. : e r i n : .

I combed through my long chestnut hair. If my hair had ever been curly like the little girl's in the sketch, it certainly hadn't lasted. It was straight as a board, and cascaded down my shoulders, onto my back. If I liked anything about myself it was either my hair, or my eyes.

I had to admit I had nice eyes. They were the darkest shade of evergreen, and had spots of brown that floated around. They were shaped like sideways water drops - cat's eyes. I shook out my hair, and pounded down the stairs and grabbed my jacket.

"Julia! Joe! I'm goin' to Erin's!!! See you in a bit!" I yelled, then strapped on my rollerblades, and glided down the street. It was nearly noon, so I figured the Rodgers family would be awake by now. I turned into their driveway, and removed my transportation. I punched the doorbell, and waited to hear feet coming down the hallway.

Sure enough, I began to hear feet padding towards the door. The footsteps were followed shortly by Mrs. Rodgers's voice saying, "I'm comin'. Hold on a bit, Lynni!" The door opened, and revealed a short round woman with cropped-off graying blond hair. Her gray eyes were twinkling.

"Come in, come in!!" she chirped. I followed her inside. "She's in her room. You know her. Getting ready to go." I walked down the familiar hall.

"Erin, are you decent?"

"Yeah, come on in," a voice told me. I pushed open the door. Erin was sitting on the floor, painting her toenails. She looked up, and grinned. Her face was much like her mother's. Round and pleasant, wide gray eyes that were near to translucent, and the short blond hair.

"Well, Christmas has come and past again," she said. I nodded.

"Good observation, Professor Polish. What amazing prophecy do you have in store for us now?" I said, my voice dripping in sarcasm.

"Ha, ha," she said, the sarcasm level surpassing my own. "Anyways, do you suppose that we should go shopping? Or go to the park? Or go to Skate Alley?" She crossed her fingers.

"Skate Alley," I said, and she lit up like the Christmas tree in the mall downtown. She grabbed her board, and we were off. I went back downstairs and strapped on my blades.

We must have looked strange. 2 girls, one skateboarding, one rollerblading, down the road, top speed. We did this all the time. I was the blading fanatic, she was the boarding fanatic. We cruised down the road, trying to out-do each other with stunts. Skate Alley was the coolest place for a skater to go. Whether you were on rollerblades, or a skate board, there was something for you to do. Ramps, half-pipes; you name it, they had it.

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