Lilianna Grace Welt is a sweetheart. She has had a rough past, making her seem closed off, but in reality when Lily and Cole are together, you would rethink that. Lily would much rather have her face shoved in a book or be listening to Taylor Swift...
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Seven Years Ago
"Lily, please turn the TV off and put your shoes on so we can go meet the new neighbors." my Mom said.
"But Mom, the only people that live on this cul-de-sac are cranky old people! Why am I going to go meet an old person who is just going to yell at me when I ride my bike like Berta does?"
"Lilianna, that is no way to speak about our neighbors. And... okay, so maybe Berta is a little on the cranky side, but you still need to respect her. Remember what I told you? Kill them with kindness."
"Or you could just kill her..." I accidentally mumble.
"Lilianna Grace Welt!" Mom says in a 'watch yourself' tone, giving me the death stare that parents always give you as a warning sign to let you know you need to stop.
"Sorry, Mom." I apologize, hoping she forgot about meeting the new neighbors, as I am still not keen on that idea. I mean, what nine year old wants to meet another old neighbor? Not this one, that's for sure.
"Apology accepted. Now please put your shoes on, we need to meet the new neighbors, and before you complain about another old neighbor, I heard they are a small family with a son your age-" Before she can finish my flip flops are on my feet and I am flying out the front door, leaving it open as I book it to the new neighbors house. I hear my Mom calling after me but I ignore her, ecstatic about making a friend my age on this boring cul-de-sac filled with old people. I see their garage is open and there is a little boy with fluffy brown hair and tan skin who looks about my age on a blue scooter. Momentarily forgetting about my Mom, I run up to the boy who (thankfully) stops riding the scooter.
"Hi! This is a game my Mom taught me, and we're going to play. You just say three things about yourself. I'll go first. One, my name is Lilianna Grace Welt, but you can call me Lily. Two, I live with my Mom and dog, Oreo, right next door. Three, I am super excited to have someone my age on this cul-de-sac." I say with excitement clearly visible in my voice.
"Okay, so you just say three things about yourself?" He asks, still skeptical. I nod my head.
"One, I'm Colson Kane Miller, but you can call me Cole. Two, I think football is pretty cool. Three, I used to live in Texas before moving here." he replies, matching my enthusiasm. He holds out his hand to shake mine. We both have huge smiles plastered on our faces when Mom comes running out of the house with a platter full of different flavored cookies. When she comes over to where me and Cole are standing outside his house, she again gives me the death stare.
"Before you decide to lecture me about running out of the house, I am sorry, but I am just so excited about finally having someone my age to play with on our cul-de-sac instead of playing chess with Agnes." I say and Cole looks as if he is holding in a laugh.
"I understand honey, I just don't want you getting hurt." She states and I can tell she was genuinely worried about me. I nod, showing her I understand what she means. She turns to Cole to introduce herself.
"Hello dear, I am Ms. Welt, Lilianna's Mom, and it looks like you two have already met," she glares at me, "What is your name?"
"Cole." he replies bluntly with a smile. Oh Lord! I can tell Mom thinks he's a charmer.
What a ladies man, I think to myself
"Well Cole, I don't want to interpret you and Lily getting to know each other. Where are your parents?"
"They're in the kitchen unboxing things."
"Thank you Cole. Nice meeting you." My Mom takes herself and her platter of cookies inside the Miller's house to meet Mr. and Mrs. Miller.
"You play chess with an old lady named Agnes?" Cole asks with an amused look on his face, on the verge of laughing.
"Zip it, Miller. You try living on a cul-de-sac with nobody but old people on it." We both start cracking up at my hilarious, but very true statement.
"Okay, okay," he says after we both have calmed down from our laughing high, "What school do you go to?"
"West Peterson Elementary School."
"I start there in the fall," he states. We sit on his front lawn in the shade of an oak tree talking until sunset. Mom and Cole's parents come outside every thirty minutes or so, to make sure we're okay. I learn more about his old life in Texas and that this is his first time in California. Apparently, his family moved here because of his Dad's job. Cole is nine, exactly my age and is going into fourth grade when school starts in the fall, just like me. How perfect is this? Our conversation goes from favorite TV shows, to my life here in Solvang, and everything in between. He always wanted a little sibling, but is an only child like me. Unlike me, he has a Dad. I don't talk about my Dad, that's a conversation for another day. A very sad and depressing day...
"Lily, Cole!" I hear while me and Cole are talking about our favorite movies. We both look up at our parents in the driveway and get up off the grass to walk over. When I crossed where the grass ends and the cement starts, I accidentally tripped on a brick. Before I could hit the ground and scrape my knees, an arm caught me. I look up to see it's Cole who caught me.
"Thank you." I said standing on two feet and letting go of his arm.
"No problem." He replies, brushing it off. We walk up to our parents and I am faced with Mom, Mrs. Miller, and Mr. Miller.
"Honey, this is Mr. and Mrs. Miller." Mom says turning to me.
"Oh please call me Jane," Mrs. Miller says, pulling me into a hug.
"I'm Paul, Cole's Dad." Mr. Miller says, giving me a warm smile.
He seems like a better Dad than mine... I think to myself
"I'm Lilianna, and Cole moving to this boring small town is the best thing since chocolate chip cookies!" I say enthusiastically. All the adults throw their heads back laughing while Cole just smiles.
He turns to my Mom and says, "In that case, your daughter is my best friend." Mom and Jane hold a hand over their hearts and I turn to Cole, folding my arms over my chest.
"Are you trying to make me blush?" faking annoyance, but truly touched.
"Is it working?" He fires back, copying my actions. At that, everyone bursts into giggles and laughter fills the old, depressing cul-de-sac I've known my whole life.
"It seems like you two are going to be the best of friends." Mr. Miller says with a smile.
"I think we are already." Cole says, turning to me with a smile plastered on his face.
Yeah, the best of friends. I think to myself. And it's true. Ever since that day, we were inseparable.
author's note!
word count: 1,231
how is the prologue? i am in love with lily and cole's friendship already! ahh! thank you for reading so far :)
have a great day... or night whatever time zone it is for you make it great! hahaha. i'm so cringey my goodness-
