Alicia had only just graduated, she was ready to go to college. Her mom and Travis both got new jobs, near Berkeley, so she could still live with them. Her siblings, Nick and Charlie were coming with them too. Everyone couldn't wait to get away from LA after the incident. She missed her friends and Matt, she had nobody aside from her family, so she was happy that they were moving with her. They found a great high school for Charlie, it was one of the safest schools in the entirety of America, where Travis and her mom would be working, it would be her second year in high school and she was excited. Her mom was hoping that a new environment for Nick, would sent him onto the right path. He agreed to take a course at the community college there, he wanted to work at pharmacy. Alicia was going to take a course at Berkeley university, she wanted to be a chemist and physicist, the course was a mix of the two along with biology, lab school. Chris moved in with them, after Liza passed away in a car accident, he kept to himself mostly, he wasn't looking forward to his senior year at the same high school Charlie attended.
Alicia used to want to get away, but she's come to appreciate her little dysfunctional family. Her mom and Travis had gotten engaged right after they moved, she's grown to like Travis and didn't mind him marrying her mother. She's gotten closer to Chris since he moved in, really starting to see him as her little brother. She knew Charlie and Nick did as well.
"Alicia! Want to go to the mall with me? Check out that café there as well?" Nick asked his sister, he was going to be shopping for things he needed for school, he was the only who hadn't yet. Nick wouldn't admit it, but he was excited to go to school, take matters into his own hands and make something of his life. He was slightly nervous as well, the social aspect, he was afraid to get into contact with the wrong people, to have a relapse as he worked hard to kick his drug habits.
"Yeah, hold on, I'll ask Chris and Charlie too." Alicia grabbed her back and asked the younger siblings if they wanted to join them. Charlie was happy to join them, Chris wasn't sure, but decided he had nothing better to do.
After they gotten everything they needed, they made their ways to the café and sat together at a table, discussing the start of the school year that was only a few days away.
A guy had overheard them talking and went up to them, he cleared his throat, catching their attention. Alicia thought he was quite attractive. "Sorry, I overheard you talking, I'm starting my year at Berkeley university as well this year." The guy extended his hand to Alicia. "I'm Jake." He introduced himself.
Alicia shot him a smile and shook his hand. "I'm Alicia, these are my siblings. Nick, Chris and Charlie."
"Nice to meet you." He pointed towards a small group of people sitting together at a table. "Those are my brother Troy and my friends Ofelia, Althea and Luciana. They're going to Berkeley too, well except Troy. You can come sit with us if you want to."
Alicia looked at her siblings, who gave her a nod. "We'd love to." The groups merged together at a bigger table, introducing themselves, exchanging phone numbers as well, ending up in a group chat together. It turns out, aside from Jake and Troy, they didn't know each other before and met at this exact café. Althea came from Poland, Luciana from Mexico, the Otto brothers came here from Houston Texas, Ofelia was from LA just like them. Troy was training to join the army, Jake was studying to become a lawyer, Luciana a pharmacist just like Nick, Althea a journalist and Ofelia wanted to be a cop.
They were talking about their high schools, Alicia stayed quiet during the topic, deep in thought.
"So what school did you go to?" Ofelia asked, not receiving an answer from the Clark's, they didn't want to talk about their high school.
"I went to the same one as you actually." Chris answered her and looked at the others. "They went to Paul R. Williams high school. They're actually my stepsiblings."
"Oh my, were you guys there when it happened?" Ofelia asked, sympathetically.
"They weren't, I was there though." Alicia told her, looking at the table with a sad expression.
"Ah that's why you seem so familiar! I saw you on the news." Troy spoke up. "You did the right thing." He placed her hand on hers and gave it a light squeeze, in a comforting manner. The other people at the table seemed to agree.
"Thanks." Alicia shifted uncomfortably, she only just met these people and they already knew what happened to her. "It was either that or dying so." Alicia cleared her throat.
They parted ways after a while as it was time for Alicia and her siblings to go home for dinner.