Meredith:
It had been three weeks...almost a month since I started living this new life. Quite a lot had changed within the few days. I wasn't so scared of Mason anymore and living with Mama Rue wasn't so much of a pain. Mason tried his best to teach me simple ways of defending myself from attacks. He was a good teacher, though a little suppressive.
I was sweeping the porch when I heard Mama Rue call from inside.
"Come on in. I've got a task for you!" I immediately dropped the broom and went inside. Mason was already seated at the ritual table with Mama Rue leaning heavily against the wall.
"Is there a problem?" I dusted my blouse.
"Not at all." She picked a glass bottle from the table. "I need both of you to deliver this medicine to Ever Street House no.6."
"Deliver?" I tilted my head.
"When did delivering stuff become part of our stay here?" Mason frowned.
Mama Rue sternly glared at him, "My house, my rules." He fell silent. She looked between Mason and me. "You do delivery, don't you? This shouldn't be troublesome." She wrapped the bottle in a tin foil and handed it to Mason. He looked unconcerned.
"Don't worry. You won't be recognized by anyone. Just give it to Mr. Nein and return home as quick as possible." Mason stood up, ready to leave.
"You know Ever Street?" I asked him.
"I do." He replied. Mama Rue looked pleased. "Come on."
I felt a little out of place; not knowing so much about this place but everyone around me knew a lot. He opened the door for me and I walked out. He followed behind.
"Do you know Mr. Nein too?" I asked.
"No."
"So how'd you know if he's the one living there now?"
"I'll just ask." He looked at me. "You really need to take a stroll around town to know what goes on."
"Do I?"
"You do." He looked away.
Mason led us all the way to the other side of town far from where I lived. There was a small, decent house with tinted yellow walls and a bricked roof. There were little white flower pots hanging decoratively outside at the veranda. The house looked simple and comfy.
"This is house number 6." He looked down at me. "Will you do the talking...or should I?"
"You do it." I didn't hesitate. Meeting people for the first time and starting conversations wasn't my thing.
"Fine." He took a step forward. Before he could knock, the door burst open and out came a gray-haired man holding firmly onto the collar of a geek-looking young boy with his glasses funnily tipped over his nose.
"Get out, you punk!" The old man pushed the boy away. "I never want to see you near my granddaughter ever again!" His face was red with fury. I noticed how wrinkled and pale his old face was. He turned back inside without noticing our presence as the young boy scurried off like a rat.
"Mr. Nein?" Mason called.
He turned sharply and when he saw us, he barked, "Who is it?"
"Medicine...from Mama Rue." Mason brought the tin foil out.
"Who?" The man squinted. He had a grim expression on his face.
Mason looked slightly irritated. He replied even louder, "Medicine!"
"Oh!" The man laughed. "The delivery?"
"Exactly." I noticed how eager Mason was to leave the place. "Here you go." He brought the tin foil out.
The man didn't take it. Instead, he squinted his eyes at us. "I haven't seen you both before." He frowned. "Are you her new workers?"
Mason sighed, getting irritated.
"Yes, we are." I finally spoke up. At this point Mason could spit out something rude; looking at how flushed be looked. What a temper!
"Ho-ho! Come in. Have some tea." He became all smiley.
"Mr. Nein. We are in a bit of a hurry. We came from far." I said.
"Just a cup of tea!" He insisted. "You wouldn't refuse an old man, would you?"
I looked at Mason.
"Okay." I said. "Just one." It would be rude to refuse such a sweet old man. Mason's head snapped sharply at me.
We went in and the smell of mint and lemon filled the air. Mason looked so reluctant, but he still sat and waited with me as the old man closed the door.
"Hey, hun!" The man yelled. "Bring some tea to my guests!"
Of course, this old man couldn't live alone. Was it his wife he lived with? Daughter? From a small room came a smallish brunette girl with a pale face and slightly swollen eyes. Her face...she looked familiar. I thought I knew her somewhere. She placed the tray with the cups down and began to leave.
"Cheryl?" The name slipped from my lips unconsciously. I frantically covered my mouth, not expecting this. I didn't mean to call her! It slipped. She turned, surprised. Everyone's attention turned to me.
"You know my granddaughter?" The man looked intensely at me. I think I know her...but where?
"No, no." I said. "She looked familiar. Sorry." Even if I did know her as Meredith, I wasn't supposed to disclose my identity to her. I was Piper and no one else.
"Maybe you two have met in the past." The man grinned. "You can rekindle that old spirit, don't you think?"
The girl was looking at me doubtfully, like she saw through me. She left quietly without saying a word. Her steps were slow and careful.
"Mr. Nein?" I began, sipping from the cup. I wanted to ask about the girl so I could find out more about where I knew her. I changed my mind, "The tea is great."
He smiled, "Thank you! My girl makes it so special." His smile suddenly dropped. "It's a pity she has no one to share her secret recipe with."
"What do you mean by 'no one'?" I asked. All that time, Mason leaning his back against his chair looking from me to Mr. Nein occasionally, unbothered.
"She has gone through a lot. She had no real friends in school." He shook his head painfully. "Just when she thought she found one, she lost her."
"What a pity. How?" I was glad Mr. Nein spoke about her so I didn't have to ask, making it look like I was prying.
"A fire." He said. My stomach twisted. Mason sat up, suddenly gaining interest.
"A fire?" I frowned. "Where?"
"The other side of town...where the lake starts. What was it called again? Is it...um..."
"Blisslake?"
"Right! Blisslake!" He sighed. "Oh! She would have made a great friend."
I tried my best not to breakdown. We were talking about me...about Meredith! So I did know her? Was it from school? Library?
"That's tragic. I'm so sorry." I shook my head. There was a strange silence enveloping the place. No one said anything for a while.
"We must leave, sir." Mason rubbed his thighs.
"Oh...I'm sorry. I must have kept you for so long." Mr. Nein apologised. He stood up, and so did we. "You two are a great company." He smiled.
"Thank you. So are you." I shook his hand.
"Send my greetings to the witch- I mean, Mama Rue." He chuckled.
"We will. Take care Mr. Nein." He waved and watched us leave. The door was shut.
I turned to Mason, "She is Cheryl."
He looked at me, "Was she a friend?" His voice was calm, carried away by the wind.
I stared at the ground as we walked, feeling so overwhelmed, "Almost."