Hello! Thanks so much again to my reviewers. I WOULD NOT be able to write this story without your support. I really enjoy writing this story, and I hope you like reading it. I'm always open for new ideas and suggestions too. Thanks again!
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Chapter Three-New Neighbors
Though many Flower Bud Village citizens didn't know it, there were new people moving into the beach house that the carpenters had recently built. Tina, one of the newcomers, was one of only a few people who knew.
As Tina's unique, blue-green hair blew all about her face she thought, I'm SICK of this stupid boat! After being on board for three days she was getting a very bad case of seasickness, and to make matters worse, her two brothers were wearing on her nerves. Her younger brother, Tony thought he was so tough, with his muscles and backward cap with his dark blue bangs sticking out of the hole, but Tina knew better than anyone else that he was more bark than bite. Her baby brother, Stan wasn't any better when it came to annoying people. On land, he had a very loud and unruly donkey that he constantly paraded around on, but the thing that bothered her most was that her parents, Rob and Sandy had agreed to take the dim- witted donkey to their new home!
Rob and Sandy wanted to raise their children in a good social environment, and the city just wasn't the place for that. With Tina at age nineteen, they knew she'd marry soon, and they'd rather see her marry a sensible country boy than a reckless city boy. They also thought that it would be good for almost eighteen-year-old Tony to stop developing his tough-boy image, which he got from his city friends, and begin developing a nicer attitude. But if they thought that he'd actually do that then they were crazy. Eight-year-old Stan on the other hand, was just starting at the beginning of life, and would hopefully live the rest of it in Flower Bud Village.
The other reason they'd moved was because of Rob's job, a chef. They said in the city that you could throw a rock in any direction and hit one. In Flower Bud Village however, they only had a small bakery so Rob thought that it would be a good idea to spice up the quaint town with his fabulous dishes. Sandy helped with the cooking, but could never quite live up to her husband's expertise.
As the tiny yet "luxurious" boat drew closer and closer to the shoreline, the family became more anxious to settle into their new home. Tina got so anxious that she just about jumped off the deck to swim the rest of the way, but something inside her made her resist. Finally after what seemed like weeks, the boat gracefully came to a halt. The whole family practically jumped over the deck and onto the beach. They were awed when they saw their new home.
It was absolutely beautiful! In was everything they expected a beach house to be and more. The front room, which would later become the customers dining area, had a huge, glass window that wonderfully showed off the great view of the beach. As they walked inside they found that each room was carpeted and roomy. Now all that was left to do was unpack everything. Rob was the first to participate in this. One by one a family member carried each box in. It would probably be two days before they would be able to relax so they wasted no time, and began to put things in place. The first to be organized was the bedrooms.
After about an hour of putting things in place, Tina got tired, and decided to stroll on the beach for a bit. As she stepped upon the beach her, blue-green hair began to blow wildly again, but she didn't care this time. At least she was finally home.
Tina didn't watch where she was going, and that's how she bumped into someone. She looked up to see a boy about her age with jet-black bangs hanging over his green headband. His forest green eyes stared into her purple ones.
"I'm terribly sorry, sir!" she quickly apologized.
"Ha that's okay," the boy laughed as his grim expression changed to a joyous one. "My name's Jimmy. Pleased to meet you." He extended his hand.
"I'm Tina," she introduced taking it. "Me and my family just moved here." Jimmy stared past her, and set his gaze on the beach house.
"Oh yeah, I'd been wondering what that beautiful house was for." Tina grinned, and flourished on the thought of spending the rest of her single life in the beautiful house. Jimmy glanced on past her, and saw Tina's family carrying everything to their new home. "Do you need help moving?"
"Well, yeah! That would be great!" Jimmy flashed a smile, and picked up a box that he could barely carry. Tina chuckled to herself as she saw him struggling with the box, then went over and helped him. He then flashed one of those I-know-I'm-a-geek smiles. Tina could imagine her and Jimmy getting along well.
Suddenly and very unexpectedly, Joe came running onto the beach with a fishing pole in his hand, but when he saw Jimmy the pole seemed to vanish from existence, for it dropped directly out of his hand. He stopped his running right in front of Jimmy. They both looked into eyes that hadn't met in nearly two years, and for that moment they both knew what the other was thinking, the handshake.
Two young boys were standing on the shoreline trying to do some sort of hand shake. They'd been friends ever since they were very little, and were now seven. Neither luck nor cooperation must've been on their side for just when one got it right, the other would mess it up, and get the right one messed up again as well. Finally both boys gave up and plopped down on the sand.
"You think we can get it?" the boy with chestnut hair questioned.
"Yeah. You just wait and see, Joe. We gonna be so good at this that we'll be able to do this twelve years from now!" the black-haired boy replied with confidence. He was grinning from ear to ear. Suddenly they both looked each other in the eye with smirks on their faces, and within five seconds, they were on their feet, and beginning their hand motions. Much to their surprise, they got it perfectly right. The laughed all the way home.
And there they were, twelve years later, the moment of truth. They both got their hands in position, and slowly yet confidently began. Each gesture seemed to come naturally, as if it was all they'd ever done! That same smirk was on their face when they finished. Tina looked at them with a quizzical expression.
"I'll tell you later," Jimmy replied chuckling. "In the mean time, this is my best friend, Joe." Joe and Tina kindly shook hands, and Joe blushed a bit in return. Jimmy thought to himself, how did I ever leave this wonderful town? He just couldn't find a reason, but now he was back and nothing would ever make him leave again, ever.
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Chapter Three-New Neighbors
Though many Flower Bud Village citizens didn't know it, there were new people moving into the beach house that the carpenters had recently built. Tina, one of the newcomers, was one of only a few people who knew.
As Tina's unique, blue-green hair blew all about her face she thought, I'm SICK of this stupid boat! After being on board for three days she was getting a very bad case of seasickness, and to make matters worse, her two brothers were wearing on her nerves. Her younger brother, Tony thought he was so tough, with his muscles and backward cap with his dark blue bangs sticking out of the hole, but Tina knew better than anyone else that he was more bark than bite. Her baby brother, Stan wasn't any better when it came to annoying people. On land, he had a very loud and unruly donkey that he constantly paraded around on, but the thing that bothered her most was that her parents, Rob and Sandy had agreed to take the dim- witted donkey to their new home!
Rob and Sandy wanted to raise their children in a good social environment, and the city just wasn't the place for that. With Tina at age nineteen, they knew she'd marry soon, and they'd rather see her marry a sensible country boy than a reckless city boy. They also thought that it would be good for almost eighteen-year-old Tony to stop developing his tough-boy image, which he got from his city friends, and begin developing a nicer attitude. But if they thought that he'd actually do that then they were crazy. Eight-year-old Stan on the other hand, was just starting at the beginning of life, and would hopefully live the rest of it in Flower Bud Village.
The other reason they'd moved was because of Rob's job, a chef. They said in the city that you could throw a rock in any direction and hit one. In Flower Bud Village however, they only had a small bakery so Rob thought that it would be a good idea to spice up the quaint town with his fabulous dishes. Sandy helped with the cooking, but could never quite live up to her husband's expertise.
As the tiny yet "luxurious" boat drew closer and closer to the shoreline, the family became more anxious to settle into their new home. Tina got so anxious that she just about jumped off the deck to swim the rest of the way, but something inside her made her resist. Finally after what seemed like weeks, the boat gracefully came to a halt. The whole family practically jumped over the deck and onto the beach. They were awed when they saw their new home.
It was absolutely beautiful! In was everything they expected a beach house to be and more. The front room, which would later become the customers dining area, had a huge, glass window that wonderfully showed off the great view of the beach. As they walked inside they found that each room was carpeted and roomy. Now all that was left to do was unpack everything. Rob was the first to participate in this. One by one a family member carried each box in. It would probably be two days before they would be able to relax so they wasted no time, and began to put things in place. The first to be organized was the bedrooms.
After about an hour of putting things in place, Tina got tired, and decided to stroll on the beach for a bit. As she stepped upon the beach her, blue-green hair began to blow wildly again, but she didn't care this time. At least she was finally home.
Tina didn't watch where she was going, and that's how she bumped into someone. She looked up to see a boy about her age with jet-black bangs hanging over his green headband. His forest green eyes stared into her purple ones.
"I'm terribly sorry, sir!" she quickly apologized.
"Ha that's okay," the boy laughed as his grim expression changed to a joyous one. "My name's Jimmy. Pleased to meet you." He extended his hand.
"I'm Tina," she introduced taking it. "Me and my family just moved here." Jimmy stared past her, and set his gaze on the beach house.
"Oh yeah, I'd been wondering what that beautiful house was for." Tina grinned, and flourished on the thought of spending the rest of her single life in the beautiful house. Jimmy glanced on past her, and saw Tina's family carrying everything to their new home. "Do you need help moving?"
"Well, yeah! That would be great!" Jimmy flashed a smile, and picked up a box that he could barely carry. Tina chuckled to herself as she saw him struggling with the box, then went over and helped him. He then flashed one of those I-know-I'm-a-geek smiles. Tina could imagine her and Jimmy getting along well.
Suddenly and very unexpectedly, Joe came running onto the beach with a fishing pole in his hand, but when he saw Jimmy the pole seemed to vanish from existence, for it dropped directly out of his hand. He stopped his running right in front of Jimmy. They both looked into eyes that hadn't met in nearly two years, and for that moment they both knew what the other was thinking, the handshake.
Two young boys were standing on the shoreline trying to do some sort of hand shake. They'd been friends ever since they were very little, and were now seven. Neither luck nor cooperation must've been on their side for just when one got it right, the other would mess it up, and get the right one messed up again as well. Finally both boys gave up and plopped down on the sand.
"You think we can get it?" the boy with chestnut hair questioned.
"Yeah. You just wait and see, Joe. We gonna be so good at this that we'll be able to do this twelve years from now!" the black-haired boy replied with confidence. He was grinning from ear to ear. Suddenly they both looked each other in the eye with smirks on their faces, and within five seconds, they were on their feet, and beginning their hand motions. Much to their surprise, they got it perfectly right. The laughed all the way home.
And there they were, twelve years later, the moment of truth. They both got their hands in position, and slowly yet confidently began. Each gesture seemed to come naturally, as if it was all they'd ever done! That same smirk was on their face when they finished. Tina looked at them with a quizzical expression.
"I'll tell you later," Jimmy replied chuckling. "In the mean time, this is my best friend, Joe." Joe and Tina kindly shook hands, and Joe blushed a bit in return. Jimmy thought to himself, how did I ever leave this wonderful town? He just couldn't find a reason, but now he was back and nothing would ever make him leave again, ever.