Being a Family
by Damien J. Frost

Disclaimer: Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, It's a Laugh Productions, Disney, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

--

I'll never understand my parents. There have been several times that I've thought about calling the men in white coats to come get them.

This is definitely one of those days.

"Susie, get dressed already! We're going to be late!"

I can't help but roll my eyes. My little brother is graduating from – da da duh dum – middle school.

Seriously.

I don't even understand why they frickin' do this crap. It's not like it matters. Oh look, another suburban kid needs to made to feel special by some ridiculous ceremony that says – Congratulations, you're not a failure yet!

I really just don't get it.

And, to top it off, it's not for like another four hours.

"Mama, chill. We're not going to be late!"

She stops in my doorway and glares at me.

"Just get dressed."

I sigh and roll off my bed. This is such a waste of a Saturday. I could be at the beach or the mall, or, you know, sleeping.

I wander out into the hall and down to the linen closet to grab a towel.

"Hey."

Great, now what? I roll my eyes and turn to my mom, who is drying her blonde hair with a towel.

"Look, I know how you feel about this. But it's really important to your mama, okay? So just try to not give her a hard time about it. She was the same crazy woman when you went through it, and she'll be even more insane when you graduate for real in three weeks, okay?"

Man, she knows how to make me feel like crap.

"Alright, mom. I'll be the compliant good kid. But only if we can go surfing later."

She grins and ruffles my hair.

"You got it, kiddo."

Yeah, that's right. I've got two moms and no dads. You got a problem?

Oh.

Sorry. Some people do.

"Susan! Get in the shower!"

This is going to be a sucky day.

--

My mama just elbowed me in the side. Again. I think I might have been drooling. This is entirely too long. I mean, come on! They're thirteen! They don't care about this any more than I do!

This is made very evident by my brother's constantly drooping head.

"I'm going to kill that kid."

I glance at my mama, whose brown hair is swept back into a ponytail. Her mouth is set into a very hard line, and I roll my eyes.

"Mama, did you seriously think this is something that would hold his interest?"

She turns her glare on me, and I quickly sit up straight and turn my eyes forward. I'm so in trouble.

Finally, ten minutes later, they get their little crappy fake stupid papers that says they've "graduated" from middle school, and we're all congratulating him. Well, my parents are. I'm just kind of standing there rolling my eyes.

He is too.

"Hey, Mrs. Stewart."

We all turn and my mama smiles at the man that approaches us. He's RC's homeroom teacher, Mr. Saunders. He shakes her hand and grins.

"It's nice to see you again. I was hoping to meet Robert's dad. He said he might be here today."

We all freeze. I turn and look at RC in shock. He didn't.

He's looking anywhere but at us.

He did. That little bastard.

"Actually, he couldn't make it today."

Oh shit. Mama is furious.

But then again, she's not the only one.

--

"You don't know what it's like!"

I can't believe this little shit.

"I don't know what it's like? Robby Cole, I lived through it! Your mother and I got together in high school! You think kids were any less cruel back then? If anything, they were worse!"

We got home ten minutes ago, and that had to be the most uncomfortable car ride ever. Neither one of my parents said a word. Mom had to drive because mama was shaking so bad she probably would have run us off the road.

"So what? It's not the same! Guys talk about sex all the time. And me having two moms? That's like ready made ammunition!"

As much as I hate to admit it, he's got a point. That doesn't make him right, but still, you can see where he's coming from.

"You know, and on top of that, having Sue be bi doesn't help me any! I mean, my whole family is gay. What do you think guys are going to think about me?"

Okay. Dragging me into this? So not okay.

"What do you want from us, Robby? To just change how we are? Do we embarrass you that much?"

He doesn't say anything, but we can all see the answer in his eyes. Mama's eyes fill with tears and she walks out of the kitchen and upstairs to their bedroom. Mom glares at him before shaking her head in disgust.

"What have we ever done to deserve this, RC?"

She doesn't wait for an answer, but follows mama upstairs. I glare at my brother.

"You're such a little prick."

I can't even be in the same room as him anymore. I head up to my room to change.

--

The sun's setting over the ocean, and I'm sitting on my board, watching it sink. I've been out here for hours, just trying to work out my frustration. I still can't believe my brother.

There are a few people scattered in the water. Surfers like me, trying catch one last good wave. A few families, trying to collect their kids and call it a day.

I hear paddling and look over my shoulder. I smile tightly as I see mom making her way out to me.

"Hey, sorry I didn't make it out here any earlier."

I shrug and go back to watching the sun.

"You missed some pretty good waves. Things have settled down a lot."

She sits on her board and comes to a stop next to me. I glance over at her.

"How's mama?"

Mom frowns, which bugs me. She's always so perpetually happy, that when she's upset, it's kind of hard to take.

"She's stopped crying, at least."

My heart twists at the pain in her voice. I really don't think that two people could love each other more than my mothers do. Sometimes I feel they love each other more than they love me and RC. Which I don't think is a bad thing. It's not like they've ever neglected us or anything. They're just so into each other, it's amazing. You really don't see that kind of love these days. It sometimes awes me that I came from something like that.

"You know, your mama and I have always been afraid of something like this happening. That one of you kids would get picked on or bullied because you don't have a 'traditional family.'"

She uses her fingers to make air quotes and I smile. She's always so animated that it's kind of funny.

"We've always tried so hard to teach you two how to be strong. How to be proud of who you are and where you come from. It's been a lot harder with RC because of how… I don't know. Different? How different he is from you and me and Miley. He's so independent and reclusive. Always reading and… I don't know. It's hard to know how to approach him."

I reach over and start rubbing her back. She's crying, and I don't really know what else to do.

"I'm sorry mom."

It's kind of pathetic, but it's all I've got.

She shrugs and then smiles.

"This looks like it's going to be a good one. Let's grab it and head in."

I smile and nod before joining her at paddling for the newest wave.

--

"You're a prick, you know that."

He's sitting in his room, frowning and playing Guitar Hero. He doesn't even glance at me.

"Yeah, you've said that."

I move to stand in front of him, but he just closes his eyes and keeps playing. Little bastard doesn't miss a note. I lean down and turn off his game.

He doesn't yell at me, just stops playing.

"Why would you do that? Tell your teacher that your dad was coming?"

He lays back on his bed and shrugs.

"I dunno. I guess I just got tired of being different, you know?"

I do know.

"Yeah, but it doesn't make it okay to hurt mom and mama. 'Cause that's what you did. You hurt them, RC."

He shrugs again.

"Say something, you little asshole!"

He's on his feet in a split second and inches from my face. I really hate the fact that he's already taller than me. His face is red and I suddenly know I shouldn't have pushed him this far.

"What do you want from me, Sue? I made a mistake! I screwed up. I know that. There's nothing I can do now to fix it. Nothing. Mama can't be in the same room as me and mom told me that she just doesn't like me right now."

I almost take a step back from him, but I'm really too angry to back down.

"You apologize, asshole! And you mean it!"

I shove him. That wasn't very smart of me.

Fortunately, he has a lot more self-control than me. I can tell he wants to push me back, or punch me. Instead he picks me up, carries me out of his room and dumps me – painfully – on the floor.

He then slams his door.

--

My parents and I are in the living room, watching an old movie. It was mom's turn to pick, so I'm talking black-and-white old. I think it's The Magnificent Seven, but I'm not sure. RC would know. He likes these movies.

"Hey Mom? Mama?"

We all turn in surprise to see RC standing at the entrance to the room looking down at his feet.

"Yeah, Robby?"

I can't believe how level mama's voice is.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking, and I was just… stupid."

His voice cracks. He's actually crying. Jeeze.

"Yes, you were. And you're forgiven. Now come here."

I stare at my parents in shock as RC goes to them and they hug him tightly. Huh. I don't think I can forgive him that fast. I guess that's why they're the parents.

They release him and he comes to sit on the floor in front of my couch.

"So, what're we watching?"

Mom gesture to the TV and he smiles.

"Sweet. I love The Magnificent Seven."

We all resume watching the movie. After a few minutes, he turns to me and whispers.

"Thanks, sis."

I ruffle his hair and smile.

"Just don't be such a prick next time, okay?"

He nods and turns back to the TV.

I guess I can forgive him that easily. That's what being a family is, after all.