A/N Hi! This is a re-upload of chapter 1, as I got an awesome review from TerribleSpy. I wanted to fix it, because as someone who doesn't live in the area I'm writing about, constructive criticism is vital. Thank you so much for reading, but I hope the re-upload is better. I'm also in the process of uploading the second chapter. Thanks for reading!
As Penelope Hummel-Anderson took the first step into high school, she could practically feel the drama. She is fourteen years old, goes by Penny and just moved to LA from New York City when her father Blaine was offered the lead role in a TV show. Her other father Kurt is a fashion designer that works from home. Penny and her brother, Kyle, are twins, born through surrogacy. Kurt and Blaine's friend Quinn was the surrogate. Anyways, back to high school. Penny and Kyle crossed the line that designated where summer and their childhoods ended, and they just stood there, waiting for something, anything to show them that there was nothing to worry about, that real life isn't like Mean Girls. Well it sucks, but it is.
There's a very set social hierarchy at high school, and it can't be disturbed. There's the cool kids, the middle ground, the dirt the cool kids walk on, and the invisibles. These four divisions are split into an even more advanced hierarchy. Basically, football rules the school, and everyone else plays the role of their bitch. The football players are the leaders, and their second in command is soccer. Other high up sports are tennis and swim. The football players, thetennis players, and the swimmers are in this weird kind of battle, like the football players want to keep their place as the 'best sport', the tennis team is jealous and want to be the 'best sport', and the swimmers are in the best shape, so they get cocky and act stupid. There are all these little cliques, and Penny just wants to be in one, no matter who it is.
"Hey, Penny!"
She snaps out of her trance, and looks at Kyle, "huh?" she was just standing by her locker, then Kyle randomly showed up.
"Geez, get it together. Anyways, we have lunch now."
"Oh, yay!" she says, hopping a little bit. Kyle smiles at his sister, and they begin the trek to the cafeteria. The cafeteria is always insane at lunchtime. The football and soccer teams always sit together, with the most popular girls, being the cheerleaders and swimmers. The twins, on the other hand, are the freshman. They get to sit at the tables in the corner next to the trash cans.
Penny sits next to a short kid with bad acne who's picking his nose, and Kyle sits across from her, next to a girl who is reading a book. Kyle eyes the kid next to her, obviously grossed out. They converse about classes while they eat, and lunch seems to go by very slowly for Penny. She's ready to get back to class, and get home. After lunch she has tech class, and then math, and then she gets to go home. She waits for Kyle at his locker, and he shows up quickly.
"Ready to go home?" Penny asks, smiling.
"Uh, actually, I'm trying out for the football team today."
Her eyebrows fly up to her hairline, "really? I wouldn't have guessed tryouts would be this early."
"Yeah."
"Oh… okay. Well, good luck. You'll need it."
Kyle looks at Penny, a hurt look on his face, "and what is that supposed to mean?"
She sighs, "I'm not trying to be mean, but everyone on that team is a junior or senior, and everyone wants to be on the team. First they try for football, then soccer, then swim or tennis. The statistical odds of you making the team are not great. I hope you do make it though."
"Thanks. See you at home."
"Bye," She waves as he runs back in the direction he came. Penny slowly makes her way to the bus stop, and wait with the group of kids. When the bus arrives, she waits until everyone else has boarded, and then as she starts to get in, she changes her mind and decides to walk. She takes her time walking to their new house, looking down at her feet as she walks. It takes over half an hour for her to walk home, and as she opens the door and dump my backpack on the floor, leaning against the wall, the house seems insanely empty. Penny calls out, "hello?"
She hears Kurt's voice from the kitchen, "hey guys."
"Nope," she says, walking towards the voice. "Just me."
Dad looks up at her from his sketchbook, "where's Kyle?"
"Football tryouts."
"Ah. Is LA traffic so bad that it took that long to get home?"
She shakes her head, "nah, I walked. I think I'll walk to school in the mornings, and home again, if that's okay."
"I don't see why not," says her dad, sketching while he talks. "So you didn't want to try out for any sports?"
"I dunno," Penny opens the refrigerator and takes out a bottle of water. "I don't really like any sports I've seen."
Kurt asks, "well what sports have you looked at?"
"Not really any…"
"Maybe that's why you don't like the looks of any."
"Really? That surely can't be it," she says sarcastically as she sits down across from Kurt.
He looks up at her, averting his attention from his sketching, and says, "you know, I didn't think I would be able to find a place in high school, but I did. You don't need to join a club, or do a sport, but promise me you'll at least look at what your options are. You've always loved dancing, and swim, and your singing voice is beautiful."
"Thanks dad," she says, before standing and telling him that she has homework. She runs upstairs to her room, grabbing her backpack on the way. She sits on her bed, and pulls out her homework for the day, deciding to just get it over with early. When she next looks at the clock, it's half-past five. Luckily, she's all done with her homework, but now she's incredibly hungry. She flies down the stairs and immediately smells something cooking in the kitchen.
"Mmm, something smells great!" Penny says, walking into the kitchen, and seeing Kurt standing by the stove stirring pasta, and her other father Blaine at the counter, chopping carrots. "Hey papa! How was work?"
Blaine smiles, "it was great." He pauses, then exclaims, "oh! How was your first day of high school?"
"Meh," she shrugs. "It was okay, I guess," she turns to Kurt, "dad, is Kyle home yet?"
Kurt begins to say no, but is interrupted by the front door opening and closing, and Kyle walking into the kitchen, "yep."
"Yep what?" Kyle asks, hanging his backpack up on a hook in the hall.
"Yep to you being home. How did tryouts go?"
Blaine looks from Kurt to Kyle, "tryouts for what?"
Kyle takes a can of soda from the refrigerator and leans against the counts next to it, "football. They went really well, actually. I think I'm going to make it."
Penny asks, "that's awesome. What makes you so sure?"
"I mean, I played well, and was in great physical shape compared to most of the other guys trying out. Also, they invited me to hang out with the current team tomorrow."
"Nice! By the way, it's so stupid that the first day of school is on a Friday, right?"
The twins bicker back and forth about whether it's good or stupid that school starts on Friday, and Kurt and Blaine just listen and continue to cook.
"If you two are done," Blaine starts, after a bit. "Would you mind setting the table?"
Penny and Kyle look at their dad, then Penny begins to take out the silverware, and Kyle gets the plates. Penny swiftly places all the napkins and silverware and then gets cups. She also places the water pitcher in the center of the table, and sits down. Kyle sits down across from her, and Blaine and Kurt carry the dishes of food to the table, and sit in the two remaining seats.
The family eats in silence for a minute before Blaine asks, "so what's going on at high school these days?"
Kyle answers first, "schoolwork."
"Wow, really?" Blaine asks. "They still do that?"
"Haha," Kyle says sarcastically, twirling the pasta on his fork.
Penny rolls her eyes at her brother, "I actually thought the school wasn't bad. The students, on the other hand, oh my god, they were all either mean, rude, indifferent, or just plain dumb."
Kurt asks, "what about LA in general? What do you two think?"
"It's okay," Penny says shortly.
Kyle says, "I really like it, so far. The constant sun is way nicer than New York's gray."
Penny shrugs and pushes her pasta around the plate, clearly not agreeing, and Blaine is the only one that notices, Kyle and Kurt talking about the details of tomorrow.
