the years just roll on by

Prologue

Mili


She looked out the window, it was 4 pm, a summer day, a day when she would be outside like any other summer day, except her mom had decided that she would only be going out if she finished her book.  She signed, looked at the book and signed again, she hated reading, and it was summer, the time when she should be out having fun and hanging out with her friends. 


“Are you done?” Lina, her older sister by 3 yrs asked as she toweled her wet stringy hair. Lina was done with her reading, she had finished a long while back and had written her essay, Mili just hated the thought of books.  Depressed she sucked in her bottom lips, and then heaved loudly.


“Guess that’s a no?”


“You know we got new neighbors?” Mili ignored her with a question of her own; Lina liked rubbing things in people’s face.  She flipped open her book, not that she was reading it


“Ohm yea, but I haven’t seen them yet, I heard they have a son though, heard he’s real cute!”  Always getting excited over guys, Mili just didn’t understand!  It didn’t matter who the guy was, as long as he was cute, Lina liked them, and they of course liked Lina.  She wasn’t jealous really, she just thought it was kind of stupid that all Lina had to do was bat an eye and boys would be swarming around her.


“That’s nice” She mumbled


“Mili, you so weird…”


“Why are you in my room?” Lina’s usual thought about her were so common that they just flew over her head, she turned and looked out the window, squinted, “Is that him, cause I’ve never seen ‘him’ around before”


“Where?” Lina practically flew over the room, bumping into Mili


“Lina, watch who you’re pushing!” exasperated but unable to pull herself from the window, she scooted closer and looked, they were on the second floor, the view was bad, but she knew he was tall, had shoulder length unruly black hair, olive skin.  She couldn’t see his face, but she really wanted to…


“I’m getting dressed so I can meet the new neighbor, have fun” With a smug face on Lina’s face she pretty much bounced out of the room, Mili snickered, she could just flip through the book, write a paragraph and be out.





Lina


         She  choose her best summery outfit, blow dried her long hair, put her lip gloss on, a little eye shadow and mascara to accentuate her clear moss green eyes, one of her many best features.  She’d heard the fact a lot, and she liked it, she was constantly told how pretty, no, beautiful she was, her beautiful  hair that was down to her back, her cat eyes, the tiny bud of a nose, her full lips… she smiled, blowing a kiss at herself.  She ran down the stairs, out the door, to the neighbor which was right across from her house.  She walked slowly, composing herself; she didn’t want to look too eager…


         “Hi” she smiled, he was cute, really, really cute! 


         “Hey”


         “So you’re the new neighbor” she grinned shyly


         “Yea, my name’s José” ‘ho-zey’


         “Lina, so where you from?  You got a bit of an accent”


         “Originally from Equador, and I just moved from New York” he shrugged as he stared at her, “How old are you?”


         “13” she grinned


         “You’re a kid” he frowned, insulted she pursed her lips


         “How old are you?


         “15” he was arrogant


         “Well that’s only two years”


         “I just thought that maybe we’d be going to the same school”


         “Oh well I’m in the 9th grade and I’m turning 14 September”


         “Well either ways its nice having a cute neighbor around” he said leaning on what she guessed his parents car


         “Thanks” she squealed, he raised an eyebrow.


         “I like your eyes, are you wearing contacts?”


         “No, all natural” she put a hand up and down towards herself, he laughed


         “So this really your hair?” he fingered a tendril of hair from her face, slightly brushing her cheeks with the back of his hand


         “Yea…” was all she was able to say


         “Pretty…” he grinned at her, when his dimples appeared she almost swooned.  He was one of the cutest guys she had ever seen. 


         “My dad’s Indian, like from India” she blubbered not knowing what to do in such a situation, sure she was used to flattery, but she had never been in love with any of them, as she believed herself to be now


         “Hum, wanna be ma girl?” he bluntly stated, she stared at him for a while, a smile crept over her face.


         “Sure…”


         “Cool…” as he leaned to kiss, who popped out if not Mili?


         “Hey!” she could have died right then and there, Mili always came to places at the most unfortunate times.


         “Mili, what are you doing? I thought you’re reading…” ‘Die!’


         “Mom said I could finish tomorrow, so, were you guys about to make out? Don’t tell, you like her and you guys are now going out!” she smarted with a wicked grin, Lina could just see her twisted mind working up, blackmail, they’re parent didn’t know she was dating; her mom especially would have a cow.


         “What do you…?”


         “I’m Mili by the way, so what’s your name?” Mili was tomboyish, loud, outspoken and at times rude and ignorant.


         “José”


         “So…Jo-zey”


         “Ho-zey” He spelled out


         “Can I just call you Jo-zey and you call me Mili”


         “Sure, when you decide to say my name right” he rolled his eyes, Lina hoped he wasn’t offended, but by the smile playing at his lips she guessed not


         “So you like a pretty boy huh?” she leaned on one leg, hands on her hips as she stared up at the guy who was over 7 ft taller than her


         “I don’t think I’m pretty, good looking but not pretty, pretty is a girl thing don’t you think?” he laughed, Lina couldn’t help but roll her eyes, no matter Mili’s attitude, she was usually ‘cool’ with people.


         “You like reading?  I got this book you could read and maybe explain it to…”


         “Mili go away” She couldn’t stand it, but Mili just smiled.


         “That’s right, you had said you would do it for me…”


         “What?’


         “How about you read that book and write down something about it for me? I’ll love you so much, you’re the best sister in the world, thanks babe” with that she walked, Lina could feel her nails digging in her palms, she was sure her knuckles were probably turning white, she was fuming but smiled.


         “Mili” someone called out her sister’s name, “Come on, we going to the valley” the ‘Valley’ as they called it was just a spring, not deep enough to dive in, but deep enough to waddle and swim in.


         “I’m so sor…” She turned to José who didn’t even let her finish the sentence but dropped his mouth over hers… her first kiss.








José          


He liked his new neighborhood, especially his neighbors, particularly Lina; she had the softest, tastiest lips.


“Strawberry, I like” he grinned dropping another kiss on her lip, he looked up saw her closed eyes, as she slowly licked her lip, opened those amazing pale green eyes, “You have the sexiest, prettiest eyes I’ve ever seen” but then a smile crept to his lips.


“What?” she smiled


“Your sister’s one crazy little girl”.


“Oh, yeah, sorry”


“No, it’s cool, she’s a cute kid” obviously saying her little sister was cute was something that Lina didn’t like, “What?  So what’s this Valley thing?”


“Oh you want to go? It’s fun, you got a bathing suit? We’re goanna have so much fun!” She bounced around, and he just looked at her with a crooked smile…