DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Meet the Robinsons" or "High School Story," I only own Diana.
September 2059
I was sitting in the gym after school with the homecoming planning committee figuring out how to plan the best homecoming dance for our school. And, it's been tough the past month. After discovering that Caleb's ex-girlfriend was cheating on him, he and Brian have been fighting and I was caught in the middle. I reflected on the talk my dad and I had after coming home from my first day of homecoming planning…
FLASHBACK: August 19, 2059
"Dad, home isn't this way," I said as my dad took a wrong turn.
"There's a reason why I'm doing this," Dad explained. "We need to talk."
"About last night?"
"No. I got a call from the principal this morning, and she told me you punched someone. Is this true?"
"That is an excellent question," I replied, and my dad gave me a raised eyebrow.
"Nice try, Diana Evelyn. I've used that line when I was your age, and it was always because I did not want to tell the truth. Did you punch your classmate or not?"
"Yes, Dad, I did. My friend had just broken up with somebody, and the person his ex-girlfriend was cheating on was taunting him. I couldn't just stand there and do nothing."
"Diana, there will be times where all you can do is nothing because it's not your fight. That was one of those times. You should not have punched that classmate; that will only escalate the fighting."
"Dad, I saw these events at the party last night. I watched what happened, and I drove all over town just to find him."
"Wait a minute," Dad said, lowering the car on the street, putting on the park gear, and turning towards me, giving me a stern expression. "What do you mean 'drove all over town?' You left the party without telling me or your mom?"
"It was in the spur of the moment, Dad! Caleb may have gotten killed last night! It was not the time for him to be alone."
"Diana, you need to fight your own battles, and you need to let Caleb battle his. You cannot do it for him, as much as I admire you for it."
"Dad, you did that when you were in high school."
"Diana Evelyn Robinson, whatever you are doing to try to win this argument, stop. Right now. I was involved in the battles I fought in high school. That was different. Diana, I like that you're making friends so quickly. I really do. But you need to let them fight their battles. If they ask for your help, then you can listen. Now, back to business. Your principal told me that your punishment was serving the homecoming committee, which I think is appropriate for something like this."
"Are you going to punish me, too?" I asked.
"You're headstrong and stubborn, but I'm guessing that you did all of these things to stand up for your friends, which is admirable, like I said. So, no, I will not punish you. But, please take this talk under consideration, alright?"
"Yes, sir. Thank you—"
"Now hold on. If I hear of you punching someone because of something that does not involve you again, you will be grounded. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir."
END OF FLASHBACK
So I have stayed for an hour right after school everyday for homecoming committee, and I had cheerleading practice the hour afterwards. Now tonight was the first football game, and we were playing against the Fairfield Falcons. Honestly, I was feeling nervous about my very first football game. I had never tried cheerleading until I tried for the squad in junior high, and we only cheered at the basketball games and any other pep rallies the school had. I was distracted in my thoughts against the wall when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around… and saw my parents! Between my mom's long brown wavy hair and my dad's black cowlick, my parents were easy to recognize.
"Mom! Dad!" I exclaimed with happiness. "What are you guys doing here?"
"We came to support you!" Mom answered with a big smile. "Your first football game."
"We couldn't be prouder of you," Dad chimed in with a grin.
"Where's Wesley?" I asked.
"Russell and Amy are watching him tonight," Mom answered. "He didn't feel like going."
"We don't want to keep you from doing what you need to do," Dad said. "Cheer those Trojans on!"
"Yes, sir!" I replied, struggling to hug my parents. I went back on to the track to join the rest of the squad as the game began. I was very happy that my job was to get the crowd excited and not to watch the game because I had absolutely no knowledge of football.
"Go, Trojans, go! Fight, Trojans, fight!" We yelled while waved our pompoms. When we finished a cheer, we put on our power poses and turned back to the game. I paid special attention to Brian and Caleb as tensions between them were still high after a month.
"Run, Caleb, RUN!" I heard Payton yell as Caleb started to run after catching the ball, but he tripped, and the ball was recovered by the opposition as they scored.
"Uh-oh. Touchdown for Fairfield," I said with a grim look, which turned into a grin. "But it doesn't mean we can't turn this game around!" But, my attention went back to Brian and Caleb as I watched them fight… again. I spoke too soon.
"What was that?" Brian yelled. "We totally could've scored!"
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean—"
"Don't let it happen again," Brian angrily interrupted, throwing down his helmet and storming off.
"Come on, squad. Do something!" Mia shouted to us.
"What should we cheer?" Emma asked.
"I don't know. Make something up!"
"I got this," I chimed in. "I had to come up with my solos in my ballet recitals. I can come up with a cheer here." I paused, and then I shouted out with a smile on my face. "Pump the gas. One, two—"
"That's all right! That's okay! You're gonna pump our gas someday!"
"Brian, that's not the play!" Caleb shouted with shock as Brian tried to run to the endzone with the ball in possession, but gets tackled, and Fairfield scored again.
"Why didn't he pass to Caleb?" I asked, putting a hand on my forehead and shaking my head in disbelief. Before I knew it, it was halftime with us losing to the Falcons 42-7. The squad and I took our seats against the wall to watch the marching band, but I could not believe what I saw: half of the band was in one formation, and the other half in another formation, and they were playing two different songs!
"Is the teacher involved in this at all?" I asked. "What is going on?"
"The activities are all student-run," Payton explained with shock on her face. "Is this actually happening?"
"Rumor has it, Ezra and Aiden couldn't agree on a song to play," Sydney explained. "So the principal told them their own song on their half of the field."
"And they just went along with this?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "I remember my dad telling me that being in band was actually a class. I'm not sure I want to know what he's thinking. And my mom too… my mom's a music teacher at the elementary school."
"Um, guys?" We turned toward Emma, who pointed her finger to the field where the two leaders have collided with each other! And then they started to argue with each other, and I heard a lot of booing from the crowd. I turned around to see both my parents shaking their heads in disbelief.
"Can we go home yet?" Emma asked, burying her head in her hands. "This is a disaster!"
"Emma, it's not over till it's over," I answered with optimism. "We've still got a whole half of the game to go. Things can turn around!"
"I don't know how you can be so optimistic after that fiasco."
"For one thing, you're talking to a Robinson," I explained with a grin. "Second, people are probably just upset because we're losing and not having a good game. They'll cheer up soon enough." I pulled Felicia in for a hug, and then we got up to cheer as the second half began. The rest of the game did not get any better, and I felt the team's low energy from the track.
"Everyone here needs a boost of energy," Mia said, getting us motivated. "Time to bust out the Trojan Pike."
"Mia, are you sure you're ready to do this?" Payton asked with doubt in her voice. "It's not the easiest stunt."
"Of course I'm sure! Come on, if there was ever a time where we needed cheerleaders, it's now."
"No worries," Sydney replied. "I trust you."
"Just do the right moves and we should have no problem winning over the crowd."
"Come on, everybody!" Payton started the cheer.
"Get out of your seat!" we yelled as we jumped up to touch our toes. "The Trojans are here to say we can't be beat!" We kicked our legs up in the air. "Oh, no, we can't be beat!"
We finished off the cheer with me performing a series of cartwheels and a roundoff, and the crowd started to perk up.
"Down by the River, girls," Mia said, and we started the chant, preparing to lift her and Sydney in the air.
"Down by the river in the old cemetery! That's where your team is gonna get buried! V-I-C-T-O-R-Y! Victory! Victory! That is our call!"
"Whoa!" I turned to glance at Mia as she jumped too early, and the cheerleaders were not able to lift her high enough. I watched in horror as Mia fell on her leg. "OW!"
We all crowded around her, trying to support her and take a look at her leg.
"Mia! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Sydney cried, tearing up. "This is all my fault!"
"Stop looking at me like that! I'm—"
"Everybody stay back!" I yelled, trying to give Mia some space. "Someone needs to call an ambulance."
"I already did," Maria said, approaching us.
"No, really, I'm fine," Mia tried to appeal.
"Maybe so," I replied. "But it's better safe than sorry."
"Until then, let's get some ice on that," Maria added, and before we knew it, the paramedics arrived to take Mia to the hospital.
"Come on, team," I heard the football coach say. "We've still got a game to finish."
Our attention went back to the game as me and the squad went back to our positions.
"I can't believe this game," I told Emma, who was positioned next to me.
"Worst day ever," she replied as the buzzer rang out across the stadium. The final score was 62-7. My attention then went to Brian, who was yelling at everybody.
"What is with you people? Fumbling, playing dumb music, getting your legs broken? You ruined my game!"
"Your game?" I yelled back, walking towards Caleb. "Don't you care that someone got hurt?"
"Oh, please. Mia had it coming with the way she's always trying to upstage the football team!"
"She was just—"
"Shut up! I don't have to listen to this. I'm out of here."
I growled as Brian walked away, and I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Payton and Sydney.
"I just got a call from Mia," Payton said with sadness in her voice.
"She's going to be stuck at the hospital all night," Sydney added. "It's all my fault!"
"It's nobody's fault. We all knew it was a dangerous stunt."
"I take it Mia was upset?" I asked with concern.
"I… don't know," Sydney answered, playing with her hair. "I've never been good at reading people like Mia. There's so much I wish I could say to her, but I don't know how."
"So, what will we do?" I asked.
"Diana!" I turned to see my parents waving at me. "Let's go!"
"Well, Sydney and I are going to visit her in the hospital tomorrow," Payton explained. "And we were hoping you would come along, especially so you could help Sydney talk to Mia, if you get my drift."
"I wish I could, Payton, but I need to catch up on sleep," I explained.
"Don't worry, I get it."
"Tell Mia I hope she gets better soon, though." I started to walk away to greet my parents on the field so that we could go home.
It was now Saturday, and all I wanted to do was sleep in. I felt myself being woken up, and I turned to see my dad sitting on a chair next to me.
"Morning, Dad. What time is it?"
"It's almost 10:00," he answered with concern in his voice. "You never sleep in this late. Is this about last night?"
"I don't know what experiencing a football a game is like for the first time, but that was not what I was looking for."
"Your mom and I were talking about that last night before we went to bed. I remember my golden days when I was in high school."
"Everything was much more organized?" I asked.
"Pretty much," Dad answered with a chuckle. "I was in the marching band, and I played the trumpet."
"You played the trumpet?" I asked. "Maybe you need to visit the school and get the band in check."
"Unfortunately, Diana, that is not my place, but that's a good thought. I do like that the activities are student-run. It gives the students more freedom on how to perform. The events of last night were probably not what you had in mind?"
"Not even close," I answered, and then I saw my dad's face light up.
"I've got an idea! Come with me."
"Where we going?"
"Downstairs to the living room. We need to talk to your mom."
I followed Dad down the stairs, and he motioned Mom to follow us in the living room.
"Were you talking about last night?" Mom asked as she sat across from us.
"Karr, you and Diana switch places," Dad said. "This is a talk between… actually, no. I'll move."
"Yes, we were talking about last night," I answered as Dad took a seat in another chair, now forming a triangle in the living room.
"I was telling Diana that I liked how the activities are student-run, but they need more supervision," Dad explained. "They need a teacher to watch over them in case something happens, like that cheerleader's broken leg or the band not getting their act together. Diana, do you know if your high school is looking for another music teacher?"
"Wilbur, you don't teach music!" Mom exclaimed. "You have a degree in history education!"
"Oh, I'm not asking for me," Dad replied with a smirk, and I realized who he was talking about.
"Wilbur! I already teach at the elementary school! I already have enough on my hands with Wesley."
"Karena, you taught at both the elementary and high school levels back when we lived in Todayland," Dad explained. "Why not do it again?"
"Are you sure about this?" Mom asked with uncertainty.
"Mom, you'd be an amazing teacher at Westport High!" I exclaimed, agreeing with my dad. "And hey, I'll stop by to check on you once a day."
"I appreciate that, Diana, but you have your own life as a student. I don't want the fact that we are mother and daughter to interfere with that."
"Mom, being my own person will always come first. And if I want to check in on you, and you already know I want to, I'll check in on you so that you're not overwhelmed. And don't worry about Wesley. I'll step up as a big sister and take him home. Besides, I'll be driving soon!"
"Oh don't say that yet!" Dad exclaimed, and Mom and I couldn't help but giggle. "But Diana's got a point. Besides, Wesley is going to be in junior high next year, and he'll probably be joining band or a sport of some sort to keep busy. You won't even have to worry about him after school so you can do your own thing. If you need help, just call me. I don't mind leaving work a little early to take care of my family."
"Dad, you're a special agent for TIME. That's a pretty big deal."
"How did I deserve such a supportive family?" Mom asked with a smile on her face.
"Because we Robinsons don't desert each other," Dad answered, walking to the couch Mom was sitting on and kissing her on the lips. "Just go for it. You've got almost a whole year to transition."
"Diana, come here. I want to give you both a hug." I walked over to Mom and Dad, and we got in a group hug. The weekend just got a little bit better.
"Morning, Caleb," I said, walking into the classroom and taking a seat next to him. I immediately noticed that he had his head down before he looked up at me with weary in his blue eyes.
"Morning."
"Still bummed about Friday night?"
"Yeah, me and my brother both. Bad start to the weekend."
"Looks like you're not the only ones," I said, pointing a finger to the people behind me, who were all either sleeping or zoning off. "Even for a Monday morning, this place is dead."
"Diana, could you quiet down?" Emma wearily asked. "I'm really tired."
"Sorry, Emma," I replied to her, and I turned back to Caleb. "See what I mean?"
"Yeah. Well, I guess it's nice that we're all miserable together, right?"
"Yo, guys!" We all got started when we heard Brian's excited voice ring through the classroom. "What's up?" We all groaned in response. "Aw, come on, people. I know you're gonna miss me, but I promise I'll still visit." Wait, what?
"Miss you? What are you talking about?" I asked.
"Oh, dude, it's my last day at Westport High. I'm transferring to Staples!"
"You're what?!" Caleb asked out loud.
"I'm gonna be their quarterback!" Brian announced, and I immediately got angry.
"But, what about our team?" Caleb asked, still in shock.
"Not my team anymore. Good luck, losers. You're gonna need it."