Beauty and The Baseball Player | Benny Rodriguez |

New to the Neighborhood

"Two weeks.. Two weeks before school is out, two weeks to make friends, two weeks before summer." Natalie Smalls thought to herself as she was moving boxes into the new house that she now shared with her father Bill, stepmother, and stepbrother Scott. It was a hot day, signalling that summer was near. After about an hour of moving things into the house, she quickly sat on the couch that was sitting on their front lawn. She was quite relaxed until her parents asked her to get up so that they could move the couch indoors. Natalie sighed as she gave uo her comfy possition. An hour later her father and new mother were hanging pictures around the house. Scott was up in his new room unpacking. That left a bored Natalie with nothing to do on a Friday Morning. 

Natalie decided to get out of the house and started talking a walk around the small town that they lived in. She learned where the supermarket, Vincent's Drug Store and, the Baseball park was. Oh Baseball, she enjoyed the game as much as her father did. She couldn't wait until Bill taught Scott how to play so she could have a nice game with him. Being a girl who loves sports like a guy, it was hard for her to make friends at her last school. But this year she was determined to finally make some friends. About an hour of exploring everywhere Natalie decided to grab an Icecream on her way home. When she arrived home, her brother was sitting on the porch. Just as she arrived she finished her icecream, knowing she would've felt bad because she didn't get him one.

It was around two thirty, the kids were coming home from school and Scotty continued picking boxes from the UHaul trailer. When Scott set down his box ontop of some other boxes, a kid walking past noticed him. Scott, being a little dorky, waved to him smiling and all, the kid just nodded his head and continued walking towards his house, which was right across the street from the Small's family.

Two hours later, a majority of the house was completely furnished and cozy. Natalie decided to go and spend a little time with her dad in his room, which wasmostly filled with anything Baseball. If you didn't know, he was a huge fan, he even got a ball signed by Babe Ruth. A little gift from his father. Now, that was his most prized possession, that wasn't living of course. Natalie was sitting on one of the spinning chairs while her dad was finishinishing decorating his own room. Then there was a knock on the door, revealing a Scotty.

"Um, dad? I - I mean Bill." Scotty asked a little shyly. "Mh hm m?" Bill replied, adjusting the position on one of his trophies. "Remember you-- you promised you'd teach me to play catch?" Scotty continued. "Mm-hmm." "Um, w-well, could you teach me?" "Sure." Bill replied, looking up from his box of baseball stuff. "Okay." "Okay?" "Thanks. Sorry." Then Scotty quickly left the room. Natalie quickly got up and followed Scotty to the new room. 

"Hey little dude." She said while leaning against the doorframe. Scott looked up from his notepad. "Oh hey Natalie." He said while continuing writing. "So, school tomorrow. Are you excited?" She asked while sitting on his bed, criss crossed. "mm, not really." "Oh. How come?" "I don't have anyfriends, and I don't want people to make fun of me." He said while looking down. Natalie looked at Scott and smiled warmly. "Nobody's gonna make fun of you. Just don't be a goofus." She said to him playfully. "Well goodnight Scotty." She said and left the room.

~ Monday morning; 6:15 am ~

As Mrs. Smalls finished cooking breakfast, she called Scotty and Natalie down to come eat as she set the table. Scotty came downstairs, ready and eager to go to school and make friends before summer was over, followed by Natalie, who was still in her Pajamas and had bed head. They sat down next to each other at the dining table as Mrs. Smalls served eggs, sausage, pancakes, and orange juice. Scotty and Natalie reached for the syrup at the same time, both of them determined not to let go. Just as they were about to give up, Bill entered the room with his work suit trying to fix his tie, which Mrs. Smalls had to help out with. Bill kissed her on the cheek, gave his dear daughter a hug, and Scotty a pat on the back. Right when he closed the door and drove out of the driveway, Mrs. Smalls had enough with Scotty and Natalie fighting over some silly syrup, she quickly reached for it and took it away. Natalie started pouting as her pancakes will be syrup-less, but she started eating them anyways. Right after she put her dishes in the sick and was about to go upstairs Mrs. Smalls stopped her. "Natalie dear, don't forget to wear something nice for your first day back." She said while smiling. "Yes 'Mother'" Natalie said while fake smiling and continuing going up the stairs. She was actually grateful that her father remarried, she was the closest thing to a mother Natalie will ever get and its not very easy living with a guy for the past 12 years of your life.

Natalie stood in front of her mirror, groaning and she put her bow into her hair. She fixed her dress up a bit and took one last look in the mirror. She was somewhat satisfied with her outfit and then walked downstairs. Mrs. Smalls was grabbing her car keys, telling Scotty to hurry up while Natalie waited outside. Mrs. Smalls hurriedly opened the car door, not wanting to make the kids late on their first day. On the car drive there, Natalie just stared out the window looking at the girls walking down the street with their friends. Natalie sighed, hoping this could be her year where she finally wasn't lonely.