Home Sweet Home? (fK&C fanfic)

Chapter 3 - Hey, Hey, Hello

A/N: I suggest listening to the song I added. It's one of for KING & COUNTRY's old songs when they were Joel + Luke/Austoville. It's a good song and a bit funny to hear them being so sassy!! Oh, and, that song most certainly influenced my chapter title 😉. 

13 Days Since We Left Home

Joel Smallbone's POV: 

    "This is my street, " I told our bus driver. He nodded and flicked on the turn signal. I walked to my bunk and shouldered my backpack. Going to the back, I saw most of the guys just lounging around on the couches. 

    Ben looked up and asked, "We almost at your house?" I nodded and, with a small smile, said, "Another tour under our belt!" 

    Luke glanced up and said, "I'm pretty sure the expression is we've got it 'under our leg.'" Shooting Luke an amused glance, I replied, "You sure, man?" Luke nodded. I shrugged, "Okay, we'll go with that..." 

    "Joel - we've arrived." the bus driver called. I hurried towards the bus door and Luke along with Vince and Ben followed. I stepped onto the bottom step of the bus and waved bye to the three. 

    "See you soon!" I called back, then added to the driver, "Thanks for giving me a ride!" I stepped off the bus completely and watched the bus drive off. I turned to my house but something on the neighbor's yard caught my eye. Frowning slightly, I turned to see two kids playing in the yard.

    Oh! Someone must have moved in while I and Moriah was gone. It was about time too, the house was nice and it was sad to see left empty. 

    One of two kids was a tall boy and looked about 16 - he was currently crying from laughing so hard. The other was a younger girl - maybe 12? - and she looked embarrassed while being sprawled across the yard on her back, maybe from falling. 

    I walked up to them, a small smile on my face, and waved. 

    "G'day! You guys must be the new neighbors! I'm Joel. Joel Smallbone. What are your guy's names?"

    The boy tried to stop laughing and the girl picked herself off the ground. Slightly confused, I asked her, "You okay, love?" Her face turned even redder and she nodded then brushed the dirt off her pants. She must be a shy one, I thought, a bit amused. 

    The boy cleared his throat and said, "My name's James and this is my sister..."

    "Brooke." she finished, staring over my shoulder - refusing to meet my eye. 

    "Nice to meet you!" I said, and I would have said more if the door to the house hadn't opened. A woman who looked older than me stepped out and her gaze was on me - a bit amused but also curious. 

     "Hi, I'm Caren!" she said, coming over. I introduced myself again but she seemed to already know my name. She confirmed my suspicions when she said, with a smile, "Yes, I know who you are - Brooke is a big fan of your music - as I'm sure she has already told you." 

    Ah, that made sense as to why Brooke was so shy. 

    Currently, Brooke looked she wanted to melt into the ground. "No, Mom, I didn't tell him..." she muttered. Caren frowned slightly and said, "Brooke, you need to speak up - what you have to say matters and I want to hear it!" 

    I couldn't be sure but it looked as if Brooke rolled her eyes. "Nevermind," she said. Caren looked a bit exasperated but didn't push the matter. 

    "Anyways, yes, we did just move in a few weeks ago-"

     "Exactly 13 days ago." interrupted a quiet voice. All eyes went onto her and she flushed once more as if she hadn't meant to say it aloud. A bit louder she added, "But then again, who's counting?" When Caren's gaze was off of Brooke, Brooke's face turned sad and almost lonely as if remembering some memory. 

    With a sudden thought, I asked, "Would you want to come over for dinner sometime? I know my wife, Moriah, and I would both love to get to know you guys better! I would have to check with Moriah but once she comes home most days are fine for us." 

    Caren looked surprised and said, "Well, I think anytime is fine for us..." 

    The conversation continued and when they had walked away, Caren had my phone number and a promise of a date and time that I would send to see if it was okay for the Keye's. Brooke had stayed silent the entire time but she seemed to get over most of her shyness. I had glanced over her way several times and she would still have that sad, far-away look on her face. I felt a bit sorry for her but I had a feeling she wouldn't appreciate that. 

     However, thinking quickly, I asked, "Brooke, would you want to come over and meet my pets?"

    She glanced up surprised and I added quickly, "I mean I just assumed you liked animals because you mentioned that you have a cat-"

    Caren interrupted with a laugh, "Brooke loves cats.  Do you want to go, Brooke? I understand if you don't-"

    Brooke shrugged and said, quietly, "No, no. It's fine, I wanna go." She grinned and said, "I do like cats, maybe too much though." 

    James muttered something under his breath that sounded like "Yeah, along with for KING & COUNTRY..." and she flushed once more. 

    "Come on over! I just need to drop off my backpack into my room real quick when we get inside." I invited. 

        She nodded and followed me over to my house. I pulled my key out of my backpack and inserted it into the keyhole. I swung the door open and gestured Brooke inside. She bashfully stepped in and stepped aside for me to join her. I went back to my room and dropped off my backpack. Glancing around my room, I let out a sigh of contentment - it was good to be home. 

Brooke Keye's POV: 

    I was standing, a bit awkwardly, inside Joel Smallbone's house when suddenly a cat walked up to me. She meowed for my attention and I squatted down, petting and cooing over her. 

    "Hey... you're a cute cat, huh?" Meow. "You're not afraid to say it, are you!" Meow. Mreow." I laughed, saying, "Wow, you're pretty whiny, aren't ya?" She purred in response and rubbed herself across my knees. 

    "Her name's Adelina." 

    I jumped and saw Joel leaning against the doorframe to their kitchen. I shook my head slightly, and Joel just grinned. Adelina meowed at Joel but stayed at my side. 

    "She really likes you apparently!" Joel said, coming over and also squatting down to pet Adelina. 

    "Well, I really like her. She's really cute!" I said, a bit shyly still a bit awed that I was in the presence of Joel Smallbone !!

    For the next few minutes, we just chatted casually, and he asked my school, my friends, etc. I told him school was boring but just said that my friends were far away. The entire time it seemed as if Joel was holding something back, but he never said anything else. 

    I went home and my two brothers were insistent on hearing every last detail. I told them and tried to ignore their amusement at my bashfulness of being in Joel Smallbone's house!!  

    Later that night, my mind was quieter - mostly focused on the events of the day. Who would have known my next-door neighbor was a member of the band I liked?!