Chasing the Beat [READ ANNOUNCEMENT IN LAST CHAPTER]

Chapter 2 • Autumn Road

Chapter 2 // Autumn Road

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." - Casablanca

Jordan

After taking all morning unpacking boxes and setting up all the furniture with Mom, I suddenly heard the doorbell ring throughout the house.

"J.J., can you get that?" My mom asked calling me by the nickname she gave me.

"Sure," I replied. I shuffled down the staircase towards the door. I opened the door to see a woman about my mom's age and a girl about my age holding a plate of colorfully decorated cookies. The girl looked at me with her sparkling hazel eyes. I was surprised to see she was wearing some of my mom's designs.

"Hello," I said to the girl and the lady who I was guessing was her mother.

"Hi, I'm Suzanne and this is my daughter Lola. We're next door over to your left," she said with a smile bigger than the Cheshire cat from Alice's adventure in Wonderland.

"It's nice to meet you, I'm Jordan. Come on in," I said stepping back letting them inside.

"I love your house it's so much bigger than ours. It's beautiful and just...really big." She said looking around with her mouth slightly open.

"Yeah, I know. I'm still trying to take it all in." I said looking at her with a small chuckle.

"So Jordan, you don't happen to be living here alone do you?" She said with yet another massive smile on her face.

"Oh gosh, of course not, I live here with my mom. Let me go get her," I said politely."You can have a seat in the living room. Make yourself at home." 

It took me a while to find her. I had no clue where she was. It felt as if I was looking for a needle in a haystack the size of a stinking bulldozer. I finally found her in the basement and my jaw completely dropped. There was a mini arcade with a three-lane bowling alley and about 7 different games.

Well, at least I can't say I'm bored.

I walked further into the wide room and opened a black door with a handle covered in gold sparkles. Opening the door, my eyes were immediately drawn to the giant screen that took up the entire back wall. Facing the screen were multiple red-pleather lounge chairs. On the other side of the room was another door and next to the door was a window. I see my mom through the glass and saw her setting up what looked like a popcorn machine. I walked through a set of the theater couches and made my way into the room my mom was in. She quickly turned around with ninja like moves as is I was an old man ready to take her away to my abandoned house.

"Oh, it's just you," she said with relief, "crazy right?" she said referring to the basement.

"Uh-huh." I said completely speechless with my mouth gaping wide open.

"So what's up?" she said as if she was just another one of my friends.

That's what I like about my mom. We're so close and I could honestly tell her anything. She's like my best friend, especially since I only had a few friends back in Chi-town. Considering most of the girls were stuck up and snobby or just plain freaks. The guys were either rude or perverted, so that narrowed me down to schoolwork and dancing. I don't really like talking about the past although I think about it all the time.

"The next door neighbors are here." I said carelessly.

She was holding a bunch of pamphlets; she must have seen me looking at them.

"They're maps of the house - need one?" she asked holding them out.

"Of course I do thanks."

She gave me one and we went upstairs.