Chapter Three!

I went back home around 4, where I found my dad cooking dinner while Tommy and Kendra played a game in the living room.

"Hey Jen, how was your walk? Meet anybody nice? Make any friends?" My dad bombarded me with questions the moment I walked through the door.

"It was hot. I did, actually. Kind of." I answered his inquiries with short answers, trying to catch up. "I went to the diner for some ice cream and met a boy, his name's Teddy. Then I met a boy named Ace." I didn't tell my dad where I met, seeing as Irby's was considered a bar.

"Teddy? Duchamp? He's a sweet kid. Hangs around with the Lachance kid. He's a good kid too. I don't know about that Chambers boy, though. Then there's Vern Tessio. Oh, speaking of the Tessio's, I have some news for you guys." My dad was apparently trying to make up for him being absent for 12 years of our lives.

"What is it, dad? I gotta go, I'm meeting Teddy for dinner." I told him.

"Oh, honey, it's really important, could you go find him and ask him to reschedule?" Dad pleaded with me.

"Yeah, I guess, if it's that important." So I walked right back out the door, looking for Teddy. I found him closer than I thought I would. Apparently, he lived across the street. I jogged over to where he was wrestling with the chubby boy from the diner, and yelled his name. "Teddy!"

He looked up from where he had the other boy pinned down, and smiled that great smile. "Yeah, Jen?" he asked.

"Listen, I can't go out with you tonight, it's my first night in town, and my dad wants me to stay home for dinner. How about Tuesday night? Same time, same place?"

He frowned, but said, "Sure, Jenny. See ya 'round." Then he went right back to his wrestling match. I rolled my eyes at his attention span, and waved goodbye. Jogging back across the street, I saw a strange car in my dad's driveway. I heard Teddy yell at his wrestling partner, "Verno! Your mom's at her boyfriend's house. It's time for you to leave."

I turned around, and the chubby kid was running across the street to my house. I frowned, trying to connect the dots. I followed Vern to my front door, and walked inside. I heard my dad saying, "Angela! This is my oldest, Thomas, my youngest, Kendra, and there's my middle daughter Jennifer!" He had his arm around a petite woman who looked like she was only about 5 foot 3 inches. To make up for her height, she had a huge head of blonde hair, and big baby blue eyes.

"Oh, Ken, they're all gorgeous! This is my son Vern, and my other son Billy should be here soon." She exclaimed. I was surprised at the sounds of her voice. I had expected it to be high and airy, but it was husky and smooth. Billy, could that be the same Billy I had met at Irby's earlier? The blonde stuck her hand out, saying "Hi Jennifer, I'm Angela Tessio! Your father has told me so much about you and your siblings, though you're much prettier than he described."

"Thanks, Mrs. Tessio, you're very kind." I gave my dad a look that said, we need to talk. NOW. He gestured towards the kitchen, and I followed him there. "Uh, Dad? Would you tell me what's going on here?"

"Jenny, Angela's my girlfriend. I have asked her and her son Vern to move in with us, and she has accepted. They are moving in tomorrow, and we are having dinner together tonight. Her other son Billy has his own place, so everyone will have their own rooms."

I was dumbfounded. Why hadn't my dad mentioned this earlier? He has a GIRLFRIEND? My DAD? My mind was reeling at this news. "Uh. Okay. This is… weird." I managed to say.

"Yeah, it'll be weird for awhile, but we'll all get used to it eventually. Plus, you and Vern are about the same age, so you guys will have stuff in common. You guys'll be in the same grade at school." He tried to make me feel better, but this was just too weird. I went and sat on the couch, trying to make sense of this whole crazy situation. First, I have to move to this little hick town. Then, I get asked out by two separate guys within 30 minutes. Now, my dad has a girlfriend, who is moving into my house with her son tomorrow. Wow. Okay. This is extremely weird. So back to reality, Vern comes and sits next to me.

"Hi. I'm Vern. This is weird." He says quietly.

I smile, and say, "Hi. I'm Jennifer. You can call me Jen. Or Jenny. Or just Jennifer. And yeah, this is definitely weird."

"So… what do you like to do for fun?" He attempts to make conversation.

I go along with it, and say, "Well, it depends on who I'm with. Because if I'm with a group of girls, I'd say it's doing my hair and makeup. If I'm with a group of guys, I like to fish and play baseball."

"Sincerely? Wow, that's cool. Me and my friends like to fish sometimes down at the lake. Maybe you could join us tomorrow morning, I'm sure they'll like you." He said earnestly.

"Sure, I guess. That'd be cool. I just have to be back by 6, I gotta get ready for my date with Ace tomorrow night."

"ACE? As in, Ace the Cobra?"

"Uh, no. He's a person, not a snake."

"No, Jenny, the Cobras are a gang that likes to beat up younger boys, like me and my friends. Ace, Eyeball, Billy, Charlie, and Vince all like to use women and drink beer. They aren't the kind of people you wanna hang out with."

"Oh. I didn't know. I can't just stand him up, though. It'd be rude. I'll just go tomorrow night, then tell him I'm not interested." I reasoned.

"Sincerely? Okay, that's a good plan. Anyway, Teddy lives right across the street, so he can walk you to the lake tomorrow morning. I'll tell him to meet you outside at 7. That's the best time for fishing. Sound good?" He asked.

"Sure Vern. It was really nice talking to you, I'm glad I get to live with you, you seem cool." I grinned. We talked for a while longer, then I got tired and went up the two flights of stairs to my bedroom. I searched in my suitcases for my PJ's, and flopped on my bed, falling asleep.

A/N: Sorry about the chapter length, starting next chapter they should even out. Don't feel like you have to read and review, but it would be much appreciated if you did!