Rooftops.

Chapter 1

Warning: Slight language? Just the word "hell".
-
The move was slow, tiring. I wasn't really ready to leave my town. My friends, my giant house, the nice weather. But with my dad traveling for his job, I guess it had to be.
Our new house... It wasn't really that pretty. The walls were painted an off-white, leaning into grey. The roof was a dull black. I had a feeling this wasn't going to be anywhere near what I had in my former home.
My mom walked me up to my room, which turned out to be as bare as a desert. Great.
"We'll paint it!" She said, grinning, and clapped her hands together. "A new beginning! What do you think, Layla?"
I looked down.
"Why couldn't we stay home? This place sucks." I huffed.
"Your father has a job to do. Don't be selfish, honey. You'll warm up to it! We'll get you set up as quickly as possible!" She finished, patting my head and walking out the door.
I grumbled. This was stupid.
Sighing heavily, I rolled my bright yellow suitcase into my new room, or the shell of it, and sat against the only window.
I missed home. My old friends probably wouldn't talk to me, and calling them was just a lost cause.
Suddenly, I heard a faint click from the outside, and music started blaring, an upbeat tune with a great beat.
I slowly stood up, my hands brushing against the shaggy tan carpet, and gazed out the glass.
Past my reflection, there was a girl, about my age, maybe couple months older, with long dirty blonde locks and bright green eyes that matched her button-down, sitting out on her roof, swinging her legs to the beat of the song.
Compared to me, a small, skinny girl with dark brown hair styled in a pixie cut, who usually wore sweaters and t-shirts,she was glamorous. She looked friendly, and at the moment, I needed someone to be a friend.
I reluctantly pushed the window lock open, and slid up the glass. As it clicked into place, her eyes moved to me.
I paused.
"Hey!" She yelled happily, giving a welcoming smile that could light up New York City.
Trying to keep my awkwardness to a minimum, I smiled in return and climbed out onto the roof under my window, the corners of our rooftops parallel with each other.
"Don't be shy! I don't bite." She said, chuckling. She reached behind her, pulled out a small blue cooler from her windowsill and took a Coke out of it, tossed it to me.
"...Thanks." I replied hesitantly.
"No problem, man!"
"Man?"
"It's not exactly gender specific, so I use it on everyone. Weird, right?" Her curls bounced as she spoke.
"A little." I responded, finding myself smiling, too.
"Do you mind it?" She asked, frowning slightly. "It's okay if you do."
"No, no! It's fine."
"Cool!"
I took a sip from the can, feeling refreshed against the hot air and sun of Nevada. It was going to be a scorching summer.
"So, who are you, anyway?" I jokingly questioned.
"Oh! Sorry, sorry, forgot to introduce!" She admitted, brushing down her shirt. "I'm Brett."
"Brett?"
"Yeah. It's a girl's name, too, apparently." She chirped, giving a big shrug. "What about you, huh?"
"Oh, me?" I shyly brushed a piece of hair that fell on my face. "I'm Layla."
She looked up quickly, thinking.
"Like the Eric Clapton song?"
"Yeah, like the song."
"Awesome!"
She held out a fist.
"Huh?"
"What?" She said, giving a friendly glance, "Pump it."
I hesitated, and then awkwardly lifted my arm and fist bumped her.
She grinned.
"Wanna come over for a movie later? I've got a TV in my room. It's not much," She shrugged nonchalantly, "but maybe the Avengers sounds good?"
"You like the Avengers, too?"
"Hell yeah!"
I beamed, weirdly at best, but she didn't seem to mind.
"I'll check with my mom."
"Cool! I have popcorn ready. 7 sounds good to you?"
"Seven sounds great."
---
After an oblivious yes from my always busy mother, I climbed onto my rooftop and over to Brett's and knocked the glass quietly.
Her bottle green eyes looked over to me, and then she pranced over to the window, opened it, letting me plummet to her carpet.
"Oh, oh, sorry, sorry!" She apologized, holding back a laugh.
I blushed a rosy red as she grabbed my arm and helped me up.
"I-It's okay," I stuttered out, "I'm a klutz."
She chuckled in reply.
"It's all good. I'm no ballerina either." She said, shrugging, "Any way, you ready for some Avengers?"
"Like you said, hell yeah."
I grinned.
I flopped on her navy blue bed and was joined by a penguin stuffed animal being giddily squeezed by Brett's freckled arms.
Honestly, there was only one thing on my mind.
God, that was a long movie.
Nonetheless, we laughed, shouted out, and talked through the night. The glow of the run-down screen shone on Brett's eyes.
After the credits started rolling, she flicked off the television and turned to me.
"Good movie, right?"
"Yeah!" I replied.
For a moment, my busy parents and my shifting world seemed to fade, masked by giggles and exchanged smiles between Brett and I.
My... Friend.
I backtracked. I didn't get many friends, and to get one right away? That doesn't seem right, I thought.
"Layla, helloooo?"
I snapped out of my daydream as she waved a tan hand in front of my eyes.
"Oh, oh, sorry," I apologized, looking down and smiling shyly.
"It's okay," Brett reassured.
"Yeah... I just kind of get lost in my head sometimes. Sorry if I zone out."
"No problem!"
We stopped talking for a second, as Brett thought of what to chitter about next. Her eyes lit up as she finally knew what to say.
"Well, Layla, I really haven't gotten to know you that well, and, well, you're my new friend, so..."
Friend? My mind reviewed the word.
She continued, "Maybe you could tell me a bit about you?"
"Me?"
"Yeah."
"Uh, okay!" I replied as I awkwardly fixed my shirt.
I told her about my family, my favorite shows, how much I enjoyed art, and in return, she talked about her life and what Nevada was like, ending jokingly with "You're gonna need cooler clothes."
"True," I admitted, rolling up my sleeves.
I heard the window from my house open, and my mom's voice call out, "Honey, time to come back!"
I stumbled back, and as I stepped inside and closed the window, Brett and I exchanged smiles that said,
"See you tomorrow."

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