worthwhile • daniel larusso

new

i sat in my uncle's maintenance office, doing one of two things that i usually did: trimming a bonsais tree. my only other option was spinning around in my chair until i got dizzy enough to forget where i was, so i'd say i had made the right choice.

some might think that trimming bonsai trees is a terrible way to pass the time. but for me, it gave me a calmness i otherwise never felt. it kept me balanced and gave me a clear head. there was nothing else quite like it.

i heard the door open creak open slowly and, figuring that it was my uncle, i didn't make any attempt to look away from my tree.

"new people move in today." he informed me, taking a seat at his table.

i chuckled lightly, shaking my head in a sardonic manner,"give them my condolences."

"give yourself," he replied, causing me to look at him with confusion,"freddy want you meet them."

i rolled my eyes, wondering why freddy was so insistent in meeting every single person that moves in. most of the time, it was older men and women, of whom we had nothing in common with, making the interactions horribly and unnecessarily awkward.

and since the two of us had actually been friends for the past couple of years, he had forced me into the welcoming committee as well.

i let out a sigh, standing up and setting down my bonsai sheers,"i'll be back."

"bonsai look good." he glanced at my little tree, giving me an approving nod.

i smiled lightly as i headed for the door, "thanks, oji."

i stepped out of the maintenance room and walked out to meet freddy at the bottom of the stairs. he was overly eager, as always.

"saint," he gave me a grin, smacking my shoulder lightly,"are you excited? i'm excited."

i couldn't possibly understand what had him so enthused about the possibility of a cool new neighbor. in this life, there were very few things that actually seemed to get me excited. but it was the exact opposite for freddy.

with a blank stare and a flat voice, i answered his burning question,"i'm over the moon."

he paid no attention to my lack of enthusiasm, heading for the front gate with a stride that only he could muster.

i trailed behind him, crossing my arms over my chest as i walked. truthfully, i just wanted to get back to my bonsai. it was my best one yet, and i knew if i was away from it too long i would lose my rhythm.

freddy stood at the gate, about to open it, when it swung open at full force and knocked him to the ground.

i pressed my lips together to hide my laughter, before running over to check on him.

"sorry, are you okay?" the perpetrator of the kick to the door asked nervously, setting down his suitcase and bike to help freddy up.

i couldn't help but note the boy's strange accent. it definitely wasn't like anything i had heard from this side of the county. it was intriguing, to say the least.

freddy pressed a hand to his forehead, "don't worry about it."

the boy offered up his hand, clearly feeling a little guilty,"here, have a hand."

freddy thanked him as he was pulled up to his feet,"so you gotta be the new people. apartment twenty, right?"

he glanced up at the stairs to the apartment with distaste,"oh, yeah, i guess so."

"freddy fernandez, apartment seventeen." he shook hands with the new guy.

"daniel larusso." he replied.