Chapter 1

The sun was setting, and its harsh light blasted through Jake’s dusty windshield. His car, a Mercedes G-Class, sleek and black, now looked faded after a long drive through the deserts and mountains. At thirty, Jake felt like he was stuck, leaving the west coast, which was his home for years. California was his identity; he went to college, got a job as an investment manager, made lots of friends, and lost both his parents. A year into the pandemic, Jake lost many things in his life. Financially, he was having difficulties. The stock market had turned against him and the entire world. It had left everyone in a state of uncertainty. His savings, though solid, were a sad mess compared to what he had. Life had thrown him another curveball. His girlfriend of three years broke up with him too, leaving him lost and confused.

Following that, he returned to his hometown, a small Texas town. The town had about 3,000 residents. His house was situated on a dead end of the street, with only two houses sharing the road. The town was nice and quiet, with houses scattered all over the town. Jake’s house was just thirty minutes from the town center. There were few restaurants, some bars, the town’s church, a school, and even a small hospital.

At last, he arrived at his destination: a quaint two-story house. He drove into the driveway of his childhood home. More than a decade had passed since Jake and his parents left for LA together. But Jake’s parents didn’t want to sell their family home and wished to come back to their roots when they retired. Now, both his parents were gone. The house was his. The family home he rented out was unoccupied for over a year. Due to the pandemic, the last tenants left early, not even finishing their leases.

He parked his car in his driveway and stepped outside. The evening air was cool against his skin. Jake grumbled as he stood in front of the house. A familiar sight. The mailbox squeaked. The lawn was wild and overgrown; flowers his mother planted years ago were now lost. He had hired a renovation company. He wanted the work done right, at least inside the house. He hoped the inside was more comfortable. The outside looked worn, which Jake decided to work on himself and save some money.

Jake turned to the left, to his neighbors. From the outside, the pastel blue, two-story house looked better than his. When Jake and his family left, the Perkins family lived there. They raised two boys. Jake played with them as a kid. He knew Mr. Perkins had passed away a few years back, yet the house was still well-kept. Jake wondered how Mrs. Perkins managed to keep the place so neat and lively. He thought it wouldn’t be bad after all staying here and meeting his old friends. He missed those days, running around the neighborhood with his friends and playing in the park and pranking others.

Jake stood on his driveway, his thoughts swirling. “Staying here wouldn’t be so bad,” he mused to himself.

The crunch of gravel broke the silence as a white sedan rolled up to his neighbors’ driveway. He grinned and hoped it was one of the Perkins brothers. The car engine hummed softly as it stopped. The door opened. A figure stepped out, casting a long shadow in the fading light. Jake’s smile stopped. In front of him was David Thompson, his old high school principal. He looked just like before, with gray hair and thick glasses. The old principal made any kid’s heart race with just a raised eyebrow.

After years away from this quirky town, Jake sought a new way to live. Instead, he found himself staring at David, now in his senior years. His heart raced. Fear and anxiety washed over him, just like in high school. Memories flooded back—detentions, stern lectures, and the constant fear of getting caught for his pranks. He remembered the complaints the principal made to his parents. Those made his childhood a living hell. Jake hadn’t seen him since graduation. But now the old principal, his neighbor? The universe had a twisted sense of humor. It placed his past enemy across the street.

Suddenly, David turned and looked his eyes onto Jake. His eyes widened, then narrowed into a suspicious squint. Jake’s stomach twisted.

“Jake! Is that you?” David exclaimed and approached the fence. He said, “Jake, what brings you back to this neck of the woods?”

Jake’s heart sank. He hesitated. “Hi, Mr. Thompson. I didn’t know you lived next door.”

David appeared friendly. “Oh, I bought the house a couple of years after I retired. But why are you here?” His tone had softened.

Jake felt like a kid caught skipping class. He sighed. “Well, it was expensive to live in the city because of the financial crisis. I thought I could come back and fix up the old place. Maybe find some peace here,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady.

Thompson chuckled. “So, you’re back to your roots, huh?” he said sarcastically.

Jake felt the sting of his own words. He managed a smile. “Well, you know, life happens.” He shrugged, trying to play it cool.

David examined him for a moment. “I suppose so; I sometimes work as a guest teacher in other counties,” he replied. “But there are no jobs in the town that I know of. What are you planning to do here?”

Jake felt an unwanted tension from the interrogation. Jake forced a laugh. “Well,” he said. “I actually work independently for clients across the country from home,” he said.

David raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by Jake’s response. “Impressive,” he commented. “I always knew you were resourceful.”

Jake was relieved that he had managed to impress David, even if only slightly. “Thanks,” he replied, trying to sound nonchalant. “But it’s nice to see you again, Mr. Thompson,” he added, trying to end the conversation.

“Well, good to see you, too.” David nodded and smiled. As David backed away from Jake’s lawn, he said, “You’re going to keep the noise down, right?”

Jake’s smile was awkward. “Of course. I’m not here to party. Just to work and meet old friends.”

David nodded. “Good.” He paused for a moment. “And if I catch you pulling any of those stunts you used to in high school, I’ll be the first to call the cops,” he cracked a joke.

Jake swallowed hard. “Understood,” he replied, hoping their past wouldn’t bite him.

He watched David turn and walk back to his home. The door slammed shut. Jake knew he had to stay under the radar to avoid any trouble. He sighed deeply. In his hands, he carried a box filled with things too valuable and too small for the moving truck. He approached the front door. Jake unlocked the door and stepped inside.

The renovation company did a solid job. The floorboards shone. The walls had a cozy color. The living room looked cozy, filled with new furniture. The house had three bedrooms, one downstairs and two upstairs, including the master bedroom. State-of-the-art electronics were installed in the house. Fastest internet connection? Check. The main computer in his home office and devices around the house were connected. Lights, security, and fire alarms? All covered. But, outside, he needed to clean the pool in the backyard, along with the overgrown weeds in front of the house and the ten-foot fence around the backyard.

The movers also did a great job organizing his old furniture. They came from his apartment in LA. They even hung some old family photos on the wall. They were reminders of happier days. Jake took a deep breath and shook off worries about his new neighbor. He walked into the kitchen. He opened the fridge. It was empty.

“Need to buy the basic necessities,” Jake said quietly.

His stomach rumbled. He hadn’t eaten since lunch, and the long drive had left him starving. He smiled at the thought of pizza for dinner. He dialed the pizzeria in the town. To his surprise, the old pizzeria from his childhood was still open. The night was looking up. When the pizza arrived, Jake took the box. He hoped the tip was enough, and the guy wouldn’t think of him as a tight-arse. When he took that first bite, it hit him. Nostalgia. The cheese was stretchy, the sauce sweet. He chuckled. Maybe some things never change.

The next morning, Jake woke up to birds chirping outside his window. Instead of the constant honking of LA traffic, there was peace. He stretched and yawned, feeling refreshed. The house was quiet. The air was clean. It was a big shift from the urban jungle he had known. He made a cup of coffee and stepped into the driveway. Jake chuckled as he spotted Thompson struggling to fit big boxes into the car’s boot. It was a funny sight. Thompson was clearly having a tough time.

Their first reunion meeting was awkward, to say the least. It was a new morning, Jake thought. “Good morning, Mr. Thompson!” he yelled out, his voice bright and cheerful. “Do you need any help?”

David shot him a glare. He was too stubborn to take help from the young man. “It’s just a few boxes. I’ve got it under control,” he grunted, his face turning red with effort.

Jake leaned against his car, sipping his coffee. He felt a wave of satisfaction. The man who had made his life tough in high school was now struggling with something so small. Yet, guilt tugged at him for enjoying it. He placed the coffee cup on the car and straightaway went over to help David with the boxes.

“Let me give you a hand, man,” Jake said, a genuine smile on his face.

David looked uneasy. “I’ll manage,” he said through clenched teeth.

Jake ignored the old man’s objections. He took the heavy box from David’s hands. Then, Jake packed all the boxes in the boot. David looked surprised but grateful as Jake loaded the final box and slammed the open trunk shut.

David didn’t want to display his thanks. “I would have done it without any help.”

“Alright, if you say so,” Jake replied, casually watching David get seated behind the wheel.

Once David was out of sight, Jake couldn’t help but feel good to finally be on friendly terms with his strict principal. Yet, watching the old man’s sweat brought him a moment of joy in an otherwise dull day. He walked back into the house, coffee mug in his hands. Today, he wanted a fresh start. The interior of the house was basically done, but the outside was still a mess. He knew he had to get his hands dirty.

But first, he needed food. After getting showered and dressed, Jake put on his Dodgers cap and stepped outside. The drive through the town was eerily quiet. Almost too quiet. He drove to the local supermarket, just a few miles away. The parking lot didn’t have many cars. The store looked familiar. It was a bit shabbier than he remembered when he bought snacks there after school. Jake pushed his cart, filling it with fresh bread, meat, and groceries. The layout felt familiar. Some products even looked the same.

Suddenly, a soft voice broke his thoughts. “Jake?” It was tentative, unsure.

Jake felt a tap on his back. He turned. There stood Ms. Rachel Harris, his old art teacher. She was his childhood crush and still looked great. Her blonde hair was in a ponytail, bouncing with every move. Those sparkling blue eyes? Just as he remembered, but she had dark lines under her eyes. Too early for a woman in her late forties, Jake thought. She stood at 5’5”, much shorter than his 6’2 build. Her body had grown a bit from what he remembered, with 36D breasts, a 30-inch waist, and 38-inch hips, but she still didn’t grow into an overweight person.

“Mrs. Harris!” Jake called out. His voice bounced off the walls. “How have you been?”

“Now, I’m Mrs. Thompson,” Rachel said with a small smile as she showed her ring finger.

Jake’s heart raced. His childhood crush was married to the old principal. Unbelievable. “Mrs. Thompson?” he chuckled, feeling nervous. “Well, congratulations, I guess?”

Her smile widened. “Thank you, Jake. It’s been a chaos.”

“Yeah, it is,” he replied. He fought to hide his excitement. “How are you? Are you still teaching?”

Rachel’s smile faded. “I had to retire early. Family reasons,” she said quietly.

Jake felt a knot in his stomach. He asked to be absolutely certain. “Is our old principal your husband?”