A week after the competition Alex had spent more and more time out, barely spending time with her parents skipped school and spent more time at the studio. She knew she was hurting her parents but it had been one of those weeks one of those you want to curl up in a ball and wake up next month weeks. Brooke had got mad and grounded her when she skipped school the first time on Monday and that just made her more mad, Tuesday she skipped school texting Brooke to say that she will be back by 10 then ignored her then Wednesday was the same and Thursday it was now Friday and nothing had got better only worse. "Alex! Alex! Wake up time for school!" Brooke said opening the curtains Alex had no intention of going to school she would next week she promised herself she just needed more time she just wanted to be alone for a little bit get herself together she knew her problems were ridiculous were pointless made her seem spoiled she should suck them up but couldn't get out her bubble of self pity. Her friends had said she had changed she didn't want to have, she didn't think she had and so what if she had. "Up! Up now!" Brooke said getting angry "okay okay!" Alex said not bothering to check her phone knowing that she would regret the argument that had started between her and Natasha last night. It didn't take long for Alex to get ready and drag a brush through her hair and tie it back in a messy bun. "School today I mean it and when we get home we are going to talk!" Brooke said receiving a roll of the eyes before leaving in her car.
Alex was getting ready to head out before she heard a knock on the door "ready?" Payton said "for what?" Alex asked in return. "School with me!" Payton replied "you will be in all day today no excuses Your parents have had enough of this! I will stay with you all day if I have to" Payton said making Alex shiver had enough did this mean that they had had enough of her were they going to send her away. Alex nodded climbing in to Payton's car she had to admit she loved Payton's car so she didn't really care when Payton drove her to the door and followed her to her first class. "Now has Mommy bought you a baby sitter" Natasha said "shut up tash" Alex said not bothering to look at her as she found her seat "oh so now I'm tash last night I was bitch!" Natasha laughed "girls!" Her Maths teacher said first period finished and Alex was met by Payton at the door by this point Alex wasn't embarrassed or annoyed kind of grateful that somebody cared enough to do it. "Can't be trusted I see" Rory said as Payton and Alex walked passed her on the way to her second period "good one" Alex said sarcastically making Payton smile. Payton left the school at break just before 3rd period after making Alex promise to stay.
"What are we going to do with her nate?" Brooke asked desperately sitting across from Lydia who was playing happily with her dolls "we sent her to school with Payton she has it covered you know that!" Nathan said securely knowing Payton could scare anybody straight "she called me mom!" Brooke said "I know it was force of habit but she did and I think that she regrets it that's why she is acting out!" Brooke finished sadly this is something she thought from the start but saying out loud hurt, Nathan nodded understanding. Payton entered the store a little aster to find both parents staring into space and Lydia jump into her arms. "Is she okay?" Brooke asked worried "yes she is in class she has Haley last she will drive her home!" Payton explained "no that girl can handle herself!" Payton said deciding not to mention the bitchy comment. "She loves you guys so much don't let this attitude ever let you doubt that." Payton said trying to reassure her best friend. "What do we do how do we help?" Nathan asked desperately "Nathan she is doing fine her grades are amazing she works two jobs she is a good kid she is 20 times better than we were at school all you have to do is get her there!" Payton said handing over Lydia.
Alex was making her way to last period when Rory made her way over, Alex had been friends with Rory for a long time she had Aarron he had her since day one but she did need girl friends even if they did equal drama "Rory I can't be bothered with it anymore I'm sorry if you think I've changed i'm sorry if you think I've forgotten you I'm sorry I didn't mean to I didn't" Alex rambles on. Rory knew it wasn't Alex's fault that she wanted to spend time with her family she wasn't mad just felt forgotten "shhh" she said pulling Alex into a hug "I know I was feeling forgotten like all those years meant nothing now you have parents that care and I'm over here invisible! I was jealous" Rory admitted truthfully as Alex pulled away noticing an angry Natasha making her way over "two faced much" she said spitefully "no fed up!" Rory said "we were feeling left out and we took it out on her" she finished "NO! I was feeling angry that she fucked off with her new family we are her family!" Natasha cried "we are a family! Me you Rory Arron were a family you have parents you got to be a kid and do kid things I never got that and yes I've changed I'm trying harder I want to be a kid that Brooke wants and she really isn't that bad you just have to meet her" Alex argued "you never asked?" The two girls said sadly "what?" Alex asked confused "we kept waiting it's been weeks you didn't introduce her at your Grans funeral you just forgot about us!" Natasha explained hurt "I didn't forget I spent the funeral with you guys I didn't even think about it I was to busy making sure no one would notice me and I.. I... Didn't forget I just want you to like her and I don't want to have to pick!" Alex said angry she was made to feel that way "I'm so sorry" Natasha felt guilty she made her best friend feel so crap! "you will meet her I promise when I get passed this whole grounded thing" Three girls walked into Haley's class five minutes late "sorry were late" the girls laughed awkwardly making there way to the seats getting a pretty big smile from a very happy Arron.
"Okay class I'm transporting you back to middle school taking my you back to your youth I want an essay about family! Who they are? Where there are? If you have one? If you don't? personal! Over the weekend" Haley explained as the bell rang and everyone stood to leave apart from Alex and the girls who made there way over to one another and embracing in a cringe group hug you would only see in an awkward Disney show. Rory and Natasha saying goodbye and making there way out the class, Alex attempting to form a reasonable excuse to why she was late. "You okay?" Haley asked "yeah" Alex answered truthfully "ready to go?" Alex asked and Haley threw her hand round her neck and walked her out!
Brooke was home before Alex got home waving to Haley before going in dreading the talk that was about to happen between her and her mother. "Hi!" Brooke said "hi" Alex replied awkwardly going to say more but deciding against it and heading to her room Brooke sighing in frustration and following Alex into her bedroom "honey? We have to talk okay?" Brooke said Alex didn't want to but nodded making room for Brooke on the bed "skipping school? Breaking curfew? Not okay!" Alex nodded "grounded for two weeks!" Alex again nodded not saying a word "after that an 8:30 curfew!" Alex agin nodded taking everything she deserved "I'm sorry!" Alex said "why?" Brooke asked "why am I sorry or why did I do what I did?" Alex asked "why did you do it was it because you called me mum it's okay I know it was an accident" Brooke explained with this Alex's heart broke and she reached into Brooke's arms enclosing her in a hug "no.. Not that at all I called you mom yes it just happened but I do see you.. You know as my mom! I live with you I trust you and that's more than I can say for my mother, I had fallen out with my friends and I was in a feel sorry for myself moods" Alex explained "please don't hate me I'm sorry!" Alex cried "what? Alex I could never hate you your my daughter! I love you! I love you so much!" Brooke asked hurt "I love you too Brooke"