my car earlier," I explain. "I'm sorry for coming over unexpectedly, but I wanted to drop it off."
"I'm Tracy." She extends a hand out towards me, and I gladly take it. "I'm River's-"
"Hazel?" River thuds down the steps, looking cautiously between his mom and me. "Hey, what are you doing here?"
It seems he doesn't want me here, so I take a small step back and wave the wallet in the air. "Uh, you left this in my car. I just wanted to return it."
"Oh." He nods, taking it from me to shove into the pocket of his sweatpants. "Thanks."
"River, if you want Hazel to hang out with you upstairs, she's more than welcome to," Tracy says, sending him a reassuring glance.
"Really?" He asks, and she nods again. "Um, okay. Well...thanks. Hazel, did you want to hang out?"
I feel like I can't say no, especially since I seem to be the first girl to come upstairs into his room. Maybe his parents are religious? Maybe he's not allowed to have friends over?
Glancing around the house, I see nothing religious sticking out to me, but I also don't see any family photos with him in them. I see some of his mom and other random people, a few awards framed on shelves, but none holding a mini version of River.
"I'll make you guys some snacks," Tracy says, almost excited that she has the opportunity. I'm confused as hell.
I follow River upstairs and into his room, becoming even more confused. River seems like the type of guy to have a bunch of rock band posters hung up on his wall or CDs displayed, maybe even records. Instead, I see plain white walls, a bed with a basic blue comforter and a dresser, and a nightstand with a lamp beside it. That's it. No pictures, no trophies, and no signs of life anywhere.
