AN: This chapter is coming a little sooner than I had planned, but I thought leaving you with just Ricky's background was unfair to you as readers. But anyway, read, love, enjoy, and know that my next chapter probably won't be up until next week. REVIEW!


Amy Juergens pulled her hair up into a messy ponytail and straightened her counselor shirt, brushing away the fresh lint from the laundry. Her eyes scanned the apartment for her tennis shoes and found them sticking out from under the couch. She leaned down to swipe them up into her arms as she settled herself beside her sister Ashley who sat stoic, reading a book. "What're you reading?" Amy asked, making small talk as she slipped on her Keds and tied the laces. Ashley flashed her the cover of the book, allowing Amy to read the title, The Invisible Man and nodded. "H.G. Wells. Good choice." Ashley didn't respond, but Amy didn't mind, her sister wasn't one for idle chitchat.

"Are you going to come to the barbeque this afternoon? It should be fun and the food is free."

Ashley shrugged and sighed, shutting her book and turning toward her sister. "Maybe. Toby said he might stop by later and mom mentioned something about going together, but I don't know. I just don't want to go alone."

"Well," Amy said, pulling her laces one last time, "I'll be there and so will Mariah and Megan, so even if Toby and mom don't come, you should. It'll be fun Ashley."

She again only shrugged and crossed her arms. "But you'll all be busy doing your day camp counselor thing. I'll just wait and if I come I come, if I don't I don't. Okay?"

Amy could tell that she wasn't up for debating about this anymore. She was going to do whatever she felt comfortable doing, so Amy left it alone. She nodded, smiled, and stood up. "Alright, well, I hope to see you there."

Ashley turned back to her book and settled into the cushions of the couch as Amy grabbed her purse. "Bye Ashley."

Locking the door behind her Amy made sure to check before taking off down the stairs. She shifted her bag from her wrist onto her shoulder and took the elevator to the lobby. She waved at Otis, the doorman of the building, saluting him in the comical way they did every day. Otis' deep voice chuckling, "Good day Miss Amy."

And her response, "Same to you Sir Otis."

He hailed a cab for her and she thanked him, waving as the car pulled away from the curb and headed toward Central Park. She had been a Summer Counselor for the Kid's Club, an after school foundation for city kids, for the past two years and today the foundation was receiving a very hefty and generous donation from Boykewich Butchers who were also throwing a huge Summer Barbeque blowout. Amy and the rest of the Counselors had planned a bunch of games and activities for their kids and their kids' families to celebrate and had invited everyone they could to the event. It was sure to be the talk of the city. She was already smiling thinking of all the fun to be had that day. To say she enjoyed working with kids was an understatement and she could barely express to herself, let alone anyone else, how much she loved her job. She wanted to be a teacher when she got older and her work at the Kid's Club had solidified that aspiration.

Amy stared out the window as the cab zigzagged through traffic, coming closer and closer toward the park until they got stuck behind the huge line of cars. People were obviously trying to find parking on the street. Checking her phone for the time Amy decided it'd be best to just get out and walk the rest of the way. She could just spot her fellow counselors gathering under the big tent just through the trees of the park. "Here's fine, thank you," she said to the cab driver handing him cash before getting out and making her way through the deadlocked cars. "Twenty minutes," she mumbled to herself, checking her phone. When she reached the entrance of the park she broke out into a steady jog and made a beeline for the group of people huddled in the middle of the park.

She was amazed at how many booths and bounce houses were set up, already taking into account the different food tents around the area and game booths to visit with her kids. There was also a huge stage set up where she figured bands would be playing and the smell of meat cooking from all over. Her stomach grumbled as she caught sight of a cotton candy booth."I know where my first stop is going to be," she chuckled. As she closed in on the group she spotted her two friends Mariah and Megan talking to each other toward the front of the crowd. She headed for them, waving at some of the other counselors as she did so before stepping into the girls' conversation.

"Look at all of this! Boykewich Butchers sure know how to throw a party huh?" Amy laughed as Megan's eyes scanned the park, pulling her friends' attention to her.

"Amy!" Mariah cried, reaching out to hug her friend. "We were wondering when you'd show."

"Bad traffic on the way in. Did Margaret take role yet?"

"I'm just about to Amy." A plump dark-skinned woman interjected, offering her the clock in sheet. "Just sign your name and then get your clipboard from the desk over there. The kids will be showing up soon and I still want to go over some ground rules, so we'd better hurry this along." Amy smiled at her boss Margaret Shakur and nodded.

"Will do Margaret, whatever you say."

The older woman chuckled and patted Amy on the shoulder before turning toward a tall thin woman in black shorts and a maroon Boykewich Butchers shirt. Amy quickly signed her name and passed the clipboard on, Megan and Mariah following suit. The three then made their way over to the Kid's Club enrollment booth and waved at Shakur, Margaret's husband who was talking to a guy, around their age, dressed in the same maroon BB t-shirt.

"Hey, who's that talking to your dad?" Amy asked as the girls closed in on the enrollment booth. Margaret and Shakur were Mariah's foster parents. Mariah who was still looking around at all the booths turned toward where Amy was motioning and stopped.

"No way. Ricky!" Mariah took off in a sprint calling the attention of both Shakur and the boy beside him who smiled at the sight of her. He circled the table to catch Mariah in her arms. "Hey Mari! Long time no see!"

She laughed as he lifted her off her feet and hugged him tight. "I thought you weren't going to be flying in until next week."

Ricky chuckled. "Change of plans. But I'm here now and I'm glad to see you."

"So," Megan interrupted, the intrigued glimmer in her eye causing Shakur and Amy to both share a look, the look in Megan's eye a familiar one. "Who's your friend Mariah?" Amy chuckled as she waved at Shakur and took the clipboard he was offering her.

Shakur patted the boy's shoulder and chuckled as well, turning towards the girls with a proud grin. "Girls this is Ricky Underwood. Ricky this is Megan Freeman and Amy Juergens." Both Amy and Megan shook his hand, Megan's grip lingering on his before he was able to pull away and Mariah cast Amy a knowing glance. She rolled her eyes and shoving him playfully.

"He was my foster brother, until he got adopted."

Amy nodded, surprised by the fact that Mariah had never mentioned him before, but knew that Margaret and Shakur often took in different children at different times. Even Mariah's house was full of pictures of scads of kids of different ages, so it wouldn't surprise her if she had mentioned him and Amy just didn't remember.

"Brother. I see. So," Megan started, taking one step closer to him, "you work for Boykewich Butchers now?"

Ricky again slipped his hands into his pockets and shook his head. "Not really, it's more like a summer internship. I hope to work in the company after college, but this summer I'm just basically here to watch and learn."

"Ricky's mother Nora is the PR Rep for BB, she's the one that put this all together." Shakur motioned toward the tall woman talking and laughing with Margaret.

"Well she did a great job." Amy complimented, turning back to Ricky and Shakur with a motion to the expanse of the park. "This place looks great and the kids are gonna love it."

Ricky smiled a little wider and nodded toward her. "Thank you, I'll be sure to tell her you said that." They held each other's gaze for a beat longer before she dropped it.

"Alright everyone! Gather 'round please!"

The three girls turned to see Margaret ushering everyone over, Ricky's mother Nora standing at her side. "We'd better go." Amy said clutching her clipboard to her chest and throwing a glance toward Ricky. "It was nice to meet you," and he nodded in response as she turned away.

She heard Megan echo the sentiment, though her tone sounded more like a purr and Amy laughed. Mariah stayed behind speaking to him a bit longer as Megan caught up with Amy and weaved an arm through hers. "He is delicious don't you think?"

Amy scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Down girl. Come on, that's Mariah's brother."

Megan shrugged. "So?" She cast a glance over her shoulder and Amy caught her winking to whom she could only assume was Ricky.

"You're shameless you know that?"

Megan giggled and let out a school girl squeal, "And totally into Mariah's foster brother!" which Amy could only shake her head at.


"Well they seemed nice." Ricky laughed, not being able to keep the smirk from his face as Megan winked at him before leaving. Mariah shoved him again and shook her head, the expression on her face a mix between an eye roll and serious warning to "not go there". He laughed and leaned back against the table as she followed suit.

"Stay away from Megan, Ricky. I'm glad you're here, but I don't need you creating drama."

He tossed her a look and held his hands up in defense. "Me? Cause drama?" Shakur chuckled behind him

"Listen to your sister, Ricky."

But Mariah threw him a more serious glare. "I'm not kidding. Megan may talk a big game but she's really just that. All talk. And more often than not she needs to be saved from herself, just like you. Besides, Lord knows that your player ways do not need to cross state lines."

"Geez," Ricky complained shaking his head once more and getting defensive at her insinuation. "You talk like I'm some sort of disease infecting girls all over. I wasn't even thinking about going after your friend Megan."

Mariah raised her brow. "Really?"

He raised his brow as well and tossed her a pointed look. "I've hooked up with girls like her before. Trust me, I've had my fill of girls like Megan." His gaze travelled to where Mariah's friends were standing, listening to Margaret dish out instructions. "But Amy…" he trailed off, his gaze tracing the lines of her face and letting a smile creep up onto his face as she laughed at whatever Nora was saying to the group. "She might be a girl worth getting to know."

Mariah scoffed. "Please. Even if you did try to use your charms on her, Amy is exactly the type of girl you wouldn't be able to get."

Ricky turned to his foster sister and crossed his arms. "Is that a challenge?"

She shook her head. "No, it's the truth. So, save yourself the trouble and focus on what you're supposed to be focusing on during your stay here. Working for the company and growing up." Mariah pushed herself up from the table and pulled her brother into a hug, waiting until he hugged her back before laughing. "It is really good to see you and I want you to come find me later so we can catch up."

Ricky nodded and let her pull away, waving as she took off toward her friends, but not feeling any less offended by her words. Shakur stood behind Ricky watching his expression, weighing in on what to say before deciding to pat his shoulder once more and motion to behind the table. "Why don't you come help me over here son, I could use help setting up the booth, then you can go head out and join Mariah."

Ricky stood transfixed on Mariah and her friends, his gaze moving to Amy once more before moving back behind the table. "Yeah, alright, what can I do to help?"


AN Spoilers: I've always felt like if Amy's parents' divorce made more of an impact than was really let on. I mean, in the show the time is so focused on her teenage motherhood that it is barely mentioned how her parents' divorce affects her and Ashley. But, in the last few episodes, especially the "4-1-1" episode, Amy really begins to be honest about how her parents broken marriage sobered her up. Therefore, even though, in this universe, Amy and Ricky never had John at fifteen, she still became the strong, independent, young woman she is in the show. And though it's not put in TOO much detail, (cause you're going to get more of Amy's background later in the story) it does play a major factor in Amy and Ricky's pending relationship. Well, hope you enjoyed! REVIEW!