Just Don't Ask
Chapter 1
I stand eagerly at the doorway. Why
the heck am I so nervous to meet my new neighbors? I look at my
bike leaning against their gate, wow they must be loaded. I look
at my phone. No new messages from Jess. Why does she even care if
there is going to be someone new in our grade? We're in
eighth grade, it's not like we are toddlers or something. I
know she's always looking for new friends and stuff, but
can't she wait for
school to start on Monday? I mean it's in two days and I
still have to pick out my outfit and find out my classes. I check
the time.
6:18 PM
Crap! I have to be home by 6:30 for dinner. Finally the door
opens and a nice woman opens with dark dirty blonde hair. There
is a little girl who must be about two years old clinging to her
leg.
"Hi. Are you looking for Ethan?" Apparently he's a
boy.
"Yeah. My old teacher sent me some papers to give to him.
Like class requirements and stuff. By the way, I'm Dana
McCarthy; I live around the corner. But you can call me
Dani."
"Thank you for being so hospitable. I
know he's not too excited about moving here seeing as he will
be repeating the eighth grade. But I'm sure you could
introduce him to some people right? I don't want him getting
mixed in with the wrong crowd. Oh let me go find him! Come inside
and have a seat."
"Thank you but um I have to go. Maybe another t-"
"Nonsense! Sit down here. Ethan Burke! Get down this
instant!" I look at my phone and see that it is already
6:29. I nervously pull at my white short shorts and fiddle with
the back of my lavender halter top.
"What is it Mom?" I hear a voice from upstairs
yell.
"There's someone here I'd like you to meet. Now get
down here and don't be rude to our company."
Slowly a tall boy with long-but not weird long blonde hair comes
down the stairs. He shakes his head slightly to get his bangs out
of his face and looks at me with peircing blue eyes.
"I'm Ethan but I guess she already made that
odvious." He angrily looks at his mom.
"Oh yeah. I'm Dana. I just brought some stuff for you
for school on Monday. They told me to drop it off 'cause I
had to be there a bit early. I helped with orientation. Were you
there? I can't remember."
"No uh, I had sports." He says with his head down.
"My Ethan is a national fencer!" He looks ready to kill
her.
"My parents make me do it."
"No way! I'm like the only person in our school who does
it. I don't tell people 'cause people make it sound
pathetic. They don't get how it actually takes work." He
smiles.
"Hey maybe you could give me your number and we could
practice together or something?" I nod and take out my
phone. I read the number aloud to him as his mother walks away
and we talk. Suddenly my phone vibrates.
"Crap! I mean- sorry I have to go. It's like past seven
and I had to be home a while ago. It was awesome to meet
you." I start to leave but he stands up.
"Maybe we could like hang out or something."
I flash him a smile. "Yeah maybe" and quickly run out
the door.
"Dana! You're forty-five minutes late! What took you so
long?" My mother yells.
"I'm sorry I just- I don't know okay?" I
whimper.
"Well you sure as hell better not do this again!" She
kicks me in the stomach. "Now go get your siblings for
dinner."
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