“Who are you?” I asked the girl, who was hiding her face with a hat. Could she even see what was in front of her?

Rock stood at the edge of the porch’s area, still in defensive position.

She frowned and adjusting her silvery hair over her shoulders. “Seriously? I asked you first, what you are doing here, anyway.”

Rock began to descend from the porch, approaching her carefully as if challenging her for a duel. But I had a feeling that the girl was not intending to duel with him, but with me; when she raised her hat slightly only to display her furrowed brows and glaring black eyes.

“What are you sta-”

“Casey, are you not done yet?” came the aged voice from the gap of door behind me.

Before I could proceed to response, the girl’s voice perked up, “Cole, could you please ask Rock to calm down, I am getting scared here.”

I did my best to not roll my eyes.

“Oh, I see. Rock stay.” He entered into the porch. Rock whined, clearly not pleased like me. But at least he could express it openly, unlike me.

Rock went inside the house, clearly aware he could not argue with his owner over this case.

“Thank you, Cole. Now how have you been?”, she asked. An annoying case.

“I am fine and well this is Casey Stellar, my granddaughter.” The old man said with pride. But I did not understand what was there to be possibly proud of about me in the first place?

“Oh I see. Didn’t catch your name before, I am Laura.” She extended her hand towards me, I wondered if it was a sign of truce over the little tension we had before.

“Hi, you live here around somewhere?”, I asked while reaching for her hand.

“Come inside, kids you all can talk inside, I got some snacks too.”, said the old man while turning towards the door.

“Oh for sure, but only for some time. I have places to go.”, she said while shaking my hand. Her grip on my hand tightened.

She leaned down towards me, reminding me of the difference between our heights or maybe I was being too insecure for my own good. “Didn’t know Cole had a granddaughter.” Her voice came in as a whisper near my ear, mocking yet curious.

I looked right into her eyes. “Well, he did not consider telling you.”

She looked away from me and walked from my side, entering inside. She leaned closer again. “Maybe you were not as significant enough for him to tell us, Casey.”

I smirked. “Not a surprise there, go ahead and live in your delusions Laura.” I moved away from her and made my way to the kitchen.

I heard sigh behind me.

The old man was setting the plates down on the dining table. “I have some sandwiches for you two, settle down quickly.” I made my way to the fridge to get some refreshments, but stopped midway and turned towards him to ask whether I could have some.

He gave me a confused look for second. “Yes you can, why even ask that question?” He said while settling on one of the chairs.

There was glint in the silver haired girl’s eyes. I prayed to the higher beings out there that she did not see my hesitation, my confusion.

She clapped her hands together. “Oh Cole, my mom sent some fruits for you.” She said while taking out it from the small designer bag laying it at her lap. How did I not notice it before? After admiring her bag for two seconds I noticed that it perfectly matched with the purple color of her top.

Cole accepted those fruits with calm expression. “Thank you. Please pass my gratitude to Mrs Miller too.”

“Oh it’s alright. We are always here for each other.”, she said with a smile plastered on her face.  Then her eyes averted towards me, while I was eating the sandwich.

She asked me, “Casey, what brings you here, unexpected?”

Ok, maybe her extending hand back then was not a truce but something else? I turned my head from one side to other. “Just here for the summer vacation.”

Her body relaxed. “Well, that’s too odd for likes of you to spent their vacation here.”

The old man raised his eyebrows.

Words left my mouth without thinking over them first. “I am content here, there is nothing odd.” I don’t want to make myself sound less grateful for hospitality Cole’s given me. He is doing more than he can so far. And being a selfish person I am, who does not want to lose it, it’s better for me to be here, just like mom stated it, she was right on that. I hate it that she was right.

Laura pulled her lips into a smile from one side. “Content? Don’t you sound quite ungrateful here, Casey?”

The old man glanced at me but his eyes never met mine. I looked towards Rock he was still being hostile but was quietly drinking water from the bowl set for him.

I took a breath in, doing my best to not sound emotional. “Laura, you seem to misunderstand my words, or maybe I am terrible at expressing. I am quite happy here, it’s a breath of fresh air.”

Maybe back then, the handshake was not a truce but just an act of Laura?

“I-”

Rock’s bark echoed into the kitchen, lighted by the sun rays coming through the kitchen’s windows. Laura got startled by his bark, enough to not spur  her serpentine words.

Laura cleared her throat. She circled around her face in air with her finger while looking at me. “Oh I see, I just assumed that given your bored expression you have on your face.” 

I looked towards Cole who was looking at me with an unreadable expression. “This sandwich is delicious. Thank you.” I said without giving it much thought when I took another bite of sandwich, the mix of flavours and the sourness of tomato touching my taste buds.

He smiled but to my dilemma it did not feel frank one, like the one before. “Oh I missed telling you, Casey before, but you and Laura are in same grade.”