Chapter 2 - Are You Seeing This!?

                                    

                                          
13 Days Since We Left Home

                          
Brooke Keye's POV: 

                          
    As soon as I woke up, I glanced at the time, 8:34. Nope!  was my only thought then I shifted onto my other side and fell asleep. 
                          
    When I woke up again, it was at a much more decent time - 10:46. I yawned, stretched, aaand... accidentally knocked Max off my bed. Mow!! He protested and I quickly rushed over to him, apologizing. He glared at me but was soon purring once more and when I went downstairs, he followed me. 
                          
    My family was all already awake and watching some sort of AFV on our TV. "Easy morning?" I asked. James shrugged and Kyle gave me a small wave without taking his gaze off the TV. I grinned and rolled my eyes, "Good morning to you too!" On the TV screen, a cat crashed into a wall after failing with its jump. Kyle started to laugh and the rest of my family joined in. Yawning, I settled into the only empty chair. Easy morning indeed...
                          
Noon/Lunchtime...
                          
    Dad finally decided to turn off the TV. Protesting, we all stared at the now blank screen. "Go get yourselves ready, grab lunch and take it outside - it's a wonderful day!" Dad replied. My excitement sparked and I rushed upstairs to get dressed. I stomped down the steps and on my way out, grabbed a sandwich and a Dorito's bag. However, before I could get away, Kyle saw me and gave chase. 
                          
    "You have to share!" he protested. 
                          
    He followed me around the entire exterior of the house until he finally cornered me on our front porch. Sighing, I allowed him to grab a few. When he grabbed a handful, I took off running again only to trip on a hole that I hadn't seen earlier. 
                          
    "Ha! Got you!" he cried, grinning, then added, "Or at least the hole did. Works both ways for me. Now, surrender the chips or die!" Rolling my eyes, I gave up the Dorito's and when he ran off with the bag, I didn't follow. James was just walking out the front door and when he saw me sprawled out on the yard, he cracked up.
                          
    "Not helping!" I muttered, then started to pick myself up. However, while I was still kneeling on the ground, there was a sudden rumbling sound as if a big car was about to drive down our street. 
                          
    Tilting my head slightly, I met James's eye and he looked as perplexed as I did. Together we squinted down our street to see some sort of tour bus turning onto our street. 
                          
    "Wow..." I whispered. James nodded in agreement. Maybe we shouldn't have been so amazed since a lot of artists and bands lived in Nashville then again we had just moved two weeks ago. Plus, our street was a quiet one, so whoever was in the tour bus must live nearby. 
                          
    "Maybe we shouldn't stare, James..." I said and as soon as the words left my mouth, the bus stopped at our neighbor's house!! 
                          
    "James... um... could our neighbor be someone famous?" I asked quietly. He shrugged and said what I was thinking aloud, "I mean, we haven't met whoever lives there yet, so... I dunno. Maybe." 
                          
    Suddenly, a bug crawled across my leg and I jumped back letting a small squeal escape from my mouth. James looked back at me a bit irritably but otherwise ignored me. The next time I looked at the bus, the door was open, letting out laughter and voices. A man stepped down from the bus, waving back to whoever was in the bus, a smile on his face. 
                          
    "See you soon! Thanks for giving me a ride!" he called with an accent but I didn't need the accent to know who he was: JOEL SMALLBONE! James turned back to me grinning. 
                          
     "Well, it seems like all your dreams have come true, Brooke. As you would say, this is PRICELESS!" he said, laughing.
                          
    Face flushed, I met his eye. "Our neighbor cannot be Joel Smallbone!" I cried. James doubled over in laughter and in-between his giggles he said, "Oh my gosh! This is hilarious..." 
                          
     I would have rolled my eyes in any other situation but instead I angrily and a bit dazed said, "JAMES! Are you seeing this? Our next-door neighbor is a famous person!" 
                          
     He was laughing too hard to say something and if my face could have gotten any redder, it would have. With a squeal, the bus doors closed and it kept on driving down the road. I stared after the bus, not sure what to do anymore. Suddenly, I glanced behind James and suddenly he was standing right there, waving at us.
                          
    His mouth opened and he said kindly, "G'day! You guys must be the new neighbors! I'm Joel. Joel Smallbone. What are your guy's names?" 
                          
A/N: Okay - before you move onto the next chapter comment below and tell me how you would react!! This is probably how I myself would have reacted and how my older brother would have too. He would think it was all too funny - just like James. Anyways, once more, tell me how you would answer Joel's question!! If you say faint, I'm with you 😂