A/N: So I'm finally back with the trilogy, which I'm actually even more excited about this time around as I am I trying out a new perspective, which is always interesting and fun. This chapter is mainly going to be an experiment with a chapter from Erica's point of view as an insight to a 'day in her life' in high school, and I will continue the idea across the rest of the books if this is successful. Also I have a feeling that you guys are going to have mixed feelings over my plans for the future of this novel, as there will be a couple of moments of major heartbreak and heart-warming to come. Before I finally shut up, just a reminder that this book also has two companion novels that are currently in the process of being written, and I also have two other novels set in the Cougar Town world and another that is a Crossover with Friends and Cougar Town that I would really appreciate you taking a look at. As always, please feel free to review and make suggestions for what I could write in the future or improvements and, with that being said, on to the next chapter we go:

Chapter 4 – Erica

"Are you both ready?" Mom called from the other end of the hallway nearest the kitchen, as Jack and I were grabbing our coats and shoes ready to walk out the door to catch the bus to high school.

"Yes," I said, tugging on my boots and then realising that I couldn't also hold my rucksack whilst zipping the side of my boot all the way up. I dumped the rucksack on the bottom step of the stairs next to Jack, and fully zipped up both boots. Jack lifted up my rucksack, and commented on how heavy it was before giving it to me.

Mom had now come to oversee what we were doing, which Jack and I knew all too well was because she was massively overprotective and just wanted to check that we were totally prepared for the day. I did appreciate it, but it was starting to feel more and more slightly irritating.

"Have you double-checked your timetable so you don't forget any of your books unnecessarily?" she asked me, and I nodded profusely attempting to hurriedly instil some kind of reassurance in her.

Jack rolled his eyes as it was pretty obvious he was also listening, but made a show of searching through his bag to try and reassure Monica because I could tell that he knew that it mattered to Mom and he loved her as I did and didn't want her to be worrying either.

When Mom was satisfied that we were both totally ready to leave, she hugged us both goodbye and waved to us from the doorstep as we started walking up the sidewalk in the direction of the bus stop to wait for the bus that would take us to the school.

"How are you feeling about today's lessons?" Jack asked, taking me slightly off guard but in a pleasant way.

"It's an A day today, so it's pretty good," I replied. "What about you?"

Jack paused to think, but I could see his expression turn into one of embarrassment even though he was attempting to hide it. "Oh yeah, it is an A day," he said, sounding flustered. "I've still gotta get used to the different system!"

"Same," I say, hoping that Jack would read from my tone that it was perfectly normal and not awkward to feel disorientated especially since we had only started freshman year halfway through last week.

He took a deep breath, and his expression relaxed and he shot me a grateful look before he started talking again. "In terms of the lessons I have today," he began saying, as we approached the bus stop, "the level of difficulty is intense, but at the same time I really like it."

"You're so smart that honestly you'll kill it," I say, having a moment of admiration for my brother.

"Thanks, bud," he said, smiling at me lovingly. "You are too," he added, moving closer towards the direction of door of the fast approaching bus.

I flashed my bus pass at the driver once Jack had boarded, and made a dash to the twin seats that Jack had managed to save. I started looking through my bag once I'd sat down to find my headphones, but I quickly realised that they had been the one thing that I had managed to forget.

"You all right there?" Jack asked me, looking concerned as he had realised that I must have been searching for something as I was going at it quite frantically.

"Left my headphones at home," I said to him, and I could see that he already had a solution in mind. I looked further into my bag and added, with a sigh, "and my phone as well."

"You can borrow my spare pair and my splitter," he said. "I know you aren't much of a fan of my music, but it's the best I've got."

"Oh, no, no," I said, hastily trying to thank him and praying in gratitude that I had a brother as sweet and as helpful as Jack was. "It's totally good with me."

Jack attached the splitter to the charging port at the bottom of his phone, and attached the two pairs of headphones to the splitter. He passed the spare pair over to me, trying to make sure that they didn't get tangled with the other.

We sat in silent peace the whole journey until I handed Jack back the headphones as we were getting off. Jack and I continued to walk together through the gates. He paused just as we were getting to the point where we had decided to go our separate ways to class and said, "Soccer practise starts tonight, and so can you remind Dad to tell Mom?"

I felt a wave of pride was over me as I had completely forgotten Jack's soccer trial and him getting in on the team, so it was almost like feeling it for the first time. "Sure," I said. "Have a good day, bud."

"You too, bud," he said back, hugging me quickly after making sure that the area around us was clear of any potential spectators that might get completely the wrong idea.

I started walking towards the first class of the day, American History. I was luckily able to sneak in at the back of the class to the nearest empty seat it wasn't obvious that I was a couple of minutes late. It wasn't so much that the teacher was strict that I was worried about; it was more the fact that I would draw attention to myself that I wasn't so comfortable about.

I managed to keep up with taking the notes that we needed to make so well that I had time to doodle on the paper as a way of testing out my new favourite pastel-coloured highlighters that had been bought in the back to school sales. The vibrancy of the ink and the smooth brush strokes were so perfect that I was really starting to feel irrationally worried about destroying them in some way before getting a full use out of them, but I shoved that thought to the back of my mind after concluding that it was completely and utterly useless. And, that it would be the kind of thing Mom worried about and there was no way that I was going to let how neurotic she was have any control over how I behaved.

The lesson was over before I knew it, and I stopped off at the library to exchange a book that I had taken out last week which I had discovered that I had no intention whatsoever of reading as it had seemed far more interesting than it actually was for another that I had discovered.

I managed to get the book, after having to get the librarian to search quite extensively on her computer for the book in the library's records. I have no time to visit the cafeteria before lesson, which I decide is less of a bad thing as it was annoying, but really didn't matter since lunch was straight afterwards.

I enter the photography lab just as the bell rings signalling the end of recess and the start of lessons. I take the seat that I have claimed beside Lara. She's me and Jack's cousin, as Mom's brother is her Dad. She looks more like Monica and Ross than Jack and I do if I'm honest, but I think genetics can be weird like that so it doesn't fuss me too much.

"Hey," I say, as I set out my camera in its case and notebook on the desk. I prop my tripod in its own protective bag against the legs of the stool-style chairs that we use in here.

"Erica!" she says, in her usual exuberant manner that I know is something she shares with her Mom. "How was your weekend, well the rest of it after the day out at the estate?"

"Full of homework," I said, not even trying to cover up how dispirited I sounded whilst admitting how my weekend had actually been. "There's no way that I am willing to allow myself to slack and run the risk of flunking a class, because Mom would probably have an actual heart attack if I did."

"My mom is so relaxed about homework," Lara says, coming across as quite surprised about the difference in attitude to homework. "Dad's always trying to argue to make Mom be stricter about the rules, but they don't end up making any actual decisions."

I laugh. Jack and I have heard many stories from when Rachel and Ross used to hang out with the others all together, and it doesn't surprise me one bit that they still argue with each other. "I think Dad has given up trying to argue with Mom unless it's literally a life or death situation," I say. "But they're also head over heels in love with each other still, so that probably helps."

"Sometimes I do wonder about Mom and Dad," Lara says, and I can tell that she said that half in seriousness and half in humour. "How they've still managed to be together for 14 years."

"I think they do actually love each other," I say, wondering how Lara and are just getting away with chatting when we are supposed to be working on a project together that neither of us have yet collected the equipment for. "Sorry to cut you off, but I'm going to go and get the stuff we need for the project."

"Oh yeah," Lara says, looking apologetic because seems to be actually slightly worried for me about the potential consequences of not doing this project because of being slightly afraid of Mom. "I'm so sorry, I just get so caught up…"

"It's fine, honestly," I try desperately to convey the fact that there is no problem. I hear Lara take a deep breath of relief, and decide that it's okay to go and collect the equipment that we needed.

I come back to the desk to see that Lara has started laying out the photos that we had already taken as part of a tester collection as we both were new to using the more technical equipment. We were supposed to be brainstorming ideas for what ideas we had for our first portfolio project, which would count as almost an introductory part of the course to ease us in to the bigger, and more pressured tasks.

We worked solidly for the rest of the lesson, whilst still talking. At first it was just catching up, and then the conversation took a turn to where we were literally just saying the first thing that came to mind and erupted into many fits of laughter as a result. The professor did look over at us once or twice, but we managed to make it look like we had some kind of composure.

Lara and I both decided to go to the cafeteria together, and get lunch. I had no work to do during lunch, and not many friends other than Lara and Jack, who didn't honestly really count. I did have plans to speak to more people, I was just focusing on trying to do well to be able to get into college and getting a career for my sake because I didn't fancy getting murdered by Mom if I hadn't already murdered myself. My first day back after the weekend had been good so far, and I was honestly so glad after silently panicking a lot about it since the end of last week.

A/N: I hope that it makes sense to end the chapter here, and that the fact that the chapter is narrated by Erica has been successful so I know whether you think it's a good idea for me attempt it with the other books. I have also decided that I am ditching my other two books at the moment to be able to give my 100% attention to the trilogy and be able to move these books along with all the plans that I have for the future that I am ridiculously excited by. I hope that you guys will share my enjoyment and won't hate me for one or two of the decisions that I have chosen that I can't go too much into the details of, but trust me that none of the main characters are going to be going anywhere. Anyways, with that being said, I hope that you enjoy this chapter and review and make suggestions for improvements. Thank you as always for the support that my writing receives – it literally means the world.