a new life

chapter four

At noon, we all headed across the street. I could already here music playing and people talking. When we arrived a middle-aged woman with blond hair who presented herself as Karen, welcomed us. She showed us to the back garden where the barbecue seemed to be happening.

Just as I was about to step outside, Karen stopped me and said, "Oh sweetie, the girls are upstairs. Will you be all right going up there?"

She didn't even let me answer as she stepped outside and left me there. It took me a few seconds to recollect and I headed upstairs. I could hear the girls giggling and listening to stupid pop songs. I didn't know who they were or their age or anything. I was just about to turn around when the door swung open and a girl stepped out.

She had long blond hair, just like Karen, which probably meant she was Karen's daughter. She had a slender figure and dark piercing eyes. She stared at me and finally asked. "Are you the new girl who just moved here?" she spoke with a kind voice that soothed me.

"Um...yes, Karen...um...sent me up here, she said you were...um...up here," I stuttered. I realized how stupid I sounded. Why was I nervous to speak to this girl?

She quickly smiled and answered "Oh great, come in," as she spoke she started to open the door wider, "I'm Maddie and Karen's my mom" she pulled me into a hug which shocked me because back in Connecticut no one did that. We either waved or did nothing at all.

When I entered her room, I noticed two other girls on the bed. They were both sitting down and they both smiled up at me. The one with a huge bun on the top of her head stood up and gave me a hug.

"Hey, I'm Zoë, it's nice to meet you!" she smiled and made me feel welcome at once. She was quite small which is probably the reason for the high bun. She had dark skin and chestnut eyes. She was quite beautiful.

"I'm Lucy, I just moved here from Connecticut," I looked at the last girl who hadn't presented herself yet. She didn't seem as nice as the rest of them but I didn't want to make any assumptions.

She noticed me looking, "Oh hi, I'm Hannah, nice to meet you," she picked at her nails whilst saying this. She didn't seem like the sociable type so I ignored her rudeness.

"We were just about to leave to
go to this pool party that our friends are throwing, wanna joins us?" Maddie asked.

I had never been to a pool party before, let alone a party. It was tempting but I thought of all the things I had to do before tonight, so I thought it was best not to go.

"I have a few things to do so I don't think I can come. I wouldn't want to crash your friends party either."

"Oh you won't be crashing the party, I'll call them up before to tell them you're coming and they'll be fine with it don't worry. It's the beginning of summer, come on, it'll be fun!" Maddie seemed really excited about it and I did, kind of, want to go. It would be a new experience and dad would have wanted me to enjoy myself this summer.

"Okay fine, I'll come. The only thing is I don't have a bathing suit."