Tina studied herself in the mirror. She could not believe the big day had finally arrived. She was finally a high school senior. According to Louise, senior year was just another year of school. Its only clear advantage being it was last year's government made you go. Then again Louise did not know anything about high school. She was only just beginning eighth grade and she had never liked school. Even though Louise was generally the smartest of the Belcher children. Tina knew she was right this time. Senior year was the start of everything. This was the year of graduation, senior portraits, yearbook quotes, senior prank which admittedly Tina was not super stoked for but everything else was amazing. The best part was this was the year of the real prom. Due to its small size. Huxley High had prom for all grades but the senior prom was special. It was held at either one of the local hotels or in a hall. Not in the crowded gym that smelled of feet and sweat. "Prom" Tina said the word aloud with a sigh. Prom was not going to be what she expected. At least not unless a miracle happened. She could not believe that Jimmy Junior had dumped her last spring. She was mostly over the breakup. As in she didn't cry anymore about it, but it still hurt. That being said, this was senior year, and she was not about to let a breakup ruin her life. She was going to focus on the best year of her life. The first year of the rest of her life.

For her first day she wore a maroon skirt similar to the blue one she wore in her Wagstaff days over black tights and her signature off brand Chuck Taylor's. Maroon and black were the Huxley High colors. She wore the "MudStains" shirt she had gotten at the concert she attended last year. She still wasn't wild about their music, but they did have a few songs that weren't bad. Mainly she liked them ever since Sage told her that the lead singer ran a Ranch that took in abused horses. The ones that could be completely rehabilitated were donated to stables and camps that offered hippotherapy to people with chronic illnesses and disabilities. She could definitely support them knowing that.

"Woah MudStains are you finally into good music?" Louise gasped.

"Louise! We've been over this. I just like them because they work with horses and help people with disabilities." Tina groaned.

"They also produce the best music of our generation." Louise countered.

"I stand by Boyz 4 Now and Destiny Whitney are the voices of our generation." Tina sighed.

"Don't mention Boyz 4 Now in my presence! Boo Boo is a trader!" Louise snapped. Louise had absolutely despised "Boyz 4 Now" ever since they didn't host a charity concert for the "North America Asthma Association" Because Boo-boo thought asthmatics were gross.

"OK fine but I really think you would like Destiny Whitney if you gave her a chance." Tina prodded.

"Destiny Every Song I Write Is About Boys and Breakups Whitney? Fat chance" Louise laughed.

"Alright you two." Gene warned.

Gene or G.G. as they liked to be called. Studied themselves in the mirror. They tried to ignore Tina's groans and Louise's pleas to be allowed to stay home. They were trying to fight through their own slump. They rarely felt the standard frustrations of being the middle child. Even though neither Bob nor Linda was the middle child. Despite Gayle claiming that Linda and her had an older brother. They still made sure Gene never felt lost in the shuffle and Louise was more than happy to let G.G. take the majority of Linda's abundant affection. She had even gotten better at sharing Bob. Though she still insisted on being "Daddy's Favorite." G.G. never felt neglected but sometimes she felt like she was missing out. Today was one of those days. Tina was starting Senior year of high school and Louise was going into eighth grade. Meanwhile she was just going into boring old tenth grade. Nothing special, nothing monumental. The best tenth grade offered was the PSATs. They just wanted to feel special. They wanted to experience something monumental.

For their first day of tenth grade G.G. had decided on Catholic School girl skirt over black jeggings and the Gender Fluid Pride Flag t-shirt they had worn in the local Pride Parade in June. They wore yellow socks under their sparkly pink sneakers she had bought last week. They had finally learned how to curl their hair in July, and they were ecstatic to show it off. They stepped out into the hallway to hear Tina and Louise arguing over music again. It wasn't a real argument. Louise just liked stirring the pot and Tina just got super defensive about her music tastes.

"Alright you two." G.G. warned.

"Did we upset you?" Tina asked.

"No but be glad I finished curling my hair when I did." G.G. laughed.

"G.G. I am glad you are living your truth. I really am but could you stop with the looks obsession?" Louise moaned.

"You don't get it now, but you will." G.G. laughed.

"Trust me. No, I won't." Louise argued.

Louise studied herself in the mirror. God, she hated that she had to endure another year at Wagstaff. She wished that her parents would just let her stay at home and work at the restaurant. She didn't exactly love her restaurant chores, but it was better than school. At least at work she had her family. She didn't have anybody since Millie went to the dark side, Kaylee transferred to that stupid Magnet School, and Megan graduated. She had Rudy until his mom decided to get remarried last spring and moved Rudy four hours away over the summer. She still had Jessica or so she thought. She was supposed to come back this year, but she had also ghosted Louise last week. Maybe she had gone to the dark side too.

For the first day of eighth grade. Louise had chosen her a pair of jean shorts, her oversized Kuchi Kopi shirt, and a pair of combat boots. She still wore her old bunny ears though they were really beginning to show their age and she wondered how much longer she would have them. Not wanting to get dragged for her lack of school spirit. She begrudgingly clipped blue and gold earrings to her ears. She prayed nobody would find out they were clip Ons and that she was too cowardly to actually pierce the fabric.

"Louise! Tina and Gene are leaving come say goodbye!" Linda called.

"Bye!" Louise called out her door.

"Bye Louise, see you after school! I hope you make new friends!" Tina called.

"But keep the old! One is silver and the others gold! And see if anybody knows exactly which is which! I've got twenty dollars riding on it!" Gene cried.

"I don't have any old friends and there is nobody at that school I want to befriend!" Louise snapped.

"Louise don't be so negative." Bob warned.

"Yeah, and you have friends. They are just in different places." Linda reminded.

"Kaylee and Rudy are in different places. Millie is Chloe's favorite minion because she is the only one dumb enough to completely follow her and Jessica, Jessica only wants to be cool too." Louise sighed.

"Louise sweetie Jessica still wants to be your friend, but the thing is." Linda began.

"Lin! We agreed to wait until after school to tell her." Bob whispered.

"Tell me what?" Louise asked.

"Louise, Jessica has been through a lot the past couple of years and right now a lot just became a lot more a lot. So, give her some space, OK?" Linda explained.

"Uh OK. Look this no friend thing is going to definitely get on Frond's radar. So, I am going to stay in his OK graces. Which means getting to school early. So, peace out." Louise explained, not wanting even her parents to know how excited she was about the before school science club.

"Bye" Linda muttered.

"The peas out burger!" Bob cried.