"Hey Sadie" Charlotte said sitting on her bed. Mercedes walked out of the bathroom and sat next to her sister. "Why aren't you in bed? you start high school tomorrow?" Mercedes asked. "I'm nervous" she said. "Well don't be because I'll make sure that Mackenzie and Bonita keep an eye on you" Mercedes said hugging her sister. Mercedes always thought that her sister was very pretty. She had long light brown hair that she kept in two big French braids and she had bright green eyes. Mercedes was amazed that she looked like her mom and not her dad like she did. Charlotte went to bed and Mercedes picked out her outfit for school. She picked out a white t-shirt that said drama queen on it, a pair of old navy stretch jeans, and her new black sneakers. She decided she was gonna wear the gold chain Chris gave her. Mercedes had a weird dream that night. She dreamed that she had the baby and a fairy flew away with it. Mercedes got up around six and got ready for school. She changed into the outfit she picked out the night before and did her make-up. She grabbed her purse and back pack and went downstairs. She entered the kitchen and saw her sisters La'Nita and Charlotte sitting at the table eating cereal. "Pretty outfit Charlotte" she said. Charlotte had on a shirt that said little miss chatterbox on it , a pair of jean shorts, and her new pink sneakers. "Thanks" she said finishing her cereal. "La'Nita, the bus is here!" her mom said. La'Nita waved bye to everyone and scampered out the door. "You girls ready?" their mom asked walking into the room. On the drive to school it was very quiet. They pulled up to the school and got out of the car. They walked up the steps of the school to the front door where Bonita and Makcenzie were standing. "Oh hey Charlotte I forgot you started high school this year" Bonita said. "You guys show her were the autorium is I have to go with my mom to talk to the principal" Mercedes said as she and her mom headed inside. They made it to the principals office and walked inside. She saw Ms. Coll the assistant principal sitting at her desk. "May I help you?" she asked. "We need to talk to Mr. Spear" Mary said. She pointed to his office and they walked in. "Ah Mrs. and Ms. DeBoise how can I help you?" he greeted. "Yes Mr. Spear I wanted to know if you had any at home schooling programs" Mary said. "Yes we have one that sends assignments by email from each teacher the student has" he said, "Why?". "Well Mr. Spear I'm pregnant as you can almost tell and I don't wanna be in the school around everyone until after my baby is born" Mercedes said. "Ok well Mercedes all you have to do is let me take copy of you schedule and you'll start your computer schooling tomorrow" Mr. Spear said. Mercedes handed him her schedule and he made a copy of it. "Now does that mean I go home today?" she asked. "Yeah since none of the teachers you have this year will be giving any work out today" he said. Mercedes told her mom she would meet her at the car. She had to go talk to Mrs. Turner. She entered the gymnasm and saw Mrs. Turner sitting in her little office. She noticed that Mrs. Turner had put blonde streaks in her hair. "Mrs. Turner" she said walking into her office. "Hey Mercedes what aren't you in the auditorium?' she asked. "I'm not staying I just came to tell you that I'll be getting home schooled this year" Mercedes said. "Why?' Mrs. Turner asked. "Well I'm pregnant and I don't want be in school during my pregnancy" she said, "So that means you'll have to find a new captain cheerleader". "Who do you want to take your place?" Mrs. Turner asked. "Give it to Tina she's really good" Mercedes said. The bell rang for first classes to start just as Mercedes walked out of the gym. As she walked to the exit door she saw Bonita and the girls coming out of the auditorium. "Hey Mercedes how did it go?" Bonita asked. "Good" she said. "Well ladies I gotta get upstairs I have life planning with Mrs. Bander and I don't wanna be late bye!" Mackenzie said and headed upstairs.

She made it to her class just as the bell rung. "Hello class welcome to life planning" the teacher said, "I'm your teacher Mrs. Bander". As Mrs. Bander finished writing her name on the board there was a knock on the door. Mackenzie instantly smiled when she opened the door. It was Elyssa. "Class this is Elyssa Blessings" Mrs. Bander said. Elyssa winked at Mackenzie as she slid into the seat behind her. "Ok class get ready for your first assignment" Mrs. Bander said passing out their homework journals. "Ok our first assignment I know you girls will love" Mrs. Bander said walking to the board, "I want you to create your dream wedding". As she wrote the assignment on the board she heard all the guys in the class sigh. Mackenzie wrote the assignment down in her journal along with the date it was due. After class she waited outside for Elyssa to come out. "Hey babe!" she said hugging her as she came out of the room. "Hey Hun" Elyssa said, "What's your next class?" "Uh math" Mackenzie said. "Oh I have science" Elyssa said. The girls hugged and went their separate ways. At lunch Bonita, Mackenzie, and Charlotte sat together. Mackenzie had just started on her lunch when Elyssa walked over to her table. "Hey baby" she said giving Mackenzie a kiss. "Elyssa this my best friend Bonita and Charlotte" she said. "Hey" Elyssa said sitting down next to Mackenzie. "So Elyssa I hear that your a hairstylist" Bonita said. "I love doing hear one day I wanna do hair for stars like Jessica Simpson or Jessica Alba or maybe just some one named Jessica" she joked. "Hey Charlotte, do you have a favorite class yet?" Mackenzie asked. "Art" Charlotte said putting a fry in her mouth. After school the girls sat next to each other on the bus. "See you to later" Bonita said as she got off the bus and started walking to her apartment building. As she got to her building she saw Hope standing outside. "Where's Mom?" she asked. "At work" Bonita said. "So where is my baby?" Hope asked. "At the daycare center at the hospital" Bonita said walking inside. Hope chased after her. "This isn't fair" she said. "Hope what you were doing wasn't right especially when you have a two year old child" Bonita said. "I want my baby back!" Hope demanded. "Well in order to get him back you need to change the way you live" Bonita said and closed the door on her. Bonita went upstairs to her room. She got her journal out and wrote to her brother again. Dear Eric,

Hey bro! How are you? I've been ok. Hope showed up today looking a mess and demanding Caden back. I told her until she gets her life straightened up it wasn't going to happen. I met Mackenzie's girlfriend Elyssa today. She's very nice. Mercedes is starting home schooling tomorrow. She doesn't wanna be in the school while she's pregnant. Things have really changed this summer. I really hope everything goes ok though. There's been enough drama in my life. I don't want anymore. Well I'll go now. I love you Eric, bye.

Bonita put her journal away and just laid back on her bed. About an hour later she heard her mom come in. She went downstairs and smelled take out. "What are we having tonight Momma?" she asked. "Burgers and fries" her mom said. "Hey Caden" she said taking him from her mom. She put him is his high chair and gave him some fries. After she ate she went upstairs and did her homework. Just as she finished up her cell phone rang. "Hello" she answered. "Hey baby" Brian said. "Hey honey" she said putting her school stuff away. "So you ready for our evening run?" Brian asked. Since Mackenzie had went away for the summer Brian had been running with Bonita every night. "Yeah I might call and see if Mackenzie wants to run with us" she said. "Ok I'll be there in a few minutes" Brian said and hung up. Bonita called Mackenzie. "Hello" she answered. "Hey Kenzie wanna go running with me and Brian?" Bonita asked. "Well I gotta go to Mercedes and tell her Mrs. Bander's assignment and give her her homework journal" Mackenzie said. "Ok well see ya later" Bonita said and hung up. Mackenzie got her back pack and headed for the bus stop. She got to Mercedes ranch and saw she was sitting on her porch watching her sister La'Nita play with her dolls. "Hey Sadie" Mackenzie said. "Hey Kenzie" she greeted. "Ok our first assignment in Mrs. Bander's class is creating our dream wedding" Mackenzie said handing Mercedes her homework journal. Later that night after Mackenzie left Mercedes was sitting at the kitchen table watching TV with Charlotte. Charlotte was working on her art homework. "What are you drawing?" Mercedes asked. "My art teacher wanted us to draw a mythical creature so, I drew a fairy" Charlotte said showing her the picture.

She drew a fairy with blue clothes and wings that she had added glitter to and it had a creamy color of skin. "Very pretty" Mercedes said. The next day the girls were all sitting at lunch together. "Wow this is really good Charlotte" Bonita said. "Thanks it took me like two hours to finish it" she said. Just then Brian snuck up behind Bonita and put his arms around her. "Hey baby" she said kissing his cheek. "Oh Bryan this Elyssa Mackenzie's girlfriend" she said. "Nice to meet you" Bryan said sitting down beside Bonita. "So whatcha doin after you eat your lunch?" he asked. "Sitting under the big tree with you?" she asked smiling. He nodded and she grabbed her back pack and told the girls she'd see them later. "He's really good for her" Mackenzie said. "Oh hey I got you something" Elyssa said reaching into her back pack. She took out a stuffed animal. It was a bernese dog with black, white, and light brown fur. It was about twenty-five inches tall. "Aww he's cute thanks honey" Mackenzie said hugging her. "Are you gonna name it?" Elyssa asked. "I think I'll name him Rowdy" Mackenzie said. "Hey wanna work on our wedding project together since we got the first part today?" Elyssa asked. "Sure thing babe" Mackenzie said. Later Mackenzie and Elyssa got to her house and Elyssa called her aunt to let her know where she was. Mackenzie went upstairs to get her laptop. She got in her room and sat Rowdy down on her computer chair and she decided that's his special spot in her room. She grabbed her laptop and the girls went outside on the back patio. "Ok so for the first part we have to make up our guest lists and then make invitations" Elyssa said. "Should we do them by individual person or by families?" Mackenzie asked. "Umm maybe both it'll depend on the person I guess" Elyssa said. As they were writing the invite lists Mackenzie's mom came out. "Hey girls" she said, "I'm making lemonade you girls want some?" "Sure" the girls said. A few minutes later Mackenzie's mom came back with a pitcher of ice cold lemonade and three classes. "Come and get your lemonade Kiesha!" her mom said as she poured the lemonade. "Thanks Mommy" Kiesha said coming out with her favorite cabbage patch doll and a pink leather diaper bag with her toy doll stuff in it. Her mom poured them some lemonade and went back inside. "Say kenzie are you ever gonna tell your mom that we're more then friends?" Elyssa asked. "I've been thinking about it but, I'm not sure how she'll take it" Mackenzie said. "Well if she's a mom that truly loves her kids then it won't matter to her" Elyssa said. Later that night Mackenzie called Bonita. "Hello" Bonita answered. "Hey Nita" Mackenzie greeted, "umm can we talk?" "Yeah let me call you back Hope's coming over here" Bonita said and hung up. Bonita went downstairs just as the door bell rang. Her mom answered the door. "Hi Mom" Hope said. "Hi Hope" her mom said back. She sat down on a chair and was very quiet for a while. "You know" Hope started, "I've been thinking alot about why you guys did what you did and I think you're right..I do need to get my act together and bring Caden up in a better financial way". "I'm glad you've come to your senses" Bonita said. "Can you help me Mom?" Hope asked. "Well there's a nurse down at the hospital that's looking for a house keeper and she's willing to pay about ten bucks an hour for five days a week" her mom said. After Hope left Bonita went upstairs and called Mackenzie back. "Hello" Mackenzie answered. "Hey Kenzie, what did you need to talk about?" Bonita asked. "I'm thinking about telling my mom I'm gay but, I'm not sure how she'll take it" Mackenzie said. "Well you know your mom do you really think she'll stop loving you over something like that?' Bonita asked. After she hung up with Bonita she decided that her mom loved her so much she wouldn't stop loving her ever and she headed downstairs to tell her. She got downstairs and Her mom and Kyle were sitting on the couch and she knew Kiesha was in bed already. "Guys can I talk to you?" she asked. "Sure Honey what is it?" her mom asked. "First would you guys ever stop loving me or Kiesha?" she asked. "Of course not Honey we're your parents" her mom said. "Ok well Mom you know my friend Elyssa?" Mackenzie asked trying to stay relaxed. "Yes" she said. "Well she's not only my friend she's my girlfriend" Mackenzie said looking down at the floor. Her parents were quiet for a long time. "Ok are you happy with her?" her mom asked. "Yes and I've never felt so free before Mom" Mackenzie stated. "Then Honey we're happy for you" her mom said. Mackenzie smiled and hugged her mom. She knew then that she was totally free.

The End.