So, I haven't been on in forever because life has been so busy for me, but now it's summer and hopefully I will have enough down time to update more frequently. Review your comments, requests, thoughts, and suggestions! Thank you so much!

Constance

Constance waited impatiently for the other three to get home. Her school finished early, primarily because Number Two could only handle so much of her rambunctiousness, and even Mr. Benedict's patience was stretched thin by lunchtime.

And so Constance did what she always did to pass the time: get into trouble here and there, break some things, un-clean her room, throw a tantrum, eat all the cookies in the cookie jar – she'd developed an unfortunate habit of reading Rhonda's mind to find out where the jar was hidden.

She felt the usual tug in her brain at half past three and raced to her window. Sure enough, Kate, Reynie, and Sticky were meandering up the street. When they stepped into the house they were greeted enthusiastically as Constance bounced off the floor to fling her arms around Sticky.

"Um, hi," he said, taken aback and trying to get out of her grasp. "Personal space, please."

"Obviously," she grumbled, composing herself and crossing her arms. She scowled at Kate and Reynie. "How was your stupid high school?"

"It was strange," Reynie said. "Things are just… different, there."

"Why?"

"Nothing, no reason," Reynie said shiftily, avoiding her gaze. "The people."

Constance scrutinized him, brow slightly furrowed, then said triumphantly, "Ha! It's the girls!"

"Yeah, ha ha," Sticky said stiffly, hoping fervently that she wouldn't try to delve into his mind and disclose his secrets next. He tried to think of lettuce and not Cleo.

"What are you talking about?" asked Kate in an uncharacteristically sharp tone.

"Reynie's nervous because all these girls suddenly… like him?" Constance mimed sticking her finger down her throat and started hacking for effect. "That's disgusting! Girls liking Reynie?"

"Hey! I'm likeable," he said defensively. "Anyway, I'm more anxious about social things in general."

"Yeah, right," said Constance gleefully. "You're just thinking about how one girl said you were cute and now you can't figure out what it means and - "

"Stop it!" cried Reynie and Kate simultaneously. The former gave the latter a peculiar, searching look; she blushed and stared at the ground. "I'm going to go fix myself a sandwich," Reynie continued stoutly, "and Constance, you can just go read someone else's mind." He stormed off.

"Things are getting hormonal here," Rhonda said calmly, appearing behind them. "Our boys are growing up."

"No they aren't," snapped Kate. "Reynie's still the same person."

Connie smirked. "Kate Wetherall, are you trying to hide something from me too?"

Kate dodged her fixed stare. "Stay away, Connie-girl," she said warningly. "I'm gonna go find Madge and work on some of our new tricks." And with that, she too disappeared.

Constance looked bewildered, eliciting a small amount of pity from Sticky. He understood that it couldn't be easy being the youngest one in their group, and maybe it was unkind of him to be cold to her when she probably just wanted to fit in. Turning to her – he'd been resolutely facing the wall – he offered, "Constance, do you want to go get an ice cream with me?"

"I don't know… I'm really upset…" Constance said gloomily. She gazed up at Sticky, widening her eyes in what he had often heard being referred to as a "puppy dog look".

"I'm sorry, Constance," he said. "I know that - "

Suddenly her face split into a wide grin. "Who's Cleo?" she asked brightly, watching him. "What does that have to do with pottery? You're – why, Mr. President, you like a girl!"

Flaming red, Sticky yelled, "Constance! Enough is enough! You can't go around trying to invade our privacy all the time! Someday it's going to get you into big trouble! Why can't you be normal for once?"

Constance fell back like she'd been slapped. Looking legitimately hurt this time, she quieted. "Well then," she said, and walked up the stairs, tripping on her feet as usual.

So what are your thoughts on this chapter? I thought that one of the conflicts in the story should be the fact that the older kids are growing up. They lived a sheltered and unorthodox life for a long time, and now poor Constance is stumbling to keep up with them. I think in the next few chapters some things will happen – perhaps we'll see more of Kate's jealousy, she might turn to someone for advice, and they'll make amends with Constance. How does that sound?