𝙎𝙊𝙈𝙀𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝘼𝘽𝙊𝙐𝙏 𝙔𝙊𝙐 | DANIEL LARUSSO

𝟢𝟣

     I started playing around with my radio, mostly static until I heard faint clear speaking, I turned my head to make my ear face the radio, twisting the dials back and forth, until the speaking was clearer. I paused with my index and thumb still on the dial, wondering if I should turn it slightly left. I thought about it for a moment, until I did. It was a lot clearer.
     "Next up, the 1978 hit," the radio spoke "Heart Of Glass by Blondie!"
     I smiled and started nodding my head to the beat of the song. I sat up and began to browse through my closet. I took a shirt of the rack and examined it while it was still on the hanger. I shrugged and tossed the shirt on my bed. I got a hold of a light blue jean skirt. I brought the skirt up to my hips and then slipped on the shirt that was laying on my bed. I hurried downstairs with my hand sliding down the railing.
"Hey mama" I kissed her head
"Hi dear," she looked at me before taking a sip of coffee and continued to read the newspaper at the dinner table.
"Hey papa" I kissed his head.
"Hey kiddo," he patted my shoulder and continued to read the same story but a different copy as my mom. I smiled and plopped two English muffins into the toaster. I took a glass cup, poured myself some orange juice and lifted myself up onto the counter right next to the toaster, taking a sip of my orange juice.
"You've got a shift today?" I asked my mom, taking a sip of my orange juice.
"No dear," she shook her head "Dr. Smith and Clark don't need any extra help in the noon."
"Weren't you getting promoted to master of science in nursing?" I replied. She smiled at me.
"Yes, but they both said I could take a break from all of my hard work." she answered, taking another sip of her coffee.
"And you pops?" I asked sarcastically, turning my head towards him in the slightest. He laughed.
"We've only got a few paralegals at the law firm today." He responded shaking his newspaper so he could read it more clearly. My mom rolled her eyes playfully. My English muffins shot up and I picked them both up with one hand, grabbed my orange juice and paced back upstairs.
"Love you guys!" I yelled, both of my parents watched me as I ran up the flight of stairs.

     Munching on my English muffin, I walked out onto my porch and looked outside. I could spot heat haze's even from above. An olive colored 1969 Chevrolet wagon pulled into the South Sea's apartment complex. I put my hand on my forehead to get some shade and get a better look. A boy around my age began to struggle to remove his bike off the top of the car. His mom admired the scenery of the apartments, but he did not seem to impressed. His mom walked into the entry of the apartment carrying a large cardboard box while he was still attempting to take his bike off. I laughed to myself with my mouth closed. He took his belongings up to the gate, and kicked down the door.  I heard a yell. A wide grin appeared on my face. This has got to be good. I hurried downstairs, hopping on one foot trying to get the other shoe on.
     "Where are you going dear?" My mom asked with a concerned look on her face.
     "Nowhere mama!" I ran out and shut the door. My mom looked at my dad and he just shrugged.

     I slammed opened the wooden door as Freddy started to offer to help him take his bags to his room.
     "Hey Freddy! Long time no see!" I said waving to him. The new boy turned his head to look at me.
     "Ah Rose! Daniel, lemme introduce you to Rose. Our parents were good friends since we're practically neighbors. So we're like cousins." He announced to Daniel.
     "Hey, Daniel Larusso" he stuck his hand out.
     "Rose." I said sarcastically since Freddy already had told him my name. "Rose Cardula." His hands were soft, but his shake was firm.
"Hey, where you from?" Freddy asked as we began to walk to his apartment.
"New Jersey" Daniel replied quickly. I nodded my head. Freddy laughed.
"Whatcha doin all the way out here?" He looked back at Daniel.
"My mom gotta job with some company. Rocket computers, fly to the future, I dunno." He said eyeing the pool, that he expected to be like his mom described.
"Never heard of it." Freddy laughed
"It's up and coming." Daniel said still staring at the pool "Hey's this the only pool got here?". I began to pity the pool as well. It was almost empty, and there was a plastic swan slowly floating in it.
"Yeah that's it. Hey what was that, karate?" Freddy said completely avoiding the question. Daniel still had a questionable look on his face.
"what? Uh, yeah." Daniel answered getting caught off guard.
"Yeah, you've been doin it long?" Freddy said, hoping to distract Daniel from the pool.
"A couple times..you know." He said, still shocked from the sighting.
"Bet that you could kick some ass, huh? You know I'd like to learn some of that!" Freddy continued trying to change the subject.
"I mean, he got you pretty good just now" I joked.
"You saw that?" Daniel paused and looked at me.
"Yeah, I live just right next to this building. Come over whenever you want." I pointed in the direction to where my home was. Daniel nodded and we all continued to walk with Freddy.
"This place is a dump. You should go back to Jersey." An old woman spoke. We all stopped in confusion.
"How did you know I was from Jersey?" Danny asked leaning in so she could hear him better.
"Cause I'm from New Jersey. I've got a nose for my own." She replied not looking up at us.
"Well what part?"
"Parsipphany." She said sternly.
     "Parsipphany? Yeah, I gotta Uncle Louie in Parsipphany!"
     "Louie Martnini?" She said, finally looking up at us
     "No, Louie Larusso"
     "Louie Larusso?" She repeated, building up the conversation like she knew him.
     "Yeah!"
     "Don't know 'em." She shooed her hand went back to reading the newspaper.
"Hey pup. How you doin boy?" Daniel said bending down to lightly scratch the dogs chin that was resting under the old woman's lawn chair. Freddy tapped Daniel's back and spun his finger too his head signaling that she was crazy.
     "Yo, what're you doing tomorrow?" Freddy asked, taking Daniel's bike up the stairs.
     "Uh- I dunno I guess nothin" Daniel replied walking up the stairs with us.
     "Hey we're having a beach party to sorta adios summer. Wanna come?" Freddy said tilting his head.
     "Yeah, sure that's cool." Daniel shrugged. "Are you comin?" He looked at me.
     "I should be" I laughed with my arms crossed.
     "Hey, that's great I'll get you both in the morning alright?" Freddy said finally reaching the last step. "Alright well this is apartment 20 man. Should I leave this here?"
     "Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the help." Daniel said, while Freddy was returning his bike.
     "Take care! See ya tomorrow morning." Freddy and Daniel shook hands.
     "Nice to meet ya, Daniel." I smiled as we made eye contact.
     "Yeah, you too." He said, with a bit of a playful tone.