"A little help here?" squealed a fourteen year old girl, teetering with a heavy box.
Her older sister relieved her of the moving box with a sigh. It had been the fifth time they'd moved. Yet here they were in the same predicament as before. New house, new school, New Neighbors, New City, New State.
"At least we had separate rooms at the old house!" scoffed Jessica grasping the box.
"Las Vegas was nice," agreed Riley with a brief nod.
"Duh," droned Jessica dropping the box in the room.
"We only lived in the house for three months!" claimed Riley with a growl.
"Well blame our sister, and her stupid problems!" griped Jessica wiping her forehead.
Riley chewed on her lower lip as she walked to the window. Hopefully this move wouldn't end badly, again…
Rocky wrinkled his forehead in concentration as he worked on his algebra. Since, when had math gotten so advanced? His brothers were playing video games in the background, which had been driving him crazy. One, he wished he could join in the game himself, and two they were too loud.
"Can you guy's shut up for a minute?" he groaned.
The sound of guns firing continued.
"Got you now sucker!" snapped the older one of the two. His sandy blonde hair slightly in his gray eyes.
"Your mine!" blurted the other, a lollipop in his mouth.
"No way dude you're a goner!" snickered the other.
Rocky rolled his eyes and glanced at the TV.
There was the sound of more shooting and then the lower bottom of the screen went black.
The dark haired boy, the youngest of the three let out a groan.
"Annihilated!" smirked the sandy haired boy dropping his controller in victory.
"Shut up!" growled the dark haired boy his chocolate eyes glaring.
"Make me!" snapped the other.
"Great, you two broke my concentration!" grouched Rocky turning back to his Algebra.
"Get a life, it's not like you actually use the crap!" shrugged Colt walking out from the room.
Rocky shook his head at his brother's display of rebellion against homework. There was more to life than sports, girls, and appearances. Right? Letting out a sigh, he looked out the window to see across the street moving trucks. Curiosity struck, he would never finish his homework.
"Hey, Tum Tum look new neighbors!" pointed Rocky.
Tum tum jumped from his spot on the rug, and leaped to the window to have a look. Tum tum looked over the big moving truck as he sucked on his pop, "You think they have kids?"
"I don't know?" shrugged Rocky standing up from his desk.
"Hope so!" smiled Tum tum.
"You want to go see?" asked Rocky.
"You just don't want to do homework, do you?" snickered Tum tum.
Rocky glanced at the empty sheet of work. His lips twisted into smirk, "Yeah,"
"Dude, let's go!" laughed Tum tum.
Rocky grabbed a cap from the dresser and led his brother down the stairs. Adjusting it quickly the paraded to the foyer to put their shoes on.
"Hey Colt you wanna come?" shouted Tum tum?
The two turned to see their brother walking in from the kitchen apple in hand. Cocking a brow as he leaned against the stairs, "Where is it your going?"
"See the neighbors, you coming or not?" asked Rocky?
Colt took a bite from the apple, thinking it over.
"Fine," he snorted.
Sleeping on striped couch in the open garage lied Taylor. Her auburn hair scattered around her face, and a black cap covering her eyes. Her legs crossed lazily and her mouth slightly opened.
"Taylor, get your ass up and help!" ordered Jessica entering through the garage door.
Jumping from her spot her green eyes open wide. Noticing it was just her sister she got back into a comfortable position.
"Hey, get up!" barked Jessica her ocher eyes burning.
"I am up!" sneered Taylor.
"I mean help unpack!" continued Jessica her hands on her hips now.
"You guys are doing a good job, wouldn't want to ruin that!" scoffed Taylor placing her arms behind her head.
"This is your fault! Take a little responsibility!" snapped Jessica flipping her hair and walking away in huff, shaking her head as she went.
Taylor rolled her eyes and snored loudly.
Jessica was walking out of the moving truck when she saw the three boys walking over from across the street. Looking above the box she watched their procession to the house. Placing the box down and wiping her hands on her jeans she put on a smile.
"Hi," she smiled shyly.
"Hi," greeted Rocky nervously looking her over. He hadn't thought the new neighbor would have a beautiful daughter. Her dark brown hair, and her golden honey brown eyes, and sun kissed skin made her and object of affection.
"So you the new neighbors daughter?" asked Tum tum with a smile.
"Erm, yeah. Actually I have two other sisters' too… so erm… nice to meet you…" she paused stretching out her hand.
"Rocky and this is colt and tum tum!" introduced rocky shaking her hand softly.
Jessica crinkled her forehead at the strange names.
"They're our ninja names!" explained Rocky feeling stupid.
"I'm Jessica Anders," smiled Jessica to all three.
"Cool," sighed Colt taking another bite from his apple indifferently.
"So, what grade are you in?" asked Tum tum brightly.
"Well I'm a senior, and my sisters are a junior and freshman," sighed Jessica placing the tips of her fingers in her jeans' pockets.
"Same as us," laughed Rocky.
"Really?" asked Jessica.
"Yeah," nodded Rocky.
Jessica gave him a smile but soon felt an arm fling around her shoulders. Turning to see little Riley with a big smile.
"Hi, wow so you're our new neighbors?" asked Riley excited.
"Yeah, we live across the street, my name is Tum tum!" smiled Tum tum.
"Tum tum? That's your name?" asked Riley quickly.
"Yeah, my grandfather gave me that as a ninja name." explained Tum tum off handily.
"Cool you're a ninja?" asked Riley.
"Yeah, we've had loads of training and stuff," nodded Colt suavely.
Tum tum nodded in assurance.
"Wow! That must be some hard training," grinned Riley.
"By the way, I'm Riley!" she added on quickly with a flip of her long brown hair.
Tum tum nodded with a grin. She was pretty. She had big blue eyes and a soft chestnut brown hair a little past her shoulders. The two sisters didn't look that much alike. The eldest, had a sun kissed tan, dark hair, and brown eyes, while the youngest looked like a baby doll.
"So… California is pretty hot," sighed Jessica at a loss for conversation.
"Hmm… are you new to the state?" asked Rocky?
"Yeah, first time living here. So, you want something to drink maybe?" asked Jessica with a nod.
"Ah… yeah, sure!" nodded Rocky.
"Can we come inside?" asked Tum tum happy to explore the house.
Jessica looked to Riley then nodded, "Yeah come on in?"
Rocky rolled his eyes to Tum tum then followed the two girls through the garage entrance. The three boys entered to see a girl lounging on a couch. There wasn't much to her. She wore a baggy black shirt and a pair of blue jeans, her face hidden.
"Some movers you guys got!" snickered Colt.
"Yeah, well she's actually my other sister, but your right she isn't much of a help!" cut in Jessica leading them out of the garage and into the house.
Taylor shifted at the new voices. Sitting up and turning just in time to see the door close. Fixing her hat back on her head she got up and walked into the house.
"So you lived in Las Vegas for a while?" asked Colt taking a sip from his can of Pepsi.
"Only three months," answered Jessica taking a seat at the dinner table.
"That short?" asked Rocky.
"Yeah, you could say we had problems with the adjustment," answered Jessica blandly as Taylor entered the kitchen.
The three boys watched quietly as Taylor grabbed a can from the fridge and plodded over by the sink.
"So you've lived here all your life?" asked Jessica on a happier note.
"Yeah, we go on vacation to visit our grandpa in the summers though," answered Rocky.
"So is he the ninja?" asked Riley.
"Yeah, he's taken on fifteen guys at once!" bragged Colt.
Rocky elbowed him stiffly.
"Yeah, so have I, lots of times!" added Tum tum.
"Yeah, you wish Tum Tum!" snickered Colt.
"Did you hear that Taylor, they're ninjas!" chirped Riley from beside Tum tum.
"Yeah, and I'm a pirate!" sneered Taylor from by the sink her back to them all.
"No, seriously we are!" interjected Tum tum.
Taylor finally turned fully around giving them a quick roll of the eyes she snorted and walked out of the room and up the stairs.
"What the hell is her problem?" asked Colt offended.
"That's just the way Taylor is." Answered Jessica with a cough.
"Yeah, ever since dad got a divorce, she's been nasty!" whispered Riley.
"Sorry to hear about that," sighed Rocky glancing up at Jessica who was sitting uncomfortably.
"Oh, it's fine! Years ago, she's just a bit of a tyrant!" mumbled Jessica shaking it off.
"So you live with your mom or your dad?" asked Tum tum?
"Our mom," answered Riley sipping from her bottled water.
"So… are you guys going to North Orange County High?" asked Rocky curiously.
"Oh, yes, we're starting next Monday. The last year we've been homeschooled, so it's nice to go back with actual kids." Rambled Jessica.
"Homeschooled?" asked Colt with distaste?
"Yeah," sighed Jessica carefully.
"Since Taylor…" began Riley.
"Riley!" snapped Jessica quickly.
Riley went quiet, a blush tingeing her cheeks.
"Well it's been nice meeting you guys, and we'll see you at school. We have a lot of stuff to do though," smiled Jessica.
The three boys eyed each other and left their new neighbors to unpack.