Turn me Upside Down

Chapter 2: New friends, New problems

Art by @mi_na_ha_mu on Instagram.

Note: Chapter is unedited

Standing in front of a new neighbor's house was scarier than you thought it was going to be. While the house was your typical suburban-looking house it still brought a sense of nervousness to you. Whether it be meeting new people or the fact that this was a stranger's house you will be walking into; who knows what kinds of people you will meet?

Letting out a short sigh, you finally manage to raise your hand to knock on the door. Distant screams of children can be heard behind the closed door and finally the sounds of a person walking towards it. A woman, who you would assume to be the mother, answered the door. Her brown hair framed her face as the front was curled back to do so, and her eyes showed nothing but a welcoming gleam, a specific one that only mothers seemed to be able to pull off. "Hi, honey! You must be (Y/N). Dinner is just about finished if you want to go sit down at the table. I set your plate next to Mike, the boys are already waiting for you."

Turning her body sideways, Mrs.Wheeler leaves enough of an opening for you to pass through into her house. She nods her head towards what you would assume to be the kitchen. Passing by a flight of stairs in the direction you were nodded to, you hear the faint sounds of a woman or girl talking upstairs. Neither Mike nor his mom mentioned much of the family so you were ready for anybody to up and surprise you at any moment. The kitchen itself was quite spacious, similar in size to your new one but more full of life.

Aimlessly walking through the kitchen in hopes of finding the person that invited you in the first place, the sounds of boys arguing eventually guided you towards them. The boys quilted down seeing you enter the dining room, perhaps from surprise that you actually showed up in the first place. Giving them an awkward shrug and short wave you sat down next to the kid with the bowl cut; while you didn't talk much to him, Will provided a small amount of comfort since he felt more welcoming than the others. Sure all of them agreed to invite you over, but Will's quiet demeanor was something that let you relate to him more. Seeing as you initiated no conversation with them, the boys continued discussing what they were before, something about new camping and villains. Every once in a while they would look towards you and include you in their discussion in which you would provide short commentary. Somehow in the span of those few minutes, you ended up agreeing to draw their new characters along with helping Mike with settings, or as he referred to misled at that moment, the dungeon master. He said it would be the best way to include you since you didn't really understand how to play and would rather not.

Mrs.Wheeler, or Karen as you have been informed, cut into the conversation by setting down the food. An action that almost immediately made you stand up in order to help, but she quickly ushered you to sit down. A quiet man wearing glasses also entered the room and took a seat next to Mike, only giving a brief nod in your direction. This was who you would assume to be the dad, Ted, and the new girl walking down the stairs would be Nancy, who seems to be surprised to see another person around her age sitting at the table. She ended up sitting at the only other seat available, the one right next to you which ended up being extremely awkward with your small smile plastered on your face.

Being from California, you were used to seeing pretty girls since there were so many there; of all different styles and races too. Nancy reminds you of an old friend you had, one that was always stuck in a library and had millions of books in her room. A smart outgoing girl who provided you with nothing but comfort from the moment you met her, and looking at Nancy now you couldn't help but feel that same old comfort from home, from your friend. As if understanding your stare, Nancy returned your small smile but turned away quickly. Perhaps staring at a person with a sad look of longing wouldn't be the best impression but her resemblance was truly uncanny. The brown hair pulled into a half updo, and beautifully sculpted face all were just a reminder of what you left behind.