We got to the tree house right after Chris finished telling me about the adventure he and his three other friends had gone on when they were twelve, going on thirteen. I couldn't believe they actually did that…I mean, why would you go through all that just to see a dead body? I guess they had their reasons though. I laughed really hard when Chris told me about leeches, although I felt sorry about his friend that had a leech on his balls, Gordie was it? Yeah.

Anyway, the tree house was sturdier than I thought it would be. I was imagining a little rickety shack with loose boards sitting up in a rotting tree. What can I say? Maybe I'm a bit pessimistic by nature, I don't know.

I was nervous about meeting Chris' friends. Being as socially inept as I am, it's a wonder I didn't refuse to come here, or even let Chris help with unloading. But, I was here now, and I couldn't back out. Even if I did tell Chris I had to leave, I didn't want to run into Chris' brother and those hoods again. I took a deep breath. I wouldn't be a pussy this time. I wouldn't hide away in my house until we moved again. Here was Chris, a gorgeous guy kindly offering his friendship, who was I to turn it down?

"C'mon," Chris said to me, climbing up the ladder. I followed, putting on a face I thought wouldn't betray my doubt. He knocked on the trap door, three knocks, one knock, two knocks, and then three more. "It's our secret code," he told me, looking down at me. "Teddy still insists on using it, though Vern never remembers it."

The trap door flew open and I heard a loud, slightly obnoxious voice. "Hey Chambers, who were you talking to? Don't tell me you've started talking to yourself, you wet end!"

"Shut up Teddy," Chris snapped back, pulling himself into the tree house. When he turned back and helped me in, all of their mouths dropped open. I blushed, uncomfortable with all their eyes on me. My foot scuffed at the floor, my eyes downcast. Chris, god bless him, saw it and immediately started introducing us, easing the tension. "Callie, this is Teddy-" the boy with shaggy brown hair and glasses smirked at me, eyeing me up like Ace had, "Vern-" this was the bigger kid of the bunch, but not by much. Chris told me a while after that he used to be a lot bigger, until his mom forced him to stop eating Pez and Twinkies all the time. "And Gordie. He's the only sensible one." Gordie was a thinner boy, a few inches shorter than Chris, with big, doe-like brown eyes and a kind smile.

I smiled bravely, glancing at Chris, who smiled back, saying, "Guys, this is Callie. She just moved here."

Now that the tension was mostly gone, we were able to talk comfortably. They asked the same questions as Chris had earlier, except for one. "Why did you move here?"

I could see why they would ask that question. Why would anyone come to Castle Rock to live? Well, I told them half of the truth. "My mom thought a change of scenery would be nice."

Now that I think about it, it sounded pretty ridiculous and half-assed. But I couldn't tell them the truth, I hadn't even known them for an hour. However unbelievable it must have sounded, they bought it. Or at least dropped it for the time being. Instead, they went about teaching me how to play scat, their all time favourite past time.

What they hadn't been counting on was how good I was once I knew what to do.

"I knock."

Teddy glared at me, very pissed off. "You can't knock!"

I smiled evilly at him. "Yes I can, and that's exactly what I'm going to do, shit heap." Chris, Vern and Gordie burst out laughing, angering Teddy even more.

It was amazing how much I had eased into this friendship. We had been up in the tree house for a couple hours at the most, and already they were treating me like they had known me their whole lives. I no longer felt shy and bashful around them.

"Don't worry about him, Callie. He's just mad because you just learned and you're already better than him. He's used to having only Chris beat him," Gordie put in, laughing and ignoring Teddy's redirected glare on him.

"You guys are such traitors. Taking sides with the new girl instead of your loyal , bestest friend!"

We all started laughing again. Teddy tackled Vern, who made some comment about how Teddy had been drooling when he first saw me, and they threw hilarious insults back and forth. Chris, Gordie and I just watched from the side, laughing until tears came into our eyes. When we had finally resumed the game, I spoke up.

"Hey Teddy," I said in a seductive voice. Teddy stared at me, his mouth wide open, while the other guys watched me, confused, waiting to see what I'd say next. I switched back to my normal voice. "Make that the new girl who's gonna beat your ass in scat again."

We goofed off up there all day, until Gordie looked at his watch, declaring that it was six o'clock. I shot up from the cushions where I had been lounging contentedly, shocked. That much time had passed already? I had to get home before my mom started to really worry!

"I have to go! My mom will kill me!"

Chris nodded. "I'll walk with you."

The other guys had to be home for supper anyway. We all left the tree house, agreeing to meet there the next day. The sun was already starting to set, and Chris and I walked home, talking quietly, enjoying the warm summer evening. "So what so you think of the guys?"

I looked at Chris, a small smile on my face. "They're great. I've never really had friends before, and I already seem to have some."

"How come?"

"My mom and I move around a lot. There was never any time for friends, and besides, we mostly lived in places where the girls were sluts and the guys were thugs. Not exactly the kind of friends I wanted."

We walked the rest of the way in a peaceful silence. When we got to my house, Chris said he'd come get me in the morning so we could walk to the tree house together. Then he walked over to the house next to ours, the fixer upper I looked at earlier. I smiled and waved him goodbye, disappearing into my new house. 'So he's my neighbor,' I thought. I realized I was slow not to have caught on earlier, after he appeared in my driveway, walked me home and then said he'd come get me tomorrow. It hadn't even occurred to me that he must live close. 'I'm stupid,' I thought, although rather happily, because he was my friend, and he lived right next door.

Walking into the kitchen I smelled my mom serving my favourite meal. Lasagna! She saw me walk into the kitchen and grinned at me. My mom was cool. She had me when she was only 17, and she's always been easy to talk to. She knows I haven't really made any friends since we moved from Los Angeles. She must have been ecstatic when Chris showed up and took me to meet people.

"So what have you been up to, sweetie?"

I sat down at the table, taking a sip of water. "Chris brought me to the tree house he and his friends hang out in. They're nice kids."

My mom gave me a bemused smile. "Any girls?"

I gave my mom my pretend glare. "Nope."

"So your up in a tree house, with a bunch of boys?"

I knew what my mom was doing. She was just trying to act like a normal parent would, although it was just to tease me. She trusted me, she knew I wouldn't do anything irresponsible. "Not just any boys mom. Hot boys!"

We laughed until we could barely breathe. I loved my mom more than anything. After all we had been through, I couldn't bear it if I lost her. We ate dinner, talking mostly about what we were going to do here, how long we would stay. It was late when I went upstairs into my bedroom, hopping over boxes. My mom had set up my bed, and unpacked my bed sheets, pillows and my super comfy duvet. As I snuggled into my bed, I found myself desperately wishing I could stay here forever with my new friends. It had been much easier to leave all the other times because I had nothing to hold onto. Closing my eyes, I resolved to forget about it until the time came. Before I drifted off into my nightmare-filled dreams, I heard sounds coming from the house outside my window. Smashing, and loud, angry voices.

A/N: Here's an update! I noticed after I had posted the first chapter that there were some mistakes, so I'll check better this time. I know these first chapters are kind of boring, but the story will start to take off soon. Please review, and I'll update faster! Till next time!

StormShadow21: I have trouble imagining Chris wearing any thing besides his white shirt and jeans! It makes my mouth water, lol. And actually, I'm planning on taking him and the others for a dip in the lake, either in the next chapter or the one after. Yummy. And if my story starts seeming like a mary-sue, please let me know! Thanks!

SandraSmit19: Thanks for reading and reviewing, and yep, I updated!

screaming666: Thank you bunches! Hope you liked this chapter, and if not, don't give up on the fic because stuff's gonna start happenin' soon!

ShadowCougar: Thank you! And yes, I do love Chris! I love him tons!! And I'm following your story too, can't wait for more! Byes!