The Odd One Out (Hailee Steinfeld)

Chapter 1

   "Tracy I'm sorry but I'm not really feeling a party tonight." Alex said plopping down on Tracy's bed. "Alex please I really need you there." Alex looked at her for a moment as Tracy gave her version of puppy dog eyes.

Why do I need to be there just to help you clean up after you get drunk.

Alex thought to herself as she looked away from Tracy with a sigh. "Fine....i'll go" "Yay!" Tracy squealed making Alex scrunch up her face. "Um also I have a small favor to ask you." Tracy said walking over and grabbing Alex's hands. Alex eyed her for a second, "I need you to go to each door and tell everyone about my party tonight." Alex almost laughed out loud when she heard Tracy's request. "You're joking, right?" Alex asked as Tracy pulled her up off the bed. "No I'm not joking" she paused sighing, "Like I said Alex this is really important to me." "I know but can't you text everyone or something." Tracy scoffed, "You act like I have everyone in towns phone numbers." Alex rolled her eyes, "Do you really need that many people there?" Tracy gave her that fake upset look, "Of course I do.....Pleaseee." She said dragging out the please making Alex want to punch her. "Fine." Alex said letting go of Tracy's hand and walking out the door. "Oh and don't forget that huge house at the end of the street!" Tracy yelled just as Alex closed the door behind her. Alex rolled her eyes mumbling things under her breath but looking behind her making sure Tracy didn't follow her downstairs. Alex picked up her keys off the counter and opened the front door stepping outside into the chilly air. She shivered, "Why would Tracy even want to have a party when it's this cold?" Alex asked herself before walking to her truck and opening the drivers side and stepping on the step pulling herself up to get in. She placed the keys into the ignition and turned it hearing her truck start up. She rubbed her eyes for a second then opened them and started backing out making sure no one was coming. Once she was clear she headed to the first house.

  Alex knocked on the door and a young man opened the dark wood door giving her a smile. Alex returned the smile before speaking, "Um my friend is having this party tonight she's the house across from you and she was wanting me to go around and tell everyone about it. It's at 9 tonight." Alex said as the man nodded, "I might be there not sure what plans I have for tonight though." "If you can't make it don't worry about it but if you have nothing else to do feel free to stop by." Alex said as the man nodded again and closed his door. Alex hopped down his steps back into his driveway where her truck sat. She admired the maroon truck while walking up to it and getting in. She backed out once again and saw all the houses on the street. She sighed, "Welp I better get to work."

A few doors later she reached one of her friend's house as Elizabeth opened the door smiling when she saw Alex. "What's up?" She asked looking at Alex curiously. "Um I honestly thought you would already know but Tracy is having a party at her house tonight at 9 so if you want to come please by all means come." Alex said in a sarcastic voice. "You don't wanna go do you." Elizabeth said crossing her arms and eyeing Alex up and down. Alex gave her a "really" look, "What do you think Lizzie?" Lizzie chuckled as she uncrossed her arms, "I will be there but you also better be there Alex." Alex gave her a solute before walking off hearing Lizzie chuckle and close the door. Getting back in her truck for what felt like the fiftieth time.

She was close to the huge house at the end of the street which she left for last because no one ever went up to that door. The house was nice but Alex had no idea who lived in it. She parked in the next driveway and opened her door hopping out onto the concrete driveway. She walked up to the door and knocked on it like she had been doing all night. She sighed for a moment but put on a smile just as someone opened the door. She was met with an old woman who held a knitted sweater in her hands clearly not fully done yet. Her husband came walking down the stairs to see who was at the door. "Who is this sweetheart?" The man asked walking up behind her. "I'm not sure dear." The woman replied. "Oh I'm sorry for bothering you I must have the wrong house." Alex said smiling. "Oh it's okay dear." The woman said as she gave her sweater to her husband. "You wait right there." She said walking off. Alex furrowed her eyebrows out of confusion as she watched the old woman walk away. She turned to the old man who looked down at the sweater in his hands with a smile. Alex smiled at him before he looked up, "So what's your name kid?" He asked. "Alex and yours?" He nodded at her name, "Henry" suddenly the woman came walking back with something in her hand. "For you dear." She said handing her a candy cane. "Oh I-" "Oh trust me we have more than we know what to do with." The woman said laughing. Alex smiled then her eyes flicked to Henry who was looking at the woman with so much love in his eyes. Alex's eyes went back to the woman, "And what's your name?" "Natalie." The woman answered with a soft smile. Alex returned the soft smile, "Well thank you very much for this candy cane and I apologize for intruding." "Oh honey you weren't intruding we love having company over, we just don't get very much." Natalie said keeping a smile on her face. "Please come back anytime you want." Natalie said making Alex's heart warm, "I will be sure to visit soon....actually how about tomorrow?" Alex asked making the woman's smile widen. "That would be lovely." "Ok I will see you tomorrow Natalie and Henry." Alex said as they both smiled and closed the door. Alex looked down at the candy cane in her hands as she walked back to her truck, but of course she wasn't paying attention and tripped over thin air and fell on her face giving her a cut on her head. Alex quickly stood up and looked around making sure no one noticed that she just fell down. Thankfully no one was outside of their homes, probably because it was too cold outside. She looked at the candy cane in her hands once more and to her surprise it wasn't shattered or even cracked. Alex smiled then got in her truck putting the candy cane in her coat pocket. She flipped down her mirror and looked at her scraped up forehead chuckling at herself before flipping the mirror back up and backing out.

Great now it was time for the last house at the end of the street. Alex doesn't usually get nervous but for some reason this house made her nerves really bad. She stepped out and walked up the steps and to the huge dark oak door with windows around it. She knocked it before hearing some sort of banging then footsteps and then the door opened. Alex was met with gorgeous hazel eyes and a smile that was so soft it made Alex feel warm inside. The young girl about Alex's age was breathing hard but trying to act as normal as possible. "Are you okay?" Alex asked looking from her heaving chest to her hazel eyes. "Yeah I'm okay just may have gotten in a small rush to open the door and tripped but I'm all good." Alex chuckled, "Don't worry I did the same thing." She said pointing to her scraped forehead. The woman chuckled back making Alex's heart skip a beat for some reason. "And how did you do that." Her voice was so soft and gentle Alex felt like she could melt on the spot. "Well actually funny story I was at a house down the street and they handed me this." Alex said taking the candy cane out of her pocket, "And I was so fixated on this that I tripped over my own feet and faceplanted right into the concrete." Alex said laughing at herself. The young woman laughed making Alex look up at her smiling. "I mean I don't blame you I love candy canes." Alex looked down at the candy in her hand then stretched it out towards the woman. "Take it." "No it's yours I'm not go-" "Take it." Alex insisted putting the candy cane in her hand forcing her to take it. "Thanks." The woman almost whispered as a small smile crept onto her lips. "So what are you here for again?" The woman asked. "Oh right, um my friend is having a party tonight at 9 and she wanted me to invite everyone." "Why didn't you just text all of the people you want to go?" She asked Alex. "Don't ask me I offered to do that but she insisted that I go to everyone's door like a creep and ask you to come to a party." Alex said making the woman laugh again making Alex smile. "You said 9?" "Yes nine o'clock." "Pick me up at 8:30." Alex closed her eyes and shook her head for a second confused, "I'm sorry?" "Pick me up at 8:30." Alex blinked a few more times, "Okay yeah I can do that. But first what's your name?"
"Hailee"