Author's Note: Miguel Castillo, Alison Castillo, Ryan Rivera, Jake & Alicia Ballard, and Roni Tubbs all belong to RedRose85. Be sure to check out her Miami Vice stories!

I pounded on the bathroom door. "Alison! C'mon, hurry up!" Anxiously I stepped backwards toward my bedroom door and glanced at the clock. "It's already 7:00!"

"I'm not finished, Miguel! Why are you always so impatient?" My sister called back, her voice echoing over the sound running water.

"Ali, I gotta pee!" I cried. I'd been sharing a bathroom with my sister practically my whole life. And lately it not only meant having to deal with her million bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and makeup, but also required a bladder the size of the Atlantic.

"Tough luck! I'm naked, go use Mom and Dad's bathroom!"

I groaned in frustration. Every damn morning, it was the same thing. Oh well, at least I could grab some breakfast while Ali wrapped up her beauty routine. I ran down the spiral staircase, jumping off the second to last step just as I always did. In the kitchen, I kissed my mother good morning and grabbed a box of Fruit Loops from the pantry and milk from the fridge. As I sat at the table, My father looked up from his newspaper and eyed me disapprovingly. I couldn't really blame him. My hair was messy, I was unshaven, and the loose sweat shorts and Miami Beach Senior High Orchestra t-shirt I wore as pajamas probably didn't smell great.

"Miguel, you're not dressed," he pointed out.

"Yeah well, Her Majesty is taking her sweet time in the shower," I replied taking a bite of the colorful cereal.

My father shook his head and turned back to the paper. "The water bill is going to be high again, Gina."

"Calm down, Martin. You know it takes a bit longer for us ladies to get ready in the morning." Her bright smile was infectious, even to my dad, and they exchanged a kiss.

My father turned back to me, stirring the steaming cup of green tea in front of him. "I'm actually glad you came down a little early, Miguel, I wanted to talk to you about something."

I felt my whole body tense as I slid down in my chair. What did I do this time? Ali and I hadn't had an argument in over a week. Not a real one, anyway. I was getting straight A's as always and nobody ever had to remind me to keep up with my violin practice, so that couldn't be it. I never snuck out of the house or stayed out past curfew (not that I went out much anyway). Maybe I was in for another lecture on trying to get along with Jake Ballard? That guy was such a pain. "Whatever it is, Jake started it!" I blurted out.

My parents both tilted their heads, staring at me in confusion. Then the corner of dad's mouth turned up, hinting at a small smile. "Relax, Miguel. You're not in trouble." I felt my shoulders relax a little. "There's someone new moving to Miami. She is a…" he paused a moment, as though he were trying to find a word to describe this person. "She's an old friend. Her name is May Ying and her company transferred her to their office here, so she and her son just moved from San Francisco."

My mother nodded. "Her son is your age, Miguel, and he'll be going to your school. We were hoping you could show him around, maybe be a friend to him."

Oh great. My mom was always trying to get me to be more social like my sister. So now I was stuck playing tour guide to some random from California? No thanks. But before I could open my mouth to express my distaste for this little arrangement, I saw my father's eyes, boring straight through me. I knew I was stuck.

But on the other hand, something had me intrigued. I had a great relationship with my dad- we shared a love of chess and baseball, and he often took me fishing. Unlike my mother, he understood my need for occasional solitude and didn't push me into social situations like my mother. But despite our closeness, my father never talked about his past, not ever. Not his family, not his childhood, not even his career before joining the Miami police department. I had heard he had once worked in Southeast Asia, but that was it. Who was this mysterious "friend"? Maybe I'd learn something about my dad from this guy.

"Oh fine. I'll do it." I grumbled unenthusiastically, taking another bite of cereal.

"Excellent Miguel, I'm sure you and Ethan will get along well."

"Morning everyone!" Ali's chipper voice distracted my parents' attention as she flounced down the stairs. "And who's Ethan?"

"I dunno, some friend of Dad's," I mumbled, then slurped up the rest of my cereal. Leave it to Ali to be interested in some guy.

Mom handed Ali a glass of orange juice. "His mother is an old friend from Thailand. His father died a few years ago, and they just moved from San Francisco. Miguel is going to be showing him around school."

"Fun! That's great Mig! Ever since Eric and Sophia started going out, you've had a lot of free time."

I shot Ali a dirty look. Why was everyone always pointing out what a loner I was? I had friends! Just because I didn't have a fake ID and try to sneak out all the time didn't make me a loser. "For your information, Alison, I have three AP classes, SAT's next month, and constant rehearsals for the spring concert. I do not have tons of free time. Now I'd better take a shower before I have to meet this new kid." I stood and dropped my dishes in the sink.

"Perfect, May Ying told Ethan to meet you by the library before first period." My father folded his newspaper and took a sip of tea.

I knew better than to argue, my father would not be defied, and I did want to make him happy. Oh well, it couldn't hurt to show this kid around school. No doubt he came to Miami expecting glamour, parties, and hot cars- not to hang out with an orchestra nerd like myself. Soon he'd meet his own friends and I'd be left alone to my old, boring life where nothing ever happened.