The Relationship Status (1)

Jennifer

It all started with a pool party at my place. It was the summer of 1982, we had about a week before school got back in session. We were 14 and on our last week of summer break and then we're off to high school as freshmen!

Steph and I were putting on some sunscreen around our one piece bathing suits before we started our mini pool party tradition that we did every summer since we were 10.

"Ok, ready?" I eagerly asked while she was finishing up applying sunscreen to her skin.

"Let's do this!" She replied. And we run next to the diving board, hold our hands, and jump! And that's how it'd always went, and we loved it.

I was just coming up from under the water when Stephanie was way ahead of me. So much, that she got out of the pool for a second to scope out the noise of a truck coming down our suburban Boston neighborhood. Two trucks, to be exact. Moving trucks.

We tried to see who was going to move in across from Steph and I, since we lived right next to each other. But we couldn't tell and tried to not let it interfere with our mini party. But she was still trying to peak through the cracks of my picket gate.

"C'mon Steph! I got Squirt fresh outta the cooler!" I tried to get her attention. I didn't want our celebration to go to waste. I mean, we only had a week left! I reasoned with her, "You know what? We can see who moved in across from us tomorrow."

She turned her head away from the gate, "Ok! It's probably nobody important anyway. Probably two more senior citizens moving to the suburbs for easy living. It's just weird that they'd be moving in at the same time. Maybe they're those best friends that grew old together or something!"

I wanted to groan at the fact that we'd be getting some more old people added to our neighborhood. I mean, sure they're nice and wise, but the majority of our street is inhibited by Q-tips carrying canes down the street. Ok, maybe that was mean. But I just feel like it'd be cool if we could find some kids our age that Steph and I could add to our team.

"That'd be kinda cute! Maybe we'd get some girl our age and she'd go to our school!" I suggest while Steph comes next to me by the edge of the pool.

"Hey, only one way to find out!" I guess she's really stoked about whoever's moving in, because I was more focused on the pool... She eventually got her head out of the clouds, and we jumped in one more time before we started relaxing on the pool tubes and dreaming about what high school was gonna be like.

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First day of school, and we don't even have first period together! I get to work in the library while Steph is in art class. She said she'd stop by now and then to switch out books and hang with me.

I was kinda experienced from 8th grade and there's this other girl in there named Misty! She's pretty cool, and I feel like she could hang out with Steph and me. But she wasn't the girl that moved in...

Our first customer was a blonde boy with a blonde swoop. He had ripped jeans at the knee, and wore a pair of beat up Adidas. He seemed like that trouble-maker type, but I was surprised that he actually read a book over 200 pages.

"Hey Mist, can you check this in for me?" Mist? I guess they went to the same school together.

Misty replied, "Hey, Donnie. And geez! You already went through that in two hours? And don't call me Mist. I'm not your girlfriend, you flirt." He looked like that type who looked like he was all-that and a bag of chips.

"Hey, I like my Mystery Series!" He said, ignoring her last comment. "So, where's the fiction section again?"

I butt-in so a cat fight doesn't start, "Um, I'll show you where it is."