Make Me Yours // Joshua Bassett

Willow- Prologue

September 6, 2010.

I huffed as I threw my backpack down on the floor in my new bedroom. My mom had finally found the perfect place that would fit all of our needs. It was moving day. The house next door was empty as far as I know, which I happened to be fine with. I didn't want to share my walls with any strangers, that seemed weird.

I watched as mover after mover brought in box after box until every room had boxes stacked taller than me. For the rest of the night, my mom and I started unpacking each room in the house and organizing while blasting music and dancing around.

"Mom... I'm afraid of starting at a new school and not making any friends. All of my friends are at my old school," I said quietly as I twisted my hands, watching her reach into the cabinet to put the plates away. She immediately turned around and made her way over to me.

"Oh sweetie." Her hand moved up to tuck a piece of hair behind my ear before she got down on her knees to look me in the eye. "You are the most amazing 10 year old I have ever met. I'm sure you will have so many friends that you'll need two hands to count them all." She placed a quick kiss to my forehead. "Let's take a break from unpacking, pick up some ice cream and go for a drive?"

I nodded slowly, "Yes please."

September 21, 2010.

A family came to look at the house that's attached to ours. They were a very large family with a boy who looked like he was the same age as me. I was out riding my bike, which I quickly dropped to go inside and talk to my mom.

"Mom! There's a family next door!"

"Oh, is there really?"

"Yes! And they have kids. Do you think maybe they'll go to my school? And then maybe I can have more friends!" I gushed as I thought about it.

"It's definitely a possibility! Hopefully they actually move in."

"Yeah, hopefully."

For the rest of the night, I played in my room, fantasizing about what it would be like to have a best friend that lived next door.

"We could ride bikes... or eat cookies... or dance to my favorite songs.... or watch movies," I said out loud as I wrote a list of what I would love to do with a new friend in my journal.

October 17, 2010.

The same family that came to look at the house a couple of weeks ago was now moving in. Mom and I were baking cookies to take over to them in order to welcome them. The beep of the oven let us know that the cookies were ready to be taken out. Mom took them out of the oven while I sat at the island and ate some carrots as a snack.

"Do you think the new neighbors will like our cookies?

"Well did you make them with love?"

"I can't love them I don't know them! I made them with a big amount of like though."

"Oh, Willow. You are the cutest girl to ever exist. I'm going to watch a movie while the cookies cool if you want to join."

Halfway through Flushed Away, mom decided that the cookies were probably cooled down enough so we went into the kitchen to move them to a plate. After wrapping them in saran wrap, I threw on some shoes, bursting at the seams with excitement.

"Mom c'mon hurry hurry," I said, shifting from foot to foot to try to contain some of the energy that I had.

"I'm coming," she said underneath a giggle, causing me to laugh a little with her. She led me out of the front door, carrying the plate of cookies with her. We made our way over to their door, both placing a few knocks on it. A lady answered the door and smiled warmly at us.