4Ever & a Day : The Next Generation of R5

Just Like Me

Montague

I sat in boring old Ms. Abernathy's third grade class drawing circles in my folder with a pencil. This teacher was a dinosaur. I swear she was old enough to have taught my grandparents if they had gone to school here. Truth be told she didn't care much for me and the feeling was mutual. She had told me many times she wished they still had corporal punishment in schools because I needed a good spanking. The thing was she was always so sweet to my parents that they didn't believe me when I talked about her being mean.

Then she walked into the classroom. She had long curly red hair and the most beautiful caramel eyes I had ever seen. I stopped in mid circle with my pencil pausing in midair. I realized the only empty seat in the class was next to me. I had to admit the thought of her sitting next to me excited me. But I didn't need a girl distracting me from my spying.

"Class this is our new student Tatianna Sheppard," Ms. Abernathy said.

Tatianna Sheppard why did that sound familiar to me? I had heard that last name before but where? I racked my brain trying to think of where I had heard it as I watched her come sit next to me. She smiled at me and I smiled back.

"Hi, my names Lynch, Montague Lynch," I said to her.

"Hi, can we be friends?" she asked. "I think we live next door to you. My nana said something about moving next to a guy she used to know named Rocky Lynch."

"No Rocky is my uncle. I actually live like three houses down from him," I informed her.

"Oh that's cool, we still live close though," she said like I had agreed to be her friend.

"Yeah," I said a little too excitedly.

I didn't have any friends here in my class. If I was friends with her it would be a first for me. Little kids my age just didn't appeal to me but I sensed Tatianna was different. I was drawn to her for some reason. I couldn't put my finger on it though. What was it about her that made me want to hang out with her?

"I don't get this math," she whispered to me.

"Come over to my house after school and I'll explain it to you," I offered.

"Okay," she agreed.

After school I ran home and changed out of my uniform and into regular clothes. I went in the kitchen and asked Ross if he could make cookies. He said yes and asked me why but I just smiled and left the kitchen. A few minutes later the doorbell rang and before I could get to the door Embry answered it.

"Hi is Montague here?" I heard Tatianna ask.

Embry looked at me and our eyes met. The look on his face asked if she was my girlfriend. I shook my head. I wasn't into girls that way yet. I mean I knew I wasn't into guys like he was but I was way too young to think about a girlfriend. She was just a girl and she was my friend.

"Come in Tatianna," I said as I came to the door. "Excuse my rude brother for not inviting you in."

She came in and closed the door behind her. We went into the kitchen and sat down at the table. She got her math homework out of her bag and sat it on the table. We worked on it as the smell of cookies filled the air.

"Dad, I'm going to Cameron's," Embry called on his way out the door.

"Okay," Ross called as the door shut.

"So you have a brother?" Tatianna asked.

"Yeah I have two brothers and two sisters," I shrugged.

"Wow that must be nice. I'm an only child," she said.

Ha I wish I was an only child. My family was way too big, but then again if I didn't have a big family who would I spy on? Life would be too boring to live. I couldn't imagine not having my family. I knew even though I spied on them and held their secrets against them they'd have my back if someone else messed with me.

"That's got to be boring," I said.

"Yeah it's just me, my mom, and my nana," she told me.

"So are you going to introduce me to your new friend Montague?" Ross asked as he sat down at the table.

I wished he would just go away and leave us alone. He was so nosy and I didn't want to sit through him asking her a million questions like he did every time anyone else brought someone home. It had gotten to the point where no one brought friends home anymore. They always went to their friends' houses to hang out. I had been stupid to bring her here.

"Oh Tatianna this is my dad Ross," I said.

"Nice to meet you Tatianna. This is a first around here. Montague never brings friends home," Ross said surprised.

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Lynch," Tatianna said.

"Please call me Ross. If you meet the rest of the family calling me Mr. Lynch will be too confusing," Ross said.

"Okay," Tatianna said.

"So you live close?" Ross asked.

"Yes I live next door to Montague's Uncle Rocky, with my mom Hanna and my grandma Sarah," she told Ross.

"Sarah? What did you say your last name was?" Ross asked.

"I didn't but its Sheppard."

Ross' eyes got really big and he got up to take out the last of the cookies. As soon as he sat them on the cooling rack to cool he left the kitchen. I made an excuse to follow him saying I had to use the bathroom. I gave Tatianna some cookies and a glass of milk before I left the room.

I found Ross in his study with the door cracked. He had his phone to his ear. I stood by the door and listened.

"Hi, Rocky," he said.

He paused and then said, "You'll never guess who Montague brought home today."

Another pause, I hated not knowing what Rocky was saying.

"Tatianna Sheppard, she says her grandma is Sarah Sheppard and they just moved in next door to you. She is the spitting image of little Sarah. Got the red hair and everything," Ross said into the phone.

"Montague, why are you spying on your dad?" Tatianna said startling me.

I pulled her away from the door so Ross didn't hear us. "I spy on everyone in my family. It's what I do."

"Oh my god! Me too. I spy on my mom and grandma all the time. I can't imagine having as many people to spy on as you do," she said excited.

"Oh we are going to be the best of friends!" I declared.

But first I had to find out how my family knows her grandma. What the hell did Sarah Sheppard mean to Rocky? I had a new mission and I loved new missions.

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