Andy and Bella looked around on the block to see that the kids from earlier were no longer there. The two headed towards the playground. Sure enough, they were there along with the Eds who were a few feet further away from them, watching from the fence. Nazz jumped down from the swing as it was in the air, landing on her feet. She looked up and saw the two girls approaching and smiled waving them over.
"Hey! Over here!" She called out. Bella quickly hid behind Andy, gripping on to her shirt nervously. Everyone stopped when they noticed the two girls as well and ran over to them.
"Look who decided to show up." Kevin smirked. Andy frowned, narrowing her eyes at him. She didn't like his attitude. Not one bit. The two girls felt eyes staring at them as the cul-de-sac kids introduced themselves.
"I'm Nazz. This is Kevin, Sarah, Jimmy, Rolf, Jonny and Plank." Nazz smiled. Andy shook her hand and shook everyone else's as well. Bella blinked. She stared at everyone trying to process what they were saying as they were all talking at once. The kids looked down, seeing Bella clinging next to her sister.
"Ew, what's that in her ear?" Sarah asked. Bella turned her head, looking at her confused. Her ear? She reached up, touching her right ear. Did she mean her hearing aid? Andy bit her lip, trying to contain her anger. She took in a deep breath and breathed out.
"I'm Andy." She replied then reached down to Bella, placing her hands on her shoulders. She pulled Bella so that she was no standing in front of her in front of everyone. "This is Bella. She's hard of hearing and deaf. What you're asking about, Sarah, is her hearing aid. Bella uses it so she can hear in that ear." Everyone blinked in surprise.
"Does she know sign language?" Nazz asked, curious. Andy stared at her. Bella blinked at her as well. The two rather annoyed. Why does everybody ask that?
"She can read lips." Andy explained. "Just let her see your lips and she'll be able to hear."
"My daddy said that if can talk then I don't need to know sign language." Bella commented, softly.
"She's so cute!" Nazz giggled. Everyone else agreed as well, chiming in. Bella made a small smile, blushing a little, happy of the attention. Andy felt a little of relief ebbing away from her shoulders. Maybe, this time will be different!
"Do you want to hang out with us?" Nazz asked the two. Bella quickly nodded her head, excitedly. Andy looked over at the the Eds standing by the fence watching the entire time.
"What about those guys?" She pointed out, jerking her thumb over to Eddy, Double D, and Ed. Kevin snorted and laughed.
"They're lame dorks. You don't want to mess around with them."
Andy frowned. "I believe I know who the wrong people are, thank you." She retorted. Everyone blinked. Jonny, Sarah, and Rolf both "oohing" as they taunted Kevin, laughing at him. Kevin started to grind his teeth, looking angry from embarrassment.
"What did you say?" He sputtered. Andy smirked.
"I think I told you to buzz off." Kevin growled. He wanted to pound that smug smirk off of Andy's lips so bad. Bella quickly turned to her sister, shaking her head.
"Andy, please. Remember you made a promise to dad. No fighting." She reminded her. Andy sighed then smiled and nodded.
"You go and play with them." Bella blinked in shock.
"You didn't even try!" She shouted.
"I did. I'm just not cut out for this kind of stuff." She whispered to her. "But you have a chance to finally make some friends. Don't let me hold you back."
"But Andy-" Jimmy grabbed Bella's hand, pulling her with him. Sarah grabbed Bella's other hand, pulling her as well.
"Come on, I'll show you my stuff animals!" Everyone left to do their own thing.
"Are you coming?" Nazz asked Andy.
"Nah, I just remembered that I have to go do something." She told Nazz shaking her head. Nazz looked at her confused then shrugged her hands.
"Whatever, dude. Hey! Wait up! Guys!" She ran to catch up with the other cul de sac kids. Andy watched them for a bit then turned around and left the playground. The Eds watched in confusion.
"What just happened?" Ed asked. Double D and Ed heard Eddy running off and saw him following after Andy.
"Hurry, Ed!" Double D shouted, chasing after Eddy panting heavily as he ran. Ed laughed following after them dragging his body weight as he ran.
Andy walked in along the sidewalk of the street as she started to explore the neighborhood. "Hey! Wait up! Slow down, will ya!?" Andy blinked in confusion and turned around, seeing Eddy running up to her, followed by Double D then Ed as they panted to catch their breaths.
"Why did you refuse to play with the kids?" Eddy demanded. "You had it in the bag!"
"I don't know. I prefer to be on my own." Andy shrugged her shoulders. "They didn't impress me."
"That's stupid!" Eddy shouted.
"Excuse me." Andy frowned. Double D stepped in front of them.
"You'll have to excuse Eddy. My name is Edward with two D's, but you can call me Double D and this lovable oaf here is Ed." Double D introduced himself, next Eddy then Ed.
"Hello!" Ed shouted out loud.
"Ed Edd n' Eddy?" Andy repeated. She smiled. "You all have the same names, that's cool."
"May we ask what your name is?" Double D asked her.
"Andy." Andy heard Eddy made a snort, chuckling a little behind Double D. Ed soon followed, chuckling along with him.
"Is something funny?" Andy asked him, crossing her arms.
"You have a boy's name!" Ed shouted, laughing along with Eddy.
"Your parents must have hated you!" Eddy laughed.
"Eddy! You're being impolite!" Double D scolded, placing his hands on his hips.
"It's a nickname my dad gave me. From the initials of my name, A. N. D." Andy corrected as she frowned at the two.
"Still, it's a boy's name! What are you? The Kids Next Door?" Eddy chuckled.
"Just ignore them. So where were you from before you came to the cul de sac?" Double D asked Andy.
"The city." Andy simply answered. Double D nodded.
"The city! Wow, you must have some exciting stories to tell." He spoke.
"Not really." Andy said.
"Is that all you can do? Give short answers?" Eddy taunted.
"Eddy!" Double D shushed him to be quiet.
"Is there anything exciting to do around here?" Andy asked Eddy, Double D, and Ed.
"We'd be at the candy store eating some jaw breakers right about now if somebody didn't break the bounce house." Eddy frowned, looking at Ed.
"It wasn't my fault, Eddy!" Ed shouted. Andy reached into her pocket and pulled out the five-dollar bill.
"I was going to go and buy a lot of pop with this. May I join you on this candy escapade?" She asked the three boys. Eddy, Double D's and Ed's eyes widened in shock at the sight of the bill.
"No-No we couldn't! This is your money! You shouldn't squander it on us!" Double D stammered, nervously.
"But jaw breakers, Double D!" Ed shouted. Eddy's eyes literally turned into dollar signs.
"Absolutely!" He shouted immediately.
"I insist." Andy replied.
The four went to the candy store and bought a butt load of jawbreakers with the money. They sat down on the sidewalk. Andy was surprised by the size of them. They were larger than truck tires. She didn't think that it was capable of fitting inside of a human's mouth until she saw Eddy and Ed shove three into their mouths followed by Double D who insisted on just one. Their cheeks swelled up like a hamster. Andy bought one for Bella so she can have one when she gets home. Andy put one in her mouth feeling the candy slowly dissolving with her saliva.
"Ain't it great or what!" Eddy smiled.
"It's acceptable but I still prefer pop." Andy told him.
"What is with you and soda?" Double D giggled.
"I just like it better than candy." Andy smiled, shrugging her shoulders.
"Like gravy!" Ed shouted.
"What?" Andy questioned.
"It's Ed's favorite food." Double D told her.
Night time soon began to approach as the sun slowly set on the horizon. Andy told the Eds goodbye as they returned home. She saw Double D wave to her as he headed to his house. Andy waved back to him and Ed then looked at Eddy as he is walking on his front lawn of his house about to head inside.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Eddy!" Andy shouted. She saw Eddy froze and didn't look back at her. He waved as opened the front door, shutting it behind him. Andy shook her head. Guess, some people aren't openly open. She opened the front door and stepped inside, hearing Bella talking excitedly with dad. She walked into the kitchen seeing the two of them eating dinner.
"There you are! We were about to call the cops!" Her dad joked. "Bella's been telling me about her fun filled day."
"Sarah and Jimmy are awesome! They're so nice! They actually let me play with them!" Bella shouted happily. "The other kids were cool as well."
"So, did you make any friends?" Andy's dad ask her.
"I did. They seemed cool." Andy answered sitting down, eating some mashed potatoes and steak from her plate.
"What are they're names?" Her dad asked her.
"The Ed boys!" Bella grinned. "I caught Andy constantly looking at the short one at the playground." Andy saw her dad nearly choke on his steak.
"Come again?" He questioned, not sure if he heard her right. "Boys? As in boyfriends?"
Andy's eyes widened, spitting out her food, spraying it a little on Bella by accident. "Dad! It's not like that! The other kids don't play with them and leave them out of their activities. So, I decided to hang out with them instead." Andy heard her dad laugh.
"I'm kidding, slugger. I'm sure they're fine kids. I'm happy that you're making some progress with friends." He spoke. "In fact, you won't believe what I've planned!" He grinned. Andy and Bella looked at each other curiously before turning back to him.
"What?" Bella asked him. Andy tensed up.
"Dad, what did you do?" She questioned as well.
Eddy nearly spit out his milk as some almost came out of his nose. He really didn't want to hear his mom's nagging or his dad yelling at him. The two had come home from their jobs as a car salesman and a cashier.
"WHAT?!" He squawked loudly. He was gripping the tablecloth tightly with his hands, almost leaning on the tabletop.
He looked across the dinner table at his father who was reading the newspaper, while his mother was smiling, sipping on her coffee. His father was a large man, hairy arms, had blue hair that was thinning at the top, almost going bald. He was wearing a watch and a ring on his middle finger, a checkered lime green buttoned up shirt, and tan slacks. His mom, was a little on the heavyset side, had blond hair cut in a 50's hairstyle. wearing a striped, yellow dress, her lips splashed with red lipstick.
"Don't shout at the table, Eddy." His mother corrected him. In front of her was an invitation already opened up.
"The new neighbors invited the entire cul de sac to a big fancy shing ding or whatever it is. A little get together." His dad grumbled, tiredly.
"It's tomorrow and we're going!" His mom grinned. Eddy stared at the two of them in horror. He'll be the laugh stock in the entire cul-de-sac, not that he already is with the other kids. But Andy, he can't show his parents to her!
"No! No way! You can't do this!" Eddy shouted.
"We're going and that's final, young man. End of discussion."
