Chapter 2

I smash my cigarette into Freddie's driveway, like so many times before; I think I can even see an imprint in the cement. Freddie answers the door in his usual Thursday clothes, baby blue boxers, and jabs the cash into my hand. I can feel him watching me as I grab the package from my pack. He grabs it with a delicate gesture like it was touched by an angel and closes the door on me. I smile and turn and turn on my heels. 'Good afternoon to you, too' I murmur to myself walking down the drive.

As I ride back down my street I see the same girl I saw earlier struggling with yet another big item from the moving van. She looks at me and I pretend not to see her but it's too late. 'Are you just gonna look or help me out?' she asks across the street. I don't answer back, but I grab my board and run over to help her. 'Thanks' she says without looking at me as I help her lift the bed frame through the house.

We plop the frame down in the corner of what I guess could very well be her room. She finally looks at me as I'm waiting to be told what to do next when I get the same stare I get from everyone else. She shakes her head as if she's coming out of some kind of trance and sticks out her hand. I take it, thankful for a distraction and shake it.

'Hi!' we say at the same time as well as a nervous laugh from both of us.

'Emily Fitch'

'Naomi Campbell' I can see she's trying not to laugh. 'Why are you smirking?'

'What?'

'You're laughing now.'

'Oh! Sorry. I just um. . .'

'It's my name isn't it?'

'. . . Ok, yeah. I just didn't want to say anything' she replies laughing. I just nod my head up and down a couple times before an awkward silence falls between us. 'So . . . any blood from the great, Naomi Campbell, herself?'

'No, no, not at all.'

'I guess you get that one all the time'

'No, actually, I think its pretty plain to see there's no blood between the two of us.' I reply with a cringe because I immediately realize I've said it rather harshly. Emily doesn't seem to notice though as she's going through a box. She senses I'm watching her and looks up at me.

'What?' she asks smiling.

'I'm sorry, I mean, I'm sure you get this a lot also but has anyone ever told you, you look like-'

'Shannyn Sossamon?' she finishes.

'I guess you do get that a lot.' I smile.

'Yeah, I got it once or twice.'

'What do you think, Emily?'

'I agree I have her eyes but that's about it. She's way prettier.'

'I agree' I reply teasing. She throws a magazine at me and it nearly misses my head. 'Nice arm.'

'Thank you.'

'Maybe we should swap names?'

'Hey! You're very lucky it wasn't a phone, Hun.' She says as I pick the magazine up from the floor. I see it's Rolling Stone with 'Foster the People' on the cover. 'You like them?' She looks at me, questioningly. 'Foster the People?'

'Oh! I love them.'

'Coolio, so do I.'

'Well, there's one thing we can talk about.'

'Or we could just talk about your trainer, Naomi Campbell.' She looks at me squinting her eyes. 'Cheeky. You're just jealous I almost hit you.'

'You caught me.' I reply as she stands up and crosses her arms, smirking at me. 'I'm right? Do I get a prize this time?' Mocking her I say 'Do I get a prize this time, yeah, that's funny.' Emily laughs. I look at the alarm clock she has already set and realize I've been here for almost 20 minutes.

'Um I have to go or I'll be in some trouble with my step-brother.' I say the last part under my breath. 'Is he violent or something?' she asks with concern evident in her Hershey bar chocolate brown eyes. I really like her eyes. I'd like to stare into them more but she's waiting for an answer. 'Well, usually, drug dealers are.' My eyes widen. I can't believe I just admitted that to her. Someone I've just met. Cook is literally going to kill me now. 'What makes you think he's a drug dealer?' I'm too shocked with myself to do anything other than shrug looking away from her. 'Well, I'll walk you out.'

As we walk through the house I realize she must be pretty rich because this looks like the grandest and hence the most expensive house on the block. When we get to the door I suddenly realized I didn't see her parents anywhere. 'So, do you live here alone?' She scoffs, 'Of course not. I'm only sixteen.' I look at her about to ask her a question. She reads my mind, though. 'My parents are at the grocery store.' I turn to grab my skateboard from her porch and I'm about to take off when she speaks again. 'If you want you can meet them over dinner tomorrow. They won't mind.'

'Um, I don't-'

'Six, then?'

'I don't-'

'Great! See ya tomorrow!'

'But-' She closes the door and I'm left with no choice but to leave wondering how I'm going to get away from home to have dinner with the new neighbors.

A/N: So I'm gonna really try to update as often as possible. I have a lot of chapters already written up, it's just a matter of typing them out and I really don't like typing so . . . REVIEW!