better now > sequel to neighbours. [HS]

thirteen

It had been a long.......very long, month.

After slowly accepting Harry and I were once again neighbors, and I had to see his stupid face everyday, I actually began to feel comfortable around him again and didn't tremble like a little bitch when I saw him. We also kept our arguments to a minimum considering our kids were now good friends.

Annabel and Noah got on like break and butter, they clicked so well and I was the only one that knew it was because they were actually related.

As a friendship between them formed, I actually began to spend some time with aria during play dates and walks around the park.

So here I was, helping my ex boyfriend bake cupcakes for his sons birthday party as his fiancé, the woman who I was supposed to hate, played with my kid and hers.

I sighed out at the situation and began whisking the buttercream harder. Harry coughed loudly, giving me a look.

"Any harder and you'll go through the bowl," he mumbled from the side.

I repeated his words in a mocking tone and rolled my eyes, slowing my pace.

"You're such a child." He informed me, putting on his oven gloves to take out the cakes. I stared at him from the side, watching his biceps bulge when he extended his arms and- stop, Mae.

I mean, just because I didn't like him doesn't mean he wasn't attractive.

I hummed to myself while I finished off the buttercream and tasted it myself before I put it into the fridge. Harry was busy cutting the tops off the cupcakes, making sure they were perfect while I took off my apron and walked out to the yard.

"Mummy, mummy!" Annabel called. "Look what I found."

I followed her over to the corner of the garden where Noah was hunched over something. I got close, my face scrunching up as I looked down at the dead bird.

"That's a dead bird," I told them. Their eyes widened and then they looked at the animal, cocking their heads to the side. "Can we save it?" Noah asked me.

I looked around, wondering if aria was around to help out. In any other situation I'd just kick it under the bush and let nature do its thing but the kids looked at me pleadingly so I groaned loudly, knowing I was about to man handle a dead bird.

"Noah go inside and ask your dad for a box." I told him. He nodded eagerly and ran off without question.

"Annabel, go inside and ask your da- Harry, ask harry, if he can give you some gloves." I smiled at her. She thought about it for a second and then sprinted off in the same direction as Noah. I wasn't about to save a bird, I was going to let them bury it.

"Maelyn why is my son asking for a box?" Harry came out, a little dish cloth over his shoulder as he cross his arms. I snickered at the apron tied around his waist and he scowled.

"They want to bury a dead bird." I told him honestly.

He was about to say something but then shut his mouth, mumbling a 'nevermind' before disappearing back to the kitchen.

They both came back to me with what I asked for and I slipped the gloves on before picking the bird up gently and throwing it into the box with a thud.

I clapped my hands together, "okay now bury it somewhere," I told them.

The two four year olds stared at me expectantly. I nodded, "right, you need shovels."

I looked around me, Harry's yard was like a kids playground. Swing sets, slides, a treehouse, trampoline. You name it and it was here, yet it lacked a shed. I had no idea wheee a shovel was.