12 Months (Tom Holland)

June

The radio was fading in and out of static as the minutes passed, but it wasn't like I cared. The sun was kissing my skin with each individual rays, and like the radio, I was fading in and out of sleep. After junior year, I really needed this type of relaxation and I was happy to get it for two months until senior started in August.

The screen door creaked open and I heard my mom call my name. "Kennedy! Get dressed, we have guests over!" Like molasses, I opened my eyelids and lifted my sunglasses to squint at her. "We never have guests, Mom. They're probably con artists," I said and returned to my summer haze. Even though she was about twenty feet from me, I heard her exasperated sigh and the sound of the grass crunching under her feet. "I'm serious Kenny, these people are our new neighbors," with that, sentence, I perked up. We haven't had neighbors in years, ever since the Nguyens moved back to Philadelphia.

"What do you mean 'We have neighbors?' Nobody wants to live around here anymore, we're a rare breed," I still couldn't fathom anybody wanting to move into our neighborhood. I understood parents wanting their children to go to Little Valley High, the school's marvelous; but, the neighborhoods around are not the best for people. The houses are run down, too expensive, or nonexistent. Since my family's been in the Oakland vicinity since the 1890s, we've always had the nicest house because we never left. Our house was comparable to a mansion, but it was Victorian, so the size actually meant nothing in the olden times. The surrounding houses are modern ones now, so they're smaller in size.

My mom's shadow covered the sunlight as she stood above me with her hands on her hips. "Get dressed and greet these people. There's a boy your age in the kitchen, you could have a new friend in time for senior year," she grabbed my hand and pulled me out of my chair and walked me into the house. "I have friends, Mom," I grumbled as I wrapped a towel around my waist. "You could with a few more, Kenny, especially one that lives close," she led me into the kitchen where our new neighbors were sitting.

What my mom neglected to say to me was that our new neighbors were the Holland family. Tom Holland, the biggest teen movie star in recent years, was at my dining room, sitting where I usually sat. My freshman year, I had the biggest crush on him, watching every movie he was in, reading every article about him, and even begging my parents to take us on a trip to England over that summer. We never met him while we were there, but it was still a wonderful time. However, I didn't need to go to London to try and meet Tom Holland, all I had to do was listen to my mom for once and greet the neighbors.

"This is my daughter, Kennedy," my mom introduced me, "She goes to Little Valley too, so if Tom needs any help adjusting, at least he knows a friendly face." Tom made eye contact with me and I suddenly felt very naked, realizing that I was only clad in my bathing suit and a towel. Shyly, I waved, "Nice to meet you guys." Tom's mother smiled at me and spoke, "How do you like Little Valley? Is it a good school?" Instantly, I felt comfortable, knowing that I could talk about Little Valley for days. "Little Valley's wonderful, Mrs. Holland. Our sports teams all have great records, usually five or six kids always get drafted into the NCAA. Our academics are great and the learning opportunities are wonderful. Tom would feel at home there," I answered, not realizing I had slipped in the fact I had known who they were.

Mrs. Holland had caught it though and she grinned, "So you do recognize Tom?" "He's not really that hard to notice. If you're worried about paparazzi or if Tom's going to have a hard time adjusting, don't worry. There might be a buzz for a little while, but it will die out. We once had one of the IT kids go here for a year," I kept rambling and my mom gave me look that told me to shut up. Mrs. Holland turned to my mother, "Your daughter's lovely, Rita." "I know, I made her myself," the two moms shared a laugh while Tom and I shared a look. It was funny, we had never spoken a word to one another, but we already had one little connection.