A/N: Yay, my first story! I'm so proud of myself! I thought it might not be extremely smart for my first to be a next gen, but I am OBSESSED with them, I would write all next gen if I could. (Honestly, when I finish this one I'll probably write another, and another, and another…) I hope you like it, there's a list of all the kids' names and ages at the end. Please review if you don't mind, I'd love to know how I'm doing. ~Renate PS: This is AU after Prom-asaurus, just saying that for future reference and because if I don't I'll confuse myself. Oh, and I own nothing but the OC's. PSPS: There are kid(s) for Sue and Wemma in this, but they will be introduced later on.
Kendall's POV
"I'm so sorry, sweetie." She says. "I'm so sorry it had to come to this. Don't forget that I love you. You will always be my sweet girl…"She bends down and kisses my forehead. My eyes flutter open and my lips form her name, but she shushes me. "Hush, no one can hear us. Go back to sleep." Then, for the first and last time in my life, I see her cry. "I am so sorry." She repeats. "I love you." Then, without another word, she backs out of the room and disappears from my life forever. I don't see her ever again.
That is the nightmare that I awake from on September 8th, 2037. I had been having that nightmare over and over recently; perhaps it was just because of the new town. I guess there was always a small part of me that hoped she'd come back, and now I know if she did she'd never be able to find us in Lima, Ohio.
I was born in Los Angeles, the youngest in the Abrams family. My dad was an amazing director you see, so I grew up in Hollywood. I wasn't raised like you'd think though, I lived in an average side house, I went to public school and I never went to my dad's movie premieres. I was raised as any other normal kid, my dad just happened to be famous.
The reason we moved to this place called Lima, Ohio was because my dad got a job teaching a directing seminar at the local community college (apparently it's semi-new, because my dad hadn't heard of it until they offered him the position). I understand why we left, Dad needed this job. He hadn't worked on a movie since she left, without her he was nothing. Obviously, he snapped out of it eventually, but it was already too late. No one wanted the guy who fell off the face of the earth to direct their movie. We were barely making ends meet and this offer was our savior.
I get up, my bed creaks under my weight, and I go stand in front of my mirror. Dressed in my band T-shirt and pajama pants, I don't look like a typical LA kid either. My short dirty blonde hair falls just to below my collarbone, my brown eyes are nothing special and I dress in lots of dark colors. Ever since she left, ripped jeans, heavy makeup and baggy T-shirts have been how I've expressed myself. I put on my usual attire, a pair of black leggings, a long purple shirt that goes to my knees, and a pair of combat boots. I brush my hair and apply some makeup, then walk downstairs.
The first floor of the house is totally silent except for the low hum of the television. Laura is bustling around the kitchen, making a pot of coffee. I can smell waffles, which makes me smile. She's been cooking, and when I smell her cooking I always feel at ease. My nineteen year old sister will probably be cooking a lot now, she's at home all day going to school online.
Laura smiles at me and opens the waffle iron, lifting the perfectly golden brown food onto a plate. I pull back a chair at the kitchen table and sit down, watching her move around, plate food and pour drinks. I hear the stairs squeak and my brother, Dawson, appears in the seat beside me. Neither of us speak, he just looks at the TV and I continue to observe Laura. For twins, we don't talk much, but neither of us have ever been very sociable I guess.
Finally, my dad enters the room on his wheelchair. "Good morning," He says. "How are you guys?"
"Fine," I murmur, focusing on stabbing the plate of waffles Laura sets in front of me.
"Easy, Kendall," She laughs before sitting down next to Dad. I roll my eyes at her and then laugh too.
"Are you excited for your first day?" Dad asks and suddenly my breakfast seems a little harder to swallow. No wonder I had a nightmare, today is my first day in high school. Dawson and I just turned fourteen last month, so we barely made the cut. But Dad was adamant we started at McKinley High this year, apparently he went there. Apparently, it's where he met her.
"No," I answer truthfully.
Dad shrugs. "Give McKinley a chance," He says. "Maybe you'll like it." However, I see doubt linger in his eyes. I know I'm going to hate it here.
Gabe's POV
I wake up to Mila blasting her music at top volume, the sounds of her jumping on the bed shaking my room. I groan, it's going to be one of those days, and go to bang on her door. "Milagros Santana Carmelita Francisca Lopez!" I yell, addressing her by her full name. "Turn down that shit!" I breathe a sigh of relief when the noise stops, but I frown when my older sister's screaming takes its place. "Fuck you, Gabriel Antonio Pedro Juan!" She shrieks, before slamming her bathroom door and turning on the water for her shower. She's probably going to stay in there for over an hour and hog all the hot water. I go back into my room angry.
Mila hated moving to Ohio even more than me. While I was never really close to my old friends, they smoked too much and always talked about sex, she'd been popular and even had a boyfriend, Justin. Mila's not speaking to our mom's now, she blames Mami always working and Mom's disease for all her problems. I admit, I am kind of mad Mami doesn't have time for us anymore, but I could never be angry at Mom, it's not her fault she got breast cancer. Honestly, I've kind of always been closer to Mom. She's the one who carried me and it just gave us this bond, I guess. Both me and my siblings were carried by her, but conceived with Mami's eggs.
I draw back the blinds and let the sun into my room. It is a gorgeous September day and I can't help but think about how much Mom would love it. She's always adored sunny days. When I was little, we'd have picnics and run through sprinklers and blow bubbles. We'd stay out so long that Mom's blonde hair was always a little lighter when the day was over.
God, her hair...I wonder how much longer she'll have all of it…
Mom's cancer has taken a toll on all of us, but mostly Mami. She was diagnosed in May and we moved to Ohio so her mother, my grandmother, could check in on the family while Mom's at chemo. Mami's never been good at taking care of us alone, she can't cook, has a temper, and is always doing business, as she's an attorney. Mom was the one who always wanted kids, not her. Don't get me wrong, Mami loves us, but she doesn't always show it. She needs to work now more than ever, since Mom can't. And as hard as I try to be understanding, I still resent her just a little bit. Even when Mom was healthy, she was never around as much as her. Sometimes, Mami would leave at five in the morning and not come home until after dinner.
When I go downstairs, Mami is sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and talking to my eight year old sister, Allison, who is unhappily poking at her bowl of Froot Loops. "Hey,"I say, fixing myself my own bowl of cereal. Allison smiles, while Mami just shushes me and continues talking.
"Hello? Yes, I need to schedule a meeting with the defense attorney in the Evans case please." I realize as she gets up to refill her coffee cup that she's talking on her Bluetooth. She's working, like always. "This is Santana Lopez, I'm the divorce attorney for Mrs. Evans…" Without merely a wave, Mami brushes past us and goes back into her room. I hear her walk by Mila, who enters the kitchen in a bad mood. Without a second thought, she shoves my face into my cereal.
I know this isn't going to be a good day.
Jason's POV
When I wake up on the first day of school, I'm actually relieved. For once, there is no shouting, no fighting between my parents. Then, I remember why they are fighting: because they're separated, because soon they'll be divorced.
I look up to the top bunk, where my fifteen year old brother Mark is still sleeping, snoring loudly. I roll out of bed and begin to put on my clothes. Despite this being the beginning of my freshman year at McKinley High, I am not nervous. I'm more nervous about the divorce than anything.
My parents used to be so in love, we were a happy family, Mom, Dad, Mark and me. Then, when I was twelve, they started fighting. At first, they tried to hold on, just until I went to college, then they could yell and scream and slam doors all they wanted because both of their sons would be out of the house. Obviously, they couldn't stand to be in the marriage for another four years. They told us about their plans to divorce and Mom ran into her old friend, Santana Lopez, who became her attorney. But then, Santana had to go back to her and Mom's hometown of Lima, Ohio and so Mom decided to stay there too, just until the divorce was finalized. Since Dad didn't want to not see me and Mark, he decided to stay with Aunt Stacy and her husband. Now, here we are.
I am kind of upset about the whole thing, doesn't everyone want their parents to be together? I think it's bothering me a lot more than it is Mark, he doesn't really give a shit. I don't get how he's so cool about all of this, but I'm not going to get mad at him about it. Mark never really cares about anything.
Mom sticks her head in and Mark suddenly jolts awake when the door hits the wall, his dark hair falling into his eyes. "Bus comes in fifteen minutes," She says. Then she leaves before I can even tell her to knock next time.
I don't know if I should be excited or upset to be starting at McKinley. I am going to try to make the best of it, I really am. I guess I'll have to just try not to think about how this school is the place where my mom and dad first met.
Meg's POV
I'd sooner buy defying gravity. Kiss me goodbye I'm defying gravity. I think I'll try defying gravity. I jump out of bed and turn off my alarm clock, which is blasting "Defying Gravity" on the morning of September 8th. Today I will be starting my junior year at McKinley High School.
I grew up in New York City, Dad was a Broadway actor and Papa was a music teacher. Last year though, when I was fifteen, we moved back to Lima, Ohio due to an incident I went through. I went to a prep school for my freshman year back in New York and Crawford Country Day here in Ohio my sophomore year, but now I have decided to transfer to McKinley, where my dad's went and where my freshman sister Eden will be going. I'm kind of nervous about being around boys though, Crawford was an all girls school.
Eden, on the other hand, couldn't be more excited. She's gorgeous anyway and can get any guy she wants, she has Dad's blue-green eyes and the beautiful blonde hair of the surrogate who carried her. I, on the other hand, have lots of unruly dark curls and brown eyes that I find boring. Sometimes I wonder why the incident happened to me, but I would never wish it on her. Eden doesn't even know, only Dad and Papa do. I wonder if she's ever asked why we had to leave New York…
Right now, I just have a lot of thinking to do. I still want to be on Broadway someday, me and my cousin Charity have been planning on going to NYU together someday since we were little. But, I'm still kind of afraid. Well, I won't think about that now. Now, I will just focus on my current goal: surviving McKinley.
Taylor's POV
I cannot wait for today. Today, I start my sophomore year at McKinley High. Today, I get to start over and be new person. Say goodbye to the old Taylor Puckerman, cause now she's been replaced with the new and improved Taylor!
My parents are Lucy "Quinn" and Noah "Puck" Puckerman, the biggest badasses in McKinley High history. I am going to make them proud; I will live up to their legacy. My mom has always wanted me to be a Cheerio and I hope I can be as popular and well liked as she was.
"Taylor! Hurry up!" My brother, Luke Puckerman, calls through my closed door. "Fifteen minutes!"
"Kay! Thanks bro!" I reply. Luke and I are very close. Honestly, he is my father's splitting image, only he has my mother's natural hair color (I do too, but I dye it blonde). He is a total womanizer; at only sixteen he's had a grand total of ten girlfriends, and that's not counting the one night stands. He flirts with everyone, makes out with everyone, and sleeps with everyone (well, every girl). Yet, somehow, he still manages to seem nice.
I look at myself in the mirror and smile. I don't doubt that Luke and I will rule this school. Watch out McKinley High, here we come.
Maddie's POV
"Well, this is it." I say to my reflection in the mirror. "Today, you are going to finally start high school." I reach for the golden heart shaped locket that hangs around my neck and press a kiss to it before grasping it tightly. I wonder what Leslie would say if she were here with me. I can't help but feel a little sad when I think about her, all alone, back in Nevada…
My name is Madeline Chang, but everyone calls me Maddie. I'm fourteen years old, I was born and raised in Carson City, Nevada, and today I am starting my freshman year at William McKinley High School. My parents just moved us to Lima in July, and so far I really like it here. I just miss being able to visit Leslie whenever I want…
My mother is Tina Cohen-Chang and my father is Mike Chang. You may have heard of them, Mom is an semi-famous artist and Dad is a professional dancer. I also have a brother named Robbie. We used to be very close, but ever since I lost Leslie we've been kind of distant. I guess we're just dealing with all these changes in different ways. It's really a shame, because I have all these memories from back in Nevada of us catching fireflies and playing in the sprinkler and singing in the car at the top of our lungs. Now, we're totally different people.
"Maddie!" Mom calls. "You're going to be late for your first day!"
"I'm coming!" I reply, my eyes never leaving the locket. I glance at the picture of Leslie I keep on my nightstand. She's so young and happy there and so am I. I can't help but think of her, silky black hair, warm eyes, face full of freckles…
I shudder. Today's supposed to be a happy day. Today, I am not going to think about Leslie, no matter how much I miss her.
Charity's POV
I twirl in front of the full length mirror one more time, watching how my flowered skirt falls when I move. I wonder what Barbra and Liza and Patti would've worn if it was their first day at a new school. I bet I'll stick out in my preppy New York City clothes while everyone else wears Old Navy. Not that it's a problem, I love to be the center of attention. I guess being the daughter of two prominent actors doesn't help humble me. Right now, I'm just a young teenage starlet, but someday my name will be in lights. Someday I will be Broadway's biggest star.
I'm Charity Barbra Hudson, the daughter of the quite famous actors Finn and Rachel Hudson. I'm pretty much just like my mom, except I look like my dad. I also have the both of their strongest talents. I sing, I dance, I act, I do it all. Mom even calls me her "Little Star".
I do have four siblings, but none of them have the passion and drive I do. My brother, Chris, is going to Ohio State on a football scholarship (we moved to be closer to him) and my other brother, Sean, wants to do the same. My sister, Faith, likes to perform also and honestly she's really good at it, however she claims she's too shy to be on Broadway, and Bella's only eight, so she doesn't have any future ambitions yet. So I guess it's my job to keep up the family name, which is perfectly fine with me.
"This is how stars are born," I say to myself. "Charity Hudson, you are a star."
Tyler's POV
God, I'm going to hate it at McKinley. I know I am.
I'm really mad about having to transfer. I mean, I'm already a junior, so I don't get the point. I loved it at Dalton Academy, I had lots of friends there and the Warblers were a great show choir. I also got lots of time away from my dad, Sebastian Smythe.
Oh, Dad. Not only does he work a lot (he just got a promotion at his law firm) but he's the reason I had to move. Dad ran into an old acquaintance from his high school years, a divorced sports agent named David "Dave" Karfosky, and they got married. Dave lives in Lima and Dad was adamant we lived with him and his daughter, Ellie, who's my age. "Your father knows what he wants," My mother would always say and I realize now how true it is.
I bet you're wondering what happened to her, huh? Well, Dad apparently only married her because of me (he's gay) and they divorced when I was seven. My mother hung herself before the divorce papers could be signed. "I would rather die than lose my husband!" were the last words I ever heard her say. None of us ever thought she really meant it. I was the one who found her body, you know. I still have nightmares about her corpse swinging from the ceiling, her neck wrapped in one of my dad's belts…
Dave seems nice enough I guess, it's not him I'm mad at. It's Dad. I'm mad at him for making me leave Dalton Academy. I'm mad at him for being so selfish. I'm mad at him for forgetting about me and what I want. I'm mad at him for putting himself first. …I'm mad at him for making Mom commit suicide.
Ellie knocks on my door and then enters my room. "Are you ready to go, Tyler?" She asks.
I shrug. "As ready as I'll ever be, I guess."
"You'll love McKinley," She assures me. "It's great!"
I don't think I will. I know I won't. But, I just nod.
Cosette's POV
I'm very excited to be having my senior year at McKinley High. It took a lot of convincing to get my dad to allow it, since I am his only child, but he knew I wasn't happy at Carmel. There I was just "Cosette St. James, the coach of Vocal Adrenaline's daughter" but at McKinley High I can be "Cosette St. James, the girl who can really sing".
My father is Jesse St. James, who like I said coaches the glee club at Carmel High School, and my mother is the former Trinity Mills, Broadway veteran. I grew up in London, my mother was doing a West End production of Phantom of the Opera, where she played Christine (and for your information, I do not have an English accent, everyone asks that). When I was six, we returned to my birthplace of Ohio, so we could be with my dad. Since then I was raised to be nothing less than a star of the ages. I love my parents, don't get me wrong, but they can be a little…controlling, to say the least. That's the second reason why I wanted to leave Carmel so badly. I decided McKinley was a good choice for me because their glee club, New Directions, beat Vocal Adrenaline when they competed in Nationals 2012.
I'm going to go to McKinley and I'm going to get into New Directions. And no one, not even my parents, is going to stop me.
OC's
Kendall Abrams, 14, freshman
Dawson Abrams, 14, freshman
Laura Abrams, 19, college student
Gabriel "Gabe" Lopez, 14, freshman
Milagros "Mila" Lopez, 15, sophomore
Allison Lopez, 8, third grade
Jason Evans, 14, freshman
Mark Evans, 15, sophomore
Meg Anderson, 16, junior
Eden Anderson, 14, freshman
Taylor Puckerman, 15, sophomore
Luke Puckerman, 16, junior
Madeline "Maddie" Chang, 14, freshman
Robert "Robbie" Chang, 16, junior
Charity Hudson, 16, junior
Christopher "Chris" Hudson, 20, college student
Sean Hudson, 17, senior
Faith Hudson, 14, freshman
Isabella "Bella" Hudson, 8, third grade
Tyler Smythe, 16, junior
Michelle "Ellie" Karfosky, 16, junior
Cosette St. James, 17, senior
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