Young Uns - Andley Tri Shot (Black Veil Brides)

"ASHLEY, WHERE ARE YOU?"

I lifted my head up from the picture I was drawing at the mention of my name. It was a red Tyrannosaurus rex with black stripes. "COMING!" I yelled back, throwing down the crayons and running out the door of my room. I skipped three steps at the bottom of the stairway, landing with a crash at the bottom. Wasting no time, I kept running until I found my dad by the front door.

"Hey, little man!" He smiled and affectionately messed up my hair with his large hand.

My hair wasn't very well kept, even for a six year old. Being a single dad, he didn't really notice things that needed to be done like haircuts. Which meant my jet black hair could grow out however and he wouldn't care. In fact, I had taken to cutting it myself. I was growing it out, and giving it choppy ends. And luckily for my dads hand, I washed my hair regularly.

"Going over to the neighbours, you gonna come?" He asked with the biggest grin on his face.

"Of course, silly duffer!" I grinned at him, grabbing his hand and dragging him out the door. He laughed and pulled it shut behind him.

We'd lived in this house since I was really little. Well, littler. Five out of my six years were spent here. I can't remember when I lived elsewhere. But for some reason, I had never met the neighbours. I guess this wasn't the kind of street where you go around to the newcomers and welcome them with freshly baked pies. I would've liked that. I could do with a little pie right now.

I let go of my dads hand and raced up the front steps to the doorbell. "Only one push!" My dad chuckled, coming up behind me. I did as he instructed, then stood back and waited. It was only a matter of seconds before we heard footsteps and the door sprung open.

"Zack!" The man greeted my father cheerfully as he threw open the door.

"Cody!" My dad replied with equal enthusiasm.

"Come in, come in!" Cody ushered us inside. He turned his grin to me. "Hello!" I couldn't help but shy away, even though I smiled back at him. I suppose it was more of an instinct now. Adults were often criticising my dad on his parenting methods based on how I looked. It was mostly the hair that sold it.

"This is Ashley," my dad introduced proudly, pushing me forwards. I stepped out from behind him, but continued to clutch to his leg.

"Hi," I said quietly, a lopsided smile playing upon my lips.

"How old are you?" He asked me, putting his hands on his knees and bending down to my height.

I held up the appropriate amount of fingers for him to see. "Six."

"Ah, so grown up! My son, Andy, he's six too!" My face lit up. A little boy my age, and he lived next door to us?! "I'll call him for you."

He turned behind him, holding his hands up to his mouth. "ANDY! COME DOWN HERE AND MEET ASHLEY!"

"COMING!" Was the return reply. Hmm, already I see we have something in common.

The boy who came running down the stairs skipped the last three steps and ran up to his father. He was taller than me, with black hair like mine. Unlike mine though, it was cut short and proper. "Hey," he said casually. "Are you Ashley then?"

I nodded slowly. With an encouraging look from my dad, I gathered enough courage to speak. "You can just call me Ash, if you'd like."

"Why don't you take Ashley up to your room and play for a while? Mum will call when morning tea is ready." Said the ever-smiling Cody.

"Sure thing," he turned to me, grabbing my wrist almost as if he knew I wouldn't had followed him straight away. "C'mon, let's go!" Together we rushed up the steps and turned left to Andy's bedroom.