Shorter then expected but I don't have a word limit I'm trying to hit so ~shrug~ hope this is still cute! Netflix introduction of Karen's friends! Since Karen said she was 8, I bumped her up to fourth grade to account for her skipping a grade but kept her class the same.
This has been reuploaded since an anonymous reviewer made me think about how Karen was portrayed in the series. I mean, book Karen was rather popular with her peers and even got a "kind of boyfriend" as a seven year old. This Karen was the off beat kid that had no friends. I don't know why they took her in the other direction so I'm fixing the original to fit more with where she would be mixed with book counterpart (maybe more in line with the book). Especially since I really like Karen and it was different to write her this way. Plus another reason to write a Kilbourne kid here, I loved seeing Maria in the little sister series.
Kristy was babysitting Karen and her friends. She never really met Karen's new friends since Camp Moosehead and she was interested in learning more about them. Especially since it was decided that Karen would skip into the fourth grade. Kristy knew she was smarter then she let on and now Stoneybrook Academy (the private school about three blocks away) knew that too.
Karen Brewer was apparently a pretty popular girl in her new class. Her ghost stories fascinated everyone and her ideas much more appreciated (although some girl named Pamela Harding was her "sworn enemy" whatever that meant at seven). Her previous class said she sometimes came off as a know it all and creeped them out sometimes. Here in the fourth grade she was thriving. Heck, Karen even got married on the playground to Ricky Torres (who was adorable although smelled like French fries when Kristy picked her up one day).
Her new friends consisted of all the girls in her class, neighbors Maria Kilbourne, Melody Korman, and Hannie Papadakis who would be here shortly. Finally Nancy Dawes who lived next door to her mother would be over soon.
"Hi Hannie," said Karen as she met her friend at the end of the driveway. The Papadakis' were awesome, they just invited them over to a barbecue not too long ago.
"Hi Karen," she said, waving and then hugging her. "Ready?"
"Ready," she said, producing a massive box of colored sidewalk chalk.
"Nice outfit by the way you match all over," said Karen as Kristy grinned, "It's cute."
"Thanks! I just got new shoes look they light up," said Hannie showing them off as they lite up. Her outfit was simple blue jean overalls shorts and a pink t-shirt with pink converse. Two pink hair ties held twin ponytails. Honestly it looked like something she'd wear at that age considering she'd wear whatever her mother put in her closet.
Maria Kilbourne and Melody joined them with more sidewalk chalk for them to use.
"Hi!" said nine (soon to be ten) year old Maria dropping to the pavement with her chalk in hand. "Shannon show me how to play snail and now I'm going to show you guys."
"Cool let's wait for Nancy to get here first," said Karen also opening her chalk too so they were prepared after all. Kristy just sat back and watched them reading the hose for when they wanted to start fresh.
"It's pink but aside from that it looks good right?" said Hannie showing them a sun she just drew with a pink piece of sidewalk chalk in her hands. Kristy nodded without interrupting the girls.
"So who is Nancy?" asked Melody Korman as she waved to Kristy.
"She lives next to my mom. She's cool and has this really pretty red hair," said Karen drawing a sun and a house on the blacktop. "Get this she knows how to make her own clothes. Her mom is showing her how to use a sewing machine. Imagine everything that she could make!"
"That does sound cool," said Maria. "Oh I forgot to tell you the junior swim team made it to state and I bet my personal record."
A chorus of wows and cools echoed from the girl as Kristy watched on proudly. Karen's new friends were perfect for her to spend time with and everything. She got to know Shannon through Maria and had clients in the neighborhood through Melody and her family. She could now say she was officially comfortable living in this neighbor since moving into Watson's house.
Nancy, sure enough, she was dressed up stylish. Her curly red hair swept up into a French braid, sparkling denim shorts, and a teal tank top with purple butterflies on it. Even Kristy felt a little under dressed next to her the eight year old. She looked nice with a bright smile on her face and ran to Karen giving her a hug. Aww that was sweet.
They were quite a group as Karen, Melody, Nancy, Hannie, and Maria started to decide if they should do hopscotch first, doodle, or do a giant mural on the driveway. They all balanced each other out well while Kristy just watched them draw hopscotch and a giant snail board so Maria could teach them.
Well at least now Kristy could confidently say that Karen had friends. This far from the girl at Camp Mohawk who tried to run away. Now if only she could get the Krushers up and running and get to know even more kids. Supposedly there was a boy her age around here that had a team who would play against them. Who knows, maybe Bart Taylor would be her new friend in this neighborhood too.