"Mum, do we really have to go home already?" I whined. Mum and Dad and I had come to the little park a few blocks away with a cluster of trees to celebrate Christmas like we always did, but another family was already there, with a mum helping a boy about my age try to put up lights in the trees.
"We can celebrate at home, darling," Mum said, taking my hand and gently tugging me away. "I don't want to bother any strangers."
I looked at the boy with the lights to see that he was looking back at me. I wriggled out of Mum's grasp and reached into the snack bag Dad was carrying. I pulled out two juice boxes and held one up, looking at the boy expectantly. He shrugged at me and pointed me and my parents out to his own mum, who then turned to look at us before tapping her husband on the shoulder. I sauntered over, Dad following me, Mum sighing heavily before joining us.
"Hi," the boy said, giving me a toothy smile. "I'm Brian."
He held out his hand for me to shake, but I set a juice box in it instead.
"I'm Y/n," I said. "Happy Christmas, by the way. Mind if we stick around? We usually sit here on Christmas on our own. Mum's a bit antisocial, but I wanted to ask before I let her drag me home to avoid talking to strangers."
"Harold, do we mind if they stick around?" Brian's mum asked her husband. He shook his head.
"No, go ahead," he said. "More the merrier, right? We just moved into town."
"Oh. Well," Mum said awkwardly. "Uhm. Welcome to Hampton."
"Good going, M/n, very eloquent," Dad said, snickering. "Harold, yeah? I'm D/n."
"Pleasure," Harold said.
"And I'm Ruth," Brian's mum said. I smiled.
"So, how far are you from the park?" I asked Brian as he poked the straw into his juice box.
"Walking distance," he said. "Just a few blocks away."
"Oh, us, too!" I said, also deciding to have some juice. Brian watched me jab the straw into the box.
"Juice boxes seem a bit childish, don't they?" He asked, grinning at me as I took a loud sip.
"Oh, absolutely," I said. "But who doesn't like being childish now and then? Life's no fun when you're trying to grow up too fast."
"Huh," Brian said curiously. "I guess that's true. You seem like a smart girl."
"I am a smart girl," I said confidently. "So, you're new here, yeah? Have you ever been sledding down the big hill behind the Montgomery house?"
"The Montgomery house?" Brian repeated. I grimaced at my stupidity.
"Sorry, I forgot you're new," I said. "The Montgomery's are the ones who live in that big blue house with the massive fence."
"Oh, yeah," Brian said. "We live just a few houses over from there."
"Really?" I asked. "Wait, did you move into that green place with all the flower bushes?"
"The roses? Yeah," Brian said. I smiled.
"Well, I was wondering when we'd ever have a neighbor kid my age," I said. "We live across the street from each other."
"We do?" Brian asked. I nodded. "That's awesome! We've only been here for a few days, so it's nice to have a new friend."
"It's always nice to have a new friend," I said. "Especially if it's me. I'm the best friend there is. Well, I would be, if kids liked me."
"If kids liked you?" Brian repeated. I shrugged.
"I don't really care that they don't," I said. "They're just jealous and intimidated by me."
"Really now?" Brian asked, raising an eyebrow. "And why is that?"
"Because I'm a smart girl," I said, smirking. "They only like me when they need someone to do their homework."
"Aren't the people who do other peoples' homework usually the ones who get picked on and bullied and all that?" Brian asked.
"You've clearly never met a smart girl who packs a punch," I said, smacking one hand with a tight fist. Brian pulled away from me a little bit and I laughed. "Exactly."
"I think I understand," he said, chuckling to himself. "Well, if you promise not to punch me, I'll let you be the best friend there is."
"Aw, thanks," I said. I looked over to our parents, who all seemed to be happily getting along. "Guess we're not the only ones who made new friends today."
"I guess not," Brian agreed. "Your mum doesn't look so antisocial anymore."
"She's got my dad with her," I said. "She's got that thing that people have when they're in love, y'know? If my dad's with her, she can do anything."
"That's sweet," Brian noted. "I hope that's what I have when I get married."
"I think that's what everyone wants when they get married," I said. I shrugged. "But not me."
"Not you?" Brian repeated.
"Nah," I said casually. "I don't need anyone to tell me I can do anything, because I know I can do anything I want. I think I'd just want someone supportive, you know? Someone who tells me it's an awful decision and then encourages me anyway."
"That sounds a bit reckless and chaotic," Brian said. I grinned.
"Oh, absolutely," I said. "But who doesn't like being reckless now and then? Life's no fun when you play it safe."
"I feel like you've said something like that before," Brian said, smiling. "Total déja vu."
"Not a lot of kids our age know what that means yet," I noted. "So. You must be one of the intimidatingly smart kids, too."
"Maybe a bit," he said. "But I don't punch well."
"Well, I can punch people for you if you need me to," I said. "Deal?"
"Deal," he said, extending a hand for me to shake. I actually shook his hand this time.
"So. Having a good Christmas?" I asked. He nodded.
"Best by far," he said. I looked up at the lit up tree branches.
"No offense, but you're really bad at putting up lights," I said. Brian sighed.
"I know," he said. "But I did my best, and that's what counts."
"Ah, so you're an optimist," I stated. "That's a good thing."
"Yeah? And what about you?" He asked. I shrugged.
"I'm just cocky and stubborn," I stated. "And brutally honest."
"Wow, you're telling me," he said sarcastically. "I think the two of us are going to get along just fine."
"Oh, absolutely," I said, nodding.
"But who doesn't like getting along now and then?" Brian asked. I giggled.
"Life's no fun when you're alone and sad," I said. He nodded.
"Oh, absolutely," Brian said.
Edited 2/6/21
