A/N: I'm glad you guys like this. Thanks for the feedback! Exams start tomorrow but I wanted to get this up before then. I will try my hardest to get another chapter up by Tuesday night . . . we'll see!

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!!!!

June 26th, 2029 9 am Evanston, Illinois

It was moving day in Evanston. The truck had rolled up to the house bright and early at 7 am. I had been up for over and hour and watched the movers come into the house to grab the boxes we had spent so much time packing.

I looked over at my mom and dad who was trying to make sure everything was being packed. I shook my head and grinned thinking they were really moving out just to watch me play college hoops.

"Hey Tess. What are you doing?" dad asked me as he noticed me standing in the doorway.

"I'm going over to Meghan and Chelsea's for a little bit. What time are we leaving?" I asked them.

"We're going to roll out of town about 4ish. So be home by 3." Mom told me.

"All right. I'll give you guys a call later." I told them holding up my cell phone.

I got into my 4-Runner that was all ready packed and headed out of the driveway. I drove through the familiar town, getting sentimental about leaving the town I had grown up in. I pulled into Chelsea's driveway to see Meghan's car parked there. I got out of the car and headed inside.

"Hey Tess. We were wondering when you would stop by." Chelsea told me as I walked into the house.

"I was bored at home. The movers came today." I told them grinning a little.

"You're just excited because you get to go to Albuquerque earlier than we do." Meghan told me as I smiled.

"I get to see all of family again. And I mean all of them." I said shaking my head.

"We'll be out there the end of July. We're rooming together right?" Chelsea asked me.

"It's us and another basketball player. It's going to be interesting." I told them rolling my eyes.

"At least we'll only have to learn the habits of one other person instead of 3." Meghan pointed out to us.

"That's the only good part." I told them.

"When are you guys leaving?" Chelsea asked me.

"Dad says we're rolling out of town at 4ish. I guess my parents' cars are being loaded on the truck so we're driving my car down to Albuquerque." I told them.

"So you're really leaving?" Meghan asked me as I looked at my two best friends.

"Yes I'm really leaving but you guys will be out there in a month. I'll be out there waiting with open arms." I told them grinning.

"You're going to show us the house and around the town again?" Chelsea asked me.

"Of course I will. It's going to be your town now." I told them smiling.

"We're going to paint the town red." Meghan told me as I rolled my eyes.

"I won't but you guys can." I told them as they both looked at me strangely.

"Why can't you?" Chelsea asked me as I stared at the two of them.

"My parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles all live in the town I'm going to college in. If I do something, it's bound to get back to at least one of them." I told them as the light bulb clicked on.

"Ahh I see now. It won't be that bad." Meghan told me as I rolled my eyes.

"Troy's parents, friends, and siblings all grew up in Albuquerque. Do you know how many people know who I am just by association?" I asked them shaking my head.

"Oh you have a point there. You're kind of screwed, Tess. I'm sorry to say it but you're screwed." Chels told me as I smiled at her.

"Thanks for that report, Chels. It just made my life a whole lot brighter." I told her.

"Well you could have went to Duke and been a nobody. Would that have been easier for you?" Chelsea asked me.

"Life would have been tougher. I would have been away from my family and friends." I told them.

"We were determined to follow you wherever you went." Meghan told me.

"You can't get rid of me that quickly. But I'll be waiting for you guys when you get to Albuquerque." I told them.

"Call us when you get there and we'll call you when we're leaving." Meghan told me.

"We'll talk at least once a day, you guys." I told them smiling.

"We know but you're the first of us leaving. We'll write and call." Chelsea told me.

I said my goodbyes before heading back to the house. My mom put me to work as soon as I stepped inside of the house. I stayed busy until my dad told me it was time to go.

"Hey dad can we do a family picture in front of the house before we go?" I asked him as he looked at me.

"Go get your mom and we'll get Diana to take one." Dad told me as I went to get mom.

We sat on the front steps and smiled as Diana, our neighbor took the picture. After that was done, we said goodbye to the people who had gathered. We promised to write and call, then we said our final goodbyes and headed for my 4-Runner.

I got in the backseat as my dad and mom crawled into the front seat. My dad started driving as I looked at the house I had spent the first 18 years of my life in. But I was moving out to Albuquerque to start a new chapter.

June 30th, 2029 5:00 pm

"So this is Albuquerque?" Mom asked me as we pulled into town. I was driving since I knew my way around the town.

"Yes mom this is it. Home sweet home." I told them driving down the main street.

"Do you two want to get food before we go to the hotel for the night?" Dad asked mom and I as we both smiled.

"That sounds good. What are you in the mood for?" I asked them grinning.

"Take us to your favorite place here, Tess." Mom told me as I pulled into a parking spot in front of East Towne Grill.

"I ate here the entire time I was in Albuquerque with the girls." I told them getting out of the car.

"What is this place?" Dad asked me as I pulled open the door and walked in.

"The place that all the gang owns. I'm here!" I yelled walking into the grill.

It was semi-crowded but Chad, Zeke, Jason, and Ryan all noticed me at once.

"Hey Tess you didn't tell us you were coming into town this early." Zeke said leaning over to give me a hug.

"I wrote every one of you and told you we would be in town around July 1st. So we're a day early." I told them rolling my eyes.

They all said hello to my parents before we went to the bar and took a seat. They all looked at me as I shook my head at them.

"I haven't changed in the month you guys saw me last. I'm still the same person." I told them smiling.

"You're happier and something has changed." Chad said looking at me closely.

"Nothing has happened. I'm happier because I graduated high school and I'm going to my dream school." I told them.

"It's a boy isn't it?" Jason asked me as I laid my head on the counter and looked up at the four.

"You guys are worse than my dad. Stop it!" I told them as I heard someone come up behind me.

"Are they giving you a hard time, Tess?" Taylor and Kelsi asked me as I quickly nodded my head.

"They are. They're telling me that I'm different than I was a month ago." I told the two before giving them both hugs.

"You're no different. Maybe a little happier but nothing else." Kelsi pointed out to me.

"I'm happier because I graduated and I'm going to my dream school." I told them.

"I still think there's a boy involved." Jason told me as my parents laughed at them.

"There is no boy, you guys." Mom told them as I quickly nodded my head.

"Thanks mom." I told her looking around the room. My eyes went wide when I noticed three pictures hanging beside the door.

"When did those pictures get put up?" I asked the six, all who had innocent looks on their faces.

"What pictures are you talking about?" Chad asked as I turned and pointed a finger at him.

"You know damn well what pictures I'm talking about." I said looking at the six grinning faces.

"Right after we came back from your graduation. Taylor and Kelsi found a frame they thought was cute and we put it up." Ryan said rolling his eyes.

"Aww you guys are so sweet." I told them hopping off the chair and walking over to where the pictures hung.

There was one of Gabi and I talking from when I was here over Spring Break; there was a group picture taken after graduation; and the last one was Jordan, Abbie, Sarah, Michele, Jack, Carly, and me all smiling for the camera.

"Who took the pictures?" I asked them walking back to the bar area.

"I can't remember who took them. Why do you ask?" Zeke asked me as I smiled.

"I wanted copies of them. I don't have any of the three." I told them.

"We'll find out. How's your summer treating you so far?" Chad asked me as I rolled my eyes.

"I was working at the daycare until the 22nd and that was my last day." I told them frowning a little bit.

"Well you're here now and we get to party everyday until school starts." Jason told me as I smiled.

"Wahoo!!! That'll be fun." I told them grinning.

"Show some excitement. You'll get to meet our kids and hang out with them." Taylor told me.

"I can't wait to meet them." I told them hearing the bell to the restaurant ring.

"Hey Tess you're finally home huh?" I heard a familiar voice asked as I turned around in shock.

"Nobody told me you were in town." I said hugging my biological mother.

"I decided to make a family trip out here to greet you into town." Gabi told me.

"You're family came with you?" I asked her as she nodded her head.

"Yeah they did. They should be coming. Joe was helping Maria and Ian get out of the car." She said just as the bell rang again.

"Mommy! Daddy told us we could go to the park later!" A little girl with pigtails came running into the restaurant with a big grin on her face.

"He did? We'll go later, all right?" Gabi asked her daughter as she bobbed her head up and down.

"Ok who's this mommy?" The little girl asked as I knelt down to her level.

"Hi I'm Tess. What's your name?" I asked holding my hand out for the girl to shake.

"I'm Alexandra. I'm seven." The little girl told me as my face brightened.

"Oh really? Seven that's a good age. Are you in school yet?" I asked her grinning.

"I'm going to be a first grader in the fall." Alexandra told me smiling.

"That's cool." I told her as she went to stand by Gabi.

"And this is Joe. Joe this is my daughter I was telling you about, Tess." Gabi explained.

"I've heard a lot about you. It's good to put a face with the name." Joe told me.

"It's nice to meet you too." I told him before looking at the little girl he held in his arms.

"And this is 18 month old, Maria. And behind Joe, is our 5 year old, Ian." Gabi introduced me.

"Hi Ian. I'm Tess." I said kneeling down and looking at the shy boy.

He shocked both me and his parents when he came and gave me a hug.

"You're the girl in the pictures." Ian told me as I looked up at Gabi and Joe.

"That's right Ian. She's the girl in the pictures on the fridge." Gabi told her young son.

"It's nice to meet you, Ian." I told him smiling.

"Do you play basketball?" Ian asked me as my smile got brighter.

"I sure do. I'm going to be playing in college in a few months." I told him.

"Really? What position do you play?" Ian asked me as I smiled at him.

"I'm a guard. Do you play?" I asked him as he eagerly nodded his head.

"I play at home on the driveway." Ian told me as I smiled.

"I bet you beat your daddy all the time, don't you?" I asked him as he grinned at me.

"All the time." Ian told me as we laughed.

"They cool kids, Gabi." I told her as she smiled at me.

"Thanks. They asked a lot of questions about you so I think they're starting to put two and two together." Gabi told me.

"How long are you guys in town for?" I asked them.

"Um . . . We're leaving July 5th. We're then going up to New York to see Joe's parents." Gabi told me.

"We'll have to hang out sometime. I would love to get to know the kids more." I told the two of them.

"I'll give you a call one day and we'll set something up." Gabi told me as I nodded.

"Mommy can we go to the park now?" Alexandra asked her mom as Gabi sighed.

"I guess we can. Let's go troops." Gabi said as I said my goodbyes to her.

"See we told you they were great kids." Chad told me as I mocked him.

"You also told me that two days before I met her." I told them rolling my eyes.

"Smart aleck." Chad muttered under his breath as I grinned brightly at him.

"I learned from the best." I told him grinning.

We ordered our food and hung out with my second family the rest of the night. Jack and Carly ended up stopping by and I caught them up to what I had been up to. They were all glad I was finally home in Albuquerque.

There you guys go!!!! I hope you like it. If all goes according to plan, I'm thinking there's only going to be 2 more chapters of this. So if you have any last minute ideas, I would love to hear them!!!! Feedback would be most appreciated!