Alex Meets the Starbrights

The Party: part 1

Alex's POV 

3:47 pm

Alex was dreading the moment he heard another car drive up the driveway. After the little autobiographical monolog he gave, he was not feeling his cheeriest self. He was not in the mood to meet and spend hours with new people, especially other teenagers. Alex really got along with todays care free, sometimes overdramatic teenager. 

Alex was on his phone, looking through facebook, the internet, and looking for other ways to get himself into the right mindset for the party. He even texted with Tom a few times within the last few hours. 

Then he heard the sound of crunching gravel, and knew someone was here. 

2 seconds later, footsteps that could only be Jack's where coming down the hall. 

"Alex!..." she called but Alex cut her off

"Im coming, one second." he replied   

He got off the bed and checked himself in the mirror. Deciding he looked presentable, he went down stairs. 

He saw 4 new people in the living room: a set of parents, and a teenage son and daughter. 

"Alex, Finally!" Jack called when she saw him. All head turned to him. 

"This is my Cousin Erin, her husband Kevin Wilson and their Kids, Tyler and Katie, who are 16 and 13."  Jack said, introducing the new arrivals.

"Guys, this is Alex. I'm his guardian" She told her Cousin's family

"Nice to meet you." Alex responded, with a nod. 

"Were so glad to meet you, Alex! You and the kids should get along great!" Erin said, trying to get her children to join the conversation.

Tyler spoke first. "Ya, I'm sure we will. Nice to meet ya, Al." He said, offering a handshake that Alex returned

Tyler seemed good. A bit...Jockish, maybe?...but nice enough. 

"Glad there's another teen here to hang with, right Kate?" Tyler said, nudging his younger sister, who was looking at her phone. 

The 13 year old joined the conversation. She seemed to be farther along in her teenage years than her age suggests, with her interest in her phone, popped hip and overall posture, and her ripped skinny jeans.

"Uh, ya. we could...kick a soccer ball around, I guess."

Alex paused as he remembered Americans had a different football. what he knew as football is called soccer here. 

After that moment, Mrs. Starbright spoke up.

"Alright, well, there are still some things I need to finish setting up. Jackie, If you could great any more guests, that would be great. I need to head back out back." 

With that, the Grandparents and the new arrivals left to the backyard to join Brooke and her family in the backyard. 

Within the next half an hour, Alex was introduced to many new people. 

There was Heather and Owen Starbright, Don's older brother and sister-in-law, who are also  Erin's parents. 

next was Frank and Sarah Richards, old family friends from down the street. 

And last was Tom and Georgia Mason, Don's younger sister and brother-in-law.

Tom and Georgia's son, Ryan, and his family came. He brought wife, Danielle, and kids Sean, who is 12, and Sarah who is 14. 

Finally, Alex and Jack headed out to the yard to join the party. 

When he came out, he saw the older generations sitting at the tables, talking and catching up with family and friends.

 Jake was watching his young twins on the small swing set. It was a simple wooden structure, with 2 swings, a set of rings, and a deck about 5 feet high separating the 2nd swing and the rings.

Katie had kept her...vague...word and found a football...sorry...soccer ball, and was in a type of scrimmage with the others  with 2 orange cones marking goals. The teams seemed to be Tyler and Sarah vs. Clare and Kate. Sean, being the youngest and not a soccer player, was watching, not wanting to interfere with the teenagers's game 

"Hay, Alex! wanna join?" Tyler asked when he saw the other boy.

"Alright" Alex called back, jogging towards the group of older kids.

"Can we play 3 verses 3?" Sean asked, wanting to play as well.

"Sure. how about boys verses girls?" Tyler suggested.

Alex and the rest aproved. 

"Cool! You play soccer, Al?" Tyler asked

"Yes, for a while. but in England we call it football."

"Thats right! well, I play american football, and Kate playes soccer, so we keep it separate." Tyler announced proudly, with a smile. 

"Alright, lets play!" Kate said setting the ball down in the middle of the field, and the game began. 

The game went on for a while, with a couple goals for each team. Kate and Clare where good, considering they played for their Schools. Tyler and Sarah seemed to be a bit out of their elements of different sports , but where managing fine, as well as Sean, with help and easy passes from Alex

Kate was running at Alex with the ball at her feet.

Alex swiped the ball from under her feet, dribbled it pass Clare, and scored a goal.

Tyler was apparently impressed.

"Nice moves, dude! You do play! what else do you do back home?" Tyler asked as the group of 4 meet in the middle for their makeshift field.

Alex thought for a second. International spy for MI6 probably wasn't a good answer.

"Ive Played soccer and karate sense I was about 5." he answered with a shrug.  

"Karate? sence you where 5?! You a black belt then?"

"Yes, 1st grade Dan, it's called."

 "Cool! have you ever had to, ya know, use it?" Tyler asked with a smirk, soccer ball forgotten

Alex paused. Again, 'Yes, all the time. I'm constantly fighting for my life against mad men  while I try to stop them from executeing their crazy plan' probably wasn't an appropriate answer.

"Um, A bit. I helped a kid with some bullies, and he's now my best friend. Other little incidents, too." he answered.

Kate decided to join the in. "Where in England do you live, Alex?"

"Chelsea, London"  

"Where else have you been in Europe?" Clare asked

"A lot of places, actually. France, Spain, Germany, Italy, and some others, mostly with my uncle when I was little." 

"You grew up with him?" Sarah asked

"Ya, but he died in a car accident about 2 and a half tears ago. Now I live with Jack."

"What about your mom and dad?" Sean asked, playing his part as an outspoken, curious 12 year old

"They died in a plane crash when I was a baby."  

"Alright," Tyler interrupted "Enough interrogating the new kid." he said with a sympathetic smile to Alex, then added, "It looks like the food if ready!"