Abby was sitting on the couch reading a magazine, Kuki was playing with her Rainbow Monkeys, Nigel was at his house doing something for Numbuh 362 and Hoagie and Wally were playing a video game. Looked like Wally was winning. It was one of the Guitar Heroes. My friends back home had this one and I loved to play it when I could. It didn't take long for me to get the hang of it but I probably would have to get used to it again. I haven't played in for so long.

Hoagie all of a sudden got a long blue cord and scored ahead of Wally.

Then the screen flashed. Hoagie won. "Waha! I won again! Never will you defeat the champion!" Wally grunted and sat glumly on the couch. I took his controller and faced the "all time champion".

"Can I play?" I asked confidently.

"Sure. But don't cry when I beat you."

Hoagie's little brother was cheering Hoagie on. Everyone had come over to Hoagie's since I couldn't stay at the tree house.

I rolled my eyes and he started the game.

"She's my cherry pie. Cool drink of water such a sweet surprise. Taste so good make a grown man cry. Sweet cherry pie, yeah. Woaw. Well, swingin' on the front porch, swingin' on the lawn. Swingin' where we want 'cause there ain't nobody home. Swingin' to the left and swingin' to the right. I think about baseball, swing all night, yeah. Yeah, yeah."

The song was blasting out of the television.

I've always liked this song. So I asked Hoagie to do this song. He was ahead of me. But not for long. I got into the music and hit every key. I even pressed the button to make the long streak turn a lightning blue and swirl. It was so cool!

Wally stared.

I was ahead of Hoagie by a mile.

Then as the song ended with, "Put a smile on your face ten miles wide. Looks so good bring a tear to your eye. Sweet cherry pie, sweet cherry pie, yeah. Huh, swing it." I got a very long streak and head on up to receive my praise of winning. Everyone stared as Hoagie fell to his knees staring at who they announced the winner.

"Dude. You just got beat by a girl... At Guitar Hero!" Wally exclaimed.

I smiled wickedly at Hoagie. Tommy, his little brother, was gonna let flies in his mouth if he didn't shut it. Abby snickered along with Kuki as Hoagie's face was reddening more and more. Hoagie's mom walked in and saw her son on his knees saying, "No. How? Why?" She walked up to him and looked at me. Hoagie stood up. She patted him on the shoulder.

"Hoagie? What's the matter with you?"

His face flushed. "I- I lost! To her!" He pointed his finger at me. His mother smiled and patted his head.

She rolled her eyes.

"Finally, someone beat him. I was getting tired of him gloating and bragging at how good he was at this stupid little game of his. I praise you, young lady. If you need anything just let me know." She winked at me. I felt good. Now she said anything? This is the perfect situation. I could ask her if I could stay here.

Hoagie's eyes and face got angry. "MOM! That is so not fair. I do not brag and how can you be happy I LOST?" She rolled her eyes and ruffled his auburn hair that was hatless. She turned to me. I hesitated to ask her at this moment. I sucked it up though. Tommy was still staring. He must be so shocked that a girl beat his wonderful, tough, smart older brother. Just the way I like it. Feel the wrath of me Tommy. I beat your brother and he's just as upset as a monkey who got his bananas stolen.

"Um, may I ask if I can stay here Mrs. Gilligan? I was just spending my summer here for a few months and it slipped my mind that I have no place to stay. My grandparents would worry if I told them and I wouldn't get to spend time here this summer. So can I stay here?" I asked her sweetly. And yes I live with my grandparents. They have custody of me and my sister. But I see my mom a lot, she comes over from her boyfriend, and brings my newest sibling, Tia, over all the time. I barely see my dad but sometimes I do. They've both had those bad experiences as teens and it caught up to them. They've been in trouble a lot with the law, my dad still kinda is, but my mom has straightened up a lot. So I'm happy.

She nodded.

"Well, okay. You can stay in the guest room next to Hoagie's room. Do you have luggage or anything?" I showed her my bag. It was stuffed full of stuff. I thought while I was here I could go and pick up some more clothes. I'll do that when I get money.

"I don't think I have enough clothes though."

"We can go shopping tomorrow. An all day shopping spree. Hoagie and Tommy, you and me. It's gonna be so fun!" She squealed. "And I can get some of those cute outfits for my little boys. Oh, it's gonna be so much fun."

I was so not into shopping for clothes. I rather shop for toys, art stuff, all that cool stuff. Not stupid clothes. But I guess I should go so she won't get me some lame threads.

"An all day shopping spree? !" Both Hoagie and I shouted. We looked at each other and smiled. Tommy was in the floor, on his knees. He had his hands in a prayer pose. He was staring up at his mother with big blue eyes behind yellow tented glasses. He was pleading. She looked at her youngest son, who was making a fool of himself. She rolled her eyes at what he way saying to her. Hoagie clung to his mother. I guess they really hate shopping. They were pleading over and over. They asked her could they not go. She just gave a stern look. Their mother put her hands on her hips. Then their grandmother walked in with an evil little look. She did not look like a nice grandmother at all. She probably hated her two grandsons and tried to make their lives miserable. I've heard she bobs them on the head when they disobey... with her cane. Ouch! That would really hurt. She held her cane up. A split second and it came flying through the warm air. Just right before it hit Hoagie, I grabbed it. He winced and stared at the scene. His mother stopped talking and everyone looked at his grandmother and me. Abby looked up from her magazine. Kuki chewed on her raven hair. Wally gave a wide eye stare at the little action. Tommy, Hoagie and their mother just watched what would happen next. His grandmother growled at me. I glared at her. Like I'd let her hit ANYONE that might become my future friend. I saved him. He'd have to become my first friend in the Kids Next Door.

His grandmother yanked the cane from my grasp.

"Who do you think you are, girly? The all mighty queen or somehtin'? You don't touch my cane!" She hissed at me.

I glared at her.

"You have no right to hit him or anyone else. If you hit them with this cane often that's known as child abuse. You could go to jail. I should know." I knew a lot about that kind of stuff because my parents and some of my other family members were in jail or prison. But my parents never abused me. I just know stuff.

Hoagie gave a thankful look. His mother gave a startled look at me.

His grandmother just grunted and stalked off. I looked at everyone. They were staring at me. Hoagie's mom hugged me. She was squeezing the life so dear to me, out of my body. Abby smirked at me. Hoagie and Tommy looked at us confusingly.

"Ooh! I've been wanting to tell my mother that for years but I was afraid she'd bob me on the head. She just gets so angry easily and doesn't want to deal with anyone, so she just ends it with a cane. You are so brave. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She hugged me tighter then finally let go.

She turned to Abby, Kuki and Wally.

"I'm sorry but do you kids mind going home? We're about to go somewhere." Abby set the magazine on the coffee table. She stood up and brushed herself off. Kuki grabbed Wally's wrist and they headed out. Hoagie's mother turned to Tommy, me and Hoagie. "Okay! Let's go." She grabbed her purse and keys. We followed her. I draped my book bag over my shoulder.

Hoagie sat next to Tommy in the back of his mother's car. I sat in the passenger's seat next to Mrs. Gilligan.

"Where're we goin'?" Tommy asked his mother.

"To that little ice cream shop you kids go to all the time. I'm just so proud of this young lady, so I'm taking you three for ice cream." Then she added to me, "I didn't catch your name, dear."

I cleared my throat. "Starr. I'm from Georgia. And thanks for letting me stay with you. And uh, sorry about going up against your mom..." She smiled at me sweetly.

"No, don't be sorry. I don't know how many times I wanted to do that. You sure are one brave girl. She didn't even touch you. She's never done that before. Usually she would whack you with that death cane of hers and leave you crying in agony on the floor. I swear she has no heart. Even though she is my mother, I can honestly say she has no emotions, except anger."

I nodded.

Wow.

I picked a great family to stay with, Violence, anger, and video games! This is going to be a nice stay at Hoagie's house.

Mintyness filled my mouth. My taste buds jumped up and down on the green ice cream. Chocolate chunks rolled on my tongue.

I LOVE mint chocolate chip.

Hoagie licked on his strawberry, vanilla and chocolate swirl. His mother kept dabbing napkins on his mouth and Tommy's. He got angry every time. But did he do anything about it? N-O. I would've pushed it away and said, "Stop it! I'll clean myself thank you very much." But that's me, not Hoagie.

Tommy dripped his ice cream all over his khaki shorts.

His mother went to go get more napkins. Tommy tapped my shoulder. He gave me a cute little look. For a nine year old he had that kindergarteness, unlike my sister who's eight. She always had to tattle tale and tell on me and my cousin, Cole. I looked at Tommy. He licked his lips. More melting ice cream dripped on his shorts.

"You are so cool! More cooler than Hoagie now."

Hoagie turned around to listen. Tommy continued. "You are so awesome. I've never seen a girl beat Hoagie and I've never seen the score go THAT high! I really like you. You are so… um, COOL! Will you be my friend? All my other friends will be so jealous." I laughed and patted his hat that sat on his auburn hair. He smiled. A few teeth were gone but it was still cute.

Hoagie grunted and rolled his eyes.

"What's up with you?" I asked him. He looked at me.

"Later." He said. I shrugged and waited for Mrs. Gilligan to return. She bounded up and took Tommy to get cleaned up.

I tapped Hoagie's shoulder. He licked his ice cream. I crunched on my cone loudly in his ear. He smiled. I waited for him to answer. "Hello?" I asked. He ignored me. I got real angry. He winced and his nose went into his ice cream. He wiped it off and glared at me. My eyes burned angry. He saw this and kept his gaze steady. He licked his treat and glared at me more. I matched his gaze. Brown against blue. Girl against boy. Angry against angry.

"Why in the world did you hit me in the head? I fell in the ice cream. I didn't do nothin' to yah."

I glared.

"You didn't answer me. Now tell me. What is wrong with you?" I asked lifting my gaze a little. He did too. His face blushed a little and he rubbed his neck nervously. " Tommy beat me to the punch line. Oh! That's funny. Punch line. Get it? I love to tell jokes-ow!" I had smacked him again.

He rubbed his head. "Get on with it!" I yelled. He looked at me. "And what do you mean 'beat you to the punch line'?" I asked him.

"I wanted to ask yah if you'd be my friend. I really like you. You're funny. Maybe funnier than me. If that's possible! I, mean, you're cool. Just like he said. So…?" He trailed off. His eyes flowed somewhere else. I grabbed his ice cream. Mine was gone. He got up and tried to take it away. "Give it back! C'mon, Starr!" He struggled to grasp the cone. I pushed him away and he stood firm. I stood up and got up in his face.

He stared into my brown orbs.

All I saw was blue behind yellow. "Now was that so hard? Here's your answer." I took his cone and pushed it into his nose. It fell to the ground with a -PLOP!- He stared at me in utter shock. I grabbed my bag and walked to meet Mrs. Gilligan at the restroom where she stood with Tommy.

Hoagie took a napkin and rubbed off the frozen treat from his face.

He caught up with me. "Is… is that a no?" I shook my head. He looked at me confusingly. "Wha?" He questioned. I stopped him. His eyes looked at me for an answer. He really did want to be my friend. I smiled at him. He smirked a goofy smile. "So…?" He asked once more.

"Yes. I'm your friend."

"Then why did you shove an ice cream cone in my face?" He asked me.

I shrugged. "I thought it'd be funny. And it was! It was hilarious. I know you would have laughed if it wasn't you."

He rolled his blue eyes. We walked off to meet Mrs. Gilligan. She smiled and wiped Hoagie's face. He looked at her angrily. "MOM!" She rolled her eyes. "Can you please stop wiping my face? Nothing's there." She waved him off and lead us to the car.

I had two friends.

Hoagie P. Gilligan Jr.; Numbuh 2 and the 2x4 technology specialists of Sector V.

And…

Tommy Gilligan or The Tommy!

At this moment I was happy. This is fun. So far…

A/N: Hey! I hope you like this chappie. Now review like your life depended on it. LOL! : )

Hoagie: Hey, how come she shoved an ice cream cone in my face?

Me: She told you it would be funny.

Hoagie : SO?

Me: Ah, just pipe down and go stick your head in a freezer.

Hoagie: Uh, why?

Me: So it can be cold just like your face.

Hoagie: Very funny. *says sacastically*

Me: 'k. Well please review!