The Casual Neighborhood short stories

Boy? (January 3rd, 1994)

I hate it here. My friends are all gone, my house is smaller, and most importantly, all the neighbors are random strangers! I wish I could go back to South Carolina and continue living a normal life, but noooo, my dad's stupid job decided otherwise.

I went outside and sat on the front porch, my head sinking into my arms in frustration. It had been my first day of school today, and even the school was terrible. The kids there are annoying and stupid. I don't know how I'm even going to survive here.

"Uhh... hello..?"

I looked up in shock. A dark haired boy stood there, looking down at me in concern. I instantly got up and took a few steps backward, not knowing who he was.

"Oh, my bad... Im Louis! I guess you're the new neighbor. Sorry if I spooked you.", he apologized nervously while taking off his hat. "Whats your name?"

"Redd... Reddison Blaken." I answered shyly, not making eye contact. I didn't know really what to do in this situation

"Wait.. does your dad work for U.S.E.S??" Louis asked me with a strange look in eyes.

"Y-...yeeeaaaahhh.."

"So you were the neighbor my dad was talking about! My dad is coworkers with your dad and he heard that you guys were moving near."

"So..?"

"Oh, uhm.."

I could tell that Louis was trying his best to seem like he wasn't nervous, but honestly he was failing miserably. He took a few steps back, clearly embarrassed.

"I don't know.. I thought it was kinda funny.. s- sorry for wasting your time."

"N-no wait.. sor-"

Unfortunately, at that moment, my dad walked through the front door and looked disapprovingly at Louis. Louis took a few steps back in shock.

"Redd, who's this.. kid..?"

"Uhm.. he.. he's uh.. Louis?" I looked at Louis expectantly, he never gave me his full name. "Oh! Uh- Louis.. Louis Lyndston." He stammered, looking like he wanted to run away.

"Wait.. are you Dennis's boy?" My dad asked, now starting to realize who Louis was.

"Huh? Oh- uh- Yes Mr. Blaken." Louis confirmed with fear in his eyes.

"Alrighty then, I'll leave you two to your.. uh.. whatever you kids do nowadays."

My dad then shuffled inside the house and closed the door loudly.

"Is "having a conversation" considered "whatever you kids do nowadays"..?" Louis laughed, making me laugh too.

After a few more minutes of chatting, a man a few houses over started yelling for Louis to come eat dinner.

"Oops.. sorry gotta go... Talk later?"

"Sure" I replied, a bit flustered for some reason.

"Oh. And you can call me Lou if you'd like." He exclaimed with a cute smile on his face.

"Lou it is."

He walked home, but waved bye as he got to his yard. I was a bit shy so all I could do was do a little wave back, I'm not used to talking to boys.

As I myself walked inside, I started thinking about Lou.

Maybe the people here aren't so bad after all.