I stand there in the middle of the hallway, my face tear stained, and my cheeks red from getting caught as I look up into the angry eyes of Niall.

"I said, what the hell are you -- " however, he stop mid-sentence, before his face changes from angry to irritated. "Why are you crying?" He asks, his voice not as harsh as it was only moments ago, but still laced with annoyance.

"I -- I --" I fight for words, wondering if I should tell him the truth or lie to cover myself. 

"Well?" He impatiently pushes.

"You don't have to be such an ass," I sigh, before wiping away the stray tears from my cheeks. "God forbid anyone have emotions around here," I mutter, causing him to roll his eyes.

"You were wondering around my house. That's creepy, if I want to be an ass, I will be," he points out.

"I wasn't wondering around. I asked to go the bathroom, then I heard your guitar and I wanted to see how good you were," I admit.

"I don't care what you wanted to do," he huffs. "Why were you crying?"

"Why does it matter?" I retort, giving him the same attitude he's giving me.

"Because, it's my house and I want to know why you're crying like a baby," he almost snaps.

"Fine," I growl, "you want to know why I'm crying? You're mom told us the reason why you guys came to America, and how much she sacrificed for you so you could pursue your dreams. She did so much for you, left so much behind, and I was just overcome by the love that she has for you. God forbid it makes me emotional, and I appreciate how much she cares for you," I say, before wiping my tears and trying to look everywhere except for in his face.

"So, you're crying tears of pity?" He scoffs. "We don't need your pity. Yeah, my mom may have given up everything for me, but she chose to do that. We don't need some pitiful American princess feeling sorry for us. Now, get out of my damn business," he snaps, before slamming the door in my face.

"Douche bag," I mutter under my breath, before walking back down the hallway and into the bathroom. "Can't even appreciate situations, without it being mistaken for damned pity. The only person I pity is his mother having to live with Lucifer," I whisper angrily to myself, as I fix my makeup and wash my face free of tears. There were many things that were worth getting worked up over, but this Irish kid across the street, definitely wasn't one of them.

I adjust the belt around my waist and make sure my hair is in place, before I return to the dining room.

"Did you get lost, dear? You were gone an awful long time," Maura winks, and I can't help but blush.

"I -- uh -- I talked to Niall for a bit," I admit, feeling a bit sheepish, especially since all eyes are on me.

"That's quite all right," she smiles at me, and I can't help but wonder what game she's even playing at. First she has me sit next to her spawn, and now she's winking at me after I admit I was talking to Niall, as if we had some hot make-out session instead of an argument. If only she knew.

"Thank you again for dinner," my mom smiles, as she finishes the last bite of desert. "It was truly delicious."

"Yes, it was," I smile, trying to forget about the angry boy down the hall. "Would you like some help cleaning up?" I ask.

"No," Maura waves her hands, as if the idea is absurd. "You're my guest, I couldn't ask you -- "

"We couldn't let you clean up alone," my mother insists. "Especially after all you've done for us tonight. I can imagine you spent hours preparing, we can't leave you to clean it all up."

"Well," she smiles. "If you insist."

"We do," Mom and I reply in unison.

"I can't believe I had such nice neighbors this whole time, and didn't even know it," Maura sighs, as we begin to busy around and help her put the food away and wash the dishes. "It's like I'm back in Ireland again, cooking for my childhood friends," she sighs, and I can almost feel the nostalgia rolling off of her in waves. "Only, they're newer friends," she smiles, before insisting we take home half of the meal.

"No," my mom protests. "We can't take most of your food."

"Please! You have a husband and a family, I just have Niall and myself. That boy likes to eat, but I can always make him more," she explains.

"Are you sure?" My mom questions.

"Positive."

"Well, thank you," my mom replies.

"Thank you for helping," Maura points out. "Look how fast we all got the job done."

"Many hands make light work," I quote, a saying what my mom tells me whenever Cara and I help after supper.

"That it does," Maura sighs. 

We tell her our goodbye's, before exchanging hugs and walking back home, each of us carrying a dish. Even Joshua was carrying a few rolls.

"She seems like a lovely lady, I think her and I will get along great," Mom thinks out loud.

"She is very sweet," I agree. "It's nice having a neighbor like her."

"And that boy," Cara practically swoons. "He's hot!"

"Cara," Mom silences her. "Crystal has her eye on him, and besides, boys are the reason you're having to take summer school."

"Mom!" We both groan in unison.

"Since when did I say I had my eye on him?" I ask her, as we walk inside. "Because, I do not remember this conversation.

"And I did not flunk school because of boys!" Cara protests.

"You kind of did..." I mutter to myself.

"Shut up," she snaps.

"Cara, Crystal, behave," Mom warns, before we both shush and put the food in the fridge.

"I'm going to my room," I say, remembering Makayla wanted me to text her throughout the night. Oops.

Hurrying back into my room, I shut the door before retrieving my phone and opening up the FaceTime app.

"Please be on," I beg, only for her to almost immediately answer.

"HOW DID IT GO?!" She shouts rather loudly, that I find myself hoping no one is near my door, for they would know exactly what she was talking about. That, and Mom would begin to really believe I have my eye on him. As if.

"Shh!" I hiss. "I don't want the whole world to know!"

"Was he all over you? Was he drooling? Did he like your dress? WHY DIDN'T YOU TEXT ME?!" She shouts again, and I find myself laughing.

"Calm down," I request, "and give me a chance to tell you everything..."

**********

"When I get my hands on him!" Makayla shouts, after I finish explaining how my evening had went. "That little Irish kid will be dancing, when I'm done!"

"You're going to wake up your whole house!" I almost laugh, as I glance at the clock and realize it's much later than I thought.

"So what," she shrugs. "They'll probably be up soon anyway, I don't think they ever sleep."

"Still, they deserve a few hours," I point out.

"I deserve a few hours of sleeping in, but does that ever happy?" She retorts, before we both laugh. "I can't believe he's that much of a douche bag, though. Like, that's the class A prick move. You okay?" She asks, which catches me off guard a bit.

"Yeah," I lie. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I smell bull in the air..."

"Okay, so he made me feel a little bad -- "

"HE'S DEAD MEAT!"

"Calm yourself!" I chuckle. "It's not that big of a deal."

"So, it's okay to be a dick? It's okay to tear people down? It's okay to make people feel less inferior? All that's okay?" She asks, and I find myself sighing.

"No, it's not. He's not going to change, though, he's just an ignorant person."

"That doesn't excuse his behavior. What did you ever do to him? That's right, crush his damned pasta, wow! Call the freaking police! You're so going to jail!"

"You're dramatic," I smile.

"Am I ever anything but?"

"Never," I laugh.

"Did he like your dress, though? Did he at least drool just one string of slobber? I will be able to sleep much better tonight, if I know he at least spit a bit at the sight of you," she winks.

"Kay!" I scold her.

"Crystal!" She mocks.

"He did not drool over me," I assure her.

"Damn, I could have used that against him when I break his nose..."

"Makayla!"

"I'm kidding," she laughs, but I can't help knowing there's a bit of truth behind her joke.

**********

"Crystal! Wakey, wakey!" My mom exclaims, as she shakes my shoulder a bit.

"Five more minutes," I groan. "It's summer."

"It's also almost eleven thirty," she points out. "And, I need eggs."

"I'm sure Vernon has some," I sleepily reply.

"He does, and you're going to get them for me."

"Argh! Why can't Cara?" I whine, before sitting up and rubbing my eyes, not ready to run errands this quick after waking up. 

"Cara isn't here, honey," my mom replies, and I can almost hear the smile in her words.

"Fine," I sigh, as I finish rubbing my eyes and stretching. "Let me change real quick, and I'll go get them."

"I already called Vernon, he has them at the counter, you just have to pick them up."

"Why can't you go?" I ask her, not understanding why she needs me to do it.

"I have muffins in the oven, and I have another child I need to watch," she points out. "Plus, I asked you. Now hurry," she replies, before leaving me alone in my room.

Sighing, I change my sweatpants into a pair of shorts, before pulling my hair into a pony tail and emerging from my room. 

"The zombie has awoken!" Joshua teases me.

"Good morning to you, too," I smile.

"You slept for hours, I thought you were dead," he whispers, before his smile leaves.

"I was just tired," I assure him, knowing he's young and easily worked up.

"I thought you were turning into those zombies that are the television," he admits.

"Mom! Has Cara been letting Joshua watch The Walking Dead again? You know he's too young for that," I groan, before taking the five dollar bill off the counter and walking towards the door.

"She better not be!" Mom calls back. "Joshua, has Cara been letting you watch that zombie show?"

"Maybe," Joshua admits, and I hurry outside before Mom gets too angry.

As I'm walking down the street, I can't help but think about my SAT's. I'm going to be a senior this fall, and I've been studying for them, but recently I've stopped. I need to get back into that, and no Irish kid should distract  me. If I want to get into Columbia, I need to start working hard again.

Just the thought of all of this makes me sigh, for I have no idea what I would do if I didn't get in.

With my head in the clouds, I don't acknowledge the sound of someone running behind me, until they're walking directly next to me and I see that it's him.

"Hi," he says, and I can't help but wonder what the hell is the matter with him. "Aren't you going to say hello?" He asks, after a moment of silence.

"Why would I tell you hello?" I ask, as I try to hurry faster to the market. "After the way you've treated me, I don't think you really deserve a hello."

"Feisty," Niall laughs, but I don't find it very amusing. "I -- uh -- I just wanted to apologize," he begins, and his words catch me so far off guard, that I can't help but stop walking.

"What?" I ask in shock.

"I would like to apologize."

"For your ignorance the other day? Or just for your ignorance last night?" I ask, not forgetting to spare the attitude.

"You're unbelievable," he half laughs. "I come to apologize, and this is how you act in return?"

"You don't deserve to be forgiven after all the crap you've pulled. You're an ignorant person, and I don't have time for your petty apologies," I snap.

"I'm ignorant? Who's the one that won't accept a sincere apology? Hmm?"

"Yes, it's so sincere, because look how angry you are now? You're not sorry about anything. I don't forgive you, so take your apology and shove it up your ass," I request, before walking towards the market once again. 

He's not going to distract me, he's not going to get to my head, for that's what he wants. I don't want to give him that satisfaction, and despite him making me feel bad, I'm not going to show it. After all, he's just one person among the billions of people, why would his opinion of me matter?

**********
new chapterrrrrr this one's kind of a filler but i hope you liked it anywayyyy