Chapter-4

He was new in that neighborhood. But somehow everything felt familiar. The laughing kids, playing teenagers, chatting adults presented him with a very pleasant and comfortable atmosphere. He couldn't wait to meet his neighbors.

As He walked across he saw the two kids who were praying yesterday.

"Time for introductions," he reminded himself.

"Hello boy. Hi girl." He greeted as he sat in between them. They were cute kids. Kids, who were supposed to run out, play in the sunshine and have fun. He noticed the cast on the boy's legs and the crutches beside him. His eyes immediately filled with sympathy but he erased it away cause he knew that wasn't what the boy needed.

"What? What are you doing here?" The boy asked immediately taking charge.

"I am sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I am Conner. Conner McDermott"

"Mother has told us not to talk with strangers," the little girl said.

He laughed. "Hey! I am no stranger. In fact, I stay at the opposite house."

"That house? There that stupid Gary guy lives," the boy said clearly not believing him.

"Yeah stupi… hey! He is my father," he told David strictly.

"Oops!" The girl laughed at him.

"Oops, yea! But it is okay. I know he is a little stupid."

"So what are your names?"

"I am David and she is Sarah, my stupid sister."

"I am not stupid"

"Yes you are!" He said and grabbed her hair and gave it a yank.

"You are such a… a…a… pig!" She screamed and tried to punch him.

"And you are such a girl!" He shouted back and imitated her screams.

"Shut up!"

"No you shut up!"

"You started it!"

"Oh yeah?"

Conner chuckled to himself. Sibling rivalry. It reminded him of his own childhood. He used to irritate his sister Megan in the same way.

"What is happening? David, Sarah! Why all this commotion early in the morning?"

He looked up to see the owner of the voice. His breath caught in his throat. At the window, stood the most beautiful girl he had seen. She was simple. She looked so ordinary with no extravaganza. She had sun streaked blond hair that was tied into a bun. He couldn't see the color of her eyes but he could feel them drawing him closer and closer.

On an impulse, he indicated her to let her hair loose. She frowned at him, wrinkled her nose and went inside.

"Barbie," he muttered to himself smiling.

"Mom! David and Sarah are talking to some stranger outside. Will you please see what is going on?" I shouted to mother.

"Oh Liz! Don't panic. He seems harmless," she said as she looked at him through the window.

"Mom!" I screamed louder.

"Okay okay! Come with me," she said pulling me outside.

"Wait! I am coming too. He looks gorgeous," Jess said as she followed us after looking out through the window.

I rolled my eyes. He seemed irritating and arrogant. Nowhere near gorgeous or hot. What was he indicating me to do anyway? He seemed like another jerk.

"Oh! I can't wait to meet him," I muttered sarcastically as he approached us.

"Hello! Hi! I am Conner. Gary's son," he said cheerfully.

I wanted to puke at that tone. But Jess and mum where looking as if they were in a trans. I poked Jessica on her ribs bringing her back to reality.

"I didn't know Gary had a son," my mother told me.

"Hmm… and even I didn't know that my father's neighbor is so beautiful," he said as he swatted my shoulder.

"What?" I shouted glaring at him. I looked at Jessica who was still star eyed.

"I am talking about your mother," he said with a smirk.

"Alice right?"

My mother nodded.

"Alice you are very very very beautiful," he said.

"Thank you very much," she gushed.

I rolled my eyes. Who is this guy, who is calling my mother by her name? She doesn't seem to mind though. God he is already annoying me. I bet that smile and that chirp is all false. One day he is going to enter our house steal our belongings and escape to Timbuktu. Gary's son? When did Gary uncle get married? I bet that is a lie too.

"Okay, let me see," he said as he looked at all of us.

"This is David, basketball champ. This is my sweetheart, Sarah," then he looked at Jess and me. "Ahhh twins!"

"I am Jessica," she said as she extended her hand. He took it and kissed it.

It was so tough to not puke.

"And you are?" He said as he looked at me.

"Not interested," I snapped earning a poke from Jess and my mother.

"That I can see from your face," he said smiling.

I gaped at him. I heard a giggle and looked at Jess. She gave me sheepish almost sympathetic smile.

"But its nice to meet the rest of the family," he said as he came put his arm around my mother.

"Nice to meet you too," Jess gushed and he bowed.

Pathetic.

"Have you come here on an important job?" Mother asked.

"No. Not at all. I have just come here to get married."

"Really?"

He nodded. Then he got on one knee.

"Alice, may I marry your daughter?"

"What?" I shouted again.

I swear I heard Jess say yes!

"Do you mind?" He asked me rudely "I am talking to Sarah."

"Sarah, my sweetheart. Will you marry me?"

"No. No" she said shaking her head.

"Please!"

"No. Nah. No" I said imitating her.

"Liz!" Jess whispered. Mother glared at me too.

"Tell me something," he asked Jess. "Is she like this only today or does she have a bad mood since childhood?"

"She is always like this," Jess said, smirking at me and I punched her shoulder.

"Don't say like that, Jess," mother said. "Please don't mind her"

"No. Not at all. It is a childhood problem," he said nodding at me.

Everyone laughed. They laughed! At me! In front of this stranger! What did this guy think of himself? Insulting me in front of my whole family?

I glared at mother and she shrugged her shoulders.

"Anyways lovely to meet you all. And I will come home at seven or eight in the evening."

"Seven or eight?" Mother asked.

"For dinner. I am your new neighbor. You will invite me over, wont you?" He asked mother.

"Yeah, sure," she said.

He turned to leave. No arrogant guy is coming to my house for dinner.

"Mom!"

"And yeah after I leave she will ask you why you invited me over but don't worry it is a childhood problem."

"No she wont say anything like that," my mother said.

"What was the need to invite him?"

"Oh god Liz! I didn't invite him. He invited himself," mother said for the hundredth time.

"You could have been a little more polite, you know," Jess said sitting beside me.

"He is cool" David said enthusiastically.

"Yeah! He is really nice and sweet and…" Sarah said dreamily.

Jessica chuckled.

"Then why didn't you say yes when he proposed to you?" I asked sarcastically as I picked up the phone. "Just stop praising him okay? He is sick! Anyway I am calling Todd for dinner."

"Hi! Todd." I asked as he picked up the phone.

"Hey Liz. Whats up?"

"Where are you?"

"I am at home," he paused and then added excitedly "with Dana"

"Dana?"

"Yeah! You remember the new student. You know what? She stays in Sweet valley with two more girls."

"Two more girls? Wow Todd. You got a bonus."

"Yeah! I…"

He got interrupted suddenly and I could here a baby crying in the background. Todd was asking the baby to stop crying.

Suddenly it struck and I tried hard to control my laughter. Two more girls… two more babies! Must be Dana's kids from her first marriage.

"Todd. Todd. Todd!" I screamed into the phone.

"Yeah tell me," he said slowly into the phone.

"Mom has called some stupid neighbors to dinner. You should come too."

"What time?"

"At eight"

"Okay. I will try to be there."

"Bye."

I hung up.

"Toadsy boy? You are inviting him? Are you guys still friends?" Jess asked as she wrinkled her nose disgustingly.

"Yeah and you have any problem with that."

"Not at all. Anyways I am going shopping. I have to wear something that will knock Conner's shoes off. Man! He has such gorgeous eyes."

"How can you be obsessed with him? He is so irritating!"

"He is great. Well anyways it is nothing serious, just a little crush. So, Grow up Liz. It's high time you got yourself a social life."

"I don't need a social life and I certainly don't need Mr. Conner McDermott."

"Whatever. Anyways I am leaving to the mall."

"Liz. Will you go too and get me some groceries for tonight?"

"Mom! I am so not interested in tonight's dinner. Why should I help out?"

"Liz! I am not requesting you. I am ordering you."

"Fine! I will go. Happy?" I said grabbing the car keys. "And Jess I am driving."

I ran out to the car with Jess chasing me shouting no way.