"A New Start"

Splish...splash. The rain was pouring down and it was freezing outside. The Tang family was shivering under a cave. That was the only place they could find shelter at. They had a thin blanket that wrapped around them.

" M-mom," said Jade. She was 11 and the only child. " I-it's really c-cold," she said shivering her teeth chatting. She was wearing short sleeves and some pink shorts. They had just escaped Mr. Smith who treated them badly. They were also poor and had no where else to go.

" I know honey," her mom said sympatheticly. " Once the rain is over, we'll find somewhere else to go."

" Yes," aggred her dad. " I'll find a job and then we can get an apartment."

The rain kept pouring but slowly it decreased. When it turned night, the Tang family fell asleep huddled all together. When it turned morning, the sun wwas shining bright and damp puddles filled the ground.

Jade woke up to the freshness and brightness of the sun. She rubbed her eyes and then looked around. Outside the cave was a lot of green but in the distance, she could make out some house.

" Mom! Dad! Wake up!" Jade cried. She shook them till they opened their eyes.

" What, honey?" asked her dad. He stood up stretching.

" Look! There's a town over there!" said Jade. She pointed into the far distance for her parents to see.

They sighed with relief and happiness. They got their bag which only had some food and scraps and then headed over to the town.

They walked around admiring the town. Everyone seemed happy. They were even selling food for free! Jade looked at the food stand, suprised to see someone take a bag of chips and then just open it and eat it. Shouldn't they wash their hands first?

As she walked, she just kept staring at that man. His hands were dirty and he just ate it without washing it. As she looked back infront of her, she realized her parents weren't in sight! She looked around until she got bumped hard on the head. She fell back clutching her head and then opened her eyes. She saw a boy just around her age with blond hair and blue eyes. He was also cluthing his head on the ground.

" I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" Jade said rushing to help him. She pulled him up to the ground and saw a slight bruise on his head. He looked at her.

" Oh hey! Are you new around here?" he asked smiling.

" Um yeah. My parents are looking for a job here," she say to him.

" Nice. What's your name? Mine's Andrew," he ssaid casually.

" Uh my name's Jade," said Jade.

" How would you like to come over?" he asked.

" um," Jade hesitated. " sure..."

She followed him to this big house with beautiful flowers up front. He went in and she followed along.

When she stepped inside she instantly started to take off her shoes. She always did that at home, or her mother would give her a big lecture about making the house dirty.

" What are you doing?" asked Andrew eyeing my shoes.

" Taking off my shoes in the house so they won't get dirty?" Jade questions making an isn't-it-obvious face.

" It's fine. My mom will clean the floors," Andrew said reassuringly.

Weird, thought Jade. Hah! If I ever did that, I would be so asking to get killed.

" Hello!" said this nice young woman who I guessed to be Andrew's mom. We had arrived in the kitchen where she put two bowls of rice and meat on the table. Jade took a long sniff, delighted by the smell.

" Mom! I don't like rice. Can you just get us pizza instead?" compained Andrew.

Jade's eyes went big. Andrew had just complained about dinner. She waited for him to get yelled at like she would've. But nothing happened. His mom just got him pizza on a plate without a word.

" You should stop complaining, you know," says Jade ssitting down on a chair. " If I ever did that...well I would probably be in big trouble, get a lecture, and be told how grateful I should be for everything...even though I am," she says quickly.

" Whatever," Andrew replies. He takes his plate off the table and starts to walk away.

" Hey! Where are you going?" Jade questions. She had started eating her food at the table sitting staright as Andrew's mom passed her a water bottle.

" Um upstairs? Wanna play some video games?" questions Andrew.

" Sure..." said Jade slowly. She was feeling really confused right now. How in the possible world was he not getting in trouble?

Upstairs, she asked him why he was eating upstairs before taking a big sip of water.

" I do that all the time. It's not a big deal," he said casually not looking up from the screen.

Jade choked on her water.

" You *cough* get to *cough* eat upstairs?!" Jade finished exasperated.

" You're weird, you know," said Andrew eyeing her. Then he went back to his game.

As Jade ate, Andrew played video games on his bed taking bites of pizza every now and then.

When Jade finished eating, she went to the bathroom to wash her hands. When she returned, she saw Andrew's mom walk out the room with the two dishes in her hands. Jade swept in, astonished.

" You don't have to do your dishes?!" She nearly screamed.

" Of course not," he replied back to her. Her head was filled with so many questions and wonders so she flopped on his bed next to him.

" Gosh. Your family is SO weird," she said. He didn't answer, too focused on his game. When Jade layed down on her stomach, she saw that Andrew's back was really badly bended. He was in a half sitting up-laying down position.

" Sit straight. You're going to kill your back like that," said Jade groggily.

" What?" questioned Andrew still not looking at her.

" If you bend your back, it's gonna stay like that forever. It's not gonna look good in the future," I lectured.

" Hm. Never heard anyone say that," he said.

Jade was going to remind him not to watch so much T.V but gave up. This town...was weird, she thought. She went downstairs and then suddenly heard the doorbell ring. Andrew's mom answered it. Jade stood slightly behind her to see who it was.

" *sniff* H-have you s-seen m-my daugh-" started the lady. It was Jade's mom!

" MOM!" cried Jade in delight. She ran up to her and hugged her hard.

" JADE," cried her mom. After they let go, her mom started a lecture.

" Where were you? You shouldn't have ran away. And why did you go into a stranger's house?!"

Before Jade could answer her, she saw her dad running up to her.

" DAD!" cried Jade. She hugged him.

" Oh sweetie," said her dad relaxing. " Don't EVER go away again..."

" Also I have some GREAT news!" he said.

" What is it?" Jade asked eagerly.

" I GOT A JOB!" screamed her dad.

" YAY!" said Jade in delight. Things were turning just right for her. Oh how she wished this would happen for the rest of her life.