"You've got a lot of growing to do."

Growing Pains

by simsgal

Rated T

Hey yall it's me (: back with a story I actually plan to finish. Now… let me tell you right now, as of this moment, Andi Mack has GMW trembling in its boots. When it first came out I watched the Pilot and I was SHOOK when I found out Bex was Andi momma. My wig was gone. I recently got back into it since Cyrus came out (sis we been knew) and rewatched the whole series and got an idea for a story, so I typed some stuff up to see if y'all will like it. It's mostly about Buffy because I love love LOVE her like that's my SIS but Cyrus and Andi have their respective chapters as well. Rating will definitely go up because the characters are older and dealing with some real shit, and soon. Since the series is still ongoing there will be obvious inconsistencies between this story and the show, but it isn't an AU, but has minor alterations. Just ignore that because I will have to create new characters to mold this storyline and whatnot. As always, I do not own Andi Mack, Terri YOU DID THAT HONEY, now let's get it!

chapter one:: Buffy

Buffy would really be anywhere else right now. Any other place but where she was currently sitting, in this hard desk covered in corny graffiti, in the cold classroom that gave her ugly goosebumps on her legs, which were revealed in a pair of pink Nike training shorts. She tapped her foot obnoxiously, glancing at the clock every few moments to see if time had moved any faster. Time seemed to move faster any other time, she would know about that, considering she held seven records for fastest girl times at Grant.

Buffy didn't like slow things. She stomped her foot, adjusting herself in the desk, and then did it again, making an audible noise apparently since her teacher glanced at her over the cliché and oversized spectacles perched on her nose. Oops. God, when the hell will that freaking bell ring?

She smiled meekly and sat up straight, remembering that the girl behind her was a chronic gum chewer and her hair sometimes got onto her desk. "Well, Ms. Discroll is there something you would like to share about Animal Farm?" The teacher asked facetiously, closing her own copy. Buffy's had been on the same page for the past fifteen minutes. She would read the same sentence, get bored, and have to reread it. She thinks this to herself but clears her throat and shakes her head.

"Buffy doesn't do much reading." A uniform hum of laughter falls from the students as Buffy rolls her deep eyes and doesn't dare look back at the voice.

"That'll be all, Mr. Chambers."the teacher chides him; The mentioned boy has a sly grin on his face as he peers at the spirals of curls two rows and closest to the window in front of him. He noticed it was where she sat the first day. He notices she clenched her fist, to his amusement, and he lets out a light chuckle before turning to look out the window.

Buffy is now agitated, her first tight and ready to yank up Martin Chambers by his shirt. I swear I'll hit him. She thinks this before shaking her head and attempting to cool down. Luckily for her, the bell finally chimes and the teacher releases an unnecessarily pent up breath as the students excitedly but carefully file our, a certain brunette in front of the line to escape the prison that held her captive for the past 6 hours. Most of the students were excited to go home, chattering about their weekend plans as they stood side by side, blocking the hallway in Buffy's eyes and annoying her even further. Her ears naturally dipped into people's conversations, a bad habit she picked up from her past of being an intentional eavesdropper.

"… so she was like 'yeah, of course my period is late'. What did you expect ..."

"… I'm so over this damn class, I swear if it wrecks my GPA I'll…"

"Are we going to Gio's this weekend? His parents are out of town and…"

Personally, they were all faceless people as far as the brunette was concerned, people that either irritated her or weren't really worth knowing for the sake of staying out of drama and staying focused on what really mattered: cross country, track and soccer in the spring, and then of course Cyrus Goodman and Andrea Mack. Her two best friends since the fifth grade, separated by nothing since then. They could handle anything together, and Buffy knew as long as she had them nothing could really go too wrong in her eyes. The former mentioned was standing at his locker, gathering his books to take home for the weekend and do his assignments like he always did. Cyrus barely noticed the mulatto come and stand next to him, but when he did he gave his classic grin that was timeless and had always been with him. It was boyish and friendly, but sincere. Buffy loved Cyrus' smile, especially since lately he hasn't been smiling as much.

"Hello, hello. Excited for the weekend? I know I am, I have a three page paper to write but after that I can start a new project. I'm sewing patches onto this jean jacket." Buffy nods in a pleased manner, remembering him mention Andi was teaching him how to do that.

"Sounds good to me, I'm just ready to get out of here. Still gonna visit me at work tomorrow?" Cyrus nods in an assured matter. "You don't seem so excited about that." She grins as he shakes his head.

"Oh—no, it's just I'm supposed to go visit Iris' mom in the hospital with her." Buffy isn't too upset by this but instead leans against the locker and crosses her arm respectfully.

"Issokay, you can just bring her. I'll give you a discount on the frozen yoguurrt!" She attempts to lure him in, her voice having a playful edge. Surely her boss wouldn't mind if she gave some friends a discount. She had been working at Happy Spoon for about four months now. The dark featured boy gives a knowing smile to his best friend.

"Oh, Buffy you know I can't resist frozen yogurt… I'll think we'll do that, it'll probably cheer her up." It's silent for a while, but a comfortable silence as the halls level out and students are quickening their pace to not miss their bus, or to get home in general. "Her mom isn't doing too well. They think she has pneumonia now." This confirms Buffy's suspicions as she gives a sad and apologetic expression but the boy shrugs. "It's alright, Iris isn't too upset right now." His locker was now closed and a light jacket graced his shoulders that have broadened out a bit due to a growth spurt over the summer. He was now taller than Buffy, and had the ability to see right over her depending on her hairstyle, but sometimes some of those curls just got in his way anyway.

Regarding Iris, Buffy liked her a lot and wanted her mom to be okay. She thinks this to herself but doesn't say it. "Well, let's go home. You've got patches to sew." She puts a small but fit arm over his shoulder, the warm fabric of her jacket comforting him gently as they talked aimlessly about other things going on this weekend. Buffy knew all about not having your mother with you or away. The stress Iris felt right now is what she felt most of the time when her own mother was deployed, and the weekly letters barely sufficed for when she wanted to hug her, and smell her motherly smell that only she had and would always pacify her when she was upset.

For now, she would have to be pacified by the perfume in her room and the clothes that smelled like her lotion, sometimes she would take her mom's sweaters and sleep in them on the nights she cried and it felt like she was still right around the corner about to peek into Buffy's room. Whenever she did cry, anyway. Buffy hates crying. She hates when she cries anyway, it makes her feel weak and angry with herself.

Luckily, she hasn't felt that way in a while.

Xx

"I'm home!" Buffy called this out to Bex and Andi, which is whom she spent most of her time with now. Since her dad has been working on cases more, she's spending much more time at the Mack household. Rebecca was still beautiful, her shiny dark hair now shorter and cropped at her shoulders but still vibrant, her face covered in warm and sincere laugh lines. No one could tell she has a sixteen year old daughter unless she told them so. Bex grinned and peeked her head out of the kitchen, the small apartment they once had was now upgraded to a quaint but nice 2 bedroom house. Cyrus also spoke, and they both slipped their shoes off and left their bags by the door.

"Hey Andi gang!" Bex greeted cheerfully, her small ponytail shaking behind her as she turned her head back to face her computer.

"Hey B." Buffy greeted Bex respectfully but comfortably, there was no way the young and vibrant mother was being called Mrs. Anything by her daughter's friends.

"How was your day?" Cyrus asks his politely, grabbing his usual snack of peanut butter and apples from the fridge. Buffy is already going down the hall, already having eaten while the charismatic boy stays to talk with Bex about work.

She approached Andi's room, the door was closed but she heard music playing on the other side. She opened the door and smiled at the sight she saw. Andi was lying on the bed, her legs up and against the wall as she stared at the ceiling with a goofy smile on her face. Her springy hair was grown out now but still short, she preferred her hair short, and was only a bit shorter than her mom's. The thick sheet of black brushed across her bird-like shoulders as she turned and sat up to look at her best friend, they were complete opposites almost. Beatrice was tall, around five foot seven, with her café au lait resemblant skin holding a rosy hue these colder days. She was athletic and fit, her body deemed attractive by many as she picked up weight in all the right places, not that she paid attention to this. Andi was light olive, her skin seemed to glow sometimes but wasn't pale. She was short, standing higher than her grandmother but under her mother. She was small and petite, her body slim but her personality making up for everything.

Buffy was told she had a large personality as well, but hers was more outward and boisterous than Andi. Andi was more friendly, warm, and has a childish joviality about herself. They perfectly complimented the reserved and more quiet Cyrus, who had a slight stutter that arose when he was nervous and still turned red at certain embarrassing moments.

The mentioned boy steps into the room, leaving it cracked behind him as he ate his snack and sat in Andi's corner chair, his usual spot as the two girls took up the bed.

"Well you're all smiley… what's tea? Spill." Buffy asks, even though Andi was generally a positive and optimistic person the girl knew her best friend—and something else was up.

"Oh nothing, except that me and Jonah are most likely definitely going to the pumpkin patch tonight!" Both girls squeal excitedly, but Cyrus gives a dejected expression. Every single year pumpkin patch was their thing. They made it a tradition since they were younger and ever since Jonah has been joining in on it, it wasn't the same to Cyrus. And now it's only Andi and Jonah? "Oh don't worry, Cyrus. We can still go to the haunted house—or bake Halloween sugar cookies with Cece!" Andi, after noticing his face attempts to make him feel better. She didn't want either Buffy or Cyrus to feel like she was spending an unfair amount of time with Jonah. She stands from her bed, stretched; and reached under her bed for her sewing machine to set up on the floor. Smiling, Cyrus sprung up and went to the closet to retrieve Cristiano, Andi's old machine that was a little beat up but worked well enough for the lessons being given. Buffy took this as her cue to occupy herself with Andi's laptop, where she looked at new cleats and athletic socks to spend her paycheck on.

"Well that's cute, meanwhile I'm forever alone." The mulatto said feigning hurt; Cyrus and Andi share a knowing look before returning attention to their respective machines, Cristiano and Versailles. Both knew that Buffy had an extremely large amount of admirers, seemingly unknown to her. To Cyrus especially, other boys would talk about how cute Andi was or how fine Buffy was, also saying other things that would cause him to roll his eyes at their misogynistic ideals or nasty desires. As perceptive as Buffy may seem, she had no idea what was going on when it came to boys, believe it or not. She knew how to brush off a boy, but she would never know that he liked her unless he explicitly told her… she wasn't good at picking up hints unless they were from her two best friends. She read them easily, sometimes too easily for their own comfort.

Andi on the other hand didn't know much about boys, and was too shy to even put them down sometimes. She's been on a few dates where she wishes she was somewhere else but didn't have the heart (or balls as Buffy would say) to say no. This resulted in her going to the bathroom, dialing Cyrus, and faking sick until the reliable friend came to get her. The only boy consistently on her mind whose feelings she was quite sure about was Jonah Beck. Jonah started out as a small crush in middle school that only got bigger after interacting with him more and more each day. It was more drama than necessary for the Asian girl at the time, but she found each incident to be completely worth it because now she was his. They never really had a conversation about it but Jonah knew that he was with Andi and Andi knew that she was with Jonah. In their eyes, they were boyfriend and girlfriend.

As she sewed, Andrea thought about him, a smile gracing her face as she carefully eyed her partner's work to ensure neatness. "Iris is going to love this jacket." She gushed as Iris' boyfriend nodded.

"I hope so, she saw this jacket at the mall but of course I'm too broke to get it. Then I thought, 'My best friend literally makes her own clothes sometimes'." He recalled after the loud but comfortable humming of the sewing machine halted.

"That's so cute, Cyrus. I feel like the fact that you made makes it worth more than any Gucci or Fendi." Buffy said in a touched manner. Andi thinks back to when she made Jonah that bracelet—he still has it too. He wears it some days, and on others he attaches it to his backpack. Sometimes Buffy or Cyrus will see him kiss the charm three times before starting his games or during tests. It was a bit worn, but still in a decent and sentimental condition, just how hany gift should be.

"Okay, so Buffy, what should I wear tonight?" Buffy squeals at this, already standing to go through the Asian girl's closet, the prissy side in her coming out.

"You should wear the orange turtleneck." Cyrus comments, eyes squinted in concentration as he lined up the denim fabric under the automatic needle. He was currently sewing on a "love bites" patch. The curly haired girl nods and looks through the clothes, pulling out the mentioned sweater that would rival the pumpkins themselves at the patch.

"OOOh, yes, and that dark brown suspender dress." She says more to herself than the other two, looking intently for the said article of clothing. "Thanks for inviting us, by the way." She adds out of spite, but not necessarily angrily.

"Why would she invite us, Buffy? It's a date." Andi's machine goes silent at that and all that's heard is the light music and the scraping of hangers against the closet rod.

"It's not a date!" she exclaimed unexpectedly, causing them to look at her in a surprised and somewhat startled manner.

"Uh… Andi you and Jonah are boyfriend and girlfriend. It's just you two. This is a date." At that exact moment Andrea Mack's word froze… Sure me and Jonah have hung out just us plenty of times but I've never—we've never called anything a date, We aren't even officially together—

"Andi… chill out." Noticing her friend's sudden distress, Buffy places her friend's outfit on the bed and sits down next her, rubbing her shoulder. "You and Jonah hang out all the time solo. This is no different. I know how your brain works so don't freak yourself out."

She was right; Andi was now brimming with anxiety. Luckily, her mother came in to ease the tense mood and offer moral support as she usually did. Bex knocked lightly before receiving a noise of compliance from Cyrus and peeked in, her face content.

"Who wants hot chocolate—Andi? Kid what's wrong?" Her motherly instincts, something that took years to properly develop and perfect, kicked in as she sat the tray of steaming beverages on the bedside table and sat on the other side of Andi, right on the floor. The younger Mack sighed and shrugged.

"I just realized me and Jonah are going on a date tonight." She said the word as if it pained her. Her mother gave a confused look, before clearing her throat out of confusion and exhaling.

"Baby you and Jonah always go on dates… right? I mean maybe you guys call a date something different than what I did around this age but you've done this plenty of times." She tries, but Andi stands and then lies down on her bed, resting on the stomach that grew more uneasy by the minute.

"What Andi means is that she never looked at it that way—as a date."

"Were you nervous when you and Iris went on your first date?" she speaks from under her arms, and Buffy scoffs, not even giving Cyrus time to answer, which is good because even though the memory seemed pleasant he only clearly recalls one exact feeling about that date.

"Oh c'mon girl, boss up! This is not your first date with Jonah. You guys have been on plenty of dates. Now get cute, get ready, and have a good time tonight for the both of us." She pushed out quickly and encouragingly. A bit shocked, Andi peered back at her with squinted eyes and Bex looked surprised but smiled reassuringly.

"What she said—well, except nicer and more motherly." Meanwhile Cyrus is reminiscing about his first date with Iris—the double date with Amber and Jonah, how he got his first kiss from her after their date to the dinosaur museum…

When he started catching feelings for his best friend's crush.

XX

Later, Andi is dressed and her makeup is lightly done, courtesy of Buffy. Some of her tresses were up in a small bun on top of her head, and she was sitting on her bed, taking deep breaths.

"You look hot. Have fun, alright? But not too much, I don't need to be an aunt or anything." the mulatto speaks once again to Andi, who just nods and tries not to overexcite herself. Cyrus left earlier, he had gotten a call from Iris that she needed to be taken to see her mother as soon as possible. He left quickly and hastily, worrying everyone in the household. Bex brightened the mood by suggesting helping her daughter get ready for her date—and it worked. The girls laughed, joked around, and had a great time but that all faded for Andi once her phone buzzed and Jonah's name popped across the screen.

I'm outside :)- J

"C'mon, you can't keep him waiting out there forever." Andi shares another expression but this time with Buffy at her mom's ironic words. Bex catches this and makes a defensive noise. "That was different that was marriage! This is a date to the local pumpkin patch!"

"Since when has Andi Mack been scared?" this alone motivates her, and she grabs her small backpack-purse that held her phone, coin purse, and house key, and then is out of the living room and out the door before anyone can stop her. She smiles when she sees Jonah on the porch, his eyes illuminated under the porch light.

"Wassup B, Buffy?" both greet him in their own ways and Bex leans against the door.

"Nothing much, just watch my girl and take care of her, alright? I mean it." Buffy says this and not Bex of course, which causes the group to laugh, all except the protective best friend who was more serious. She knows some of the things Andi has had to put up with because of Jonah and she was not having it. His looks were still handsome and most of the girls at school drooled over him, being thirsty as Buffy put it.

Not that the brunette boy cared, he ignored those bitches (also as Buffy put it) and focused on Andrea, as he should. His eyes were still bright and friendly, and extremely easy to get lost into. He was tall and had an athletic build due to his involvement in junior varisty sports, including ultimate frisbee of course. He was all around likeable and it pained even Buffy to be angry at him whenever he messed up with Andi…

"Have fun, be home by ten thirty." Bex says in a friendly but authoritative way before watching them walk off and get in his car. They drive off, and Buffy goes to collect her things. "Need a ride home?" the brunette is asked before smirking and shaking her head.

"Nah, I got a ride, but thanks. See you tomorrow." And with that Buffy pulls out her phone and texts a familiar number—it wasn't saved in her contacts but she knew who it belonged to.

You owe me. Pick me up from this address right now and take me home. I beat you.

In a separate location, his own phone buzzes, and he groans before looking at the ceiling an wondering what he got himself into. He honestly thought he could outrun her—but he should've known she would wear her purple Nike spandex. She does shit like that on purpose.

Marty made a noise of annoyance before realizing he is a man of his word and climbs out of bed, already slipping on shoes and grabbing his keys. He puts his hood over a head of brown hair before leaving his house and entering the cold night—not like he had parents around to tell him otherwise. A mother fucking her boss and a dad who is only god knows where can only control their son so much. He then drives to the address Buffy sent, the radio lightly playing as he remembers how her got himself into this mess.

It was last gym class, and of course Marty had to have this class with Buffy Driscoll. She was already a damn distration with her long legs and knee high socks—but then she just had to start stretching.

Buffy was flexible, more than flexible almost. He eyed the track, which was mostly empty besides a few runners from the cross country team, and gets a devilish glint in his dark eyes before strolling over to the mulatto, making sure his eyes don't linger on her for too long. Luckily (or maybe not), she stood and turned to face him, giving a quick smile that evolved into a haughty hand on the hip.

"Stare much, creep? God chambers, I swear you're the prime example if they ever need a reason to end co-ed classes." She quips, he scoffs and crosses his arms.

"And you're a prime example of why the girls should have a dress code with those tiny ass shorts on. I swear you love attention, Buffy." He inwardly laughs at the reaction he gets from her, her already small eyes glaring at him and her lips parting in a defensive an then disgusted snarl. "Anyway, enough small talk, let's race." Now it was her turn to make a noise.

"Wow, I thought you were just a horndog but you're in the mood to lose, too? This is too easy." He shrugs and is already heading for the startline. "But lets make it interesting… if I win, you're my personal uber for the whole week. Whatever time I text you, you have to pick me up." His eyes almost widen at the request but his cocky stature returns.

"Alright then, but I'm not losing, Driscoll."

But he did. So, as he pulled up the house he realized this would be a long week.

"And what if I win?"

"Who cares? You won't."

He texts her of his arrival and he waits momentarily, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes even though it was still relatively early. Buffy finally leaves the house, the light from the foyer spilling onto her and causing him to shake his head and snort at the condescending face she makes. She first places her duffel in the back seat, and then climbs into the front, turning on the heat immediately. "What have I told you about wearing tiny ass shorts?"

"Ubers shouldn't talk. Just drive, please." He glances at her once more before pulling out of the Mack driveway. "Just so you know, I just beat Lania Smalls 100 meter."

"You never let me forget. Now shut up, I'm trying to concentrate." She swats at his arm.

"You're such a sore loser, Marty. Get over yourself." Marty shakes his head. I can't believe I'm doing this. He turns up the radio to drown her out and she rolls her eyes, peering out the window.

"You're trying out for soccer, right?"

"Obviously. I think I'll spare you all the humiliation and actually do girl's team this year." He rolls his eyes.

"Well I am too, when the time is right we should definitely condition together."

"Are you sure you don't just want to look at me in shorts again?" his cheeks heat up at that, and for a moment her gaze is too much for him to handle as he can see her looking at him from the corner of his eye.

"Don't flatter yourself." The rest of the ride is silent and when they arrive at Buffy's, all of the lights are off and she sighs at this, but quietly so Marty isn't aware this bothers her. He stops the car and looks at her expectantly.

"Is anyone home?" Buffy shrugs—her dad was probably still at the office. He's been working late a lot lately. Sometimes Buffy heard him come in late at night, but she was half asleep and never knew the exact time.

"Nah, but I'll be alright. I'm a big girl." She collects her bag from the backseat and peeks into the front window on the passenger side. "But thanks for the ride, loser." She sticks her tongue out playfully as she makes her way into the house, and Marty can only shake his head at Buffy Driscoll.

Xx

Ay y'all so this is chapter one, hope yall like it

I intend for this to be a long story, like fifty chapters or so, and once I see that yall like it I will defintely start prewriting chapters. After chapfter four I start review response as usual. Right now the story is still light and nothing too heavy is going on, I hate when stories get right into the shit like the first chapter, lol its mad annoying

Also, regarding cyrus, only buffy knows he's gay. He's held this secret from even andi for three years. Peep Andrea and Beatrice—for some reason Buffy's name is always Beatrice to me. I feel like she would have a classic name after her granny or somethng with buffy as a nickame.

Anyway, lemme know wassup, if you like it, tell me things.

-simsgal