Title: Start Anew

Author: Sweet Piglet

AN the First: First and foremost, I'd like to extend an apology. I've never posted anything on Fanfiction.net before, and so finding the right way to put up a story took a little while to understand. Secondly, to SUNNYEXISTENCE, I'm sorry. I have no control over what happens under the penname "Wildcat Wells" and when I sent the update to the person in charge, I was a bit vague as to what I wanted done. I posted it so that people would know that this is the official home of Start Anew, and I wanted to keep all my other reviews. Greedy, yes, but I'm a sixteen year old author who attends a school that doesn't appreciate the art of writing. I'll take anything I can get.

This is where things are going to get complicated. I've got great ideas for this story, but the gifted student in me won't let me write in chronological order. I will try my hardest to make this less confusing for everyone. From now on, at the top of each story will be a little line that will have this basic format:

[Character's Name] [T-minus number of years until 10 year reunion for the older sitters]

For example, this chapter is

[Mary Anne] [T-minus 10 years]

Is that clear?

Also, I will have Jessi and Mallory stories. It wouldn't be fair if I didn't. I will, in the chapter name, have the character who is the main for that particular chapter.

I have a habit of finding mistakes too late, so please bear with me and my proof-reading ways. Also, a big thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far.

One more thing. Since my shcool year ended yesterday, I will be able to update often (if I get the old cogs upstairs turning) However, don't expect anything between 4/6 and 10/6. I will be out of contact with computers.

It was a circle. It was a circle, and that was bad. It meant that Mary Anne Spier's whole life was about to change.

She didn't even remember it. It was on her birthday, and with RJ Blaser. She had wanted to prove that she was mature, so she got drunk. Good way to show maturity, huh? Now she had to be mature. Now she was pregnant.

Sighing, Mary Anne picked up the phone. She dialed KL5-4742.

"Hello?" asked the voice that answered.

"RJ? This is Mary Anne Spier."

"Oh, hey. Look, I can't talk. Cokie's here and-"

"Well, send her home. I need to talk to you, and you need to be alone."

"Now?"

"Yes, now."

RJ sighed, and Mary Anne could hear some muffled sound from his end of the line. "I'm back."

"Good. I'm pregnant."

"You're what?"

Mary Anne rolled her eyes. This was what she got for sleeping with a jock.

"I said, I'm pregnant. You know, expecting, with child, knitting tiny booties, eating for two, there's a bun in the oven. Pregnant!"

"Wha- But- How?"

"RJ, do I really have to explain to you how a baby is made?

"It's just- I thought that we were, you know-"

"Yeah, well, we were drunk. And it never is guaranteed. 85%, and all that jazz."

"Oh, my God, I can't be a father! I've- I've got plans! I'm going for a scholarship! I- I just can't!" It was evident from the panic in his voice that the cool RJ "Blasemeister" Blaser was not as cool as previously thought.

"Look, Blaser, I'm not asking you to be a father."

"You're not? But I'm still going to need to pay child support, right? So you can raise the kid?"

"As if," Mary Anne scoffed. "I've got too many plans to raise a child."

"I thought that you loved kids."

"I do. That doesn't mean I want one."

"Well, I'm going to have to object if you want an abortion. My family is conservative, you know. My parents'll disown me if you have an abortion."

"Oh, yeah, and you'll get a whole bundle of praise when they find out you got drunk and had premarital sex."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to find a lawyer tomorrow. All you'll have to do, fingers crossed, is sign some papers, saying that you give up your rights as a father."

"That's all?"

"Yeah. That's all."

"Well, okay. Where are you going?"

"For the lawyer? Probably Stamford."

"No. Where are you going to live while waiting for the baby to come, is what I meant."

"Uh, let me think. I was kind of figuring. . . my house."

"You can't stay in Stoneybrook! What'll everyone think?"

"Who cares what everyone'll think?"

"I care!"

"Look, if it makes you feel any better, only, like, a max of 20 people will know who the father is."

"No, it doesn't make me feel any better, but I guess I don't have a choice, do I?"

"No, you haven't. Look, no one will blame you. Not fully, anyway. I bear half the blame and responsibility for this little problem we've created."

"Are you positive?" RJ sounded dubious.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Mary Anne heard the door open down stairs. "Look, RJ, my folks are home. My dad and stepmom are gonna blow a gasket. I've gotta go. Oh, and you might want to talk with a lawyer before you sign the papers I'll send you." With that said, she hung up the phone, just as her father and Sharon walked into her room.

"Mary Anne," said Sharon. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Actually," she replied, "No. I need to talk to you. I've got a problem."

"What is it, sweetheart?" asked Richard, sitting down next to her.

"This is very hard for me, so please don't yell at me. Promise?" Seeing their nods, Mary Anne dove in. "I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant?" Richard repeated. "Wha- But- How?"

"Daddy, I know that you're disappointed in me, and you too, Sharon. I'm really sorry."

"Who," Sharon said.

"Beg pardon?" Mary Anne asked, confused.

"Who is the father?" Sharon asked. "You do know, don't you?" she added in a sarcastic tone.

Mary Anne's jaw dropped. How dare Sharon think her to be some common tramp! "I don't know," she shot back, just as caustically. "They'll have to test the whole of the football and basketball teams."

Richard's jaw dropped this time. "Please," he said, "Tell me that you are joking."

"About the pregnancy or the football-basketball teams thing?"

"Both."

"The football-basketball teams thing, yes. The pregnancy, no."

"And you know that father."

"Yes."

"And he would be?"

"RJ Blaser."

"Star forward on the SHS basketball team?"

"You got it."

"No," Sharon interjected, "You have got it. How do you think that you are going to go to Columbia and take care of a baby at the same time?"

"I'm not," Mary Anne replied simply. "Going to take care of a baby, that is."

"Well, if you think that you can get an abortion and still live here, you are severely mistaken-"

"Sharon, chill. I'm not going to keep the baby, but I'm not going to have an abortion. I'll carry it to term, then have some nice family adopt it."

"Not in this town, you're not. We still have a respectable name here in Stoneybrook, and if you think-"

"No, Sharon. The family'll most likely live in Stamford. Of course, I don't know how respectable the family name will be for the rest of the school year. . ."

"It doesn't matter. No one will know you in Palo."

"Say what?"

"Palo. Palo City. You'll live there."

"Like hell."

"You will live there. You can go to school with Dawn. Until you start to show, of course."

"No! I will go to school at SHS until I graduate. And that's that!"

"Now see here!" Richard said sternly to his wife. "If this is what Mary Anne wants to do, go to school here until the baby is born, then I will see to it that it happens."

"Richard, I don't know. What will people think of us?" Sharon asked.

"I don't think it matters what they think of us. It matters what they think of Mary Anne. Sweetheart, do you care what people think of you?"

"Not particularly," Mary Anne said matter-of-factly. "I only care about what you two and my friends think."

"So staying here to finish high school. . ."

"Wouldn't bother me in the least."

Richard took a deep breath. "Okay," he said. "The first think we should do tomorrow is take you to a doctor. Make sure you and the baby are healthy, and all. Sharon, can you call around to find a good obstetrician?"

"Fine," Sharon answered defeatedly. "I'll find someone."

"Thanks. Sharon," Mary Anne said softly. "I know this is going to be hard on you, but I don't think I could get through this without you."

"I'll try," Sharon replied, just as softly. "I really will."

"Next thing is to find an adoption lawyer," Richard continued. "I've got a few friends. I think we ought to call Angela. She's based out of New York City, though."

"If she's in the City, we can see her and Columbia at the same time," Mary Anne pointed out.

"True. I'll call her, and set up an appointment for tomorrow afternoon."

"Okay, then."

"Is there anybody you'd like to talk to? Kristy, maybe?"

"Nah. I'll call her tomorrow."

"Good-night, then, Mary Anne."

"G'night, Daddy."