I breathed in the scent of chocolate chip cookies and lemonade as I walked into my bright kitchen. I grabbed a cookie and a glass of lemonade and walked out to the back yard. The warmth of the sun hit my skin and I had the overwhelming sensation to run around the yard. Being eight what else would I want to do. I was a tomboy you could say. I loved being outside, wearing my overalls, and playing sports. I didnt care what the girls in my class thought about me. They would laugh at my choice of clothing but it didnt bother me."Grace!" I was snapped out of my thoughts when my mom called my name from the kitchen window. "Yes?" I yelled. "Come here." she replied. "coming" I grumbled. I ran back to the back door my dirty sneakers squeaking as I set foot on the linoleum floors. My mom cringed when she heard the noise but ignored because she knew I would never give them up. "Honey, we have new neighbors and I believe they have kids around your age." She stated as she starting putting some cookies onto a tray. Kids my age? I hoped that they like playing outside. "And I want you to go welcome them to the neighborhood." She finished. "Sure!" I said eagerly trying to grab the tray from her hands. "But.." There was always a catch with Mom. "I want you to change first, first impressions are everything." she reminded me. "Ugh. Fine." I replied giving her a disgruntled bent down and kissed my forehead and shooed me off. I ran up the stairs to my bedroom as fast as my little legs could. I stepped inside my room and went straight to my closet. Taking out a pink frilly shirt my grandma gave me last Christmas, I furrowed my brows. "No way" I said throwing it to the back of my closet. I grabbed a blue t-shirt with my favorite basketball team logo and put it on along with a pair of jean shorts. As i was tying up my laces, I heard people talking outside. I ran to my window and climbed out onto the rooftop. I always sat on the rooftop, it was my secret spot nobody knew about. I looked over at the house next to mine. And there he was. A boy who looked my age with curly brown hair. He was running around the yard with a dog while people who I assumed were his family carried boxes into the house. I laughed when I saw him trip over a rock. He heard me and looked up at me and smiled and waved. I blushed and smiled back. I climed back and into my room and ran down the steps and into the kitchen. My mom wasnt there so I grabbed the cookies off the counter and headed out the door. As I was walking across my yard the boy I saw earlier noticed and met me by the tree that seperated our yards. "Hi! Im Nathan but you can call me Nate beacuse thats what my older brothers call me. Whats your name?" he asked happily. Wow he was so nice. I knew right then and there we would be best friends. "Im Grace. Here's some cookies my mom made."I replied smiling widely as he took the tray from my extended hands. He looked at the cookies hungrily. "Wow. Thanks. Theses look great do you wanna share?" he asked. "Yea. Im hungry" He smiled "Me too. Come on." He grabbed my hand and led me to his kitchen. I looked down at are small hands and blushed. Sooner than I wanted he let go of my hand as he reached his kitchen. We sat down at his newly set up breakfast table and each grabbed a cookie. We sat there in silence eating are cookies until his Mom walked in and noticed me. She was a pretty lady with curly hair just like Nate's. She looked down at us and smiled. "Oh Mom, this is Grace she lives next door and she's my new best friend." He looked over at me nevously "I mean if you want to be." I smiled widely "Yeah. Of course. I think your really cool." It was Nate's turn to blush this time. "Well thats great honey. And Grace you're welcome at our house anytime." His mom said patting my back. "Really? Thanks." I said excitedly. She smiled again and left the room. "Hey Nate?" I looked up at him."Yeah?" he questioned and his brows knitted together."I wanna show you on" I smiled mischeviously. He gave me a quizzical look and followed me when I ran out the door, across our yards and into my house. We raced up the stairs and he won. Nate was much faster than me. But I was just happy I had a best friend. We walked in my room. Nate looked around stunned. Probably at all my sports trophys. I rolled my eyes and pulled him towards my window. I climed out and gestured for him to come. He followed and sat beside me on the rooftop. "Wow" he whispered as he looked out at the neighborhood."Im glad were best friends." I admited. "Me too." He agreed. Little did I know how important this boy would become over ther next years.