Title: Moving On
Fandom: Jessie
Summary: Christina fires Jessie after a terrible fire and now the Ross kids must learn to adapt a new school with new friends in a new life.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I have had no inspiration to write this but I'm gonna do it anyway. I'm still trying to plan out what's going on so I'm going to take this little issue at a time. I think this is just going to be a longer story and be a little bit slower at first. I promise it will speed up but just give it a chance. Also, thank you all for the lovely reviews it made me smile to read them. I know this chapter is very boring but I hope you can enjoy it anyway.
Words: 1,943
Chapter Two
"Are you sure you remembered to pack everything in my lunch?" Zuri asked for at least the twelfth time since the Ross's had gotten in the car. Emma rolled her eyes and let out the tiniest groan. Though, she did have to give it to Zuri, the girl was consistent. Christina only took in a deep breath and calmly answered her daughter. Emma could've been able to see her mother's nervousness with her eyes closed.
"Oh course honey. I did everything just the way you asked me to," Christina answered. "Now you've got to get to school, both of you." Both Zuri and Ravi picked up their bags and plopped ungracefully out of the car and in front of the steps of their new school. "Love you," Christina called before she pulled the car away. In the distance she heard two, small I-love-you-too's and it sent a small smile to her face. The smile was long gone by the time she was sent back into reality of which she still needed to get her oldest children to school.
Christina was far more worried about Emma and Luke than she was for little Zuri and Ravi. Emma had never had to make new friends or be somewhere other than her old school and Christina was worried if the teen could handle it. She was more worried for Luke still. She just wanted him to find something that might make him, even just a little bit, happier. Maybe that thing would be a person or a sport or anything really. Christina didn't care what it was, just as long as it would help to make her son happy again.
"Mom, unlock the door please," Emma's voice sent Christina out of her train of thoughts. It sounded like Emma had been calling her name for a minute or two by the tone of the sixteen year old's voice. Christina clicked the unlock button on the steering wheel with her newly painted pinky as Emma's hand waited on the door handle. Emma grabbed her bag from her lap and kissed her mother's cheek before hopping out the car. Christina turned back and saw Luke had already disappeared out of the car. Christina frowned. Christina rolled her window down and got Emma's attention for a moment.
"Emma sweetheart, do me a favor?" Christina pleaded.
"Anything Mom," Emma answered questioningly.
"Just watch out for your little brother, okay?" Christina asked softly twiddling her fingers on the wheel nervously.
"Of course, I love you," Emma smiled before turning around and heading up the stairs. The pale girl quickly made her way to where Luke was walking and Christina took yet another deep breath in. At least now she could go home and put her feet up. Her new job didn't start until Monday. She had five days left to vent before sending herself back out into work. Luckily, her new job was in the city and she wouldn't be away all the time like she and Morgan had before the fire. Christina didn't want to have to work but living in New York City wouldn't be an option if both she and Morgan weren't. As hard as it was to move her kids across the city she didn't even want to imagine what it would be like moving them out of the city.
xcVcx
Christina waited in the kitchen as she prepared dinner. The children should arrive home soon. Christina glanced from her soup to the clock and back for a while until she herd a knock on the door.
"I've got to get those extra keys made," she murmured to herself as she ran to let the kids in. As she opened the apartment door she was overtaken by the sight of her offspring. Luke, as predicted, stormed into the house and charged towards his bedroom. Ravi had a smile on his face but Christina could tell he was wearily watching his older brother as he walked into the house. Zuri was dragging her backpack on the ground with a frown glued to her face as she plopped her little body down on the couch. Emma was the last to walk in and she looked exhausted.
"So I'm guessing the first day wasn't as good as everyone was hoping," Christina said leading her three children into the kitchen. She quickly turned down the stove so that the soup wouldn't burn as Emma, Ravi, and Zuri settled themselves on the barstools.
"School sucks Mom," Zuri spat resting her head in her hands.
"Zuri Ross, watch your tongue," Christina warned not liking her littlest child saying words other than "unicorn" or "princess".
"I'm sorry Mom but I don't know any other way to say it," Zuri groaned.
"I'm with Zuri on this one, let's just ditch and be home schooled," Emma offered unenthusiastically. Ravi contributed to the argument with a subtle nod.
"I know we all wish it was that easy. If there were anything I could do to help I promise you that I would," Christina tried knowing that there was no way it would make her children happy to hear those words.
"Mom, why did we have to move? I hate it here," Zuri cried. Christina could feel her heart shattering as Zuri poured her heart out to her. "Apparently this school doesn't appreciate creative expressions and whenever I try to be my own person they shoot me down," Zuri pouted.
"What happened honey?" Christina asked taking a wooden spoon and mixing the soup around.
"My stupid teacher, Mrs. Hooverman, thought it would be a good idea to assign us all seven pages of math homework and so, being the responsible kid that I am, I decided to stand up for the class and try to calmly tell her how we felt. She gave me a warning but told me if I ever "get smart" again that I would have an after school detention. I didn't even get sassy Mom I was just trying to explain to her that we have other things to do after school and seven pages aren't fair," Zuri rambling. Christina could practically smell the anger broiling off Zuri's skin.
"I know that, that amount of homework doesn't seem fair baby but it was not your place to speak to your teacher like that. I know that at your old school things were a bit…. looser, but at this school things are a bit stricter. I know you thought you were doing right but I think it would best if you don't try to 'explain' anything to Mrs. Hooverman or any of teacher, at this school again. Alright?" Christina asked, confident with her reply.
"Okay, just dictate me for the rest of my life then," Zuri mumbled under her breath.
"Honestly Zuri, when I was your age I didn't know half the vocabulary you do," Ravi added.
"Well, you also lived in the middle of a jungle is the Middle East, so whatever," Zuri cried hopping off her hair and leaving the room.
"Zuri," Christina cried angrily to her daughter. Zuri froze in the doorway and looked up at her adoptive mother. "Apologize to your brother, now."
"No. I didn't get an apology from you when we moved us all the way across the city. If my mother doesn't apologize for anything then why should I. You know, Jessie wouldn't be so mean to us," Zuri retorted furiously before slamming the door and leaving the room.
"Are you really going to let her talk to you like that?" Emma asked once Zuri was gone. Emma made her way over to her mother's side and began to help with the soup. Emma took her role as the oldest very seriously and she knew it was her job to put away the terrible day she'd had because, even just seeing her kids disappointed, it was obvious to Emma that this was making her mother's day a heck of a lot worse.
"I can't do anything without it making my children hate me more. It's not like we just moved for the fun of it. Our home burned down under Jessie's watch and suddenly she's a saint. I don't think so," Christina said tossing in more spices. Ravi watched as Emma began to slice a carrot and Christina worked on the noodles.
"Mom, Zuri and Luke just don't understand. Ravi gets it. I get it. We know that this is for the best, though we don't always like it," Emma admitted tossed the, now finished, sliced up carrots into the pot.
"We've really missed having you home and it's good to have to here to talk to after we get home from school," Ravi chimed in. Christina smiled.
"Thanks you two. Want to go get your brother and sister and get washed up. Dinner should be ready in a few minutes," Christina said as Emma and Ravi left the room. Christina took a big spoon and began to pour the soup into five bowls. She placed the bowls of soup on the, already set, table. She looked across at the empty chair where Morgan should be. Christina felt the feeling that she knew the kids must've felt when they had two empty chairs were Morgan and she would've sat. Christina was glad they at least had their mom home with them again, no matter how hard starting over was on them.
"It smells so good in her mom," Emma said taking a seat at her bowl.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you Mommy," Zuri said kissing her mother's cheek.
"I'm sorry too baby. If you want to talk to me about anything just tell me, okay?" Christina said patting Zuri on the back as the curly haired girl sat down in her chair. Ravi was the next to walk in.
"Luke is on his way in," Ravi said sliding onto his chair with a small thud as she scooted it closer to the table. Luke walked in last with his head down and headphones in. Christina stood in front of him, stopping him from getting to his chair.
"Headphones out Lucas," Christina ordered taking the headphones out of Luke's ears. At that moment Luke's head was tilted up enough for Christina to see the purple and swelling around Luke's eyes. She immediately put Luke's head in a hold and examined the eye. "What happened honey? Who did this to you?" she asked nervously. Luke tried to free himself but her grip was too strong.
"It's nothing, leave me alone," Luke whined trying again to break his mother's grasp.
"Luke a black eye like this isn't nothing. Did you get into a fight?" Christina questioned. Luke looked down at his feet, feeling the grip on his face loosen as he did.
"Can you just leave it alone, I'm fine," he protested looking into Christina's eyes as he spoke.
"It's not fine, and I'm not done with this conversation. For now, however, take you seat and we can have dinner as a fine," Christina said letting him go and taking her own seat. Luke silent took his seat and looked down at the bowl of soup in front of him.
"Alright everyone, I wanted to congratulate you all on surviving your first day in a new school. I know it's rough but it's not impossible. Your father will be home tomorrow and he won't leave again until Tuesday morning, so you'll get to see plenty of him while he's in town," Christina said and everyone, except Luke, rewarded her with a smile. They were all excited about Morgan coming home, even Luke, he just didn't show it. "Now, let's eat."
A/N: This was honestly even more boring to write than it is to read. I have an idea, a little bit, to where this is going but just bear with me folks. I hope you all liked it and if anyone has some suggestions or thoughts you can drop a review or PM me or whatever. Also, if you want to see outfits, house designs, or random junk about this story please check out my polyvore! It's the same user name as my fanfiction and there is a link in my profile. It's not very exciting but it can help you visualize a little bit of what's going on. Thanks for reading and please review!
