The Key to my Heart

Chapter 1: The New Kids (Sophie's P.O.V.)

"Sophie, look! People are finally moving in to the house up here!" I looked up from my phone for a moment to see if what my mom was saying was true. The house had been empty for months, and nobody seemed to want to buy it. Now, a big moving van was parked outside and what looked like a family of four was unloading it. There was a man and a woman, who I guessed must've been the mother and father of the boy and the girl helping them unload the van.

"Oh! There's kids!" I observed, joy woven into my voice. "And they look about my age! Do you think they'll go to my school?"

"I don't see why not. Although they might go to a private school," my mom said.

By then we were well past the house, on our way to the grocery store. I turned back to my phone so I could text the news to my friends.

~Time Skip~

My mom told my dad about the new people as I helped unload the groceries from the back of the car. He suggested we bake some cookies and bring them over to welcome them to the neighborhood. I loved to bake, so I agreed without hesitation. My mom and I made a batch of sugar cookies- complete with blue frosting and rainbow sprinkles. When they were out of the oven and cool, the three of us started the walk down to the new peoples' house.

As we approached the front door of the house I suddenly felt shy. What if the kids were mean? What if they made fun of me because I was adopted? What if they just didn't want to be friends? I hid behind my mom as she rung the doorbell. The door was answered almost immediately, as if the raven-haired woman had been waiting for someone to ring the doorbell.

"Welcome to the neighborhood! We made cookies!" my mom gushed, holding the plate of cookies out to the woman. She took the cookies.

"Thank you," she said sweetly. "My name is Mai Song." Mai had a very fragile-sounding voice, that is, until she raised it to call, "Quan! Get the kids and come down here!" into the house. Only seconds later a man and the two kids I had seen earlier came to the door.

"I'm Edaline Ruewen," my mom said, pushing me out in front of her. "And this is my daughter, Sophie, and my husband, Grady."

"Quan," the man said, sticking out his hand to shake Grady's and Edaline's. "This is Tam, and Linh." He gestured to each of the kids. They waved shyly. I waved back, equally shy.

"How old are you?" I asked, trying to start a conversation.

"We're thirteen," the girl- Linh- said quietly.

"Oh! Are you twins?" Tam nodded. "Well, I'm thirteen, too, so if you're going to Havenfield Middle School then we'll probably be in the same grade." The twins smiled. I looked up at my mom, who was just finishing her conversation with their mom. The men, being men, decided to stand in silence and merely monitor the conversing.

"We look forward to seeing you around," my mom said to Mai as their conversation reached it's end. "We live four houses down, so feel free to stop by." She took my hand and started to lead me away from the Songs' house. I waved goodbye to Tam and Linh just before their father shut the door.

Inwardly, I smiled. Maybe I'd have a few new friends this year.