The way it all began!

(THIRD PERSON’S POV)

*2012*

Isabella met Bradley on a warm and Sunny day in the summer of 2012.

Isabella and her family had just moved in to the neighborhood two days before and they were still Unfamiliar with their surrounding. Isabella was playing with a ball in the playground her dad set up for her in the backyard when she noticed a woman about the age of her mum coming from the house next door with a bowl in her hand.

Piqued with curiosity, She sneaked and hid in the garden watching as the lady walked past the gates and took the front path to their front door. It was as Isabella moved a little that she noticed that the lady was not alone. She held the hand of a little boy who had dark spiky hair and seemed to be around her age wearing a dissatisfied look on his face.

“Do i really have to be here?” He asked looking up to the lady.

“Yes you do. Now hush!” She warned him and the younger boy scowled in reply as she rang the doorbell.

Isabella stifled a giggle just as her own mum opened the door for the visitor.

“Oh hy.” Isabella’s mum said as she opened the door stepping out with her bulging stomach.

“Hy. I’m Sandra and this is Bradley. We live next door and I baked a pie to welcome you to our neighborhood.” Sandra greeted with a warm smile.

“Oh that is so lovely!” Isabella’s mum said happily. “I’m Victoria. Hy Bradley.” Victoria greeted looking down at Bradley with an adoring smile.

“Hello ma’am.” Bradley greeted shyly.

“How old are you?” Victoria asked.

“Six years old.” Came Bradley’s reply as he raised his shoulders high as if to increase his age.

“Such a big boy!” Victoria commented earning a smile from Bradley. “You know I have a daughter. She is a year younger than you. She should be playing around.”

Victoria’s eyes searched around for Isabella.

“Really?! I have a daughter too. She is a year younger than Bradley too!” Sandra said excited just as Victoria sighted Isabella hiding.

“There she is! Bella come on out and say hy.”

Isabella was naturally a very shy girl and she held on to her ball for support as she joined the trio.

“Hello.” She said shyly looking down at her feet.

Sandra fell in love with the sight of the well mannered little brunette wearing her long hair in pigtails before her.

“She is so pretty and she has such long hair.” Sandra whispered to Victoria before taking a step closer to little Isabella.

“Hello I’m Sandra, I have a little girl just your age her name is Olivia but this right here is Bradley.” Sandra pushed her son forward.

“I’m Isabella.” The little girl introduced.

“Why don’t we go in for a drink and let the kids play together?” Victoria said and she took Sandra’s hand in hers leading her in to her home.

The two children stood awkwardly in silence.

“My name is Brad. Not Bradley.” Brad said to her.

“Okay and you can call me Bella.” Isabella said.

“Is that yours?” Brad nodded at the ball and Isabella nodded proudly.

“Girls like dolls , they don’t like balls.” He said with a scoff.

“They do too.” Isabella said!

And though Brad didn’t agree, he spent the next few minutes kicking ball with Isabella . It wasn’t until the next day Isabella met Olivia and they became insperable.

*2016*

“Where is the licorice?” Olivia asked narrowing her eyes around the snack filled table.

Isabella looked up from the book she was reading and glanced around the decorated room.

“I’m sure we brought it in from the kitchen.” Olivia said as she began to look around frantically. “Can you help me look around Isabella? In a few minutes Hilary and the others will be here.”

“There’s a lot of other snacks and sweets.” Isabella said as she started looking around Olivia’s room.

Olivia froze. “No way! Everything has to be perfect. I heard that Hilary loves Licorice whips!” Olivia said in a panic.

Isabella said nothing more and helped Olivia check around for the bowl of Licorice. Olivia was throwing a slumber party for some of the girls from school and she was most especially trying to impress one girl in particular Hilary Lockhart, the most popular girl in middle school with the wealthier parents in town.

Isabella did not care about Hilary. In fact, Isabella did not like Hilary and her friends because they were really mean. But Isabella cared about her best friend, Olivia and so she decided to help her execute the perfect slumber party which for now meant looking around for the bowl of Licorice!

And she did find it, When she opened the closet and saw Brad seated with a portable video game with the bowl on his laps.

“What are you doing?” She asked him.

Olivia hurriedly came from behind Isabella and pushed forward wide eyed.

“What are you doing in my room?” Olivia said and she gasped before snatching the bowl from her brother. “How dare you steal my licorice?! It’s not yours!”

Brad let himself out of the closet and rolled his eyes at Isabella.

“Snitch!” He said.

“Sticky fingers.” Isabella replied and went back to reading her novel on the bed while she experienced her best friend and best friend’s brother fight for the thousandth time in front of her.

Brad strolled to the spread of food set by Isabella and Olivia and he dipped his finger in to a bowl of jelly beans.

“That’s it! Mum!” Olivia yelled

“You are such babies!” Brad said and a few seconds later, Sandra Johnson rushed in to the room.

“Brad is ruining my slumber party!” Olivia said angrilly.

“Olivia, your brother can join you in your slumber party.” Sandra said stepping in.

“Eww! I don’t want to play with girls!” Brad said scrunching up his face.

“Good! We don’t want to play with you too, so get out!” Olivia yelled.

With an intervention from Sandra, the fighting stopped and Brad was out of the room.

Olivia was excited when the slumber party kicked off. The girls crowded in her room giggling and laughing with Olivia paying special attention to Hilary. But just thirty minutes into the slumber party, Hilary went to get a soda from the fridge and didn’t return .

So, Olivia went out in search of her and was angry when she found Hilary and Brad kissing in Brad’s room.

“Why would I want to spend a slumber party with you and your Nerdy friend?” Hilary said to Olivia and Isabella looked away embarrassed as she readjusted her glasses. “We’re nine years old not six.” Hilary added.

With that, Hilary pushed past Olivia and Isabella and she left the slumber party with her friends.

Olivia cried and Isabella comforted her.

“Its Not just that everyone likes Brad! Girls use me to get to Brad because everyone thinks he is cute.” Olivia cried.

Everyone did think Brad was cute, even Isabella. He was cool, very good at sports and was really popular.

“Promise me you’ll never do that to me. I don’t want you and Brad kissing too.” Olivia pleaded holding on to Isabella’s hand.

The thought of kissing Brad brought butterflies to Isabella’s tummy. But she knew it was something that could never happen.

“I promise.” Isabella said.