This story starts in August of 2006 We're going to say that Izzy is going to be 17.
Izzy Daniels stood at his window, watching the new girl put her things in Mary's old room. Ever since Mary had moved three months ago in late May, he had been really lonely and longed for a person his age to talk to. He didn't expect the person to be a girl, be living in Mary's old room, or be a dancer. He didn't know what he was expecting. He guessed he wanted another Mary.
The girl caught him staring.
"Hey!" she called, smiling. "What's up?"
"Nothing."
She looked at her surroundings, then said. "Come on up and introduce yourself."
Izzy thought about it, then took her offer, and climbed up the ladder.
She sat on the stairs and smiled at him, waiting expectantly.
Izzy sighed and said, "I'm Isadore Daniels, but you can call me Izzy."
He stuck his hand out for her to shake. She took it as he admired the milky color of her skin against his and as she replied, "Annabeth Montgomery, but you can call me Anna. Nice to meet you, Izzy."
"Same to you, Anna," he told her.
Her emerald eyes danced as she smiled that million-watt smile that he didn't clearly see before again. "So, what do you do for fun around here?"
"I double-dutch. Or I used to before the girl that used to live here moved. I box, too." He told her easily.
"Double-dutch?" she questioned. "I used to double-dutch when I was younger, but I stopped when I became more addicted to dancing."
"How long have you been dancing?" he asked her.
"Since I was three," she said. "I'm almost seventeen now."
"That's a long time," Izzy said, surprised that someone could stick with something for close to fourteen years.
"Yeah, it is," Anna agreed.
She looked as if she were about to say something else when her mom called, "Annabeth Marie Chase Montgomery! Get in your room and finish unpacking!"
Anna turned pink as she turned towards her door. "Gimme a second, Mom, I'm introducing myself to the neighbors!"
"You can introduce yourself at the housewarming party tomorrow. Get your butt in here, Annabeth!" her mother sounded bored, like she had to tell her daughter this repeatedly all the time.
"All right! I'm coming!" she yelled to her mother. "Hey, come to the housewarming party tomorrow, kay? I'm gonna need someone to talk to. Bring your family and friends too."
"That'll be five of us, I think, is that okay?" Izzy asked.
"Yeah, it's totally cool," she replied as she got off the steps and walked back toward her room. "See you tomorrow, Izzy."
"Yeah..." he said, distracted. "Bye, Anna," he smiled.
She smiled at him one last time, and went inside.
End of Chapter 1