A/N: Now that it's clear Lincoln and Lynn are still having trouble leaving the past behind them, I feel it's time to look at the other side of the coin; and by that, I mean a second set of characters (for the moment at least). We'll now go to Great Lakes City (a bit of a bland name if you ask me) and take a look at the Casagrandes. Now, keep in mind that (although I've seen all the episodes) the characters for the extended family haven't grown on me. As such, my writing of them can be fickle.
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.
The orange hue of the sun kissed the sky as it rose just above the horizon. Pigeons cooed as they were aroused from their slumber, looking to find any insects to snack on; or the occasional old person sitting on a bench tossing bird food. Cars honked irritably in the streets at slow drivers or jaywalkers, and the 7 am AMTRAK train was making its usual rounds during the morning peak traffic. In a city that never sleeps, the only way one could tell the time of day was based on how many people were out and about. And with all the traffic that piled up every morning, it certainly generated a noise that was almost equivalent to standing on an active ramp at an airport.
And speaking of that train...
One certain apartment was rocked with moderate vibrations as the train sped by, much to the annoyance of one of the tenants. Ronalda Anne Santiago gave a slight growl as she turned on her bed, trying to find a new position so she could resume her slumber. The Latina sighed in content upon resting on her side, giving a slight yawn as her brain started slipping back into dream mode.
A knock at the door put the brakes on that task just seconds later. "Nieta? Are you awake?"
Ronalda let out a frustrated groan as she pulled the covers over her head. "Can't Abuela let me sleep for just 30 more minutes?!..." She screamed inwardly, knowing better than to sass her grandparent. "Yeah yeah, I'm up..." The teen moaned, hesitantly removing the sheets from her head as her eyelids parted slightly.
"Wonderful!" Rosa gave a satisfied smile. "Now come and eat your breakfast; you know I don't like it when you skip out on the most important meal of the day."
Ronalda sat up, her long locks covering her face as her shoulders sank. She parted her hair to reveal a displeased stare. "So much for sleeping in..."
Another heavy vibration shook her room, making the Latina glare at the tracks outside her window just as another train sped past. "Freaking trains..."
One of the things she definitely missed about her old neighborhood? It was quiet...
Not wanting her grandmother to come back and pry on her business, Ronalda swung her feet over the side before sliding them into a pair of pink fuzzy slippers. Standing up, the Latina indulged herself with a nice, long stretch; her spine gave a few, nice cracks that improved her mood only slightly. Scratching her side a little, Ronalda shuffled over to the door, only growing confused when she heard a soft patting near the base. In spite of her tired state, the teen's mind was working to figure out who it was. It definitely wasn't Lalo; the big Mastiff would most likely knock the door down given how he rammed into it before.
Not that it may or may not have happened once...or twice...
Based on the height, it was most likely one of her male cousins. Carlota (as well as Bobby) was way too tall to knock that low, and she usually peeked through the door before opening it fully anyways. Carlino and CJ were close to Ronnie Anne's height, so it couldn't possibly be them.
Ronnie Anne narrowed her eyelids. "Unless they're setting up a prank..."
She gripped the knob and cautiously opened the door, immediately darting her eyes up in case they went for the classic water bucket stint.
"Hai Ronnie Anne!" Came a very young voice as said teen felt something tapping her shins.
The tomboy looked down, a warm smile adorning her sleepy face as a certain 3 year old smiled at her, showing two rows of baby teeth that still had a few bones missing. "Hey little buddy." Ronalda spoke as she picked up Carlitos, shifting his weight a little so that he sat on her forearm. The toddler instinctively gripped her shoulder so he wouldn't fall. "Sleep well?"
"Yah. I had a funny dream though."
The tomboy raised a brow as she started walking them to the kitchen. "What was in it?"
"There was ice cream, and gummy bears, and Ana Ronalda was there, but I think it was actually you, and-"
"Woah, slow down there." Ronalda chuckled, silencing the toddler by putting a finger over his mouth. "Did you get into the ice cream tub again?"
Carlitos shook his head. "No? But I really wanted ice cream all night! Can I have some for breakfast?"
Ronalda gave a loud snort. "No?" The young boy gave a pouty look as his eyes started to water. However, the Latina wasn't fooled. "Hey, don't give me that. Believe me, if I could, I'd totally give you some ice cream for breakfast. Buuuut, your mom would kill me."
Carlitos folded his arms whilst making a displeased sound.
Ronalda smiled whilst ruffling his hair. "Aw come on, don't be like that." A devious grin took shape on her face. "Don't make me get out my secret weapon."
The toddler's eyes widened a bit, especially when he saw his older cousin sticking a finger into her mouth. "Noooo!"
"I still don't see a smile." Ronalda spoke, taking her finger out of her mouth.
Before the toddler could react, she lifted up his shirt and stuck it into his naval. Carlitos started laughing within an instant, squirming on Ronalda's arm as he tried to get away. The tomboy kept up her attack by tickling his stomach, making him laugh even harder. Ronalda had to stop when she felt Carlitos becoming off balance and was about to slip from her grasp, immediately bringing her hand to his back to keep him up right. As the boy's laughter died down, Ronalda placed a kiss on the top of his head.
"You know I love you, right?"
"I love you too." Carlitos replied back, wrapping his arms around the girl's neck in a tight hug.
If there was one thing Ronnie Anne would admit, she had a weakness for toddlers and babies. Bobby and Maria certainly knew about it, and Lincoln only discovered it after catching her playing with Lily whilst he was stuck doing some chores. It was a trait the Latina gained over the times she had to watch her youngest cousin when no one else could. At first, the tomboy didn't exactly like having to babysit as she typically had her own things to do, which usually involved hanging with her friends at the skatepark or being so focused on a game that Ronalda couldn't actually watch over him; it even messed up some plans she had with Lincoln during one of the few times he came to visit. Because of this, Ronalda felt she just wasn't an effective sitter; especially after the time Carlota left Carlitos in her care, only to lose track of him because she was too caught up trying to perfect a trick on her board. Thankfully, the baby just went back home, but Ronalda was certain her aunt and mother would tan her hide if they ever found out about her carelessness.
Fortunately, one of the good things about Carlitos' habit of mimicking others was that he learned to make various noises Ronalda made when she was casually entertaining him; it definitely became handy when he'd wander off while her back was turned, only for Ronalda to find the baby in the next room. Seriously, she could never understand why no one ever bothered teaching him to at least speak at his age; Ronalda was certain Lily was about as old as Carlitos, and she could already make a ton of noise, including attempts to say her siblings' names. So, being the endearing cousin she was, the Latina would often spend time teaching Carlitos how to speak; occasionally, Sid would join in by making bird calls only she would know. There wasn't much to gain from it, but they did serve as a way to keep the baby happy whenever he started to feel distressed.
And after those last 2 years, Carlitos was 3 years old, had a head so full of hair that Uncle Carlos had to cut it on a bi-weekly basis, and he could speak full, sometimes broken sentences. There was even a high probability that Carlitos saw Ronalda as a second older sister; one he felt closer to than Carlota, likely due to the smaller age gap. However, it might also be due to the fact the toddler would always seek out Ronnie when he wanted to play, even when she was clearly busy with schoolwork. And yet, Ronalda always made sure to set aside time for him, no matter how often the toddler asked.
Upon reaching the kitchen, Ronalda wasn't surprised to find her abuela hard at work making a feast for breakfast. Hotcakes, bacon, burritos, hash browns, you name it. The tomboy let out a slight groan. There were five people and two pets living in this one apartment; eleven if you counted the frequent visits of Carlos and Frida's family. And yet, it seemed like every time Rosa cooked, you feel that she might've been practicing for Thanksgiving; and even that was a bigger project than one would expect.
"Good thing I take up running every week..." Ronalda ranted inwardly, taking a moment to poke her side. "I'd be as fat as CJ if I didn't get SOME exercise..."
Ronalda loved her grandmother, there was no denying that. But geez Rosa...ever learn to dial it back some? You could probably feed all the homeless in the city with how much she cooks. And speaking of breakfast, the Latina walked out past the entryway to find her brother, Lori, and Carol already eating. Not the first time she's seen it. Sometimes during the semester, the two blondes had just enough time in the morning to eat Rosa's cooking; unless they woke up late and decided to grab something on the way. Oh, and did I mention that the second option came with the worry that Rosa thinks probably weren't eating enough during the day?
Theatrics aside, the older teens had changed little over the years. Lori grew her hair out a little so it finally touched the back of her shoulders, whilst Carol did the opposite and had her locks trimmed a little so it her ends now hung around her mid upper back; she still had that dreadful curve that made Ronalda wonder if it was natural or some side effect from a conditioner. And speaking of curves, Ronnie Anne had noticed the two blondes had gotten a tad more, voluminous, for lack of a better word. This was evident by the numerous times the Latina had been woken up by the rhythmic squeaking of mattress springs coming from Bobby's room.
"I don't want to become a grandmother until you two have full time jobs and a house in your name..." Was Maria's complaint the one time she caught the couple in the act; it only served to add more kerosene to the fire as they just moved their nighttime shenanigans to Lori's room. Ronalda wished she could forget about those rants Carol vented to her and Carlota about the lack of sleep, apparently assuming Ronalda was ready to be hearing stuff like that.
Just cause she's 13 doesn't mean Ronnie Anne wants to hear about her brother fucking his girlfriend...And speaking of her dimwitted brother, all he did was maybe grow a few inches and finally let some hair grow on his upper lip. Same old clutz who somehow still manages to get himself stuck in the freezer every now and then; but she couldn't ask for a more thoughtful and kindhearted older brother.
Ronalda let Carlitos down, who immediately went into the kitchen; likely to ask their abuela if he could get chocolate syrup to go with his pancakes again. "Hey guys."
"Hey Ronnie Anne." The trio greeted.
"Nice bed head." Carol added with a giggle.
The younger teen ran a few fingers through her hair, a smirk being drawn out as she inspected Carol's blonde locks. "I could say the same about you. You trying to bring the 80s back?"
Carol lightly touched the lower end of her frizzled and somewhat poofy hair. In comparison to Lori and Ronnie Anne's unkempt heads, hers looked like she came back from the hair dresser with a particular style.
"You almost look like Whitney." Lori chimed in with a smug grin.
"Well," Carol shrugged. "I think I pull off the look better."
The three girls laughed to themselves, with Bobby largely lost in translation. He didn't seem to care though, chalking it up to just girls having fun.
"So, what are you guys up to today?" Ronalda asked, piling 3 hotcakes onto her plate before reaching for the bacon.
"Helping Abuelo in the bodega." Bobby answered.
"Doing my shift at Mrs. Kernicky's flower shop." Lori replied before stuffing another piece of egg into her mouth.
"It's my day off, so I'm gonna head to the mall and get a new pair of flats." Carol shifted her right foot a little, feeling a dull ache being felt due to her tense muscles. "The bottom part of my right shoe nearly tore off when I was coming down the steps at college, and I nearly twisted my ankle..."
"Could've busted your face too if I didn't catch you." The eldest Loud remarked.
Carol gave her roommate a disapproving stare. "By pulling on my hair?..."
Lori gave a light shrug. "Well I tried grabbing your shirt, but your hair was in the way." She paused for a moment. "It's been two years, but it still feels a little weird not having Luan crack a joke every time we mention something."
"Me almost getting scalped isn't funny." The Pingrey teen fumed a little. "You already pulled several strands out."
"I said I was sorry!" Lori quickly retorted.
Bobby continued chewing as he watched the blondes have their little spat, finding it pretty amusing. He glanced at his sister, who remained oddly silent as she focused on her food. "So Nie Nie," Ronnie Anne pursed her lips before looking at him. "What are you doing today?"
The Latina frowned before swallowing her toast. "Still have school for another week..." She cast a look of jealousy at the others. "You guys are lucky you're already done..."
Bobby smiled. "Trust me sis. When you get to college, you'll understand why our classes end earlier in the month. Besides, aren't you already done with finals?"
"Yeah, but they still make us sit in the gym all day with nothing to do." Ronalda stabbed her fork into a piece of pancake. "I'd rather spend my time at the skatepark than staring at my phone all day..."
"Do they at least let you guys leave early if you have a doctor's appointment?" The older Santiago asked.
Ronnie Anne pursed her lips in thought, giving a roll of the shoulders a moment later. "I guess. They don't seem to take attendance from what I've noticed." She scratched the side of her head to dispel an itch. "Now that I think about it, I haven't seen Casey or Sameer in there the past two days."
Bobby hummed in thought. His eyes brightened when a clever ploy came to mind. "Well, how about this: I can come by and pick you up during my break."
Ronalda raised a brow. "Ok, but what are you gonna tell the staff?"
"You have a doctor's appointment." Bobby replied with a wide grin. "I mean, they don't ask where or who it is, right?"
"No?" The Latina answered as she mulled in thought. "Is it ok if Sid comes too? I doubt she'd wanna be left behind, lest she think I ditched her or something."
Bobby gave a light shrug. "I don't see a problem with it. Though you may wanna check and see if her parents are into it. You know, just so we don't get in trouble. I mean, I'm sure mom wouldn't mind, but still."
"Yeah yeah." Ronalda waved her hand dismissively. "I got it covered. Besides, the sooner we can finish school," She smiled wickedly, "The sooner we can get ready for our vacation."
"You mean visiting your boyfriend, right?" Ronalda dropped her smile upon catching site of Lori's cheese-eating grin. The other teens gave similar looks of approval.
The Latina faltered under their gaze, her cheeks becoming crimson as she took part of her hair and covered her face. "Is this what Lincoln has to deal with when it comes to his sisters?..." She groaned inwardly. Knowing very well it was pointless to deny it, "Yes..."
From Ronnie Anne's perspective, it was hard to tell, but she could've sworn Lori's grin became even bigger. "Soooooo you guys have any dates planned?"
The Latina sent a blank stare towards the Loud. "...No..." She folded her arms. "Me and Link aren't all 'lovey dovey' like you two." She pointed a finger a her brother and Lori.
Carol snorted a little, thinking about her own boyfriend back home. It's been a while since they last called one another; unlike Lori, Carol used a bit more moderation in her weekly chats with her boo, which meant not calling him every six hours. When her thoughts drifted to Lincoln though, her smile dropped as a touchy subject came to mind. She already knew that the Santiagos weren't moving any time soon; the fact Ronnie Anne shut herself in her room for the remainder of that day made the Latina's feelings on the matter very transparent. One side glance to her peers told the Pingrey teen they had the same thought.
"Speaking of which..." Carol started, a pregnant pause filling the air with an unsettling tension that didn't go unnoticed by Ronnie Anne. "Did you tell him?"
The young teen remained silent as her lips became a thin line. She avoided looking at anyone as she said, "It went about as well as I thought."
"What does that mean?" Lori raised a brow. "Lincoln didn't flip out, did he?"
Ronalda furrowed her brows as she cast an irate look at the Loud. "No." She turned her attention back to her food, idly picking at it with her fork. "He was as disappointed as I was when Mom first broke it to me. I wouldn't be surprised if he hardly slept at night..."
"It can't be that bad." The Loud began. "You two held out for a couple years without issues, so what's another 3?"
Ronalda dispelled an irate sigh. "That's the thing: both of us hoped we'd be able to spend time together without needing a stupid bus ticket to do it. Do you know how much of a pain it is just waiting for a break in the school year?"
Carol raised a hand. "I can relate. My boyfriend is still back home, but it's no big." She shrugged a little on that last sentence. "I can always just drive down any time I want to see him."
The Latina growled. "Lucky you..."
Lori gave a half-lidded stare at the display of jealousy. "Look Ronnie Anne, we get it: long distance relationships suck. Most of the time, they literally fall apart-"
"Not helping..." Ronalda interrupted, shoving another piece of pancake into her mouth.
Lori gave a soft glare. "Let me finish..." The tomboy huffed before folding her arms. "Most of the time, they don't work out because either one or both persons are," She started counting off her fingers, "Unable to wait, lose interest and look for someone else, or feel their connection is gone and think it's better to remain friends." Lori put her hand down. "Now, do any of the things I just said apply to you or Lincoln?"
Ronalda stared down her mostly demolished breakfast as she picked through each option. There was definitely no shortage of interest since both she and Lincoln deeply wished to close the distance that separated them, same goes for the strong feelings she still felt for him. Plus, they had like...4 other girls in their social circle and Lincoln doesn't bat an eye. Aside from what was assumed to be competition from Stella, Lincoln only had his eyes on Ronalda. With the memories of that photoshopped prank made by Chandler still fresh in her mind, Ronnie Anne had zero doubts about Lincoln being faithful to her. A perfect example is the fact the Latina could easily see the giddiness in Lincoln's posture whenever they did their weekly video chats.
On her end, Ronalda can easily assure anyone she wouldn't trade her Linky-Poo for the world. Aside from Casey, Sameer, one of her neighbors, and her guy friends back in Royal Woods, most of the boys in her grade tend to be nuisances at best and assholes at worst; the rest she simply didn't care to know about. Truth to be told, her last conversation with Lincoln wasn't the only time some idiot looked at her like she was some hot piece of meat; it was however, the first time she had to send someone to the nurse's office. Maybe it was something she didn't quite understand as to why boys were ogling her, but while Carlota might like that kind of attention, Ronnie Anne Santiago sure as hell didn't. Sometimes the Latina wished Lincoln was around to teach them a lesson; and so she could privately swoon over him immediately after.
With all that said, Ronalda drew in a breath when she realized she hadn't been breathing. "No..." She averted their gaze. "It's just...I'm worried that we might, I don't know..." She finally found the heart to look at them. "I'm worried we might become that last option you said. I'll probably be in high school by the time we move back..."
Carol leaned in towards Lori and Bobby. "Definitely fears drifting apart." She whispered.
"Heard that..." Ronalda sneered at the Pingrey girl.
"Oh don't you worry about a thing Ronnie Anne." Rosa stated as she walked in with another plate of breakfast burritos in one hand, and Carlitos in the other. "Your situation is no different than the time me and Hector spent some years apart, and we were not much older than you kids." She set the plate on the table before addressing her youngest granddaughter. "The most important thing when you're concerned about being away from your lover, is to look deep within yourself and ask 'Am I willing to wait for the future?' Confidence is key Nieta, and I can rest assure you that it was that very confidence that I had for our future that made those 8 apart worth the wait."
Rosa set her grandson in a chair, who immediately stood up to reach for one of the burritos. "42 years and still going strong. But I assure you," She stared into Ronalda's eyes, " No relationship will last when it is built on lies and mistrust." The elderly woman smiled as she brushed her fingers through Ronalda's hair. "But yours with Lincoln is most certainly built on the love and trust you have for one another."
"Well...we wouldn't have met if I hadn't started bullying him..." Ronalda sighed inwardly. "We had a rocky start, but Lincoln forgave me for that moment in our history..." Her cheeks became faintly red as she knew what happened immediately after, though her skin soon returned to normal whilst giving a solemn stare at her plate. "But I still feel peachy every time I think about it..."
"It's not like he held it over your head Ronnie Anne." Bobby added. "Plus, you two pull pranks on each other all the time these days."
Ronalda narrowed her eyes a little. "Still can't believe I fell for that pie-in-a-box gag...either I'm getting rusty or Lincoln's getting better at pranking."
Lori took a short pause from sipping her orange juice. "Probably getting tips from Luan."
"Probably." Ronalda looked at her plate for the umpteenth time, her stomach throbbing slightly as her appetite was sated.
Unfortunately, with Rosa present, she couldn't really excuse herself from the table with an empty plate; last thing she wanted was her grandma thinking she was sick and whip up some concoction to "heal" her. Luckily, she always had a solution to that problem. Giving a subtle kick to one of the table legs, a couple glasses clanged on the top; not enough to catch the attention of the others, but to a certain Mastiff, that only meant one thing.
Lalo awoke from his bed in the living room, giving a happy bark before running towards the table. The the whole room rocked like earthquake from the massive dog's weight, nearly making some of the plates slide and nearly fall over, if Rosa wasn't quick to nab them.
"Mi parabla! Heel Lalo! Heel!" The grandmother protested as the mastiff jumped circles around the table. The others tried in vain to command the canine to obey them, except for Ronalda (who was busy stifling her laughter).
Lori grabbed her plate and her glass to keep them from toppling over, Carol felt the air rush out of her lungs as she was inadvertently smooshed up against the table, and Bobby gave a not so manly scream when the vibration of the table knocked his coffee mug over, spilling the contents onto his trousers. Rosa moved the dishware towards the center of the table before raising her voice once more, but Lalo still failed to heed her call.
In the midst of all this, Ronnie Anne took her plate and sat it on the floor next to her chair. Putting two fingers in her mouth, she whistled loud enough to get the dog's attention. "Lalo! Sit!" She pointed at the spot next to her.
Lalo barked before calmly trotting to Ronalda, soon sitting upright whilst panting happily. The Latina gave a smug grin as she rubbed the top of his head. "Goooood boy." In response, the massive mutt gave a big, long lick to her face, leaving her cheek damp as well as part of her hair standing on end.
"Well..." Rosa huffed as she began rearranging the plates back to their proper positions. "At least he listens to someone in this apartment."
"Yeah..." Lori narrowed her eyes at the young teen. "He sure does..."
Ronalda pretended to not notice the sinister undertone in Lori's voice as she straightened her hair out; Lalo was already busy licking her plate clean. As an added bonus, Ronalda waited until everyone was busy for a few seconds before slipping the dog a burrito. She pulled her plate off the floor a moment later as Lalo finished his breakfast.
Pushing her chair back, "Thanks for the breakfast Abuela." Ronalda speed walked into the kitchen and deposited her plate into the sink. "Hopefully she won't pack me a big lunch again." Was the tomboy's hopeful thought as she came out and turned towards her room.
"Don't forget to grab the lunch I packed for you Ronnie Anne!" Rosa's call followed after her.
Ronalda gave a frustrated sigh as she reached her door. "Dang it..."
One of the good things about the last week of school? You get to sit on your ass and do absolutely...nothing...
And unfortunately, that was exactly the problem for Ronnie Anne. She noticed there weren't nearly as many students as there was on Friday, probably having the same thoughts to ditch the dump that was now starting to border on a prison. Just as she expected, what remained of the student body was holed up inside the gymnasium doing whatever they wanted; playing hoops, sitting on the bleachers, doing dodgeball, the works. Not in the mood for any of these activities, ,Ronalda was satisfied keeping her butt planted in her seat until her brother arrived. Though, she did admit her ass was starting to feel a little sore from sitting for hours; bleacher seats were never comfortable to begin with.
The Latina drew in a deep breath and exhaled through her nose, casually browsing the internet on her android phone. She had half a mind to call Lincoln and see what he was up to, just to pass the time. Ronalda knew the school system in Royal Woods was roughly the same as hers; unless they made some changes like building that new middle school. So, she deduced that he'd most likely be stuck in the same situation she was in.
But...
Even if she did call him, what would they talk about? This morning's conversation was certainly number 1 on her list, and Ronalda was itching to have a moment of peace to discuss it with her boyfriend; maybe work on a new commitment even. However, Ronalda knew very well that phone conversations weren't always private; you could ask either of them how many times they threw open their doors to find a pile of siblings or family members trying to pry in on their business. And on a topic this sensitive, the Latina felt that method wouldn't suit her or Lincoln well. Fortunately, she only had six days left before she'd be visiting him again; her patience might have issues with this however.
The feeling of something nudging her leg pulled Ronalda from her thoughts, making her glance at her best friend and neighbor. "So, whatcha thinking of doing when we go on vacay next week?"
The Latina shrugged. "Probably won't know until we get down there Sid."
"Pretty sure she's thinking of one thing in particular." A tall girl to the Latina's right stated with a toothy grin. Ronalda gave a side glance to the blonde, only to grow wide-eyed as the girl made a particular movement with her hand whilst making her tongue poke the side of her open mouth. Sid started to laugh out loud when the tall girl then stuck her tongue between two fingers.
Furrowing her brows, the Latina took a swat at her skater friend with her foot. "It's not gonna be like that Nikki!" She folded her arms, staring at nothing in particular before quietly muttering, "I'm not even sure if Lincoln is ready for that kind of stuff yet..."
Nikki chuckled. "Are you?"
Ronalda slowly turned her head towards the tall blonde. "Want me to give you a firsthand experience of what I did to that boy last week?..."
Nikki smiled sheepishly as she raised her hands in defense. "All you had to say was 'no'."
"Wanna come with us Nik?" Sid asked enthusiastically. "Would definitely kill the boredom that's a 4 hour drive."
Ronalda chortled a little. "Please. You'll be asleep after the first hour."
"Nah." Nikki put her hands behind her head as she leaned back. "Made plans to visit my dad in Florida; though, it was mostly his idea. Mom doesn't really want me to go, but Dad apparently gave her 4k so I could be with him for a few weeks."
"They're still having that custody issue?" Ronalda asked. Nikki gave a slight hand wave, to which the Latina shrugged before idly scanning the gym floor. "Speaking of which, y'all seen Casey and Sameer? They ought to be in here suffering like we are."
"Casey was getting those braces his mom was talking about, and Sameer is already on vacay in Orlando." Nikki stated, kicking one leg over the other.
Ronalda pouted a little. "Lucky them..."
"Ah don't cry." The tall blonde joked. "Sides, isn't your bro gonna be here soon?"
"Yeah." Ronalda blew a strand of hair out of her vision. "For another two-"
The bell chimed, momentarily cutting her off. Ronalda was about to continue when a voice came over the PA system. "Ronalda Santiago and Sid Chang, please report to the front office. Someone is here to pick you up."
A huge grin formed on Sid's face. "Seconds?"
Ronalda raised a brow, glancing at the time on her phone. "Weird...Bobby doesn't go on break til one..."
"Who cares?" Nikki stretched her legs out before standing up. "It's still a free ride right? Got room for one more?"
The Latina snorted a little. "How's someone like you gonna slip past the staff?"
"Trust me hon." Nikki kept an air of confidence whilst returning the smirk Ronnie was giving her. "I've been going to this school longer than both of you. I know a few shortcuts."
Ronalda shrugged. "Hah, if you say so."
Standing up, she motioned for Sid to follow. One of the teachers let them out into the hallway, which was eerily silent due to most of the students having started their vacations early. The duo wheeled their heads around when they heard the doors opening again, Nikki stepping out with a whistle to her step. She flashed the girls with a wink before heading in the opposite direction.
Ronalda gave a sigh. "This is probably the only time I like school. Peace, quiet, and away from all the other weirdos."
"Ahh I wouldn't say it's that bad." Sid stated. "Well, aside from people blocking the halls just to talk and occasionally the fights that go on."
"I know right? Remember that one brawl last month?" Ronalda threw her hands into the air. "And it just HAD to be in the hallway our lockers were on."
"Buuuuut," A smile graced Sid's lips. "We did have some fun this year. Remember those pranks we did on April Fools Day?"
Ronalda stifled a laugh. "Those jocks had it coming, thinking they could walk all over everyone just because they play football." She rested her hands behind her back. "Almost reminds me of another girl I know."
Sid raised a brow. "I don't play sports..."
The Latina sent a dull stare towards her friend. "Not you. I was talking about Lynn."
"Oooooh." Sid nodded, though her confusion was evident by the way she slouched a little to one side. "Which sister is she again?"
Rolling her eyes, "The brown haired one about our height. You'll see her when we get down there. She'd be easy to pick out since she usually wears jerseys, but she stopped doing that a while ago."
The Chinese American only gave a cut nod. "And you said Lincoln had ten siblings?" Ronalda nodded. "Wow...either Mrs. Loud had some serious curves, or his parents were that busy..."
Ronalda narrowed her eyes a little. "I really don't want to think about it...that's the same excuse as to why I have 4 cousins from the same aunt and uncle. And I'd hate to say it, but I think Abuela might have something to do with it."
"What makes you say that?"
Ronalda dropped her hands to her sides. "Well, my aunt isn't exactly fat, but she does have some big hips. And have you seen Carlota? She goes to the gym every week, but I think she's got a bigger set than her mom's! I don't really get why Abuela cooks so much food; well, she feeds 10 people, so there's that. And CJ is clearly a bit overweight for his age. Although..." She tapped her chin. "Carlino and Carlitos aren't fat, just pudgy. And that could be baby fat..."
Whilst Ronalda was getting lost in her thoughts, Sid casually looked her friend over. She knew the Santiago often went for a jog every weekend to keep herself in shape, a carryover from the times the Latina did so with Lynn. Plus, she was worried about gaining an uncomfortable set of pounds; for better clarity, Lisa even confirmed that working out on a schedule would help keep her metabolism up, ergo burning off excess body fat. Judging from how well her waist fitted in her shorts, Sid can definitely assume the Latina was thin; or average, not that she knew much about the age to weight ratio. However, upon bringing her gaze below the waistline...
A smirk grew on the Asian girl's face. "Looks like you're gaining weight somewhere."
Ronalda shook her head as Sid's words echoed in her brain. "What?!" She immediately pulled up her t-shirt to look at her stomach. "I've been running nonstop every Saturday for two months! How am I gaining anything?!"
"Pfff. Not there." Sid chuckled as she brought her hand up.
The next thing anyone heard in the halls was an audible smack followed by a girlish yelp.
"What the hell Sid?!" Ronalda yelled as she quickly turned towards the Chinese American, her cheeks as red as a tomato whilst covering her butt with both hands.
"You ever look at yourself in the mirror lately? And by that, I mean checking yourself out. It's obvious your butt and thighs are getting bigger; might be why the boys keep staring at you."
Sid watched as Ronalda dropped the look of anger to that of confusion or horror; she also could've sworn her entire face was becoming reddish. In truth, the Latina was in the midst of recalling how much she had grown over the past two years. Growing nearly half a foot was natural in the cycle that was the aging process; and with that came bigger clothing. For Ronnie Anne, that also meant getting a few "extras". It wasn't that she didn't notice she was in the process of maturing into a grown woman, especially when the teen noticed her chest became big enough to the point she begrudgingly went with Carlota for bra shopping; Ronalda thanked whatever God there was that she was allowed to pick the style, knowing her cousin would try to slip her into something skimpy.
And now that she was on the subject, Ronalda recalled the main reason why she had to get new pants 3 times over the past two years: they either became difficult to pull up over her rear or felt uncomfortable to wear. Originally, she just chalked it up to her clothes shrinking in the wash. Looking down at her legs, she did admit they widened a good amount since she was 11. The tomboy dared to touch her bottom, feeling a slightly above normal level of fat, yet it still felt firm and tight.
"Holy crap...Sid's right! How people have been staring at me when I walked past them? Is this thing the reason why that boy tried to touch me?!" Ronalda panicked internally just thinking about the many pairs of eyes that were glued to her. It was just like that stage play back in elementary school, only now she was being eyed at by perverts!
Her internal fears must've became more pronounced, seeing as Sid gripped Ronalda by the shoulders and started to shake her back and forth. "Ronnie! Come on girl, snap out of it!" Unfortunately, the Latina's uneven and loud breathing didn't end, forcing the Chang girl to slap her.
Ronalda was stuck frozen for a moment, her vision all over the place before the stinging in her cheek cried for attention. She blinked a few times whilst rubbing the sore spot on her face. "...I was freaking out again wasn't I?..."
Sid nodded. "A lot actually." Folding her arms, "What's the deal man?"
"The deal," Ronalda furrowed her brows as she cast a cold glare at her friend. "Is that you made me realize I'm a freaking magnet for pervs!"
"Oooooh..." Sid fidgeted a little. "Probably shouldn't have pointed that out..."
"Well what am I supposed to do about this?!" She pointed at her bum. "I don't wanna have to wear baggy pants for the rest my life!"
Sid had a dull stare on her face. "Ronnie Anne, you might be overthinking this."
"That's easy for you to say." The Latina fired out as she gestured towards Sid's body. "You're still thin as a board!"
Sid's mouth dropped a little as a hurt look took shape. "Ok, ouch?" It didn't last long as she put up a neutral face. "But I'm serious Ronalda. You're not the only girl guys in our grade are checking out. I've gotten like, 5 boys asking me to be their girlfriend. Obviously, I turned them all down cause I barely knew them. I mean, yeah it sucks our peers seem to be full of pervs and weirdos, but all their dreams are just gonna be stupid fantasies."
"Where are you going with this Sid?"
"They can stare all they want, but they aren't gonna get any. Besides, if you're worried about looking more like your cousin, I'd say you're wrong cause you have your mom's genes."
"Uhhh?..." Ronalda had a brow raised as she was unable to form a good reply.
"Well, think of it like this: when traits are passed from the parent to the offspring, there are dominant and recessive genes. And according to the Punnett Square, or just by looking between you and your mom, you already have her hair, face, and eyes. But those are just the basics. So," Sid mumbled to herself as she visualized the chart in her head. "If we were to take into account her actual body dimensions, then you'd very likely have hips and legs like hers, and-" The Chinese American paused upon noticing the same confused stare Ronnie Anne was giving her. Her lids dropped halfway in disbelief. "You weren't paying attention in biology were you?.."
Inside Ronalda's head, a brief flashback occurs in which she was shown to be either surfing the internet on her phone, playing games on her phone, or pretending to take notes, but was actually asleep. "What happens if I say yes?"
"I'll call you a bad liar." Sid smiled a little. "I'll be surprised if you get anything higher than a C in that class."
"B." Ronalda smirked. "Why do you think I kept asking you all those questions?"
"Ooooo, that cuts me deep." Sid mocked, placing a hand over her chest. "And I thought you just wanted to hang."
Both girls took a moment to share a laugh.
"But, for reals though. You shouldn't worry so much about growing a nice butt. Many girls would kill to have something like that at our age, and you're only 13! Imagine what you'd look like when you become an adult?" Sid's eyes widened a little as a particular opportunity presented itself. "Or better yet," A toothy grin graced her lips. "Think of how much Lincoln might enjoy it. I mean, he's pretty much gonna be the only boy allowed to touch you there."
Ronalda brought a hand to her face, her frustration coming out in growls. "Seriously, what is it with you and Nikki being such pervs?..."
Sid placed a hand on Ronalda's shoulder. "Comes with growing up girl. Besides, everyone develops differently. Nikki is only a year older than us, but she's tall as heck and doesn't look to be getting any curves soon, I went up a bra size this past year, and your growing a nice butt." This made the Santiago glance down at her friend's chest, though it was hard to tell with the baggy shirt she was wearing. "Aside from the fact our hormones will be running crazy for a bit, at least we aren't fantasizing about having sex with anyone."
The Latina rolled her eyes. "Keep up that attitude and eventually you will..."
Turning the corner, they reached the front lobby, not seeing anyone standing around. Ronalda walked up to the main office, poking her head in and catching the attention of one of the secretaries. "Um, is someone here to pick us up?"
"Yeah, she's outside." The man replied in a bored tone.
"She?..." Ronalda squinted her eyes in thought as she stepped back into the lobby.
"Outside?" Sid thumbed the doors.
"Yep." Ronalda walked over to the doors, a sense of dread filling her stomach as only a few people would've been available to pick her up. As she pushed open the doors, "Please, PLEASE don't let it be-"
"HEEEY BABES!" Carlota called from the driver seat of her car. Nikki was already there, leaning against the trunk as she browsed on her phone.
"Mierda..." Ronalda muttered to herself.
Nikki glanced up from her mobile, a small grin forming. "Took y'all long enough."
"How'd you get out here so fast?" Sid asked.
"As slow as you guys were going, I didn't have to rush." Nikki thumbed towards school. Both girls turned to see an open window in one of the ground floor classrooms. "Told ya I knew a shortcut."
"Riiiiight." Ronalda spoke dryly. She walked around to the front passenger seat while Sid and Nikki slipped into the back.
Carlota hadn't changed much over the years, still keeping the same hairstyle and all; but her wardrobe certainly did. She ditched the teal dress in exchange for more casual wear that still hugged her figure perfectly. And as much as Ronalda loved her cousin, Carlota was easily the 3rd most likely person to embarrass her after her mom and grandma.
"So, how was school?" The oldest teen asked, pulling away from the curb and settling into the noon traffic.
"Boring as hell..." Ronalda folded her arms before giving a side glance towards the buxom Latina. "Weren't you supposed to be at work today?"
"Oh I was." Carlota smiled. "But I was on my break and Bobby called me to do this little favor for you."
Ronalda raised a brow for a few seconds, wondering why Bobby had to cancel, only to form an unsurprising gaze when she figured out the obvious. "Freezer again?..."
Carlota snapped her fingers, indicating she was right. "Honestly, grandpa really needs to ban Roberto from entering the freezer." She hung a left, only to hit the brakes hard. The other passengers lurched forward moderately as someone on a moped zipped through the bike lane, nearly hitting the left headlight.
"Watch where you're going asshole!" Carlota shouted in her native tongue. Taking a few seconds to simmer down, "Anyway, I gotta get back on the job real quick, so I hope you girls don't mind hanging out in the mall for a bit."
"No complaints here." Nikki piped up. "Needed to swing by Skater Pro for my busted wheel anyway."
"You think Twelve is Midnight has their new album out?" Sid asked.
Ronalda let out a gasp. "Duuuude," She twisted around in her seat. "I forgot to check this morning! But they should have it on sale by now."
"Speaking of sale," Carlota grinned. "My store has one going on, and I found the cutest bra for you!"
Nikki and Sid stifled their laughter whilst the Santiago glared at her cousin. "Really Carlota? Really?!"
"Aw stop acting so embarrassed about it." Carlota replied as she waved her hand dismissively. "We're all girls here."
"I swear," Ronalda pointed at Carlota as her tone developed an acidic feel to it. "If you try to make me wear some stupid, frilly stuff-"
"Relax!" The older teen returned a glare of her own. Ronalda may have been rebellious, but even she knew when it was best not to cross certain boundaries; one of those being when Carlota was irritated. She gave a huff in contempt, which the Casagrande took as her cue to continue. "I know that stuff isn't your style, so I found something I think you'll like." Focusing back on the road, "Trust me. You'll thank me for this later."
"We'll see about that..." Ronalda growled inwardly. "God, being a teen sucks..."
A/N: Indeed it does, and I can tell you for certain my middle school years were hell. High School was almost like someone hit my whole grade with the maturity stick. Anyway, Ronnie Anne has adjusted quite well for her life in the city. I might go into some detail about the harsh environment of living in downtown areas a bit later, as The Spies Who Loved Me did have some justification for the grandparents being worried. Kids can often get lost or go missing in large cities, and can be easy targets for unsavory people; even supposedly safe cities.
In response to a question asking about whether there will be fighting scenes: with me, it varies depending on whether it would be suitable to use one. However, you can expect at least one or two somewhere. We'll check in on the Louds next time to see what their plans are for the summer.
