As soon as Colin reached the basement, he felt tears rush down his cheeks. The last 2 nights had been the most stressful, emotional days of his entire life. Before today, he had cried about 5 times in his life, but today, of course, was not a normal day in the slightest.
He couldn't believe in the horrible luck he had had over the last 2 days. First, he was transported to this world, and now this? Mama and Chica wouldn't be able to keep their house! Their store! They would be on the streets! And it would be all his fault...
"Hey."
He looked up. Through blurred eyes, he could make out all of the kids standing in the doorway.
He wiped his eyes and looked away. He couldn't let these people see him like he was: vulnerable.
"What are you doing down here?" Here finally asked. After a second, an answer.
"Lisa told us everything," Lincoln said. "The portal, her machine, your family..."
Colin sighed and turned to face them, now feeling more defensive than emotional.
"It doesnt matter anymore, Chico," he snapped. "They'll probably be either moved or dead by the time I get back. And there isn't anything left to do about it."
Again, silence. This time, though, a small voice came from the back of the crowd.
"That actually isn't true...according to my calculations, I could probably get the new machine done in 10 months instead of 12."
Noticing that her calculations weren't cheering him up, she quickly added her condolences.
"I'm sorry I dropped the machine, Colin, I really am. But there isn't anything else to do but get to work on the new one."
All of a sudden, he was overcome with grief. The roller coaster had hit another loop, so to speak.
"And it really isn't the fact that they're all alone, though!" he blurted out. "Look at me! I'm in a strange place, I look strange, and I don't know anybody here! And what am I supposed to do for the next 12 months? I mean, I can't just sit here in the basement!"
"Of course you can't, Colin," Lori said. "But you can't give up!"
"Uh, yeah, I can," he said, standing up. "I'm doing it right now."
"Wait!"
He looked back at the voice who had cried out. It was Luna this time.
"Look, dude, I know you're confused right now. But you can't just leave! Where will you go?"
"Somewhere ft hat isn't here, that's for sure..."
"Dude, we already have an air mattress set up and everything! AND the school always accepts new kids!"
"The school?" He asked, confused. "Why would I-"
He suddenly realized what she was implying.
"No."
"C'mon, dude! This is-"
"Nope! Not doing it."
"But, but-"
"Sorry, no is no!"
"And why not?" An older kid asked.
"Umm, first off, do you really want a drifter living in your basement?!"
There was a mixture of 'I don't care...' and 'absolutely!'
"Well, what about your parents? They wouldn't-"
"Dude, if our parents are chill enough to let you stay a night, they won't mind you staying for 10 months. Believe me."
He sat back down on the bed, his mind beginning to delve into conflict.
"Well, dude? What's it gonna be?"
Colin thought long and hard about it. If he stays here, then he would be guaranteed a place to stay and live. He would go to school, find new friends, and...
Maybe, just maybe, he thought, he might have a chance. A chance to see what life was like on the good side of things. Not the slums, not fighting for survival, but just living. Colin, always the scrappy opportunist, saw prospect in the arrangment.
He made up his mind in almost no time.
"Well, geez...I mean, I guess if it's ok with your parents..."
"YES!" They all said with happiness in their voices.
"But there IS a problem, guys. I hardly know any of you..."
There was a long silence as the kids thought of a solution.
Luna chimed in after another minute.
"Well, I guess we'll just have to get to know each other better, mate. We still got 2 weeks before school starts again. That's plenty of time for you to find out what we're like."
Colin thought about home. Mama. Chica. San Diego. They would miss him, indeed, but...these 11 people who had just offered him a spot in their already massive family. A family he never had...
If this new life was to be radically different, then he was willing to risk it.
Pretty soon, he was grinning as he told Luna his final decision.
"Yeah, I guess that would work... hermana."
Luna looked at him, confused.
"Uhh...what does that mean?"
He smiled.
"Well, in Spanish, it means 'sister.'''
Colin stood up and spread his arms out for a hug.
"Awwwww!" The girls and Lincoln said as they got up and gave Colin the biggest hug he had ever had. He hugged them back, then turned and thought out loud to himself.
"You know, I'm gonna miss Mama and Chica. But honestly, there isn't any way that I'm going home any time soon. So I might as well just go with the flow for a while. I'll bide my time here, and when Lisa gets the portal machine up and running, then I'll go home."
He stopped and looked down with a smile at his adoptive family.
"But, for now, I think that I'm going to enjoy being in the Loud House."
Little did he know that by the next year, he'd find out that he wouldn't trade the world for living with these guys.
Oh, boy! What happens next? Will Colin get home? Will he meet new friends? Will Lonzo Ball be drafted by the LA Lakers? Find out next time, on "A Year As A Loud!"