A/N: Our girls only make a cameo appearance in the first chapter, but I felt as if it was important to introduce some of the kids. This version is different from the original story that was posted a year ago, but I felt as if way too much had happened since the last time I posted this story and a little change might be good.
The Novak Residence
7:15 AM
Kylie's POV
"Just one more picture," my mom Alex pleads.
"Mom, you'll see me in a few hours. It's not like I'm going off to college yet," I urge her.
"Don't even remind us," my mom Casey says. "There's only one more year until that happens."
"It's the first day of your senior year, Kylie Alexandra, let us be excited for you," my mom Alex says as she places her arm around me.
"And you look beautiful," my mom Casey tells me.
"No, I don't," I tell them. "That snobby private school you guys send me to forces us to wear uniforms. I look like a fucking tool."
"Language!" my mom Alex says. "And what did we tell you about using that word in front of your sister?" I look at my five year old sister Emma who is sitting on the couch and watching cartoons. The poor little girl is going to start kindergarten in a few hours and I just know our moms are going to be taking pictures of her like crazy and crying when they drop her off. Even though Emma and I aren't blood related, we feel like we are. Our mom Alex had me when she was in college. She always tells me the story about how she and my mom Casey couldn't wait to start their family so they searched for a donor and everything when they were only freshmen. Our mom Casey gave birth to Emma, which everyone thinks is obvious because she has her red hair and green eyes.
I ignore my mom's question and focus on my sister. "Good luck today, Em," I tell her. "If you want, I can pick you up from school and we can get ice cream." My sister looks at me and starts to nod.
When I turn around to look at my moms, I see that they're kissing each other and my mom Alex has her arm extended so she can get a picture of what they're doing.
"You guys are disgusting," I tell them even though I actually like when they're affectionate. They're my role models when it comes to relationships. They've been together for 17 years now and they still act like newlyweds.
"I'm going to say that next time I see you kissing your girlfriend," my mom Casey teases.
"I don't have a girlfriend," I tell them. Lately, I've been keeping my private life private and they've been doing whatever it takes to get information out of me. I don't actually have a girlfriend right now, but they're under the impression that I do.
"Maybe not right now, but you will," my mom Casey says. "You look just like your mom Alex and she is such a beautiful woman."
The two of them start kissing again and I take it as my cue to leave. I quickly say goodbye to them and my sister and grab the keys to my car. When I turned 16 last year, my moms got me the red Mercedes I had been wanting. Even though they're paying for it, their rule is that I can't drive it unless I have a job so I managed to get myself a part-time job at Starbucks and now I'm able to drive this beauty around. Plus, there's a girl I'm after who looks great in this car.
My Aunt Allegra and Aunt Megan have a son named Dorian who is starting his freshman year today and my moms' best friends Abbie and Serena have a daughter named Mackenzie and a sister named Dallas who are also incoming freshmen. It's my responsibility to pick them up and take them to school, but I really don't mind. The four of us have grown up together and we've become really close over the years, especially after everything that happened when my mom Alex was in Witness Protection and I couldn't see her. My mom Casey and I cried a lot during that time and Dorian, Mackenzie, and Dallas were always there to play with me and cheer me up.
After showing them where their classes are, I head over to my locker to fix my make-up and make sure my hair is okay. I'm usually not a vain girl, but I'm expecting to see a special someone before first period.
"Hey," my dream girl says as she stops by my locker.
"Hi," I reply nervously. Her chin-length blonde curls are looking especially shiny today and I start to feel bad for checking her out. I'm not supposed to like this girl and I don't even want to know what my moms would say if they found out.
"Ready for AP Physics?" she asks, trying to make conversation. The two of us used to be able to talk about anything, but now our conversations are becoming awkward.
"Yeah," I reply shyly.
"The people here are assholes," she tells me. "I kinda miss my old school."
"Welcome to Manhattan," I say to her. "It's nothing like Colorado, but I'm glad you're here."
"Me, too," she replies. "I mean, I'm not glad I'm here but I'm glad I'm here with you, Kylie."
In the small town she just moved from, she was forced to be in the closet, but in New York she finally feels free to be herself. The kids at my school may be spoiled, but they're pretty cool about other people's sexual preferences and she must have picked up on this because in that moment Charla Anne Lacroix laces her fingers with mine and doesn't let go until we've reached our classroom.
The Benson Residence
7:30 A.M.
Hannah's POV
I'm supposed to be in school in an hour and I'm barely doing my hair. Last year, I didn't care what I looked like but this year is different. Today is my first day of junior high and I want to make sure I look perfect. I'm not trying to impress anybody, but I've heard stories about girls getting bullied by other girls for something so stupid like having a certain haircut. I already wear braces so I know I'm going to be a target because of that. I wish my mom would let me wear make-up, but every time I ask she says I'm way too young. It's something we've been fighting about a lot lately. I know she wants me to stay her little girl, but she needs to understand that I'm a 7th grader now.
"Hannah, your breakfast is getting cold," I hear my mom say from the kitchen. I usually just eat cereal and toast in the morning, but my mom wanted me to have something special before my first day of school.
"Chocolate chip pancakes!" I say excitedly and start to smile.
"I know they're your favorite," she tells me. "And I think that's the first time you've smiled at me in over a week."
"Last night was the first time you've seen me in a week," I remind her and roll my eyes. "I was with Daddy last week, remember?"
"Hannah Stabler, what did I tell you about rolling your eyes at me?" my mom asks.
"I'm sorry," I tell her. "I've just been going back and forth between you and Daddy every week since I was five and I'm starting to get tired of it. I want one bedroom and one life. I hate having my life here and then Sunday night, it's time to leave and return to my life at Daddy's and then the next Sunday night I have to leave Daddy and come back here. I want you two to be married again and I want us to be a happy family like we were when I was a little girl. Was it something I did?"
"Sweetheart, it had nothing to do with you," my mom assures me. "Your dad and I just aren't in love with each other anymore, but we both love you very much."
That's the typical response that divorced parents give their kids, but I won't tell my mom that.
"I have to go," I tell her. "School starts in half an hour and I still have to find my first period class."
"I want to walk you there," my mom says and she starts laughing when she sees the color drain from my face.
"No!" I tell her. "Please, Mom, no. I'm in 7th grade now. None of the other kids are having their parents walk them. I'm going to look like a geek. Speaking of geeks, does this outfit make me look like one?"
I try and fail to strike a sophisticated pose as my mom inspects my outfit. I'm wearing a denim skirt and a burgundy sweater that belonged to my mom when she was my age.
"You look beautiful," she tells me. "Do you have your new phone with you?"
"Yes, Mom."
"Are everyone's numbers in it yet?" she asks.
"For the millionth time, yes, Mom," I tell her. "I have your number, Daddy's number, Aunt Alex's number, Aunt Casey's number, Aunt Abbie's number, Aunt Serena's number, Uncle John's number, Uncle Fin's number, Aunt Melinda's number, and Grandpa Don's number. I think I'm set."
"One more thing," she tells me.
"What now?" I ask as I'm becoming frustrated. "Mom, I'm gonna be late."
My mom quickly heads over to her room and comes back with a tube of cherry flavored clear lip gloss. When she hands it over to me, I can't help but start smiling at her again.
"This is the one I wanted!" I tell her excitedly. "But I thought I couldn't wear lip gloss yet."
"You're 12 now, Hannah," she says to me. "I think you're old enough to wear lip gloss now, but that's all the make-up you're going to wear until high school and I don't want us to fight about that anymore."
"Deal," I say to my mom as I run to give her a hug. "I love you, Mom."
"I love you, too, Hannah."
"Will you walk me to school?" I ask and my mom just smiles at me. That's all the answer I need.