Demi's POV

Past

"Thank You so much for dinner Selena, I was incredibly delicious." Dallas said politey picking up her plate and taking it into the kitchen.

"Thank You, but really it's no big deal, if you're staying with us, you might as well eat with us, right?" Dallas nodded smiling.

"So Dallas, you're fresh out of highschool right?" I asked her and she nodded. "Any plans for college?" We we're all sitting around the dinner table the night of her arrival. So far the girl had down impeccable manners. I couldn't help thinking that this is how I would want Alex to act when a guest in someone else's house. Speaking of Alex, Dallas even did well with her. My daughter took an instant liking to this girl, which is odd considering she normally hates strangers.

"Not right now, i cant really afford it at the moment, but i'm saving up and hoping to get in next year." She told me and i nodded thoughtfully. We all finished eating and clearing the table, Dallas insisted on helping with the dishes. Selena tried to tell her that there was no need, but she insisted. Seeing as how they were cleaning up the kitchen that left me in charge of Alex. I took her upstairs to give her a bath and then I dressed her in her onsie but she was being fussy.

"Alex, hold still" I commanded her knowing she couldn't understand me. I struggled to get her dressed for a few minutes before I finally succeeded and took her back downstairs to find the other girls had finished up in the kitchen and were on the couch chatting. I sat down next to my wife and placed the two year old on my lap.

"Oh my gosh, do you remember the look on Justin's face when I said that?" Selena laughed as they reminisced. "I can't believe I ever did that. Gosh, what was I thinking?" The two girls laughed some more.

"Well I gotta say, you intimidated quite a bit of people with the whole 'Rebel Russo' thing." Dallas told her and she nodded.

"I'm just worried for this little tyke if she ever becomes anything like I was." She leaned over and tapped Alex playfully on the nose. The little girl scrunched up her nose and covered it with one hand while using the other to grab Selena's wrist. We laughed as Selena gently removed her hand from Alex's hold.

"Seems like she already is." Dallas joked as the toddler climbed onto her mommy's lap and grabbed her face.

Present Alex's POV

I kicked a rock as I walked along the street watching it bounce and roll a few times before it came to a stop just so I could kick it again. People bustled about the busy streets of New York, parents getting some shopping in before they have to pick their kids up from school, Business people swinging around their brief cases dressed up in fancy suits walking like they own the place, vendors stood at the streets trying their hardest to sell their products to the pedestrins. I walked with no real destination in mind. I didn't feel like going home where I knew my parents had it in for me, so I walked, kicking the rock along with me, providing me with some entertainment and a sort of company.

"Alex?" A voice called out behind me. I turned around to see Dallas coming up to me.

"Hey kiddo, watchya doing out here? Isn't there still like twenty minutes left of school?" She asked.

"Yeah, but I had a free period so I thought I'd go for a walk." I lied smoothly. She nodded sticking her hands in her pockets as she walked beside me.

"I see. So what was it this time? Swipe some roses from the garden club to impress a girl? Defacing school property? Ooh or one of my favorites; filling the school's dodgeballs with Jelly!"

"No, no, no, I already did all that. Wait, how do you know about those things?" I looked at her and she shrugged.

"I just figured that was the stuff you would do. Your mom did it all." I started laughing.

"My mom? Selena Russo? You've got to be kidding me. She's a friggen saint, she would never do any of those things." I insisted and she chuckled.

"She might be a saint now, but she wasn't in highschool. Where do our think people came up with the term 'Rebel Russo'?"

"Um, maybe because it's my last name, and I'm the school rebel?" I said like it should be obvious, because to me it was.

"Uh huh. So while you're blowing off school, you mind if I show you something?" She asked and I thought for a moment before giving in.

"Sure." She lead me down the street some ways before she stopped at the corner and went in a shop I've never been to before. I followed her in, looking at all the knickknacks and antiques occupying the shelves.

"Dallas! Is that you? Long time no see!" A voice startled me as it came from behind the counter. An old man sat on a stool smiling kindly at Dallas and I.

"Mr. Peterson, it's so great to see you. This is Alex Russo." She introduced me. The old man leaned forward and adjusted his glasses.

"My word, Russo? You're Selena's kid aren't you?" he asked and I nodded suddenly shy.

"Well well, you look exactly like your mother, did you know that?" He asked me and I nodded again and he laughed. I looked to Dallas trying to figure out what was so funny.

"Yes, the spitting image, but certainly different in personality." He said.

"How so?" I asked and he shook his head.

"You know, your mother used to come in here back in the day, though this wasn't an antique shop then, it was a small diner that all the teenagers used to hang at. Your mother was quite the kid, always talking smack, going against any type of authority. Heck, she was in a fist fight every other week." I felt my eyes widen.

"Wow, you must be mistaken sir, my mom would never do that." I told him starting to wonder why mom never told me this.

"No, no. Selena Russo right? Looks JUST like you. She married that Lovato girl right?" I nodded. How was that possible?

"Hey Mr. Peterson that's actually why we're here. I was hoping to show Alex a little about what her mom was like." Dallas spoke up. The old man thought for a moment before he smiled.

"Why sure, I've got just the thing." He got off his stool and hobbled to the back room. A moment later he reappeared holding a book that seemed a bit worn out. He came up to the counter and handed it to me.

"That right there is the yearbook from when she was in high school." He informed me. I looked at him and then Dallas before opening the book and flipping through it. I stopped at a page filled with class photos and skimmed it with my eyes till I found what I was looking for. There was a picture of my mother only it seemed very odd to me because she was practically glaring at the camera. Her hair was lose, in waves around her shoulders and she was wearing a sweater. Then right under her right eye there was a gash across her cheek. I looked back up to the top of the page to find it labeled 'Freshmen'.

Mitchie's POV

I opened the door to the Russo's house, although they insisted it was now my own as well. I had taken the bus home not wanting to bother Selena and Demi, especially since they had probably been chewing Alex out. The minute I stepped inside, I was met with Demi's cold hard stare. I looked around to see Selena in the living room with the same look.

"Uh hey guys, what's up?" I said failing to keep the fear out of my voice. Oh no. Alex must have told them aout us. Crap, I thought they wouldn't mind, but apparently they do. Oh why didn't we just tell them from the start?

"Sit." Selena ordered and I scurried over to the couch and sat on the end farthest from them, keeping my head down and my hands in my lap. It was silent for a moment before Demi spoke up.

"Where's Alex?" She interrogated. Wait, what? I lifted my head in shock.

"What do you mean where's Alex? She's not here!?" Her parents seemed taken aback and seemed to share a look before turning back to me.

"No, we thought you would know. She tells you everything." Demi told me, her scary appearance gone.

"She usually does, but she went home today right after lunch." I told them and Selden thought for a moment.

"Okay. Can you tell us exactly what happened at school today?" I took a deep breath trying to calm my nerves under their stares.

"Well, after lunch we were heading to our lockers to get our books out for next period and Chase came up to us, he's a guy in our art class, and he wanted to speak with me so I told Alex to go ahead to class and I'd meet up with her later, so she left and Chase looked back at me."

"Why do you hang around her? You're so much better than some wannabe rebel." I felt myself get angry at his words and had to refrain from slapping him.

"Well, you know, it's better than hanging around sleeze balls like you." I spat at him but he merely smirked.

"Ooh, fiesty, I like it." He said coming towards me close enough to place his hands on my hips, and the instant I felt his touch I felt myself start to panic. I tried pulling away and backing up, but he held me firmly.

"Let me go." I told him surprised how strong my voice was considering how badly I was freaking out.

"I would, but you wouldn't want me to." He said smartly.

"What are you talking about?" I demanded still struggling to free myself.

"You know you want me Torres, Just admit it." He said leaning in and I felt my heart races as I watched him paralyzed. He was in close enough so that I could smell the mint in his breath when suddenly he pulled back.

"And then he said something to Alex but I couldn't her because he had said it quietly, but it must have been awful because she looked hurt for a split second before she got really mad." I concluded the story. Alex's parents seemed to think it over.

"So he came onto you?" Selena asked me and I nodded my head in response.

"But what could he have said to set her off like that?" Demi asked us. I thought for a moment.

"Well, I think I heard something it maybe not." I said and they motioned me to continue. "I think he said the word parents but i'm not sure.

"Wait, he said something about us that pissed her off?" Demi said.

"Language!" Selena scolded her wife.

"What? That's not bad, and she is 16 Selena." Demi defended and Selena gave her a stern glare making her mumble an apology.

The conversation was cut off when the phone rang. Demi being closest to it, immediately picked up.

"Hello?" She answered. "Yes this is her... Dallas?" She asked catching my attention. "Wow it's nice to hear from you, it's been a while... yeah... she is? Why- ... okay... yes, okay. Thank you so much... Okay then goodbye." She hung up and Selena came up to her. "That was Dallas, turns out Mitchie's older sister is the same Dallas we used to know." Demi informed her wife.

"Really? Wow, it really is a small world. So what did she want?"

"She has Alex with her."