Chapter 1:
17 year old Buffy Summers was busy painting her toenails a bright bubblegum pink. It was a hot day in July and her bedroom smelled like the fresh summer air that wafted in through her window. She loved summer in Connecticut, her home was always the brightest and most welcoming during the school-less months when all she had to do was hang out and have fun.

She could hear the sounds of her town outside the window. The events of the day of the townspeople quietly playing out in harmony behind the sounds of Buffy’s radio while she put a clear coat of nail polish over her now pink toes. She hummed along to one of her favorite songs while waiting patiently for her friend Willow to arrive. They were going to the mall to meet Xander.

Buffy walked downstairs in her jean shorts and purple tank top, waggling her toes about as best she could to get them to dry quicker. She got a bowl of chocolate ice cream from the fridge and sat down in the living room to watch some TV while she waited for Willow.

Buffy flipped through the channels before she settled on a station. It was playing a rerun episode of The Andy Griffith Show, she always liked watching that series. The town in the show reminded her of her own little town, just not quite as small. Still, everyone in her town knew each other, any gossip spread quicker than wild fire, but it was still peaceful and welcoming. Like something out of a movie. No bad parts of town existed. No bad people existed in this town either. The worst that could happen in Buffy’s community usually took place when they had their annual carnivals and such, equipped with plenty of contests for the townsfolk to take part in. Some of the housewives could get pretty catty sometimes. But besides that and the usual spreading of gossip, which she never took part in, her town was the most innocent place to ever exist.

Buffy, her younger sister Dawn, and their mother lived together just the three of them. After Buffy’s father, who had never been a real father, passed away, the three young women had acquired a large inheritance. Apparently the jerk felt guilty for leaving his family behind so he left his money behind in the will. Once they had acquired the fortune, Joyce and the girls moved to the town of Moon Stream and were immediately accepted amongst the residents. Even though Joyce wasn’t a typical housewife, like a lot of the women in Moon Stream, she still found time between working at her gallery to join the PTA. Dawn made friends just as quickly as Buffy had, and both the girls were genuinely happy, neither of them had super close friends where they had lived before.

The women’s lives all changed for the better once they moved to the tiny town, and even after three years of living here, they had yet to grow tired of it.

“Hey honey, when’s Willow getting here?”

Buffy was jarred from her thoughts by her mother’s voice. “Uh… Oh, she should be here soon.”
“Okay. Hey, um, you know that house that’s been for sale down the street? Mrs. Sullivan’s place?”

“Oh yeah. Did someone buy it already?” Buffy noticed the sign had been taken off of the lawn of the recently deceased woman’s front lawn, but she never asked about who had bought it.
“Yep. We’re going to have new neighbors. They’re moving in early tomorrow morning. I met the man who bought the house and he’s very nice. Apparently he’s a widower and it’ll just be him and his son living there.”

“Oh?” Buffy could tell where this was going. Every time someone new moved in, it was like a ripple effect on the town or something. Everyone made an effort to welcome new occupants. People in this town were just friendly. And nosy, Buffy thought with a smile.

“I was thinking I should make something to welcome them to the neighborhood, maybe brownies, it’d be nice I think. And I thought-”
“And you want me to deliver them tomorrow.” It wasn’t a question.
“Well… if you don’t mind.”
“Mom, I’ve done this before. What’s the big deal? You’re acting like I’m performing a huge favor or some- Wait!” Oh no ya don’t, mommy dearest!
Joyce reddened. “Buff-”
“No mom! Nonononono!” She jumped up from the couch, setting her bowl of chocolaty goodness down on the coffee table.
“Oh, but Buffy, she wants to-”
“No mom! No way! Not gonna happen! Remember the last few times I took Dawn with to a new neighbor’s house? She is the epitome of embarrassment, mom! I’m not taking her tomorrow.”
“I already told her she could go. The last time she went with you she-”
“Spilled pop all over an antique chair with silk embroidered cushioning!”
“She was nine, Buffy.”
“So? That wasn’t the last time I took her with me either. She was eleven when she scratched The Philips’ brand new car with her bike pedal. That was last year, mom!”
“Buffy-”

“Mom! You take her over there tomorrow! I am not embarrassing myself again. Any time she meets new people, she gets all nervous and does something clumsy.”

Joyce sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose before sipping some of her iced tea.
“Buffy, please. I would go over there but I promised Sally I’d help her out at the store tomorrow, Robert’s sick. He can’t work.”

“Why can’t Dawn just stay here?”
“I already agreed-”
“Well I didn’t!” Buffy cut her off. “Mom, pleeeease! I know she’ll do something embarrassing. I can’t stand people we just met yelling because Dawn broke something. It’s soooo embarrassing!”

Joyce knew when she had been defeated. “Ugh, fine Buffy. I’ll go over there with Dawn tomorrow, but you have to help Sally, then.”

Buffy immediately agreed; anything to avoid a Dawn catastrophe.

“Alright, I’ll call Sally now and tell her you’ll be there tomorrow at ten.”
“Fine by me.”

The front door opened and Buffy heard Willow’s voice float through the house. “Buffy, I’m here! Ready to go?!”

Not a minute too soon. Buffy let a sigh roll off her shoulders and said a quick goodbye to her mother before heading off to the mall with her friend.

***

Willow and Buffy sat at a table in the food court talking about the summer festival that always took place mid July. Playing games, eating junk food, watching Mrs. Hampton and Mrs. Briggs fight tooth and nail over first place in the dessert contest, and dancing while a DJ played in the town square; Buffy’s favorite events of the year. Willow shared her excitement. It was Monday and the festival was this coming weekend.

“Xander’s entering the pie eating contest again right?”

The red head smiled from ear to ear. “Of course! He hasn’t said anything yet but I can’t see a reason why he wouldn’t. Xander can’t pass up anything that’s sweet. Especially free sweets that he’ll earn money for eating.”

“Yeah, doesn’t seem likely he’d pass that up. Well, I’m glad, ya know? It wouldn’t seem… right if he didn’t eat a huge assortment of baked goods and then vomit later on.” Buffy giggled.

“You’re right there. Something would definitely feel off if I didn’t walk him home after he was done throwing up ten blueberry pies behind the gazebo.”
“I’m in agreement.” Buffy smiled as she sipped some soda through a straw.
“So, what’re ya doin tomorrow? Xander and I are meeting Anya and Tara at the batting cages around noon. Wanna come?”
“Can’t. I’m helping at Sally’s tomorrow.”
“Did you get a job there or are you just helpin out?”
“Just helping out. You see-” Buffy was interrupted by Xander’s cheerful greeting.

“Hi Xand, where were you?”
“Yeah, Willow and I’ve been waiting.”
He shrugged. “Dad made me mow the lawn before I left.”
“Oh, okay. So we still up for batting cages tomorrow?”
“You bet. Buff, you comin?”
“Can’t. I was just telling Willow I’ve gotta help at Sally’s tomorrow.”
“How come?”

“Well, originally my mom was supposed to help her but I said I would instead. Apparently we’ve got new neighbors moving in down the street, and mom wanted to greet them and welcome them to the town and all that, tomorrow. I said I’d go and do the whole welcoming thing but then she said Dawn had to go.”
Willow and Xander responded simultaneously. “Ooooooh.” They nodded knowingly.

“Yeah. So we switched places at Sally’s. I have to be there at ten in the morning.”
“Okay, well when’ll you be done?” Xander asked.
“Not sure. I’ll call you guys when I’m not busy. I shouldn’t be there all day.”
Willow nodded. “Okay, no biggy.”
“Ya know, I actually kinda like helping out at Sally’s, she’s really nice and she lets me take stuff for free.”

“Ooh! Yeah, she lets me take home a free bottle of her apple and raspberry shampoo when I help her out sometimes! That’s my favorite thing in her shop.”
“I like that one lotion that she makes, that honey and lavender one. It’s smells soooo good.”

“Okay, on to less girly topics, please.” Xander moved from his spot on top of the table to a chair. “So Buff, who’re these new neighbors? Know anything about em?”
“No, just that it’s a guy and his son. The dad’s a widower, I guess.”

“Oh, that’s sad.” Willow said sincerely. “How old is the son?”
The blonde paused. “Ya know, I didn’t ask. I’ll ask mom when I get home.”

Buffy was surprised at herself for not asking the age of the boy. Usually she was always curious about new boys moving into her town. She wasn’t what you would call boy crazy, and she certainly wasn’t slutty, far from it, but she did get crushes and had had a couple of boyfriends. She made a mental note to ask her mom as soon as she got home about the neighbors she had yet to meet, more specifically about the son. Maybe he was her age…