Hey guys! The sequel to Parenthood is here!
"…and then Ollie looked the lady dead in the eye and said, 'Just because Vetta doesn't look like me doesn't mean she's not my big sissy.' I swear, she had this look on her face like she was going to go on a rant."
"Racist-ass bitch," Leo commented, smirking.
The trio was sitting in Lovetta's room, the door cracked open for the sake of Max's sanity since his daughter had two boys over. Lovetta was sitting on her bed, while Leo occupied her desk chair and James was sitting on a beanbag chair that they'd stolen from Ollie's room. They were fifteen now and in high school. Time had been kind to Lovetta, who had inherited some of her father's height. She was two inches taller than her five-foot-five mother already.
As for Leo and James, they were both pretty much the same. Leo's hair was still brown and wavy, his skin still fair and his eyes still the same shade of green they'd been before. James's curly blonde hair was still fluffy and he still had a tan that made him look like he was from California.
"I bet your mom wasn't happy to hear about that," James stated.
"Oh, no, she wasn't the one who came to get us. It was Dad. When he got there, he tried to pick up Ollie and the lady was all like, 'Mr. Greene, tell your daughter that lying isn't a good habit' and Dad was like 'What did he say?' So I told him that the lady wouldn't let me pick up Ollie because we 'weren't family'. Dad then told the lady, 'Excuse me, bitch, but they're both my children' and the lady said 'Well, is your son adopted?' "
"Never tell Max his kids aren't related to him," noted James.
"Yeah, she learned that when Dad started calling her a racist bitch who needed to start living in the twenty-first century instead of the twentieth."
The boys started laughing and she smirked.
"Needless to say, I don't think Ollie's going back to that preschool. Mom was pissed when she heard."
"Yo," Max called from the doorway. "Either you guys are staying for dinner or you're going home. Take a pick."
"They're staying," Lovetta told her dad. "You got a problem with that?"
"Nope. Remember that they can't spend the night, though, because that's when I'm gonna have a problem."
"You got it." Max exited the room and the two boys glanced at Lovetta nervously.
"What's with the new sleepover rule?" Leo inquired. "Your parents have never had a problem with us spending the night before."
"Yeah, but that was before the 'Puberty Troll', as Mom calls it, hit. Now Dad's saying you can't spend the night because you're fifteen-year-old boys and he knows how your minds work. I think he just doesn't want me alone with two boys at night."
"Considering your family history, that seems likely," James agreed. "I mean—gangs, kidnapping, death threats, extortion, coercion, drugs trafficking, teen pregnancy… you guys are like the after-school special to end all after-school specials!"
"I know better than to get wrapped up in all that." She bit her lip. "Speaking of that stuff, I saw on the news that Vihaan's getting executed at Super Guantanamo."
"Are you upset?" Leo wondered aloud.
"No, I'm not, but… he is one of the few blood relatives I have outside of Grandma Candy, Ollie, and my parents. It's just weird and awkward to think about, you know?"
"We get it. And we're here for you."
"Thanks, guys."
The first day of sophomore year rolled around the following week. Coral had come home full of stories about the reality show she'd competed on (she hadn't won the grand prize; some other girl on the show had) and ready to do more of the hell known as school. Lovetta was first to spot the theater geek and immediately ran to give her a massive hug.
"Coral!" she squealed.
"Hey, Vetta! How's it going?"
"Great! I'm ready for another year of hell! You?"
"Yeah! My brother's even letting me take my driver's test in a couple months!"
"I thought he wanted you to be chauffeured around forever because it was safer."
"That was before he watched me compete. He realized me being able to get around myself was a better alternative."
"Ladies," they were greeted by a black-haired boy they knew was on the soccer team. Both returned his greeting with annoyed, blank stares, which he took as a sign of flirting and made the 'call me' sign at Lovetta.
"Do you think my mom ever had to deal with this?" she sighed.
"I think your dad eliminated most of that from happening." She sighed dramatically and leaned against a lamppost. "It was a love story for the ages! The cynical and pessimistic boy, mistreated by the world and brought to a new home, fell in love with his peppy and optimistic childhood friend and started dating her when they hit high school!"
"Your point is?"
"Look, your mom never had to deal with this bullshit because she started dating your dad almost as soon as they hit high school, right?"
"Right." They started walking towards the school again.
"Well, the other guys knew better than to mess with her. They'd be risking the wrath of Max by trying to hit on her. Didn't your mom say that he was always protective of her and never let her get into a situation where she could be taken advantage of?"
"She did… but she also told me that she and Dad started fucking when she hit sixteen after two years of dating."
"I'm not saying you have to have a boyfriend. I'm just saying that having a guy around to act as a buffer is good when you're a pretty girl. And you're a pretty girl." Coral was trying not to say something, but Lovetta caught her meaning.
"And my mom still kind of has a reputation for being an 'easy slut'?"
"I didn't want to say that, but… yeah. They might also think you're easy pickings."
"Yeah, if any guy tries that shit with me, you know my dad will castrate him without a second thought."
"True. Hell hath no fury like Max Greene protecting his precious daughter."
"I don't think that's how the saying goes."
"It's not, I swear, but it works." She glanced around. "So, where are James and Leo?"
"Leo had to go in early since he's the sophomore class president, and James had to do something for his mom. Why?"
"Remember what I said about guys acting as buffers? We didn't deal with this shit first day of freshman year because we walked in with James and Leo. This year it's just us."
"Oh, that's true."
The two girls entered the building, both excited to start a new school year. They split up once they reached the main hall, since Coral had Orchestra class and Lovetta had History and the two classes were in opposite directions.
"Hey, Lovetta!"
She turned to see James walking up behind her.
"Oh, hey, James! What did your mom want?"
"She wanted me to start filling out job applications so I can help out with finances."
"Uh, so she wanted you to do that before school?"
"I don't know if you've noticed, but my mom doesn't really give a fuck about my education. She wants me to live with her for the rest of her life."
"Aw. I feel sorry for any girl who dates you."
"How about you?"
"My dad's not going to let me date anybody, regardless of gender."
"No, I mean… do you want to go on a date with me? Just the movies or something."
"Oh… sure! But, wait. My dad's not going to let me."
"I figured, so I suggested to Leo that we double-date with him and Coral. He won't have a problem with that, right?"
"I don't think so. He just doesn't want me to end up like Mom."
"Married to your first significant other with two kids before you're thirty?"
"Pregnant and alone at seventeen."
"We're not going that far. It's just a movie and I'll have you home by ten. I promise."
"Okay. You, me, Leo, and Coral. A four-way date."
James found himself unable to oppose the idea.
Eh. I don't know what I'm doing.
In other news (in case you didn't know from my story The Empire, which is an AO3 exclusive due to... content), I have a job now. I start next week, meaning I'll have even less writing time. Also, question for all of you: why the fuck do hurricanes continually hit my state? I live in the Southeastern United States three hours from the coast; that should explain my annoyance. Just this year we've had Florence and Michael. Watch—before the year's over, we'll have at least one more hit us.
So long and thanks for all the fish!