The Neighbor (boyxboy) [On Hold indefinitely]

Introduction

Hi guys, welcome to my first book! The intro is basically a set up for the whole story, to introduce the characters, so sorry if it's kind of slow.

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My neighbors first moved into Paradise Springs when I was in first grade. My parents, or my mother rather, decided to be nice and invited them over for a “welcome to the neighborhood” dinner. It wasn’t a big family, just Mr. and Mrs. Mendoza and their son Joseph. My mother made sure she impressed the Mendozas by using our finest china, which we only brought out on holidays, cooking a ham and turkey, which is also only cooked on holidays, and using the silk tablecloth. Yes, that’s only used for holidays too. They arrived at the house at 630pm. My mother had everything together. She wanted to make sure my father and I were well dressed, wearing dress shirts and dress pants. She, of course, wore the evening dress that she only wore to the country club. Mr. and Mrs. Mendoza walked into our house, their eyes bulging out their sockets. Their son was behind them with the same reaction.

“Please come in and make yourselves comfortable!” my mother said in her high pitched country club voice, which I hated. She took Mr. and Mrs. Mendoza’s coats and put them on the coat rack. “I’d like to introduce you to my husband Jack Wells, and this is our son, Isaiah. Say hello Isaiah!”

“Pleased to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Mendoza.” I put on the smile my mother always told me to put on when we had company.  I also hated it when she made me introduce myself when I already know I have to.

“He’s so handsome,” Mrs. Mendoza said with a warm smile. She took her husband and son and brought them in front of her. “This is my husband Lester and my son Joseph. We call him Joey.” Mr. Mendoza stuck his hand out, and I shook it, but he shook harder. He shook my mom and dad’s hand and they went into the dining room, leaving me and their son Joey.

“Hola,” he said. I just looked at him, puzzled. I didn’t know what he just said to me and, as far as I’m concerned, he could’ve called me a bad name.

“What does that mean?” I asked him.

“Hola means hello in Spanish.” He said to me, smiling. I smiled back, and then my mother yelled for us to come in the dining room.

We both went into the dining room, our plates already waiting for us on the table.  The conversations that circulated the table weren’t very interesting to me. Mr. Mendoza was going to be working at my dad’s store; Mrs. Mendoza was planning on opening a hair salon business uptown.

"How old is Joey, Loretta?” My mother asked.

“Oh, he’s turning 10 in August. How about Isaiah? How old is he?”

“He’ll be turning 8 in March,” my mother said as she tasseled my hair, “Is Joey planning on going to Highland Elementary School? Isaiah is going there!”

“We haven’t thought of what school to send him to, but I think it’d be best to send him there so at least Joey will know someone.” Joey’s mother smiled her warm smile again at me.

“That’s a great idea!” My mom exclaimed, “And we can send them to Oakwood Middle School and Lorraine High School. They’re the best schools in our area and in the county”

“I’d think that would be great! That way both of our sons can become better friends and hang out and help each other with homework. That’s a wonderful plan Eileen!”

Joey looked at me and smiled. I guess it wouldn’t be too bad being friends with him. I liked making new friends anyways. This was probably the start of a friendship that would last a long while.