So here it is. The much anticipated sequel for Parenting 101! Heheehee. Okay I don't own IaHB or any of the characters or anything like that. Well all right then. Enjoy
If you want to understand all this, read Parenting 101






Life Skills

Chapter 1



"Okay everyone," Mrs. Hays called for attention. The room turned and faced her in their desks. "We're going to do a new project now involving marriage. But I thought it would be boring for you to just be a married couple trying to work out problems so I came up with this idea. You'll all be put in groups of four, with two parents and two teenage children. I will say who is what. Then you'll have to follow the requirements on this sheet. Okay, any questions?" The room was silent. Caitie exchanged a look with Jamie. What was this all about? She could only hope she wasn't paired with some nose picking dorks.

"Tyler Connell, Val Linear, Caitie Roth, and Jamie Waite will be group number five. Tyler and Val are the parents and Caitie and Jamie are the teenage children." Mrs. Hays named off the other groups. Caitie turned to glare at Val and Tyler, her new mommy and daddy. Jamie shrugged. The overachievers and the slackers in one group was bound to be interesting. But did it have to be Tyler? The biggest ego in Kingsport. No maybe that was Hank.

Caitie sighed. It was too late in the period to start working. They'd have to get busy tomorrow. This was great. But then it could be worse. Caitie glanced at Val. She was talking to Tyler and looking disappointed. At least Caitie could be in a group with her best friend, and she didn't mean Val. She was talking about Jamie. Not everyone was lucky enough to have a boyfriend who was your best friend. Val lately had been too busy with Tyler to care about anything. Not to mention Tyler's problem he seemed to have with Caitie. Like she ever did anything to him. It didn't matter now. Jamie had set him straight. And in a way, it made everything come together.

"So Tyler. Maybe we could go to the movies tonight. Planet of the Apes is playing." Val smiled at Tyler.

"I'd love to Val-," A hopeful glimmer in her eyes, "but I can't." was replaced by disappointment.

"Oh yeah. Not ready for a relationship. Okay. I guess we can't even go anywhere as friends." Val turned and grabbed her purse. Tyler rested a hand on her arm.

"No Val. It isn't that. I just really can't. And we can still be friends. I want to be friends, don't you?"

"Yeah sure Tyler." Val answered as she scanned the room for Mrs. Hays. Maybe it wasn't too late to switch groups.

That Night

Caitie and Jamie sat together on the Roth's large couch. Everyone had disappeared after dinner, leaving Caitie and Jamie alone to watch TV. The house was quiet and the only sounds were the TV declaring that day's news and events. But Jamie and Caitie weren't watching. The phone blasted its electronic ring. Caitie sighed.

"Let me get that." She said and picked up the receiver. "Hello."

"Hey Caitie. It's Val." Jamie was staring at Caitie. He wanted to know who would be calling while he was here.

"Hi Val."

"I was feeling lonely so I thought I'd call." Val did sound lonely.

"I'm glad I'm on backup."

"Don't be like that Caitie."

"I'm kidding. I was thinking about going to the movies." Caitie smiled. "Jamie's treat." He rolled his eyes.

"Sounds fun."

Caitie hesitated. Slowly she said, "Do you want to come?"

"No! No!" Jamie shouted, shaking his head. "Shut up!" Caitie yelled.

"Sure. Is that okay with Jamie?" Caitie heard as she jabbed him with her elbow.

"Absolutely!"





The three pulled up to the movie theater, none recognizing the car parked two spaces down. Jamie knew this wasn't a good idea. He had a bad feeling about Val. She was a friend of Tyler, therefore the enemy. Maybe he was being silly but a Tyler sympathizer was no friend of his or Caitie's, since this whole this began with Tyler talking bad about her. And now Jamie and Tyler were both off the squad, indefinitely.

"Three for Planet of the Apes." Jamie told the young girl behind the glass. She handed over the tickets without even glancing up from her magazine. Great service.

"You didn't have to buy for me Jamie." Val said softly. Jamie rolled his eyes and wished Val would quit the act.

"Of course he did." Caitie smiled.

The trio stepped into the theater before the lights were dimmed. They were early. Jamie loved sitting up front and Caitie knew that by now. She lead the way down the isle, stepping carefully over spilt popcorn. Then she stopped dead in her tracks. Caitie motioned for Jamie to look. He only shrugged. Val stuck her head between theirs.

"What are you looking at?" She asked, and followed their gaze. Her heart stopped for a second before beating wildly. Maybe it was her eyes playing tricks on her.

That couldn't be Tyler...with another girl.



****Well? It's only the beginning!****