Hey everyone!

I'm sorry, you can hate me, I know it's been forever. I honestly don't have any excuse this time.

Hopefully this new oneshot makes up for it. Its different than what I usually do, and its not from a specific point of view.

I got this poem online from a fabulous poet named Michelle Hyde. All credits for this poem go to her. Thanks, Michelle!

Hope you enjoy this oneshot!

-Estelle

There is...

A time to write,

"What's up, Em? You look mad." Megan said.

"Nothing. Just a bit fed up with Madame Velcro." Emma replied, looking downcast, "I'm so confused, Megan..."

"I understand. When I'm depressed, I sketch or look through fashion magazines."

Emma let out a weak chuckle, "You do that even when you're not depressed."

Megan laughed, "Well, for me. For you, I guess it's time to write."

A time to listen,

"Just listen, Becca!" Cassidy said exasperatedly, "I don't even get what you're angry about, and-"

"It isn't fair! You're always on the phone with Zach Norton! If you weren't around, I know he'd like me back!" Becca yelled.

Cassidy looked puzzled, "Um, I'm never on the phone with Zach..."

"Give me your phone! Prove it!" Becca snapped.

Cassidy sighed, "You need to chill, dude. Here. Recent calls." she handed over the phone.

Becca snatched it, glaring.

Then she read the Recent Callers List.

Tristan Berkeley

Tristan Berkeley

Tristan Berkeley.

Cassidy smirked. Becca flushed, "Oh. Right. Sorry Cass."

"You'd know, if you'd just listened the first time..." Cassidy grinned.

A time to learn,

"I don't get it!" Emma, Megan, Cassidy and Becca chorused, looking plaintively at Jess.

They were each holding a sheet of math problems they had received as homework from school.

"How you know this stuff is beyond me." Emma said.

Jess grinned, "Now's the time to learn."

A time to play,

"Not now, Pip!" Emma sighed exasperatedly, as she tried to focus on the article she was working on for her school newspaper.

Pip barked dolefully, clearly wanting to play with Emma. She sighed. She had been working for hours, and a break would be welcome.

She got up and took Pip's ball so they could play catch in the yard.

A time to read,

"I hate reading!" Becca and Cassidy said together.

Megan looked up in surprise, "Never thought I'd see the day when you two agree. But I'm with you on this one."

"And yet." Jess said dramatically, "Here we are with Jane Eyre. C'mon, the book's great, Cass, you said so yourself."

"And so did you two." Emma pointed accusingly at Megan and Becca. Becca held her hands up in mock surrender.

"It is a great book." Cassidy whined, "But I don't feel like reading right now!"

"Too bad." Jess said mercilessly, "It's time to read. Open the books, guys, we're at the good part."

And they all laughed as Emma protested, "Hey, the whole book's good!"

A time to see,

"I love Paris." Megan told Gigi enthusiastically.

"Isn't it lovely? I'm so glad I get to share it with my amazing granddaughter." Gigi agreed, beaming.

"Look." Megan pointed out the window, "See the Eiffel Tower?"

Gigi joined her at the window, and together they pointed out their observations.

Megan sighed contentedly,"I've never had so much to see in my entire life."

A time to lead,

"OK. Great." Becca snapped, "Great navigating, Jess. Look where it got us. We're lost."

They had taken a trip to California- the entire book club together. And, with Jess insisting that she could navigate then during their trip, they had gotten lost.

"Shut up Becca." Emma came to her friend's defense, "It's not like you could have done any better. With you navigating, we'd be dead by now."

Becca glared, "Should've let Cass do it. She's good at it, and she knows Cali anyway."

Cassidy turned around sharply, and a relieved grin broke over her face, "Look!" she pointed to a building.

"So?" Megan asked.

"I know this building." she grabbed the map from Jess, "Look- this is where we are. And this is the path we gotta take to get back to Grant's house. It's long, but at least we know where we are."

"From now on." Becca grumbled, "You lead us."

A time to sleep,

"I'm so tired." Ms. Delaney told her husband, "I don't know why summer days go slower than the rest. But it's hot and I'm busy, and I'm tired."

Mr. Delaney smiled gently, "Go get some rest, Shannon. I'll take care of stuff for a while. Go sleep."

A time to be happy,

"I can't believe it, Cass!" Courtney said to her sister, "I love him so much! And we're getting married!"

Cassidy managed a half smile, and nodded.

"I'm so happy! So, so happy..." Courtney said, beaming.

And looking at her radiant sister, Cassidy allowed herself to smile, too. A real smile.

She loved her sister so much. Courtney was happy. So Cassidy was happy.

A time to be mad,

"Don't you dare give me any excuse, Dylan and Ryan Delaney!" Jess thundered, "I worked on decorating that cake for hours!"

"We're sorry! But you don't have to explode!" Dylan said.

"AND WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!"

A time to be silly,

"This is just plain silly." Becca snapped.

"It's fun." Megan replied, trying on a bright green wig.

"But it's silly. And we look lame!"

"So? There's nobody else there. Just us." Megan chose a different wig. Neon pink, and asked "What about this pink one?"

And despite her feelings, Becca laughed, "Not bad. But I think the green one is best."

Sometimes, you could be silly at 15 years old. And you could get away with it.

A time to be sad.

"Are you OK, Cassidy?" Grant asked, "You've hardly said a word since morning."

"I'm OK. Fine. It's just..." Cassidy trailed off.

"It's just?" he prompted

Cassidy pointed at a picture frame, holding a photo of herself and her father. "I miss him."

Grant gave her a hug and said, "I understand. But he's watching, and he's proud. You can't be happy all the time. There are times when you feel sad."

A time to wake,

"These children sleep like rocks." Mrs. Hawthorne grumbled, shaking Emma.

"What?" Emma groaned.

"Patriot's Day! Wake up!" her mother trilled.

"But it's so early!"

"It doesn't matter, Emma Jane Hawthorne. It is Patriot's Day, and it is time to wake up. Now."

A time to stay,

"Don't go!" Cassidy begged her sister, "We've still got 3 weeks of summer. You can go back to Cali next week."

"But-"

"Please?"

"Fine... I'll stay... for now, just one more week."

A time to talk,

"What's up, Darcy?" Emma asked curiously, "Not going to Kyle's or anything? No ball practice?"

"Nope." came the despondent reply.

"Darcy? Are you alright."

Darcy shook his head, "I'm excited to go to Darmouth." he said, kind of desperately, "But Emma, I don't want to leave Concord."

Emma sat on the floor in front of him, "Talk. I'm here to listen. It'll make you feel better. Just talk."

A time to walk.

"Phew." Mrs. Wong dropped onto the couch next to Gigi, "What a day. I need something to clear the cobwebs out of my head."

"Go for a walk." Gigi suggested, "I know you're tired, Lily, but it'll help."

A time to help,

"You look dead on your feet." Megan said to Cassidy.

Cassidy grins ruefully at Megan, taking a rake from the garage, "Blame it on Tristan. He was so thrilled that we managed to get through the dance without me messing up that he made us do it, like, 10 times." she sighs, "And I've got to rake the lawn."

Megan takes the rake from her, "Come out and just keep me company. I'll help you out."

A time to hurt,

"I can't believe he would do that!" Megan said, looking heartbroken ,"Simon, of all people!"

"I know." Becca soothed, "It wasn't like him. You could ask Cassidy to ask Tristan to ask Simon why."

Megan sniffed.

Becca sighed and hugged her. That was all she could do when Megan was hurting.

A time to scheme,

"So? What's the plan?" Savannah asked Cassidy.

Cassidy looked surprised, "Plan?"
"Yes, plan!" Savannah turned to the rest of the book club, "We got Jess out of probation. But we need to get back at Ms. Adler!"

Cassidy nodded decidedly, "Right."

"So, any ideas?" Becca asked.

Cassidy and Savannah exchanged a glance, "Yeah." Cassidy said, "It's a mix of all the pranks we've ever played."

"Like?" Emma pressed.

"A Headless Horse from sixth grade - sorry 'bout that, by the way, Megs and Becca- um, that Carson Dawson potion from seventh grade - I'm sorry, Becca, OK?- and cheese. Cheese from eight grade, Fashionista Jane from ninth grade... let's throw in the taffy, too. Some sort of switcheroo from tenth grade, like the twins played on us, and something like what we played on Sophie. All in one humongous prank."

The Book Club and Savannah stared. Then grins formed on their faces.

"But we're in tenth grade. And on Ms. Adler? A teacher! Jess could get in trouble. We could get in trouble." Emma said cautiously.

Savannah tossed her head, "Nobody argues with a Senator. Or his daughter."

Jess giggled, "This is the best scheme ever. How do we do it?"

Savannah and Cassidy beckoned them forward.

A time to dream,

" I want to be a famous fashion designer." Megan announced randomly during dinner.

Her mother looked up, "That's definitely your Castle in the Air?"

"My what?"
"Castle in the Air. Little Women, remember? From sixth grade?"

"But what do you mean, Mom?" Megan asked impatiently.

"Is that what you want to do? No MIT? Or Harvard..."

Megan shook her head firmly, "Fashion designer, Mom."

"That's your dream?"

"Yes. And it's final."

Mrs. Wong considered it. Then finally she smiled, "Imagine all that you could donate to a good cause, earning money as a fashion designer. It's a good dream, Megan, and it's going to come true."

A time to make a difference,

"So? This time, it'll make a difference!" Jess snapped.

"I had to get here by 7 in the morning to bake pies! What kind of difference will it make to me?" Becca snarled back.

"You'll see." Jess smiled, "When Emma finds her flight ticket. You'll see the difference it makes."

A time to love,

'Love, Darcy!" Jess thought to herself as she sang.

He loves me!

After all my hoping and dreaming, he really, truly loves me!

A time to try,

I. Am. Not. A. Figure. Skater." Cassidy spelled out to the book club.

"We know, honey." her mother said, "And I know you and Tristan don't exactly get along, but just give it a try."

"Why?"

"For Eva. Mrs. Bergson is so helpful, so just try this out for her. You may even like it."

Cassidy snorted, "Fat chance. But I guess I'll try it out."

A time to die

"And, Emma, Phoebe, I know this news will be hard to take..." Mrs. Delaney's voice was wobbly, "But... Mrs. Bergson passed away this afternoon."

A shocked silence greeter her words.

"What?" Emma finally choked, "What? Dead? No- no, it's a mistake, she- she can't...she can't be..."

"I know." Jess whispered

Mrs. Hawthorne wiped her eyes, "She lived a long life though, and a good one. I'm so glad we were a part of it."

A time to wonder,

"Why is it called the Mother-Daughter Book Club?" Becca asked.

Mrs. Sloane Kinkaid shrugged, "I don't know. Mothers and Daughters read together, I guess."

"Yeah, but I bet there are loads of other names for stuff like that."

They sat, wondering.

A time to want,

"I want a car." Becca said wistfully, "I know I can't because Dad's job, and all that, but..."

"I know." Megan said sympathetically, "But at least you can drive."

"Like you can't."

Megan laughed, "Cheer up, Bec. Everyone's gotta want something."

A time to live,

"Ditch day?" whispered Emma, horrified.

"Sure." Becca said," Jess has a holiday in Colonial. And Megan and Cassidy both have a license. And Megs has a car. There are five of us. We can fit."

"But... where would we go?" Jess asked.

"We'll figure something out." Megan said eagerly, "I've got a GPS. Dad got it for me when I got my license. Along with the car."

"It'll be fun." Cassidy coaxed, "Not that Jess has to worry. And it's just school, Emma. You've got a book published. One day isn't going to make a difference in you resume."

"Exactly." Becca sai. She and Cassidy didn't always agree, but when they did, they were a pretty unstoppable force.

"It'll be fun. It's senior year, our last year together. There's hardly two weeks left." Jess said cautiously, "Come on, Em..."

"Fine." Emma sighed.

"Yes!" The others chorused.

"Time to live a little!" Becca sang.

And Emma laughed, ready to let go and live.

A time to do something.

"I can't believe this is it." Jess whispered.

She's graduated from Colonial. The others graduated from Alcott.

Megan and Cassidy were going to Paris and England for college respectively. Jess was going to Julliard in New York, while Becca was flying out to Minnesota.

Emma, like Courtney Sloane-now-Bell, was going to attend UCLA.

They all decided to leave on the same day. Cassidy and Megan were flying straight to England first, and the Berkeleys were picking them up.

The others were flying to their places, so they could settle in.

"It's not it." Becca said firmly, "We'll text and video chat and email all the time."

"Yeah, but it won't be the same." said Emma softly, "We started in sixth grade, you guys. Well, seventh for Becca."

"And even though you guys are still creeps, I love you anyway and I'm glad I joined." Becca assured her.

"No more Moms." muttered Megan sadly, "Or Gigi."

"No more fun facts." said Jess.

"No more food." Cassidy said sadly,"We've got to think of a better way to end this, guys."

"It's not ending!" Emma cried

"No, but you know what I mean."

"So what do we do?" Becca asked.

"We've got to do something!"

And by the end of the day, they returned from Walden Pond, soaked. They had each taken a boat, and took turns pushing each other in, remembering how the whole thing had truly begun.

There is always going to be a time,
But will you do something when that time comes?

We slid back into our sleeping bags, giggling furiously.

Final Score:

Emma, Megan, Jess, Cassidy and Becca: 1 million