Although Nova was never a morning person, she still had to wake up early in the morning.
Being almost twenty does that to you.
Halloween was tomorrow and since she didn't get any time away from college, assignments, and daily life in general, she couldn't decorate her house. But it didn't matter if she could or not, because her house was decorated nonetheless.
No matter how much she insisted, Gilliam and Alesso had sworn to turn her house into a zombie's residence by Halloween; they made it clear almost a month ago.
Why? Let's just say that, Nova wasn't giving them the vibe that they needed in order to trust her when she told them that she would surely do something with it.
She was aware that it wasn't very convincing but that's why there she was, looking outside her window, taking in the string of fake leaves which hung all the way down, touching the ground from the terrace. Alesso's Idea.
Peeking out, she also noticed that her garden was Halloween ready. Carved pumpkins lay everywhere in such a manner that it looked really good â or should she say, scary? And of course, she did carve the pumpkins. Only a few of them but she did. The placing of the pumpkins, however, was done by Gilliam, he said her parents had mentioned something about having the house ready for the festivities and so, he'd gone all out.
Her parents were to arrive that day; they said they'd be there by morning.
After doing the morning routine, Nova made her way downstairs only to be greeted by the amazing smell which was Alesso's cooking. The woman could make anything and it was bound to taste heavenly. Although Nova had a rather small appetite, she still ate more than usual whenever Alesso made her specials and that was how good she was.
"Miss Newton. You're up already, I see. Well, come on in then, have a seat and dig in!" Alesso chirped very enthusiastically.
She was a blonde woman in her late thirties, with beautiful features and sweet behavior; small and chubby in physique. Also, someone who liked to call her by her last name first thing in the morning whenever she saw her â even though she's told her not to be formal countless of times.
"Mrs. Horton, how many times do I have to tell you to call me by my first name? And of course I'm going to devour it all, it smells heavenly, and that's what took me here pulling me from my sleep and bed." she told her smiling.
"Oh break it off, yeh two. Ya know it re'lly sometimes gets on me nerves seein' you two goin' at it ev'ry day. Jus' start off yo' day with Nova 'n' Alesso, will ya'?" Gilliam piped in the conversation in his beloved accent as he came in through the sliding glass door which connected the living room to the garden. When closed it also worked as a big window, beside which Nova found herself sitting, drinking her coffee and simply relaxing more times that she'd like to admit.
Gilliam was in his early forties with brown hair, black eyes and tanned skin who loved to be always on point and who Nova adored because he often reminded her of Hagrid from Harry Potter.
"Oh, Gilliam, where's the fun in that, huh? Nova here is just so busy that we hardly ever get to talk! Why not make the best of it?" Alesso told him with a cute smile on her face.
Gilliam grunted in response before adding, "Yah, yer righ', she's too busy lately with all o' her school 'n'...well, jus' school 'tis," he added, "She won't even let us work 'ere! Only when her Momma and Daddy come home she lets us do our work." He complained which didn't much sound like it, more like a discomfort he'd like to fight 'til his last breath.
"You guys. I've told you a million times already that its fine! And I'm not even here half of the time â"
"â more than half â" he said in between her excuse.
"â you'll be bored to death in this big, lonely house." She finished anyway, not pausing to give any kind to Gilliam's statement because he was right and she couldn't do or say much about it.
"And come on, you lot have family, too. I love your children! I would rather have you at home with them than spend your day here, mopping all the time." She finished scolding them.
Not that it really ever mattered.
"Oh shut up, you. We do it because we love you like our own and want to take care of you when you need. Alright, kiddo? You're just like our daughter to us." And, there it was. The Alesso card. The emotional Ace.
"Alesso!" Nova said in a warning tone. Well, trying to fake one. "I don't wish to cry, today."
They both chuckled and ushered her to eat up her breakfast.
After finishing the delicious food, Nova asked Alesso and Gilliam if she could do something to help them out. They both gave her another rant on how she should let them do their work and just go and sleep or go out and take a stroll.
Which reminded her of something.
"Hey, guys," She said trying to get their attention.
"Yeah, kiddo", Alesso said letting her know she had hers and Gilliam replied too with a grunt of his.
"Do you guys, by any chance, know who our new neighbour is?" She asked them.
"New neighbour?" Questioned Alesso.
"We got a new neighbour and we ain't even know 'bout it." Sighed Gilliam.
"Yeah the person who lives across our house. I saw him yesterday, while walking from Uni, he was walking ahead of me." She told them not telling the whole truth. She didn't want them to worry in vain, nothing happened anyway, she was safe and sound and inside her house.
Nova saw both them exchange a look. A rather suspicious look which only meant: "You guys know something, don't you?"
Gilliam's face remained stoic while Alesso glanced at him, chuckling kind of nervously.
"Well?" She pressed. While she's not usually this nosey and minds her own business most of the time, she just couldn't help and be curious about this hooded guy. He had an effect on people. Yesterday those jocks and today Alesso and Gilliam, they are quite enough to give her the proof that her new neighbour was definitely not new here. There was history to him. And history just so happened to be one of her favorite subjects.
"Oh it's jus â" Alesso started but was cut off by the door bell ringing.
Mum and Dad.
"I'll go get it." Alesso said and rushed off towards the door.
But Nova wasn't yet finished.
*
"So, Nova, how is it going on at the University? Any problems that we should be aware of but aren't due to some reason?"
Isabelle Newton: a social activist with wavy blond hair and crystal blue, almond shaped eyes and creamy skin with a posture anyone would describe as elegant and classy, lived in London with husband: Victor Newton, a tall dark haired, gray eyed, specs wearing man with a vibe you would be intimidated from, asked their only daughter and child: Nova Newton.
There it was, the most dreadful question. Nova's parents had arrived in the morning and it was six in the evening now. Of course they had done all the usual till now. From making sure that everything in the house was well kept and usable to asking different question from all the workers they had working here.
As soon as she nodded her head; yes, her Dad shot another one.
"Then why did Tim inform us that you didn't take your car with you to the university yesterday?"
Of course. Tim.
Now she was sure that a new BMW was definitely parked with her good and fit Audi. No doubt the second Tim told them the news they made sure to have the broken car fixed plus adding a new car to the unnecessarily large and therefore empty garage of hers. Just so that she would have a backup whenever the situation repeated itself.
Sighing, she told them that it was nothing and that going with a friend went quite well and that she was going to get it fixed.
Of course she wasn't telling them that she walked home. They'd absolutely freak out.
"But we would've appreciated a bit of honesty." Her mother said.
"I â", she tried to say something but the look her mother gave her was enough to shut her up.
"We wish to give our daughter the perfect lifestyle so she can do the things that are expected from her," her mother said. "We wish to give you all the comfort there is to make sure you're living well by yourself, away from your family. When will you start to tell us about your problems, Nova?" She asked her, knowing the answer all too well but continued anyway. "We would love to spend the money we earn, on you, you need to understand that. All that we do, we're doing it for us, for you." She ended, although her words were caring, her expressions were as if she was disappointed in her and desperately wanted her to understand.
"I understand, Mum, it's just that â I thought you were coming anyway and I didn't want to cause any more trouble for you. I thought I would get it fixed by Sunday," she told her, expecting for her just smile and say it was okay. But her mother just let out a sigh.
"That is what your mother just told you, Nova," her Dad said and her eyes landed on his furrowed brows. "When you need anything just tell us about it. We are your parents, we are supposed to help our child live as comfortably as she can and we are to do all in our power in order to make a good life for her," he said.
This was the reason why this talk was dreadful to Nova.
"All this money, all this success, all this reputation, it will be nothing if we couldn't spend it on you. And we don't wish to spoil you but you have to tell us about your needs. That's how it's supposed to be, Ninny." Her father added, making her feel like she was fighting a losing battle, using that nickname to do the trick. And it worked.
He was talking just like her mother; with a somewhat hopeful and concern look on his face but a hint of disappointment, too.
Nova sighed and nodded her head.
"I will inform you the next time," She told them with an apologetic smile.
"That's our daughter. Also, try to accept help, too, Nova." Her mother said with a mixture of concern, hope and worry in her eyes and tone.
"Sometimes you just need someone. And I won't put out the case of someone else needing you because I know you will always be there for them on that end. Just let yourself be on the other side too."
*
After the talk was over, Alesso came to inform them that the dinner was ready, and they went to dine. Alesso's cooking was incredible as always and she found herself enjoying the meal along with her parents.
Her parents.
She loved them, but she still thought that going to them for the slightest bit of problems was not what should be expected from her. She would never want to disturb her parents just because her car broke down. There were public transports and she could always take the bus or just walk back home. It wasn't that far. She was soon going to be turning twenty, she wanted to be independent. She needed to independent for herself, she did come home safe and secure yesterday.
That reminded her of the stranger from yesterday.
Alesso and Gilliam didn't want to tell her and since her parents were the ones to finalise the house and place when she'd mentioned it to them, she decided to ask them. Taking her parents, they must've asked around or did some investigation of the neighborhood and surroundings before letting her stay there. They must know about the new-old neighbour.
Deciding it best to just ask them about it, she proceeded to do just that.
"Mum, Dad." She began and they both looked at her from across the table telling her she caught their attention. She glanced at Alesso who stood there with a tense expression on her face while she served the dessert as they were done eating the meal.
She knew what Nova was about to ask.
"You wouldn't happen to know who the new guy living across from us is, would you?" She asked them finally and the tension Alesso seemed to be in became evident from the way she took the empty dishes off the table and left the dining room immediately.
He was that big of a deal?
And she knew the answer as both of her parents stopped eating the dessert and shared a glance between themselves before turning it to her.