I moved into a new house in a small suburb, hoping to find friends and comfort. But from day one, neighbors avoided me, treating me like I was invisible. One afternoon, a girl fell off her bike in front of my house, and when I tried to help, her mother rushed over, yelling, “Get away from her!” I felt confused and hurt.

Despite the cold reception, I decided to throw a party to break the ice. I cooked and decorated, but no one showed up except Jacob, who told me, “The house you moved into has a bit of a reputation.” The last resident disappeared mysteriously, and people believed the house was cursed.

Determined to uncover the truth, I explored the attic and found a diary from the previous resident, detailing strange occurrences. Soon, I started noticing eerie noises and other odd happenings.

One night, I caught Jules, a superstitious neighbor, spying on me. I decided to confront the situation. During a commotion, the neighbors gathered, accusing me of causing trouble. Desperate, I pointed out, “The person who climbed into my yard will have paint on them.” To everyone’s shock, Jacob’s boots were covered in paint.

Jacob confessed, “I spread the rumors to lower the house price.” The neighbors apologized, realizing their mistake. From that day on, they welcomed me, and I finally felt a sense of belonging. Jacob, however, moved away in shame.

“Appearances can be deceptive,” I whispered. “Things aren’t always as they seem.”