"Look at those bodies, boys." Peter said Derek and Danny.

They both laughed together all wearing swimming trunks. The girls were beside the pool tannings, some people were in the swimming pool.

Emma was one of those girls tanning. She wore a red bikini and her hair was up to her shoulders and very blonde. She had cute chocolate brown eyes and a tanned body already.

Her best friends were beside her, Darcy and Manny. Manny had long dark hair and was latino typed, boys loved her. Darcy was of a good girl, she was in tons of clubs and loved helping people, she had brown hair with blonde highlights. They were all 16, Emma was turning 17 in a few months.

Derek joked back with Peter, "Just want a bite her left cheek like ARR Aarrr."

"Ahahahah." the boys laughed harder and Manny took her glasses off over by the girls and the end of the pool.

"Ew." she simply states.

Emma opened her eyes and laid up on her elbows to ask, "What?"

"I think their talking about us again." Manny said, nodding towards Derek, Peter and Danny.

"Who invited them anyways?" Darcy scoffed.

Emma laughed a little and insisted, "Their totally harmless." but there Derek went, screaming 'Cannonball!' as he landed in the pool.

"AHHH!"

The girls screamed who was splashed madly and yelled at the same time, "DEREK!"

Danny and Peter were laughing together and so were a few people on the other side of the pool, the people in the pool glared.

"The party is here!" cheered a voice, as Emma's backyard gate opened and in came Holly J, Holly J's boyfriend Blue, Mia and Anya following behind.

"And Emma, I think you got a new neighbor." Anya told her.

Emma looked to Manny and the raised an eyebrow at another.

"He's SO hot." Mia declared with a giggle.

Emma laughed with Manny and got up as Darcy put her sunglasses on her head.

"Guys!" she exclaimed getting up, "Wait up!" she followed after them.

Emma was to peek first as they stood on her houses porch and she put her hands on her brick railing, leaning over to check out the new neighbor/s.

"Oh." Manny said.

"My..." drifted Darcy.

"God." the two said at the first time.

Behind the big white moving truck, a guy parked his orange civic behind it and got out, lighting up a cigerette. He had brown shaggy hair and he was tallish and good sized built. He wore a black shirt that was very fitting and showed off his strong arms, lastly he wore dark blue jeans. His eyes were covered though with black thin shades.

Emma would of joined in but she was too in awe and she curiously eyed the new guy.

"Just sign right here, Mr Hogart." she heard the moving truck man say as he jumped out of the truck and passed the new guy a chart with a piece of paper on it and a pen.

"It's just Jay..." he said in a low voice, but Emma heard it, and wow... he had a good voice.

Manny leaned on the railing beside Emma and greeted, "Mornin' Mr Hogart."

"Manny!" exclaimed Darcy as the guy looked over and noticed the girls.

Emma looked away as Manny giggled and gawked him with Darcy. Emma snuck another glance though as the guy passed the trucker his piece of paper back and looked to them again. She couldn't see his eyes behind his sunglasses, but the way chills went up her body... she swore his eyes were on her.

"Whatcha girl's looking at?" came Blue's voice and they all turned from this 'Mr Hogart' .. .this 'Jay' guy. He looked maybe 20?

"Emma." scoffed Jimmy Brookes, stepping up her porch steps. Her boyfriend. "You know better not to stand outside with just a bikini on." he bittered.

"I'm having a pool party, Jimmy. I told you that." she scoffed but let him put his hands on her waist. Her and Jimmy were the ideal couple, the schools star basketball player with the nicest and prettiest cheerleader.

Yes, Jimmy was sometimes, let's say... a jerk. But sometimes, he let Emma see the nice side of him... but he'd never show that side around his friends. No, he was too 'tough' for that.

"Let's go then." he said, taking her hand and leading her back to the pool in the backyard.

Everyone followed but Emma found herself sneaking a glance back at the house next door, but Jay was gone.

"I like the pink one." Manny said, now sitting on Emma's bed with her that night. They were having a sleepover.

Emma laid on her stomach on the bed and glanced at Manny who held a pink and blue nail polish.

"I like blue." Emma replied.

Manny gave a face examining the nail polish's and then nodded, agreeing with her. Emma heard a noise and Manny watched her get up as she slowly painted her toes.

Manny hid her smirk and asked, "Watcha lookin' at?"

Emma was trying to peek out her window, but being in the basment only gave her certain view.

"Nothing." Emma lied. Then again, she really didn't see him so it wasn't technically a lie. She came and sat back down on the bed with Manny and looked around as Manny eyed her.

"Do you really like Jimmy?"

Emma laughed, "He's my boyfriend." she replied and Manny shrugged.

"So? I had many boyfriend's I didn't like."

"Cause you Manny Santo's, are a-"

Manny gasped going to throw a pillow at her and Emma yelped, getting up and laughed.

"I didn't say anything!" Emma exclaimed.

"I knew exactly what you were going to say, Emma Nelson!" she yelled and Emma only shook her head smiling.

She then heard her mother Spike yell down the stairs, "Girls! Dinner!"

Emma and Manny jogged up and smiled. They went to greet Spike for both of them to stop and see Tracker. Manny looked at Emma who frowned and looked away from him.

She didn't like Tracker all that much. He was Spike's on and off boyfriend. They were close to getting married once but, he's not so great with affections. Since then, he's always trying to act like 'Mr sensitive.'

"Hey Emma." he greeted.

Emma just sat down on other end of the table and Manny sat next to her.

"Manny." he nodded to as well and she gave a slight smile, trying not to be rude.

Spike eyed the two and put down some buns for the dinner table and slowly sat down. "Tracker's back. He got a promotion at Tony's Auto shop." she told Emma.

Emma just played with her food, not caring so much.

"I'm not the best mechanic." Tracker says, bitting into his food and said, "But I'm a good manager who keeps my employees in check."

Emma glanced to Manny who tried hiding her smile.

"Talking about my employers." Tracker drifted, "The guys next door-"

"Oh, our new neighbors?" smiled Spike, as if she was going to make new friends.

"There's only one guy, Mom." Emma muttered.

"A very hot guy." corrected Manny.

"Manny!" exclaimed Spike. She loved her like a daughter but come on! Manners at the dinner table at least!

"Yeah, it's a young guy. In his twenties." Tracker explained, "He's from here, but lived down town til he got a raise by Tony."

"Oh you two work with another? That's great!" Spike insisted.

Tracker just shrugged and took another big bite, "Not much of a talker. Least not to me. Maybe it will take him just a bit longer to warm up." he says.

"Maybe he just doesn't like you." Emma declared through the silence.

Spike snapped, "Emma."

"Can we be excused?" Emma asked, narrowing her eyes at her mother.

"Fine." Spike said, watching as the two girls got up grabbing their plates and left. She never knew why Emma always hated Tracker so much. One day, she'll have to learn that her father wasn't coming back.

"She'll come around." Tracker promised Spike once they were alone.

"I'm sure she will." Spike smiled.