A few cars along with a grey sedan and a moving van turned around the block pulling into the cul-de-sac. There were several kids playing in the street. A girl with short blond hair wearing a white tank top over a black shirt and blue jeans, dribbling a basketball, Nazz. A younger boy with pale skin, white hair, wearing a teal long sleeved shirt and white pants, Jimmy. A girl with red hair wearing a pink short sleeved shirt and blue jeans, Sarah. The two were sitting together and having a picnic, surrounded by dolls and stuffed animals. A boy riding a bike wearing a backwards red cap, green long-sleeved shirt, black shorts, Kevin.
A bald boy wearing a white shirt and blue jeans and sandals, Jonny. He was playing jump rope with one end tied to a tree while the other was beside a plank of wood with smiley face drawn on to it. Another boy who had a mono brow, short blue hair wearing a striped yellow and red shirt and blue jeans and sneakers, Rolf. He was tending to his small family farm and animals. However, further away from the group were three boys with a stand with a sign that read "bounce house for $.25". It was a couple of old mattresses with loose springs, supported on top of cinder blocks in front of the house.
One tall with a mono brow, wearing a dark green jacket, red and white shirt, blue jeans, Ed. He was jumping on the mattresses. The second was average height, wearing a black beanie, red shirt, blue jean shorts and red stockings and blue sneakers, Double D. The third boy was shorter than the rest, wearing a yellow shirt with red vertical stripe and blue jeans and sneakers, Eddy. They saw the cars stopping in front of the old, abandoned house. The cinder blocks caved in taking the mattress with it causing Ed to fall face first on the ground. They saw several people coming out of the vans and trimming the grass fast before hopping back into the cars driving away.
"Whoa, check it out. Someone's moving into the creepy old house!" Eddy shouted to Double D and Ed.
"Maybe they're vampires or zombies or aliens from another dimension come to harvest our organs! " Ed exclaimed.
"You've been watching too many monster movies, Ed." Double D replied. The other kids were watching as well, wondering who the new neighbors were.
"They must be loaded." Kevin murmured.
"Maybe, they have a kid around our age. We should go introduce ourselves." Nazz replied.
"Right. Ladies first." Kevin answered, nervously. Nazz frowned at him. Kevin turned to Rolf as he saw him, walk over.
"What is with all of this hoo haw racket!? Rolf can not work!" He shouted, irritated. Kevin grabbed Rolf and pushed him over towards the old house. "Rolf, you go, man!" Rolf froze in place and grabbed Kevin and the two were pushing trying to make one or the other move. Suddenly, the doors to the grey sedan were kicked open. The kids froze, neither moving a muscle.
They saw a tall man with dark hair climbing out of the driver's seat, wearing a red and white leaf Hawaiian shirt, with a tan shirt underneath and blue jeans. Next, they saw a girl around their age climbing out followed by another girl who looked to be around Sarah and Jimmy's age. The older girl had short black hair, wearing a black choker, a white long-sleeved shirt and black shirt underneath, blue jeans and sneakers. She noticed the group of kids watching them, staring at each one until her eyes fell downwards seeing Eddy. She quickly looked away, looking over at the new house, focusing on it. Eddy frowned.
Another snobby kid who will ignore him. Great.
The younger sister had dark brown hair tied in a braided ponytail, wearing a grey sweater and dark grey skirt with black stockings and velcro shoes. Her eyes widen a little when she noticed the group of kids a few feet away. She tensed up when she saw Nazz and Jimmy wave at her. She saw their mouths moving as they said something "Do you want to play with us?" Nazz called out. But the little girl couldn't make out what she was saying. She quickly hid behind her older sister, grabbing on to her shirt tightly. The man noticed his daughters looking at something and turned to see the group of kids standing in the street. He smiled and waved hello to them before walking his daughters into the house.
"They seem friendly!" Ed smiled.
The family of three stepped into the living room of the house, looking around. "Here, we are, Andy and Bella. Peach Creek. A new fresh start for all of us! For you, me and your sister!" Andy's dad smiled as the three stepped inside the house. "Just look at the view!"
The floorboards squeaked with every step, multiple holes in the ceiling that looked like rats had chewed into them, cobwebs scattered all over the place, a large fireplace and a curved staircase leading up to another floor. A piece of the ceiling fell down landing in front of the two girls, almost flatting them like a pancake.
"Yeah, some view." Andy retorted. Her father turned to her.
"When will mom come and see our new house?" Bella asked.
"Bella, we've talked about this. Mom's very sick at the moment. She's on a long vacation to get better. Understand?" Her father replied, softly. Bella sighed and looked down. "I understand."
"But does it really have to be this house?" Andy asked. "It doesn't look up to safety standards."
"Listen, I know that things are different now, with mom and all. But I have potential in this place. It just needs a fixer up that's all" he said, wrapping his arms around Andy and Bella. "The main thing is, is that we have each other and that's all that matters. You, me and Bella."
"I am pretty great." Andy smiled.
"Yes, you are. We all have to work together to make this work. Can you do that for me?"
"Yes! And hopefully I'll be able to make lots of friends who understand me!" Bella shouted.
"Yes, you will."
"They better or I will make them." Andy smirked.
"No, you will not."
"But, dad!-"
"No, buts. The reason why Bella gets treated this way is because they don't understand her. They don't know that she's hard of hearing and deaf. Do you remember what happened last time?" Andy cringed and looked down. She knows all too well. Every kid on the block was afraid to even go near the two of them. All because one girl asked why Bella was deaf and started to make fun of Bella and her speech which ended up making her cry. That girl had two front teeth missing permanently forever. "If you go and beat them up, what will they think? Then neither of you will make friends."
"Fine. I'll behave and try not to get into any fights." Andy sighed. Her father smiled and reached into his pocket, pulling out his wallet and pulled out a five-dollar bill.
"That reminds me, here's five bucks if you go out and make some friends." He handed it to her. Andy stared at it before finally taking it from him.
"You do know that money can't buy happiness, right, dad?" Andy joked.
"I know. But you need to make some friends, here. It'll be good for you, keep your mind off of things." He told her.
"But I don't want any friends. I'm happy being by myself." Andy spoke.
"Then just use it go buy some pop or something while I go help with the move in. I did see a playground not too far from here. Go and have fun and take Bella with you."
"Come on." Andy begrudgingly told Bella and the two left the house. She snorted, snickering to herself.
That boy was short, kind of cute too.
She guess she can make this work for now. For Bella's sake.