Family, Hope and Love

One cool night in late may a girl sat writing in a tiny notebook
listening to various conversations. Conversations she didn't quite fit
into.

Family ugh! People who were related to her by blood but whom she didn't
really know; people who lived hundreds of miles away. Talked in an
accent that was foreign to hers.
Suddenly there was a knock on her Aunt's door she went up to answer it.
Standing there was a boy who looked about a year or two younger than
she did. She opened the door and said a friendly "hello".

"Hi!" He replied to her as he moved into the house.

"Hey Eddie!" Jeff her cousin said practically bowling her over to slap
John on the back. "Caroline this is Eddie, Eddie this is my cousin
Caroline."

"Nice to meet you John." She said shaking his hand.

"I hear you'll be staying with Jeff and his family all summer, you must
be stoked."

"Oh yes." She said her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"This place isn't so bad, there is surprisingly a ton of stuff to do
around here." Eddie said looking over at Jeff for some back up.

"Actually, I was just about to suggest that same thing before you got
here."

"Oh really?" Caroline couldn't help but ask: after all ever since she
stepped into the house Jeff had put it upon himself to make her stay
here as miserable as possible.

"Of course I was you didn't think I was going to leave you alone with
Olivia did you?"

"It wouldn't have been the first time you've done it."

"Man she's one tough cookie isn't she?" Eddie smirked.

"She's just being civil, you should see when she's known you for a
while."

"Boyfriend back home?" Eddie asked.

"No."

"Girlfriend then?"

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Just curious."

"Better be careful Eddie she's liable to bite
your head off. She's ready to strike."

"No, I wouldn't bite his head off he doesn't know any better. However,
I would bite yours off for stirring up trouble," she said turning to
Jeff ready to wring his neck.

"Who me?" He asked innocently.

"Yes, you." She said pinching his arm.

"Kate lives." Eddie chuckled.

"You have enough gall to actually compare me to Kate from 'Taming of
the Shrew'."

"If the shoe fits sweetheart."

"It's a good thing I'm in a good mood right now."

"I'd hate to see you in a bad one if this is what your good mood is
like."

"Jeff, please go play some Neanderthal ball game and take your friend
with you. Because if you don't I might have to kill you."

"Take it easy sweetheart." Eddie said putting a hand on Caroline's
shoulder.

"And if you call me that one more time I'm going to make you eat your
backward crusty poor excuse for a baseball hat, that is worn on a poor
excuse for a head that contains a poor excuse for a brain." She said
violently slapping away Eddie's hand.

"Is she for real?"

"As real as an anaconda." Jeff replied.

"Do you play ball?"

"Do you have a death wish?" Jeff asked startled.

"No, I'm just interested in challenging her to a game of one on
one."

"Sorry, I don't play ball with little boys, someone might get
hurt."

"Do you even have any clue how old I am?"

"Doesn't really matter your Jeff's friend that's more than enough
information."

"Well, I'm going to tell you anyway. I am 21."

"Why the hell are you hanging around with my cousin then?"

"Because most people my age annoy me."

"So you chose someone just graduating from high school to hang out
with?"

"Well, that and there aren't many people my or rather our age around
here."

"Great so I'm stuck in Green Acres with just you and my family."

"Just give this place and the people around here a chance."

"Translation give you a chance."

"So, how about a game of b-ball?" Jeff interrupted.

"Get lost!" Caroline and Eddie both said at the same time.

"Ok, if either of you psychopaths need me I'll be outside."

Eddie nodded his head; Caroline just glared at the two of them. She was
happy to get rid of Jeff for a while, but totally annoyed that his
friend put it upon himself to crack the "hard shell" to get to the
"real" Caroline.

"Well as much as I would love a tour of Green Acres with Opie, I have a
phone call to make.

"Caroline, wait look I'm not a jerk."

"I'm just like you. I was uprooted from my home a few years back. Most
of the kids around that were my age back then are all gone, I was stuck
here."

"Look you're not going to win me over with some sweet sad story of your
life. Nor are you going to do with smoldering looks from those pretty
blue eyes of yours."

"I'm not trying to win anything. I just don't want to spend the next
three months fighting with you...You think my eyes are pretty?"

"Yes, Mr. Conceited. If you don't want to fight then stay out of my way
and then you don't have anything to worry about." Caroline said
softening slightly then going back to her hard self once more.

"Wait, was that an actual human emotion you expressed there?"

To be continued...Please give feedback..Pjsparkles@abctales.com