Karolina has been the last of the seven of them to be integrated into the group.
Nico and Amy had met Gert, Chase, Molly and Alex when they were five and eight, Karolina wasn't there until the following summer.
Nico remembers seeing her for the first time, she and Chase were perched in one of the trees in the back yard, talking about god knows what, when Karolina came out of the house with her parents.
She was small, shy, and looked frightened when Molly, Gert and Alex rushed over to meet her. Nico remembered, even back then, she felt this overwhelming sense of protection for this girl.
Chase sung down when he noticed her, running over, too.
Nico held back, waiting for the group to disband before making her way over, offering Karolina a soft smile. "They can be super noisy sometimes."
"Yeah," Karolina said, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"Wanna climb the tree? You can see the ocean from the top."
"Uh, I don't know if-" Karolina glanced back toward where her mother had been, noticing she was gone. "Sure."
Karolina had gotten yelled at that night, something about her dress being ruined.
"Good girls don't climb trees, Karolina!" Nico had heard Leslie scold, and Nico expected Karolina to be mad at her afterwards.
But then she came padding outside, looking upset in a way Nico never wanted to see again.
"I'm sorry," Nico apologised when Karolina took a seat beside her.
Karolina frowned, confused, like the idea that this was Nico fault never once crossed her mind. "Why?"
"I got you into trouble,"
"No," Karolina disagreed immediately, an almost sly little smile pulling on her lips. "It was worth it, the ocean is pretty from up there."
Nico had taken to Karolina immediately, in a way she hadn't with the others in the group, the bounced off of each other, fitting together in a way a sunny blonde girl and dark, moody girl shouldn't.
But they balanced each other out, Nico forced Karolina out of her comfort zone, made Karolina go out on adventures when Karolina knew she her mother would rather she just sit at the table, her hands clasped prettily on her lap.
And Karolina got them out of a lot of trouble, with her innocent smile and big blue eyes, people instantly were drawn in by the pure angelic image Karolina put across.
There was a moment, in hindsight, that Nico could pinpoint as that moment she fell irrevocably in love with Karolina Dean.
They were thirteen, and their parents had taken them to Disney.
They had just gotten ice cream, after standing for twenty minutes in the blistering head, Karolina spending most of that time hocking her jacket over Nico when she noticed the reddening of her shoulders, when a little girl dropped her ice cream.
A little girl they didn't even know, and her mother refused to stand in line again so Karolina knelt in front of the little girl and held out her ice cream.
"I haven't had any yet, I can wait for another one."
The little girl sniffled, looking up at her mother who was smiling softly; and nodded, going for her purse but Karolina shook her head. "That's okay,"
And Nico could just watch with little girls face light up as she thanked Karolina.
Karolina assured Nico that she didn't want to wait for another, she didn't want to hold them up and it was almost infuriating just how selfless Karolina is, so Nico ended up sharing her ice cream with Karolina.
That was the moment, seeing just how altruistic her best friend really was( that Nico fell in love.
Nico remembered Chase teasing them that day, about how Karolina was the princess and Nico was the villain.
And it was true, Karolina was the light to Nico's dark, the ying to her yang.
Which was probably why Karolina was the first person she called when Amy killed herself, even if she was fifteen hundred miles away.
It was Nico who had found Amy, in the bathtub having swallowed a handful of pills.
But she was fourteen, she didn't really know what the hell was going on.
Then the body bag was rolled out and it high Nico like a freight train.
It took Nico well over three weeks to even get herself out of bed and dressed properly, and on the fourth weeks, while her parents were out dealing with funeral stuff (they were waiting until Tina's parents could make room in their schedule to come over. Nico was so mad they had left her big sister on a cold slab for four weeks.), Nico picked up the phone and called the Deans.
"Dean residence, Karolina speaking." Karolina's sweet voice chimes down the phone and Nico's eyes slipped closed and her lip wobbled. "Hello?"
"Karrie, it's me." Nico managed to choke out. "I dunno if you-"
"I did," Karolina interrupted softly, and Nico knew she knew Nico was struggling. "I tried to call but your mom said you were grieving. I'm so sorry, Nic."
"She- I-"
Nico had cried down the phone for a while before requesting that Karolina just talk, about anything, everything, she didn't care.
She fell asleep on the floor beside the home phone while Karolina told her a story about her friend at school, Pete.
The group showed up to the funeral.
Nico had no idea until Karolina slid up beside her, her hand sliding into Nico's, and when Nico glanced up she saw chase and Gert on the other side of Karolina, then she glanced to her left to see Molly and Alex, standing tall and dressed in black. It was then that got her through that days.
None of them looked at her, they knew her well enough to know that was a bad idea, but Karolina cling on tight through the entire ceremony, keeping Nico grounded.
Nico changed after that, everyone noticed. She became more guarded and closed off, at least with everyone bar Karolina, who just seemed to bring out the light in Nico.
She found Amy's diary when she was fifteen, and, god, did it hurt to read about how their parents had been putting too much pressure on her, how it was just too much to handle.
They was when she started rebelling against her parents, with the dark clothes and even darker makeup.
That was the summer something with Karolina changed, everyone noticed but no one commented on how she was pulling away, distancing herself from everyone, but no one asked.
That was also the summer they made the channel.
Nico didn't really like the idea but she figured she might as well do something with the FX class she had taken purely to spite her mother.
As apprehensive as Nico was, she found herself enjoying it, the constant communication with her friends.
It went well, they each started garnering attention, then Karolina's video happened.
Nico remembers sitting down and feeling instantly anxious at the title alone- 'it's time I was honest'.
Nico clucked immediately, and she could see the pure fear and hurt in Karolina's eyes, even through that anxious smiled.
"I'm shaking already." Karolina had said and she was, Nico could see her hand tremble as she raked it though her hair.
And as soon as the words left her mouth -I'm gay- it was like a weight was visibly lifted from her shoulders and her laugh was light and airy where it had been strained before.
Nico's heart broke through the video and Karolina explained some of this stuff she had been through and, come the end, Nico was filled with this overwhelming burst of pride as she grabbed her phone and texted Karolina that she was proud of her.
The channel soared from there, and they were getting all kinds of offers they never would have if not for the channel.
As soon as Molly turned eighteen they all took the opportunity to run -living up to their namesake- getting a house in LA together.
Nico had been the last to arrive, and she had been crowded with hugs because this had been the first time they had seen each other in over a year now, but Karolina had hung back, only stepping forward when everyone had headed back inside, Chase grabbing her case as he went.
"They can be super noisy sometimes." Karolina quoted six year old Nico and Nico felt like her heart was about to burst as she smiled.
"Hey," she greeted, and Karolina wrapped her up in a hug. "You look good."
And she did, karolina had taken a last minute stretch in the past year and a half, her jaw seemed sharper, and Nico could only stare for a few seconds.
"What?" Karolina whispered.
"You look different, somehow."
"I'm glad to be out of there."
"I can imagine." Nico hummed. "You okay?"
"Yeah,"
It was a lie, Nico could tell immediately, and Karolina knew she could tell, but they dropped it and headed inside.
It was that night, sitting on the floor because they didn't have furniture yet, eating off (recyclable) plastic plates, that for the first time in so long Nico felt content.
She had Karolina beside her, dressed in shorts and her varsity hoodie, laughing at something Molly had said, her leg pressed against Nico's. She had Chase and Gert squabbling, and Alex taking playful jabs at Chase, or leaning into Karolina as they both read the latest Spider-Gwen comic.
She realised then that this, this was her family, blood or not. This was all she needed.
They had been in the house less than a week before Karolina poured her heart out to Nico about how she had struggled, how guilty she had been feeling, how torn she was.
And Nico's chest ached at the pain on her friends face as she spoke, and she felt guilty that she hadn't even noticed her best friend was drowning in all of these feelings.
Nico was so angry after learning what Leslie had put Karolina through, the lasting damage she had caused to the one people she was supposed to love unconditionally.
It was that night she realised just how much she felt for her best friend.
They were standing in the hallway, between their doors when Karolina moved closer to her, and, for a second Nico honestly through she was going to kiss her.
She wasn't really for the overwhelming feeling of disappointment when she didn't, kissing her cheek instead.
Nico could barely hear the whispered 'Goodnight, Nico' over the blood in her ears.
Nico at laid away most of that night, because everything clicked then, and the more she thought about her past with Karolina the more it all just made sense. How was she supposed to sleep after that?
The way they had been since they were kids, it was always different with Karolina, it always felt different. She brought it up with Amy once, when she was ten, about how she just clicked with Karolina, everything was just easier when she was around her, Amy had smirked but said nothing, just patting her sisters shoulder and leaving.
God, what she wouldn't give to talk to Amy right now.
Nico didn't really know what to do with herself, she didn't know what to do with her feeling, but that seemed to be decided for her when she got home from work and Karolina had a girls number on her arm.
Nico felt crushed, which was stupid, she only jus found out her feelings for Karolina, but it hurt to know she was starting to date someone else.
Molly found her out by the pool not long after Karolina had left for her first date with Julie, sitting silently beside her for a few minutes before speaking.
"Does she know?"
"The muffin man? " Nico had said without even thinking.
"Karolina," Molly clarified.
"Know what?" Nico tried to play dumb but Molly levelled her with a look. "I didn't even know until last night, and now I feel like I'm a quantum string away from fucking everything up."
"What do you mean?"
"She's going on dates, and this is just a dumb crush, it will pass."
It didn't.
Nico tried, she tried to pull on a smile because Karolina was getting past her PTSD from the church, she was dating, but it was eating her away inside because now she noticed every little thing about Karolina.
The way her smile slanted slightly, but only with Nico. The little wisps of hair that stuck out just in front of her ears, the way she hummed to herself, the softness of her voice as she sang in the kitchen.
God, she even noticed the little hop she always done on the stupid step leading into the house from the pool.
She was noticing everything about Karolina and it was torture, so it was a matter of time before she cracked.
The final straw was seeing Karolina all rumpled after spending the day in her room with Julie.
She blew up at Karolina that night, but quickly regretted it because, god, Karolina had enough issues when it came to dating without Nico adding to them.
She got Karolina food and she accepted her apology immediately.
Then she started talking about love, and Nico couldn't help but think how Karolina ticked every one of the boxed Karolina mentioned.
Then Karolina had said 'I think it is inevitable that someone will fall head over heels in love with you, Nico.' and Nico thought there was something in Karolina's eyes, but she didn't push. She didn't ask. She was afraid of what might be said.
The first time she thought about kissing karolina was the first time they sang together.
Nico had found her sitting out the back yard, bathed in the colours of the sunset that Nico adored, and Nico took a moment to just stare and, yeah, Nico figured that heaven must look at little something like that.
Then Karolina had forced her to sing, and Nico was so anxious about it, but Karolina looked at her with those soft, almost unfocused eyes, and Nico felt like the greatest singer on the planet.
After they finished and Karolina had commented on how sexy Nico's voice was, they just stared at one and other, and Nico thought about kissing Karolina, she would have, too, if not for Alex interrupting them.
It was under the same circumstance that Nico finally did kiss her. They had just finished filming, and no one was there to interrupt them.
And, god, as cliche as it sounds, Nico couldn't not kiss Karolina, it was like the girl was a magnet and Nico was just being drawn in against her will.
And when Karolina backed her up against the wall, her hands holding her face steady, Nico felt her stomach swoop.
They started dating, but Nico found herself glaring at Julie whenever she was around. That lasted for a month before Julie appeared one day when she was home alone.
"All Karolina done when we were 'together' was talk about you." Julie said, entering the house before Nico had even invited her in. "The girl worships the ground you walk on, Nico. Anyone with eyes can see she looks at you like you hung the stars, she loves you, she has always loved you. I wouldn't be here if she wasn't stressing about this, but she wants us to get along, Nico, so can you at least try?" Julie huffed. "I promise I'm not all that bad."
Nico felt a smile twitch on her lips. "She's due back soon, why don't you stay? I can show you how a pro plays mario kart."
"Mario kart can break the best of friendships, are you sure that's a good idea?"
Karolina had looked shocked when she came home and saw Nico and Julie, both staring intently at the TV, both fighting over first place.
"Hey, guys."
"Not now," both girls said, and Karolina couldn't help but laugh.
When they came out properly, on Instagram, her mother had texted her but she ignored it.
Then Karolina's mother had texted her.
'I think you know my daughter is just playing games, I would get out before she decides she had enough of this particular game.'
Nico didn't tell Karolina about it, instead just texting Leslie back.
'If you aren't going to accept that this is who she is then I think you should stop contacting her all together. She is MY girlfriend, the girl I love, and she doesn't deserve to have such a piss poor excuse for a mother and a spineless excuse for a father'
Leslie never replied, but Nico didn't need her too, she got her message across.
Nico watched as Karolina became more confident, more sure of herself, happier, and she knew that it was down to the support of their family. Or Julie.
She knew that this little family they had, it was for keeps, and she wouldn't have it any other way.