My Neighbor Rusty

Chapter 2

"So, who's moving in next door?" Harmony asked flopping herself on my bed after dropping her backpack right inside my door. I walked in after her and tripped right over her backpack. "OW! How many times have I told you not to just drop your backpack right in the doorway, Wazowski!" I exclaimed sitting up and throwing the backpack at Harmony. Harmony jumped out of the way just in time and laughed. "You sound like my mother." She said. I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. Anyways to answer your question I have no idea who's moving in next door, all I know is there's a girl about our age that lives there, and just before when we were on our way inside I felt like someone was watching me." I said. Harmony watched me carefully for a minute and then she peeked outside my window at the house next door. "Hmm..do you think that girl is going to come to the party tonight?" Harmony asked looking at me. I shrugged and sat down on the edge of my bed. "I was thinking of asking her if she wanted to come and her name is Autumn." I said. Harmony shook her head. "You can ask her later, but can we please go out and tan because for a girl who lives basically on the beach I am way too pale." Harmony said. I laughed and rolled my eyes at my best friend. "Fine. Go change." I said. Harmony didn't argue, she grabbed her beach bag she had left here. She ran to the bathroom to change. I stood up and walked over to my drawer and pulled it open. I grabbed my simple baby blue bikini and waited for Harmony to come back. When she did she was wearing a red bikini with circular designs all around it. Her long brown hair was now tied up in a high bun right in the middle of her head. Slung across her arm was an enormous beach towel. "Your turn go change." She said. I got up my self and went to change. Once I had on my suit I took my hair out of the high ponytail it had been in all morning and gave my hair a quick fluff. When I was satisfied with how my hair looked I opened the door and screamed. Tucker was standing there wearing nothing but a pair of boxers and he was holding a towel. "Jeeze girls really do take forever in the bathroom." He said smirking. I pushed him out of the way. "Buzz off Tucker." I said. Tucker held up his hands in defeat. "Hey, by the way, do you think it would be alright if I asked that new girl..Autumn? Yeah, I think she said that was her name. Do you think she would want to come to my party later?" Tucker asked me before I could escape. I turned to look at him. He looked genuinely serious. I nodded my head. "Yeah, I think she would like that." I said. Tucker grinned and then turned and went into the bathroom. I laughed and practically ran back to my room. "My brother totally has a crush on the new girl." I yelled at Harmony as soon as I was back in my room. Harmony was on her feet in seconds. "Seriously?" She exclaimed. I nodded. "He was such a dork about it when he asked me if I thought she would want to come to the party and then he started grinning like an idiot." I said giggling to myself replaying it in my mind. Harmony giggled at the thought and then without a word both of us turned to leave the house. "MOM! I'll be on the beach with Harmony!" I called as I shut the balcony door. Harmony was already halfway down the steps. I jogged down and bumped into her at the bottom. "Why did you stop?" I asked. Harmony didn't answer me. I stepped around her and saw she was staring Autumn who was carrying yet another box from the truck to the house. There was more people outside now but they all seemed to be taking a break. "Oh, Isla, Hey!" Autumn called putting down her box on the porch steps. She ran over to us. "Going for a swim?" she asked. I nodded.

"Well, sort of. OH! Harmony, this is Autumn. Autumn this is Harmony." I said introducing them. Autumn held out her hand to Harmony. "It's nice to meet you, Harmony." She said. Harmony didn't take her hand instead she kept staring at Autumn. I nudged her with my shoulder and she seemed to snap out of her daze. "I-I'm sorry. It's just..haven't I seen you before?" Harmony asked. Autumn dropped her hand at her side and scrunched up her face. "Um, I don't think so." She said. Harmony nodded and looked away from her. "Well, we're obviously going down to the beach if you want to join us." I said. Autumn gave me that sweet genuine smile. "That sounds nice, but let me make sure they don't need my help moving anything else inside and if I can I'll meet you down there." Autumn said. I smiled back and grabbed Harmony's arm pushing her onto the boardwalk that my house, and Autumn's, share. "Okay, we'll be there!" I called over my shoulder. Autumn waved to me and then went back to carrying her box inside. I didn't say anything until after Harmony and I had kicked off our shoes and stepped onto the sand. "What in the world was that all about?" I asked her. Harmony glanced over at me but kept walking. "I swear I've seen her before...Oh!! She used to live next to my uncle in Austin! My uncle always used to tell me stories about his neighbors. Apparently, they moved away a couple summers ago but it looks like they moved in next door to you." Harmony said. I stared at her.