All I could do was walk away and enter the kitchen putting a frozen pizza in the oven that mom left for us to warm up. The only thing on my mind now was that the Lanes were back or at least it looked like it. If that is them and they are back, then why now? Why seven years later? A series of questions ran through my head, but none could be answered. I looked at Ellie and then looked out the big square window where we were currently sitting sighing.

"You know... We could go greet them and put to rest if it is the Lanes. Be nice neighbors." Ellie broke the silence and my train of thought that I was lost in. I shook my head, "There is no use. If it is them, I want nothing to do with them E. They left me without even looking back and now seven years later they think they can come back if it truly is them? Hell no. Life doesn't work like that, you know that." She got up motioning at me to come here and put her hand on the doorknob at the front door,

"Come on, if it is them then we do not have to go back over there until your ready again. Sounds like a plan. But I think it would be good if you knew so you could be sneaky and not let them know you're here. Maybe put on a disguise." I looked at her hesitantly and she held out her pinky for a pinky promise. We always do this when we mean serious business, no its not childish either. Pinky promise is the ultimate sign of promising, if you were to ever break one of these then you're not trustful. "Thank you for deciding to be a big girl. Now let's go and get this over with because The Bachelorette will be on later. We can't miss it! I'm dying to see what happens tonight after the drama last week." She walked out the door and I trailed behind her sighing. "Hold up the pizza! Mom will kill me if I burn down the house!" I ran back inside and turned off the oven and just left the pizza in there since I will come back and finish warming it up later. There is no point in this, I know it is going to be Mrs. Lane and the family at least who came with her since Daniel and Matthew are adults now. It's just one of those sixth sense gutting feeling type of things and you always trust those i learned.

As we arrived at the door and all i could do was stand there, no movement or anything from me. Ellie looked at me and then the door when lead her without hesitation to knock on the door. After a minute of standing there I turned around, "Looks like no one's home. What Shame. We tried." I started walking away and had the urge to bolt when I heard the door open. "Hello, may I help you?" I looked over my shoulder to see an older looking version of Mrs. Lane, but her facial structure was still the same. "Hi, I'm Ellie and this is Lila, we would like to welcome you to the neighborhood!" Eli looked back at me and glared basically ordering me to come back. As if that's not enough with the glaring she pointed for me to come stand next to her as if I was some 4-year-old! Since when did she become my father! I would say mother, but she acts more like a guy. You didn't hear that from me though. "There is no need to introduce yourself girls! I remember when Lila was as young as my youngest! I can honestly say that y'all grew up but that's expected after so long. Where are my manners?! Come in, come in and please don't mind the mess. You know moving in and unpacking is a hard task to do when no one helps!" She yelled the last part trying to scold whoever is there. "We-" I started to decline but was rudely cut off by Eli. "We would love to! If you need any help unpacking, we can help. Call us LE moving company." Eli walked in grabbing me by my elbow to follow. I'm killing her tonight; mark my words she will be buried in the back yard with no tombstone. Nothing.

As I walked through the door, I looked around to see multiples of photos on the walls that were there since the beginning with boxes all over opened and just a mess. Mrs. Lane has five kids; there is Daniel who is now 21 I believe and Matt who is my age 18 that I was the closest with, Jack who should be 13 now I believe, Micah who is now 9 I think, and Allie the only girl who should be 7 now. Allie was just a few months when I last saw her.

"So, Lila how's your mum? Tell her that I said what we will have to get together sometime when she has time." She cheerfully said pretending like everything is still okay as if nothing happened, like we are picking right back up after the seven years. "She's doing good, always at work. You know how she is; a workaholic and it's only gotten worse since she got his big promotion. How is the family?" I replied with no emotion still looking around being reminded of the ghosts that still haunt these walls with memories. "They are good, everyone followed when I mentioned we were permanently moving out here. Some of them didn't have a choice but you know what I mean. Daniel is in college and Matt just graduated high school like you guys. How have you been Ellie?" Mrs. Lane looked up from the boxes and looked over at Ellie. "I've been better, just happy schools finally done with! I'm still figuring out where to go next Spring, i didn't decided in time for the fall semester." Ellie laughed trying to make the vibes more positive for my sake.

As Eli was about to continue talking there was sudden yelling from somewhere upstairs. "Mum!! Melanie won't leave me be!" A young boy with brown hair and blue eyes came running downstairs holding a little girl out for Mrs. Lane to hold. "Micah she's only 5 what do you expect? How many times do we have to have this conversation?" Mrs. Lane scolded him, taking the little girl from his hands. Micah rolled his eyes and stomped out of there back upstairs then slammed the door to what I assumed was his room.

"I'm sorry about that, we have this conversation all the time just he does not seem to get it. I would say that it's never this chaotic, but I would be lying. You guys seen how it gets and then adding moving on top if it just made it 10 times worse. Anyways Melody this is Lila and Ellie. Lila and Ellie this is my little girl Melanie who is 5 years old. "As soon as Mrs. Lane put down so she could start unpacking again Mel came running right over and hugged my legs. "Hwi." She giggled looking up at me with her big blue eyes. I don't know how but this whole family has blue eyes, i wonder if it's because Mr. And Mrs. Lane both have blue eyes. Only thought that went through in this moment is that they now have 6 kids. I don't know how she does it, but I do and will give her credit on that also I can also honestly say that Melanie is so adorable.

"Hi Mel." I smiled looking back down at her. "I'm so sorry about her, she absolutely loves meeting new people. I can grab her if you want that way, she's not on top of you." Mrs. Lane looked at me apologetically walking over to the fireplace to put some trinkets on top of the platform. "No, it's fine. I don't mind." I smiled telling the truth while playing with Melanie's long strawberry blonde hair. "So, from what i understood this is permanent?" I asked looking up for a moment then looked back down deciding to braid Mel's hair which she didn't mind at all. "Yes, we decided to move here permanently, we needed a new more positive scenery. Daniel is transferring colleges and he's on his way here actually, he had to take the second moving truck. Matt is walking around trying to get an idea of the town again even though he has a car." She smiled while continuing to unpack other items. The inside of me was torn between the happiness of them being here permanently but also full of dread because of me having to face them every day now.

"Talking about everyone how about you two come over for dinner tonight? Everyone will be here by then and we all can catch up more then." Mrs. Lane offered being nice. "Of course we will Mrs. Lane, what time should we be here?" Ellie accepted without giving me a chance to react, ONCE AGAIN! Thanks again father, i don't know how I lived this long without you in my life to make plans for me. "Please call me Maria, Mrs. Lane makes me feel old. How does 6 o clock sound? Gives me a few hours to get some more unpacking done?" She gave Ellie and I a hug as we were about to leave, I was hesitant, but I couldn't be that rude to her could I?

"Glad to know that I have a new father now." I glared at her as we walk through the front door into her safety of my house. "Come on Li, it will do us good and mostly you to be around them again. You need their support in their life, you cannot keep holding grudges forever you know? You don't even know why they haven't come back maybe it's something serious." She sighed while plopping down on the beanbag in the living room that she claimed as hers. Literally she bought this huge sticker off Etsy and put it right on the beanbag saying it has her butt indent and wants nothing to mess with it. "Watch me. You know I'm the queen of holding grudges." I glared at her and laid down on my couch crossing my arms like a little kid throwing a temper tantrum. "Wow not childish at all." She laughed as she taped The Bachelorette since she predicts that we won't be back home in time which is ridiculous since I plan on making this a fast dinner. Reminder for myself; I need new friends.

"It's 4:30 Li, go hop in the shower and get ready because you stink. Since you want to act like a child, I will treat you like one." She laughed and got up out of the beanbag only to come over and plop on me when she just ordered me to get up. BUT SHE PLOPPED ON ME LIKE IM SOME FURNITURE, A CUSHION FOR THE COUCH! "You are suffocating me! Cant.Breathe.Need.Air.Gonna.Die." I pretend to gasp for air then proceeded to pretend to faint. "Wow you should be an actress with how dramatic you are." She laughed as I hit her upside the head. "Get up before you actually kill me you douche canoe or maybe please do so that I can miss out on this dinner." I laid still hoping this would be the case, but she ended up just glaring at me. "Fine I promise I will get ready. Mercy. Whatever you want father." I struggled to get out from underneath her and then fell off the couch since all weight was released. "Go now." She continued to laugh and pushed me in the direction of the bathroom like i didn't know where the bathroom was in MY own house. The only thing on my mind was that I am going to dread dinner big time and that's sad since dinner is my most favorite meal.