New beginning

Sophe walked into the new school with the description 'Hough high'. A girl her age walked to her.

"Hey, I'm Chloe", she said, "are you new too? Well, why don't I tell you all you need to know about this school?"

"You can save it", sophe told her, "I don't plan on staying long"

"Why not?", Chloe said.

"This was my parents idea, I never wanted to come here but I had to sacrifice my own choice for my sister's. They just want to turn into the best version of themselves"

Chloe almost chocked in her own laugh.

Sophe looked at her, irritated.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh my", Chloe coughed out the remaining laugh, "I didn't know you got mommy issues too. Well, my dad's been drinking lately and my mom, well, she takes a pill before she go to bed and my little sister, pua, drinks too, though she's underage"

"You should talk to your mom about her then"

Chloe nods. "No, I can't"

"Why not?"

"Listen, up until I was twelve or thirteen, I had a really awesome life. I mean it wasn't perfect but it was nice, it's always in music classes, then something changed, there was this sadness and I found something. I never thought it was gonna hit my house until it did. I feel really bad and I sensed bad stuffs, I mean stuffs no one wants to talk about"

Sophe looked curious. "Like what?", She asked her.

"It's not really something I tell most people"

"Okay, I get it", sophe said, "I'm sophe, now we aren't strangers anymore"

"Anyway", Chloe continued, "about a month ago, I took a bunch of my mom's pills, I still don't understand why I did it but I'd never hurt her. And my mom made a really big deal out of it, I just felt like ...a totally different person, I was not in control of myself when I did it. I know for a sad story, it's really basic"

"No, it's not", sophe tried to be in her shoes for once.

"Sophe, I can't really talk to anyone the way I talk to you"

"What're you talking about, you just met me"

"I know and I don't know why I'm telling you this, but I've only been there for people when all they did was leave, I never really had a real friend cause I didn't see one who could tolerate me, I look for people who is worth talking to amd sometimes I push people away to test if they'll stay"

Suddenly the bell ringed and startled Sophe.

Sophe looked around. "What was that?"

"The school bell...", Chloe said, awkwardly, "..that rings"

"Oh"

Chloe smiled. "You're so weird, I like you"

"I'll go ahead now"

They walked away.

***

Layne walked to the kitchen and poured herself some coffee. Courtney bounced in, fuming in rage.

"I feel like I'm going to explode, mother", she said.

Layne turned to her. "What happened?"

"Oh, nothing", Courtney fumed, "just that miserable daughter. I've given my life, soul and me to my children, but this girl gets sweep away by one naughty boy, I feel like cursing her,mom. I feel like I'm going to kill her"

"Don't curse her"

"She doesn't care one bit that I was expecting a baby. Chloe just took me by surprise"

Layne hands her a cup of coffee and sits down, Courtney sits and sips the coffee.

"Oh, thank you, mother", she said, "there's so many things going on"

"So", Layne said, "how's things going on with nergus?"

Courtney sighed. "It's another thing"

"Don't tell me you're having problems"

"No, just he's acting weird"

"What's weird about that? Is it just weird-weird? Or half-weird?"

"Weird, maybe half"

"I'm sure it's just work stress"

"I hope you're right, mother. But I'm starting to get worried. One day he's going all sweet and the next day he acts like nothing exist. Why is it that I have to suffer all these sufferings and ungratefulness? I shouldn't be so surprised when it comes to my daughter but I am"

"Oh, don't let it bother you"

"But how come it's so hard to be a good mother? How come it's hard to be a good mother to Chloe and pua? I've taken so much from them. I don't know which one hurts more- the pain I feel? Or the pain my daughter feel? I hope she don't forget my sacrifices for her"

"No one said it was gonna be easy being a parent, but I hope you give Chloe time"

Courtney sighed deeply.

***

Buch, sophe and squall set the table,their mom, piper got the pot down the gas and dad, Roll poured juice in each glass of cup.

Piper smiled at them. "I'm glad everyone's contributing to lunch", she said.

"Yes", Roll said, "like a normal family"

Soon lunch was served and they all sat round the table to eat.

"How'd you guys think about staying here", Roll asked them.

Sophe raised an eyebrow. "Like a couple of months?"

"No, sophe", piper said, "more like permanently. We just wanted to give you sometime to process what this will be like"

"I donno", Buch said, "like school practice is really cool, I'm also learning basketball"

"That's great", roll said, "shows I didn't have a fool for a son"

Buch smiles

Piper looked at Squall. "And squall?"

Squall looked up at them from her food, everyone were looking at her to say something.

"I wemt to the temple like you adviced, mom" squall said, quietly.

"We actually wanted to talk about School, honey", piper told her, "we actually have a concern about you"

"Is that why moved here?", Squall asked her.

"No", Roll said, "we actually moved here so that your mom and I wi be around to spend time together as a family. The last town's really got to you"

Squall groaned. "I told you it was an accident"

"You almost hurt a bunch of kids"

Squall got up.

"You know what?", She said, "I thought moving here would be a chance to start over. But I guess I'm just gonna be a freak like always"

Squall turned and walked upstairs. Piper inhaled deeply.