Chapter 1

Ivy stepped off the bus in Cayton, a small town that was far away from the hustle and bustle of Charleston, the place she had called home for the past few years. She felt a strange sense of peace wash over her as she looked around at the quiet streets, the trees dancing in the breeze and the familiar faces of the locals who were already familiar with her story.

She had left Charleston behind to start fresh. She had said goodbye to her family, her friends and her job, but most of all, her relationship with Jason. The breakup had been hard, she had loved him so much, but she knew it was for the best. 

Ivy remembered everything like it was yesterday. She remembered as she stepped off the elevator, her heart pounding with excitement. She had a few surprises in store for Jason's birthday. She was looking forward to seeing the look on his face when she showed him what she had brought. 

A playstation game, a new sneaker and the dream car he had always wanted.

Ivy remembered saving for two years plus adding her side hustles again to get these gifts for him.

Ivy could recall as she took a deep breath and opened the door to Jason's apartment. She expected to find him in the living room, but instead she found him stark naked on the couch with another girl. Ivy felt like she had been punched in the gut. 

She wanted to turn around and run away, but her feet felt like they were glued to the floor. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. 

A blonde girl had her arms around Jason, and they were both laughing. Ivy felt like she had been betrayed. Tears welled up in her eyes and she couldn't speak. She just stood there, frozen in shock. 

Jason must have noticed her standing there because he jumped off the couch, pushed the blonde girl aside and tried to cover himself up with a blanket. 

Ivy felt upset as she remembered something she didn't notice before. 

As she thought about it, she squinted her eyes.

Jason wasn't wearing a condom when he jumped off the couch. He must have been having unprotected sex with the blonde girl.

Wow.

He must have been having unprotected sex with other girls too.

Her heart sank. She needed to go check herself. What if that bastard contacted some STDs and her with them?

She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

She remembered him stumbling over his words, trying to explain the situation. 

"Ivy, I can explain," he said. 

But Ivy couldn't listen. She felt too hurt and betrayed. She turned around and ran out of the apartment, tears streaming. Such a poignant moment to recall. 

She needed to distance herself from the pain and sadness, and Cayton was the perfect place to do that.

Ivy took a deep breath, smiled, and started walking towards the inn, ready to begin her new life.

The sun was setting as Ivy made her way down the cobblestone path that led to the small, but quaint inn. As she stepped up to the porch, she noticed an old rocking chair that was swaying back and forth in the warm breeze. She smiled to herself, it felt like this was where she was meant to be.

Ivy opened the door and felt a cool breeze touch her skin. It felt like she was home.

Ivy stepped into her new home, taking in the sights and the smells of the house. She had been longing for a place of her own for a long time, and now that she had it, she was determined to make it her own. She turned to her boxes piled up in the corner of the living room, ready to start unpacking and making the space her own.

She began with the kitchen, carrying boxes inside and setting them down on the counter. She opened them one by one, carefully removing each item and placing it in its designated spot. She unpacked plates, silverware, and mugs, taking time to admire each item before putting it away. After a few hours, the kitchen was finished and Ivy moved onto the living room. 

She arranged the furniture, hung artwork, and placed trinkets around the room. She had brought a few boxes of books with her, so she lined the shelves with her favorite novels and memoirs. As she hung pictures and decorations, she imagined the memories and moments she would make in this new home. 

When she was finished, Ivy stepped back to take in the transformation. She had created a place that was warm, inviting, and most importantly, her own.

It was time for lunch. She needed to make a meal.  

Ivy was in the kitchen, hastily throwing together a quick meal. She opened a can of tuna, added some mayonnaise and diced onions and peppers, then grabbed a few crackers from the pantry. She stirred it all together and grabbed a plate from the cupboard. 

Just as she was about to take her first bite, Ivy heard a knock at the door. She sighed and set down her plate, wondering who it could be. She wiped her hands on her apron and went to answer the door. 

When she opened it, she was surprised to see someone at the door. "Oh, hello there," she said with a smile. "What brings you here?" 

The stranger smiled back. "I live next door and I thought I'd stop by and say hello. I'm your neighbor, my name is Rafe. I came to introduce myself. Are you busy? I could help of you'd like or I could come back another time if you'd like." 

Ivy waved her hand. "No, no, it's fine. Please come in." She stepped aside to let the stranger inside. "I was just making myself a quick lunch. Would you like to join me?" 

The stranger hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. "That would be lovely, thank you." 

Ivy smiled and led him nto the kitchen. "Have a seat. I'll just finish up what I was doing." 

Rafe, the stranger took a seat at the table, and Ivy went back to her meal. She quickly finished her lunch and served Rafe a plate, and then, the two of them sat to exchange pleasantries. 

Rafe smiled at the new neighbor seated beside him. He'd heard about her moving in yesterday, so he'd decided to come out to welcome her to the neighborhood. "Thank you for the meal. It's an honor to meet you once again" he said, extending his hand. "I'm Rafe. I live right across the street. I heard you moved in yesterday and wanted to come and say welcome. I didn't know you'd be so kind enough to hand me a meal. Thank you" 

Ivy smiled, taking his hand and shaking it. "Thank you! That's really nice of you. I'm Ivy. I'm still getting settled in, but it's great to meet you." 

Rafe nodded. "Well, if there's anything I can do to help you out, just let me know." He adjusted the baseball cap on his head, the sun making its way higher in the sky. "We might be neighbors, but we can be friends too." 

Ivy's smile widened. "I'd like that."

When they finished, Ivy thanked returned to the kitchen to clean up. 

As she washed the dishes, Ivy thought about how nice it was to share a meal with a neighbor. The incident played out quite well in her head. She smiled to herself, feeling content with the day.