there's a first time for everything

the party

When we arrive at the building, the community center, Freddie's there, and when he sees us he beams.

"Hey guys!" he exclaims, walking over. "You came!"

"Hi, Freddie," Mom greets. I mumble a hello and continue past him to wander through the community center, which is nothing special, except for the tiled floors and very high ceilings. I walk through the winding pathways and individual, bedroom-sized rooms made for booking parties (kinda like this, I guess) as I look around. I wish Mom would get the point and just let me be. One part of me doesn't get how she seems totally fine. Okay, maybe she and Dad weren't that close, but he was her husband, wasn't he? They definitely loved each other.

Thinking about him and what he did gives me a chills, so I quickly shake my head to clear my thoughts and walk faster. Maybe I'll ponder it some other time, but not now.

Pretty soon I get to the topmost floor- the fifth floor. I walk around for a little, stopping at a window and peering out at the skyline.

It's only noon, which means the sun is still high in the sky. Back in Mississippi, the sun would last ages before it went down, and here it's not quite that different, but the sun still goes down earlier.

I start to hear some voices as I turn the corner. This part of the building is less occupied, less people are making their way through for kids' birthday parties and gender reveals. There are also less lights, which is slightly creepy.

"Yeah, didn't you see her?" One of the voices ask.

A grunt. "She's kind of annoying."

"Who, the new girl?"

I knit my eyebrows together, sucking my bottom as lip I try to figure out who's talking.

"Aspen!"

I turn my head to see Mom. "How'd you find me here?" I say in surprise.

"It wasn't that hard." She looks up at the direction where I heard the noises. "Come on, everyone's waiting."

"Who's 'everyone'?" I ask as we go back downstairs.

"Just some people from the block, plus some families Freddie knew."

I nod and scan the larger room. A few families litter the area, complete with two screaming babies and at least three toddlers running around semi-naked.

I pinch the bridge of my nose, taking a deep breath. I don't understand why that guy, Freddie, went through all that just to welcome us to the neighborhood or some crap.

The first person I see who's not a baby, child, a parent, or Mom is Connor. Just my luck. Then I see his friend, and I recognize his voice as one of people who were talking upstairs.

He has the straightest jet-black hair I've ever seen and a crooked nose, plus a arrogant smirk pointing my way.

I jerk back when I realize he's looking at me.

"Are you Aspen?" He says, but it's more like a growl the way he says it.

I sigh and glance away, wanting the ground to carry me away from these jokers. "Yep. Unfortunately," I add under my breath.

"Well." His grin settles, and he flicks his eyes to Connor before turning to me once more. "Welcome to the neighborhood, Aspen."

"Uh, thanks, I guess," I say to the boy, slightly confused. "And... who are you?"

"Oh, sorry." He pretends to laugh. "Forgot to introduce myself. I'm Jasper, and this is my best friend, Connor." He pronounced 'best' like one would spit out a curse word.

Connor is quiet, looking down at the floor. I take a step back. "I should go back to my mom. Nice to meet you."

"Wait!"

I turn back around.

Jasper smiles, and Connor looks up too, mirroring his expression exactly. "I'll see you at school."