Hi, guys! Sorry for the delay. So I'm supposedly typing this chapter from a computer instead of from my phone because I need the game to help me write. But then the site went down and writing this chapter became troublesome. But I finally finished it today!

There is a very small time jump because "High School Story" made a jump as well. I did write about stuff that Diana did in that time span if you'd like to read "Diana's High School Story." I imagine Lily just having a quiet Christmas with her family and I've already written about a lot of Christmases in the Hamato Clan. So, here we go! Going from homecoming to a new year!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "TMNT," "Meet the Robinsons," nor "Choices: High School Story." I only own Diana, Karena, Lily, James, Little Donnie, and Mika.

P.S. Thank you, thank you, thank you, to those who have read THE ENTIRETY of this story! I'm very proud of my work here and I am actually excited to finish it, even if it's... nope. Not spoiling anything. I hope y'all will enjoy this chapter!

September 26, 2059 - Westport, Connecticut, USA

DIANA'S POV

We walked into Staples High School, prepared to take their spirit stick as a plot of revenge against their manipulation of Myra.

"The trophy case is up ahead," Julian told me and Caleb. "Just take the next right."

Caleb and I turned the corner and...

"What are you two doing here?"

I came face-to-face with Zoe. I glanced around, giving a nod to the group to go back. I turned to Caleb, and then I looked the other way again. Our friends had disappeared.

"Zoe?"

"Yeah. It's me. You're at my school. And why are you even dressed like that? You don't go to Staples."

Zoe looked up and down at me.

"Although blue might be your color."

"I have a friend who goes to Staples," I lied. "And I asked her if I could try her cheerleading uniform on. And then she asked me to hold on to it until next time."

Zoe studied me for a moment before stepping towards Caleb.

"Whatever. I'll let it slide."

She reached out to touch Caleb's arm, but he shirked back.

"It's been a while," she said with sadness. "How... How have you been, Caleb?"

"How do you think? It's been rough."

"I've been thinking about you a lot lately, and I really wanted to talk."

"You have?" Caleb asked with surprise.

"No time like the present, right?"

"Maybe I should give you two some privacy," I spoke up, preparing to turn around.

"What?" Caleb replied. "No. You can stay, Diana. I need someone by my side."

"Well, if you're sure."

I immediately felt awkward.

"Caleb, I was an idiot," Zoe explained. "And I... I miss you. I really do."

"Then why did you cheat on me?" Caleb asked. "And with Brian of all people? I didn't just lose my girlfriend that day. I lost my best friend, too."

"I know. And I'm sorry. I didn't realize what I had until it was gone."

Zoe reached for him again, but Caleb pulled away.

"Zoe, I... I can't do this."

"We had something great together, though."

"Be honest with me. Are you still together with Brian?"

"What? I.. I... That doesn't matter."

"Well, that's a yes," I sternly chimed in.

"You don't know how hard it's been to pick up the pieces of my life. I found a really great support system."

"Caleb has new friends to lean on," I stood up for him. "We've been there for him since you left. And we're not going anywhere."

Caleb nudged my arm.

"Thanks, Diana. I couldn't do this without you guys."

Zoe crossed her arms and glared at us.

"I see you've made your choice... for now. I just wish that you... Never mind. You guys better leave Staples. I won't be as forgiving if I see you again."

She stormed off towards the gym, glancing back at us with a heavy sigh. I turned to see Caleb sitting down on the floor against the wall, burying his head in his hands, and I joined him.

"Why did we have to run into her?" he asked solemnly.

"For what it's worth, I think you handled it well," I replied, rubbing his back.

"Thanks. I'm glad you stuck around."

"I mean it when I said I'm not going anywhere."

I bounced back up and held my hand out to him, who took it with a grin.

"Now, how about we meet up with everyone and get that spirit stick?"

"Let's do it."

We found our friends in the security room where we discovered the code to the trophy case. We went back out into the hallway with Julian leading us. I learned along the way that Julian had started his high school career at Staples but transferred to Westport High when it was founded.

"Coast is clear," he whispered to us. "Now's our chance."

We approached the trophy case and I entered the code. The keypad lit up green and the door slid open!

"Success!" I exclaimed quietly.

"You actually made that look easy," Aiden replied with a grin.

I grabbed the blue and yellow spirit stick and waved it in the air.

"Come on. Let's get out of here before someone catches-"

"Spirit stick. Spirit stick. Does whatever a spirit stick can!"

"Go, go, go!" I whispered to my group.

"Wins us games, 'gainst any team. Look out! Here comes- HEY!"

I froze in place, turning around to see Max glaring at me my way. But his gazed softened at my appearance. He walked up to me and checked me out.

"It's funny," he said with a sly smile. "You'd think I'd remember seeing a hot Staples cheerleader like you around here. I dunno why, but you look so familiar."

I decided to play along and coyly smiled at him, playing with a strand of my hair.

"Oh, really? I don't know why. Maybe it's because we're... destined to be together. This could be a sign from the universe."

"I'd follow those signs any day for someone as hot as you," Max replied, stepping closer to me.

"Suit yourself," I said flirtatiously.

"Yo, Max!" Brian suddenly yelled down the hall. "There you are! The entire team's waiting for you."

Brian strutted up to him and patted him on the back.

"Can't you see I'm a little busy, Brian?" Max asked in annoyance.

"With a Westport High student?"

I silently chuckled.

"Back off, Brian. I saw her first- Wait, did you say Westport High?"

"Guilty as charged," I said in my normal voice, taking a bow.

"Give us back our spirit stick!" Max yelled.

"Nah! Bye!"

I used my kunoichi skills to run and flip away from Max and Brian. I eventually caught up with my friends when Julian shouted out.

"Everyone split up! They can't follow all of us."

"Diana, let's go!" Caleb yelled at me.

Caleb and I ran down a different hallway only to run into a dead end.

"Uh-oh!" he exclaimed. "End of the road."

"Caleb, quick! In here!"

I dragged Caleb into what felt like... a broom closet. It was so dark and so cramped that my body was touching his!

"And I thought Julian's car was cozy!" I whispered.

"I guess I can't escape tight spaces with you today. Not that I'm complaining."

I chuckled. But I knew we weren't out of it. I kept an ear out for Max and Brian.

"Hear anything?" Caleb whispered.

"Shh! Someone's coming!"

"I could've sworn I saw two of them go this way," Brian spoke outside.

"I knew I should've stopped Diana and Caleb earlier," Zoe angrily replied.

"We must've missed them," Max said. "Come on. Let's double back."

I stayed still, waiting until the footsteps faded away.

"Okay, let's go."

We slowly got out of the closet and glanced around.

"The coast is clear," I told him. "Let's get back to the car. We've got what we came here for."

We walked down the hallway, but it didn't last long.

"They're bound to come this way," Max said from around the corner. "There's no other way out."

"You better be right about this," Zoe replied.

I peeked around the corner and saw the trio blocking the entrance. I stepped back and whispered to Caleb.

"They've got the front door blocked. We might be able to sneak past them, but they'll probably catch us sooner or later."

"There is one other option."

Caleb pointed to a door across the hallway.

"Roof Access. Caleb, that's genius! Come on!"

We opened the door and climbed the stairway to the roof.

"Whoa!" I exclaimed loudly, taking in the view of Long Island Sound. "What a sight!"

"Yeah, you're telling me!" Caleb replied in awe.

We walked to the edge of the roof. I took both my phones out and took pictures with a view.

"Why do you have two phones?" Caleb asked. "Are you as secret agent?"

"I'm a ninja," I answered honestly.

"Huh! That's really cool. No wonder you're so talented!"

I laughed before we continued staring out at the stars in the sky above the water.

"I know they're our rivals and everything," Caleb said. "But dang! I'm jealous of this view."

"This actually makes me think of love," I replied, Donatello and April immediately coming to mind. "I mean, the view's so romantic."

I glanced over at him.

"Especially with such a handsome guy."

I held his hand, and to my surprise, he laced my fingers together.

"Yeah, it's pretty nice up here," he replied with a content smile. "But I think that's all because of you."

I glanced up at him in awe.

"Well, I can't take all the credit. But, you know, I can't believe we actually got away with the spirit stick."

"Don't jinx it!" Caleb suddenly exclaimed. "We're not out of the woods yet."

"We're almost there," I replied with a wink. "I think this calls for a toast."

"With what? We don't have any drinks. Unless you snuck some up here."

I chuckled.

"I wish. Instead, we can toast with a fist bump. To showing Staples High that Westport High won't be messed with!"

"And that if you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us!"

"Lastly, to great friends to share this adventure with," I finished the toast. "Cheers!"

We bumped fists with each other with huge grins on our faces.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Caleb complimented me.

"Hey, are you okay? I know seeing Zoe was a little rough."

He frowned, then smiled.

"Yeah, that definitely wasn't in the plan today. But I think it was good."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's taken a while, but I think I'm finally ready to move on."

"Watch out, world!" I shouted with delight. "Caleb's single and ready to mingle!"

"Yeah, I am!" Caleb shouted.

We laughed.

"I think," he said with a chuckle. "I guess I don't really know yet."

"Maybe you just need the right person to come along first."

"Who knows? They could be just around the corner."

WILBUR'S POV

Diana kept her word and came back home at eight o'clock. She ate her dinner at the table and then made a beeline for her bedroom to do her homework. Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

"Who could that be?" Karena asked.

"Lily, maybe?"

We shrugged as I walked to the door and opened it. There was a teenage African-American boy wearing a white sweatshirt and blue jeans.

"May I help you?" I asked.

"Hi, are you Diana's dad?"

"Yes, I am," I answered with a smile, holding my hand out. "I'm Wilbur Robinson."

"Caleb Mitchell."

My brain suddenly clicked.

"Oh! You're that Caleb! Diana's said good things about you. Won't you come in? I can get her for you."

"No, not yet, Mr. Robinson. I actually need your help with something."

"Oh?"

I waved Karena over and the two of us stepped outside.

"This is my wife and Diana's mother, Karena. Karena, this is Diana's friend Caleb."

They shook hands.

"It's nice to meet you, Caleb!" Karena greeted him. "It's great to put a name to the face."

"It's good to meet you too, Mrs. Robinson."

"Wilbur and Karena, please," I corrected him. "So, what can we do for you?"

"I want to ask your daughter out to the homecoming dance and I want to do this in a... special way."

Karena slapped her hands on her cheeks with excitement.

"What do you need us to do?" she asked.

Suddenly, the door opened and out came our son.

"Who is that?" he asked.

I introduced the two boys to each other and they shook hands.

"Diana daydreams about you all the time," Wesley told him.

"Wesley!" Karena sternly exclaimed as Caleb laughed.

"Well, that's good to know. Anyway, Wesley, if you'd like to help me and your parents out, I was thinking of taking all these candles and making a path for Diana to walk to me at the end of the driveway. I'll stand there with a bouquet of white roses."

I smiled.

"You've paid attention. Of course, we'll help you."

The four of us worked together to place the candles on the porch, down the steps, and alongside the driveway. When we finished, I called Lily and asked her to come over.

LILIANNA'S POV

"Hello?"

"Hey, Lily, it's Wilbur."

"Hi! What's up?"

"Come on outside."

I did what he told me to and walked over to his house. My eyes widened at what I saw. There was a path of candles leading up to the house.

"Wilbur, aren't you spoiling your wife by having her see this?" I asked with a smirk.

"Oh, it's not for me!" Karena chimed in.

"It's for Diana's boyfriend!" Wesley said in a singsong voice.

"What all did I miss?" I asked with a chuckle. "Since when did Diana get a boyfriend?"

"She didn't, yet," a teenaged boy replied, walking my way. "I'm Caleb, one of Diana's friends and hopefully my date to the homecoming dance."

"Gotcha!" I replied, shaking his hand. "I'm Lily, Diana's godmother. It's so good to meet you!"

"You have three fingers on your hands!" Caleb exclaimed with surprise before he grinned. "But it's cool! You are an amazing person, Lily."

I leaned in to whisper to Wilbur.

"I hope she says yes."

"I'm going to go get her right now," he whispered back. "Can you videotape this whole thing?"

"Sure!"

I found the best position to do so while the Robinsons hid. Caleb stood at the end of the driveway, hiding behind his car inside a heart-shaped pattern of candles with a bouquet of white roses and a smile on his face. Eventually, Diana made her appearance at the door.

"Hello?" she asked, wearing her white shirt and Demin shorts.

She gasped at the candles and white rose petals leading away from the porch.

"What is this?" Diana asked.

She looked down and saw a note.

"Diana, take a walk with me," she read out loud.

She smiled from ear to ear and followed the path. I knelt down and got a good angle as I taped her reactions. To my amazement, there was music in the background, the most beautiful music I had ever heard. Wilbur and I both had followed Diana, videotaping her as she went, until she reached him. Caleb then took her hand and led her inside the circle just as the music ended.

"Is there a reason for this walk?" Diana asked.

"There is," Caleb answered. "These are for you."

Diana took the bouquet.

"What is all of this?"

"You've been on my mind a lot lately, so I had to ask... will you go to homecoming with me?"

Diana cried and laughed at the same time.

"Yes! Absolutely, yes!"

They eagerly hugged each other.

"That's... that's..."

Caleb swept Diana off the ground as they continued to laugh together.

"It's about time," Diana teased him. "I thought I'd have to ask you."

They slightly pulled apart and gazed at each other, his hands on her hips.

"Diana... you don't know how long l've waited for this. If I'm being honest, I've liked you for a while. I just couldn't do anything about it."

"Oh, yeah? So what are you gonna do now?"

Caleb glanced around at all of us watching this scene unfold. Then he kissed Diana on the cheek. Wilbur walked up and firmly patted Caleb on the back.

"Don't let my kiddo down," he told the boy.

"I'll try not to, sir."

"Good. Because I like you already."

Wilbur turned towards his daughter.

"Come on, Diana. It's late. You need your beauty sleep. I mean, have you seen your date?"

Karena and I cracked up laughing.

"Daaaaad!"

"Wesley, you too, young man."

Wesley followed his parents into the house while I remained outside with the couple. Diana returned a kiss to Caleb on the cheek.

"I'll see you Monday," she told him.

"Good night, Diana."

Caleb turned towards me.

"Good night, Lily!"

I waved at him as he drove away. Diana walked up towards me and squealed in delight. We hugged each other with grins on our faces.

"I'm so happy for you, Diana!"

"Thank you! I'm so excited now! My cousin Tallulah is coming here to Westport just to help me get ready for the dance."

"Now that is exciting! But for right now, you need to get inside and finish your homework."

She gasped.

"I totally forgot! Yes! I will go do that now."

Diana ran back inside her house and I chuckled. I walked back into my own house and spent quality time with my son and husband before we went to bed.

October 4, 2059

Yesterday's homecoming was a day to remember for all of us, especially my goddaughter. After watching Diana and Caleb drive past our houses in the parade, Wilbur had invited my family to go to the game with his family. However, Wesley did not want to go to the game. He ended up staying at my house with James and Little Donnie. Mika and I went along with Wilbur, Karena, Carl, and Tallulah to cheer Diana on.

Watching Diana cheering brought me back to my cheerleading days in Todayland. She was very talented and her father had taught her well. Her performance with the squad was exceptional and the band sounded fantastic. Karena had explained to me that Westport High's first football game literally went to the dumps with all three teams failing to work together. It almost had again, had Diana not intervened in Staples' foul play prior to the game. She had discovered the quarterback of Staples High had stolen Westport High's playbook and she somehow retrieved an older playbook from when the school was built. Thanks to that playbook and amazing teamwork amongst the football team, Westport High won the game in historic fashion. Diana was one of the students who went crowd surfing, with everyone around her chanting her name. It made Wilbur shed a tear, knowing that, while she was still quite young, she was making a difference in the people around her.

Today was the day of the dance. My family had been at the Robinsons' house all day helping Diana prepare. I helped Tallulah finish her dress. Wilbur and Diana trained with Little Donnie and Mika. Afterwards, the four children did schoolwork together, even though Mika was only four years old and simply enjoyed coloring in her sketchpad. James had assisted Karena and Carl with a barbecue that we all enjoyed.

Then, the doorbell rang. Diana ran to the door to greet three of her friends.

"Your homecoming crew is here and we brought the party!" the girl with medium-length brown hair said excitedly.

"I can't believe the dance is already here!" the blonde, Emma, replied with a huge smile.

"All our hard work had led to today!" a girl with short black hair proudly spoke. "I can barely contain my excitement!"

"Time flies when you're having fun!" Diana replied, "Come on in! Girls, this my cousin-twice-removed Tallulah, my godfather Carl, and my godmother Lily. Tallie, Carl, and Lily, these are three very good friends of mine, Myra, Emma, and Maria."

Carl shook everyone's hands while Tallulah and I hugged each of the girls.

"We're here to help you get ready," I simply explained. "And then when everyone is here, I'll be the one taking pictures."

"I know you probably get asked this a lot," Maria spoke. "But why do you have three fingers on your hand?"

"Her father is Donatello, the mutant turtle," Diana explained on my behalf.

"Really?" Maria grinned. "Are you also related to Leonardo?"

"He's my uncle!" I answered. "I'm honored."

"Anyway," Myra intervened. "The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are cool and all, but Diana, are you excited to see your date?"

"Diana has a date?" Carl asked with a shocked expression.

"Yes, Carl, I have a date, and I'm so excited!"

"I bet he's gonna look amazing in his suit," Emma said with a fond smile.

"It'll be a fun real first date with him," Diana replied.

"Alright, girls," Wilbur chimed in. "Mrs. Mitchell just called and said the boys are on their way."

"We have two bathrooms," Karena explained. "We have one upstairs and one under the stairs. Lily, Tallulah, and I will help you with your dresses and makeup if you'd like the assistance."

"Thank you again for having us over, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson," Maria replied with kindness.

"Wilbur and Karena, please!"

Maria went up the stairs while Emma went into the bathroom downstairs. Myra stayed out with the rest of us.

"So, Diana, what's the deal with you and Caleb?" Myra asked with a gleam in her eyes.

"I don't know, Myra," she answered, giving her a playful nudge. "What's the deal with you and other people's love lives?"

"Aw, come on! Getting ready for the dance is no fun if we're not gonna gossip about our dates!"

I shrugged, about to chime in, but I decided to listen to the conversation instead. I admitted mentally that I was intrigued mself about Diana's relationship with her date.

"Caleb and I are still figuring this out," Diana explained. "He was in a really serious relationship for a long time and I'm still new to the school. There's no need to rush into things."

"Okay, okay. But the moment anything happens, you're gonna tell us. Promise?"

Diana sighed and then laughed.

"Alright, Myra, I promise."

Emma came out of the bathroom wearing a sleeveless blue dress.

"Oh, Emma, you cannot wear that!" Myra teased her.

"Huh? Why?"

"Because Luis will fall at the first sight of you!"

"You've been involved in their relationship, haven't you?" l asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Luis has had a crush on Emma since the very beginning!" Myra explained.

Emma appeared shocked at first and then she chuckled.

Myra went in the bathroom and down came Maria, wearing a navy-blue dress with a silver-jeweled neckline and five-inch navy blue heels.

"Wow!" I exclaimed. "You wear those heels well. I cannot do that."

Maria grinned.

"I was about to ask if I look okay, but that may be enough to make me happy."

"I'd better be careful or Caleb might decide he'd rather go with you!" Diana replied with a laugh before she went into the bathroom upstairs.

"If he does, I can always remind him about all those signs I made him paint."

Just as the doorbell rang, Myra came out, wearing a sparkly pink dress.

"That dress looks amazing, Myra!" I complimented her.

"Thanks! Aiden's gonna hate it. Pink is his least favorite color."

"Wait a second, are you two a couple?" Emma asked. "I didn't realize you were going together."

"Oh, ew, no! No, we're just going as friends. That's why I'm wearing a dress he'll hate. It's so entertaining to tease him."

I quickly figured out that Aiden was very strict on himself and needed to loosen up. I remembered Diana telling me she was trying to teach him to loosen up.

"Does anyone need help with their makeup?" Tallulah suddenly asked.

"Me!" Myra volunteered.

Suddenly, three of the boys came in through the door, already dressed in their suits. The Asian-American boy, Aiden, wore a blue waistcoat, which Myra teased him about. The brown-haired boy, Michael, wore a white shirt underneath a black vest and black pants. The next one, a Latino-American named Luis, walked up to Emma.

"Wow, Luis!" she complimented him. "You really clean up nicely! Not that you don't normally look good, because I'm sure you could make a potato sack look good, but—"

"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why those two are my OTP!" Myra suddenly announced as Tallulah continued working on her makeup.

"You've been shipping me and Emma?" Luis asked with surprise.

"Come on!" Diana yelled from the upstairs bathroom. "Don't tell me you didn't notice!"

We all glanced at each other, surprised that Diana had a loud voice.

"Well, Emma..."

Emma kissed him on the cheek.

"It's okay. You could say I ship us, too."

"Where is Diana, anyway?" Michael asked, glancing around.

"Right here."

We all turned towards the stairs and saw Diana, wearing a red laced dress with a V-neckline and ruby red heels. Her long black hair was now up in a fancy bun that she had done herself. I glanced over to my left and saw Caleb, wearing a blue suit, with a proud smile on his face.

Diana grinned and started to gracefully walk down the stairs, her right hand on the railing. She stared right at Caleb as he walked closer to her. Then, the two kids blushed when they met up at the bottom of the steps.

"Wow..."

Diana was speechless, and I smiled. I had a feeling these two were in for the long haul.

"You're so handsome," Diana finished her thought with a fond smile. "I feel like the luckiest kid at school."

"That's funny," Caleb grinned. "So do I!"

We all laughed as Caleb took her arm and gazed down at her.

"You look great. It's a pleasure to escort you to homecoming."

"The pleasure is all mine."

Wilbur then walked up to me.

"So, what does the psychic say about this?" he asked me.

"That Diana is going to have an amazing time at the dance," I answered before addressing the small crowd. "Everybody, to the front yard! It's picture time!"

After Diana and her friends left to eat dinner at a local diner, my family ate dinner with the Robinsons. Most of our time was spent gazing at the photos I took, most of which looked so professional Wilbur suggested I open my own photography business. And when the sun set, we went back home.

I tucked Mika and Little Donnie into bed and wished them a good night before spending the next couple hours with my husband. I decided to spend the next hour alone with my thoughts.

Suddenly, I heard knocking. I glanced at my watch which said it was eleven o'clock at night. Preparing myself to play my kunoichi role, I opened the door. To my delight, it was Diana, who came home with a big smile on her face with a silver crown on her head.

"Lily, I won homecoming queen!" Diana squealed excitedly.

I squealed myself, embracing her in excitement.

"Come inside!" I beckoned her. "But we'll need to be quiet. Everyone's asleep."

"Ah. I promise to stay quiet."

I closed the door and we went outside to the backyard so we wouldn't disturb anyone. I hugged my goddaughter again and she embraced me back.

"Congratulations, Diana! That's quite the honor. How was the dance?"

"It was wonderful! I danced with all my friends, enjoyed jamming to the music, ate some delicious snacks..."

Diana trailed off, playing with the loose strands of her black hair.

"And?" I asked.

"And Caleb and I had some alone time together. We... had our first kiss."

I felt surprised, but I promised not to pass judgment.

"And how did it feel?" I asked.

Diana smiled as if she was in heaven.

"It was worth the wait. I saw sparks, and it felt just right. I had waited so long to tell him how I felt because I wanted to respect his past. But now that we went together, I wonder what's next."

"Take this time to get to know each other," I suggested. "This is the time to see if you two would benefit from being an official couple. Take it slow. Take your time. You are only in high school, after all."

"How did you and James do it?" Diana asked.

"I met James when I was your age, actually. To him, it was love at first sight. As for me, I took my time to get to know him, but I knew I was falling for him. Our relationship in high school was... complicated. But so was my life. But we still took the time to know each other and I had my first kiss with him when I was sixteen."

"How did you know he was the one?"

"That is a story for another time. Focus on the present, Diana. Do not rush into things because you wish them to be true. Now, have you gone home yet?"

"No, I wanted to see you first," Diana confessed. "If I had told my dad I kissed Caleb, he'd kill him."

I laughed.

"You'd probably be right. Now, go."

Diana kissed me on the cheek.

"Thank you for being there."

"It's my pleasure."

Diana left the house. After a minute, I walked out of my house and watched her gazing at the stars in the sky before she went inside. I went inside and finally went to bed with my husband.

January 5, 2060

DIANA'S POV

"Wakey-wakey! The early bird gets the worm."

I woke up to my dad's singsong voice. Winter break had just ended on a high note with me and my friends gathering here one more time and expressing our excitement for our winter activities. My relationship with Caleb was also a highly-discussed topic.

"Morning, Dad," I finally spoke.

"I'm not mourning! Who died?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Daaaad."

"Just playing with you, princess. Are you excited to go back to school?"

"I still hate Mondays," I answered, sitting up on the bed in my white tank top and black sweats. "I like my friends and everything, but why do we have to go back on a Monday?"

"We could take a Time Machine and go back to my day."

"Was that a serious suggestion?"

"Nah. Back then, we went back to school on a Tuesday. But, you know what the kids are saying nowadays: Monday is better known as Four-Days-Before-Friday!"

I rolled my eyes at his cheeky grin.

"No one calls it that, Dad."

"Does that make me a hipster?"

"You're already cool, Dad," I answered with a smirk. "Don't push it."

"Anyway, I'll get out of your hair. Caleb offered to pick you up, so you may want to get ready."

I smiled, thinking how sweet it was of my best friend to do that for me. After my dad left the room, I put on a red dress with a black leather jacket over it. I put on my black boots and simply brushed my hair. Then I ate breakfast with my family before Caleb came to get me.

After we enjoyed a small coffee date together, I retreated to my locker while Caleb went straight to his homeroom. I opened my locker and put the lunch my mom packed on the top shelf.

"Alright, Diana," I spoke to myself. "Time to go help with morning announcements."

"Diana Robinson!"

I jumped at the tone and turned to my right. I immediately felt dread as Vice Principal Isa walked my way with her high heels clicking loudly on the tiled floor.

"Yes, ma'am?" I asked.

"You shouldn't be dawdling in the hallway. I'll write you up for tardiness."

"Isn't that the-"

The bell rang.

"...Teacher's job?"

"Watch out, children!"

I glanced behind her as Principal Hughs... rolled down the hallway on motor skates! A student was able to jump out of the way just in time.

"Sorry about that, Duncan!" Principal Hughs called out as she rolled up to me.

"Um, hi, Principal Hughs," I greeted her uneasily, not quite sure what all I just witnessed.

"Good morning, Diana!" she replied happily, taking in the scene. "I trust you and all your little friends' breaks were splendiferous!"

I giggled, appreciating who she is as a person.

"My break was fantastic. Thanks for asking!"

"That's so good! I'm glad to hear it! I also had a rocking break... or should I say rolling break?"

"I can see that. Christmas present?"

"Yes! Trust me, Diana, when you're all grown up, find someone who gets you skates. You know it's true love right then."

Vice Principal Isa loudly cleared her throat.

"Principal Hughs, we were in the middle of something."

"Don't let me harsh your mellow," she replied with a smile. "That's what the kids are saying these days, right?"

"Anyway, Diana, you'll report to detention during lunch today for your tardiness?"

"Seriously?" I asked in annoyance. "For one whopping tardy on the first day back from break?"

"Diana's right, Isa," Principal Hughs chimed in. "It's the first day back. Lighten up! You don't have to go to detention today, Diana. Just do me a favor and enjoy your day!"

"Now that I can do," I replied happily.

Principal Hughs happily rolled away back to her office. Vice Principal Isa, on the other hand, glared at me.

"You have three seconds to get out of my sight. Three..."

I closed my locker.

"Two..."

"Bye!"

I ran down the hallway and up the stairs, feeling so relieved I was done with that situation. I suddenly had strong feelings about Isa, and they weren't the good kind. I knew instantly this was going to be a very long month.

January 6, 2060

The rest of the day yesterday went... I still did not have the words. I assisted Maria and Michael with the morning announcements only for the show to be hijacked. The entire school saw Principal Hughs and Couch Burke intensively enjoying each other's company. None of us knew how to act the rest of the day with that image in our minds.

Today, I woke up with a feeling of dread and arrived in my homeroom.

"Wait, Diana, shouldn't you be helping Maria with Trojan News?" Emma asked.

"It's odd, but she didn't ask me back for today," I answered, noticing how Maria hadn't spoken to me since yesterday's broadcast. "Although after what happened, I don't blame her."

"Yeah, I heard Hughs refused to come out of her office yesterday," Sydney replied with a frown.

"It's not exactly how you want a relationship to come out."

"Poor Principal Hughs," Emma mumbled.

"Poor Coach Burke, too," Caleb chimed in with a sigh. "He cancelled basketball practice yesterday because of it."

"And today?" I asked.

"I don't know. I haven't seen-"

"Quiet, class," Miss Maddox instructed us.

I glanced up and saw a downcast Maria clutching her script.

"Good morning, Westport High. It's 8:05 on Tuesday and it's time for your Trojan announcements. I'm your host Maria Flores and..."

I saw her trembling, though it was not obvious to the rest of the class.

"And I'm sad to say this will be my second and final show. After yesterday's events, this show will be taken over by our new principal... Principal Isa."

I felt a lump forming in my stomach and my throat as Principal Isa appeared on the monitor.

"Good morning, Westport High. I'm afraid to announce that Principal Hughs has resigned suddenly. The school board has elected I take her place. Together, we'll usher in a new era to this marvelous school. Brace yourselves... because there are going to be some changes."

I paid no attention after that. I felt dread all over my body, as if I was expecting the worst to happen. Isa was alright in the beginning while she served as the vice principal, but the way she spoke to me yesterday made me downgrade my opinion of her. For the first time in my life, I was truly terrified.

After homeroom, Emma and I found Maria in front of her locker. She stared blankly, her eyes puffy and red from crying.

"Hey, Maria," I greeted her with compassion. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... No... I don't know. UGH!"

"The morning announcements were really important to you, weren't they?" Emma asked.

"It's not just that," Maria explained. "After the broadcast, Principal Isa gave me a long lecture about how she expected better from me."

"From you?" I asked, feeling floored.

"She says that if I'd been paying closer attention to what Michael was doing, that clip wouldn't have been shown in front of the school."

"But that's-"

"Emma, she's forcing me to resign all my leadership positions."

Maria started to cry again. I pulled her into my arms and I held her. This truly was not fair.

"Maria, you don't need leadership titles to be a leader," I told her. "No matter what, you're still one of the brightest, most dedicated students Westport High has ever seen."

"Yeah, I definitely look up to you," Emma said, trying to cheer her up.

I felt Maria smiling slightly, pulling away from me.

"Thanks, you two."

I heard whispers from a group of students behind us, whispers of the scandal. Maria turned around again and put her forehead on the door of her locker, letting out a sigh.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that," I told her with a frown.

"I just need to get used to it," Maria replied with sadness. "I'm gonna be 'scandalous broadcast girl' from now on."

The warning bell rang.

"I guess I need to get to class."

"Maria, maybe you should ask if you can go talk to a counselor," Emma suggested. "I'm sure Ms. Maddox would understand."

"Yeah... I'll see you guys later."

Maria slumped away. Emma and I glanced at each other and then we went our separate ways.

The next three periods slowly went by and so did lunch. I had quite the interesting discussion with my friends about Principal Isa. First, Maria had to resign from her leadership positions. Then I learned that Sydney had received lunch detention for the rest of the week because she parked her car in a seniors-only spot. I thought it was a little excessive, but Aiden explained that a teacher should start out strict and then calm down, which he thought would be the case with Isa. Michael and Myra expressed distrust of Isa, saying that Hughs had made the school a better place to be at.

Then fifth period began and I had gone to the bathroom.

"Yes, 325 milligrams," I heard Koh say. "Positive."

I crept to the computer lab.

"Yes, just get her the stuff. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Don't tell me..."

The door opened and Koh immediately widened her eyes at the sight of me.

"Were you eavesdropping?"

"Koh, please tell me there's a reasonable explanation."

"Reasonable explanation? What are you talking about?"

"I heard you talking about '325 milligrams' and—"

"Uh, yeah!" Koh exclaimed, feeling awkward. "That sounds sketchy. My bad."

"Are you gonna tell me what's really going on?" asked out of concern.

"Yeah, sure. Come in here before Isa sees us."

Koh took my hand and pulled me into the computer lab where she had laid her backpack on the table.

She looked me dead in the eve and had a stern look on her face.

"Diana, what I'm about to tell you doesn't leave this room, got it?"

"Got it."

"That call was from the hospital. My grandmother had another stroke."

I frowned.

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," Koh replied. "It was minor, and we caught it quickly. She'll be fine."

"That's good, at least. But I'm still sorry you have to go through this."

"I'm not big on talking about my feelings or having people pity me, okay? But anyway, the milligrams were her medication dosage. After school, I'm headed to the hospital. That's all."

"I understand. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Yeah. Don't turn me in for cutting class. I've been taking care of my grandmother for two years now. I know what I'm doing. And not all the teachers here are good at keeping it on the down-low when someone's got an emergency."

"I can imagine," I replied, and then thought of Isa being one of those teachers.

"Anyway, now you know. Thanks for not being obnoxious. You should be getting back to class."

"What about you?"

"Classified information."

"Come on, really?"

"I think you've learned enough of my secrets for one day. Off you go."

"Alright. And Koh? Thanks for trusting me."

"Don't mention it."

January 7, 2060

I arrived at school early and made a beeline to my homeroom to greet my friends.

"Morning, Diana."

"Morning, Emma."

I set my backpack down on the ground and start taking out supplies.

"Ms. Robinson, you're being summoned to the principal's office."

I glanced up at my teacher with surprise written on my face.

"But I didn't do anything!"

"It didn't sound like you were in trouble," Ms. Maddox explained. "I believe Principal Isa just wants to talk to you."

"All right..."

I felt a pit forming in my stomach as I got out of my seat and made my way to the principal's office. I may not be in trouble now, but I had a feeling I would be soon. I entered the office and watched her look at some papers.

"Principal Isa?"

She glanced up at me.

"Yes?"

"Ms. Maddox said you wanted to talk to me?

"Yes. Sit down."

I sat down and felt very uneasy as she went back to her papers.

"Um, Principal Isa, am I in trouble?" I asked after a few more moments of silence.

She glanced at me again, this time putting the papers down.

"Not exactly. Like Ms. Maddox said, we need to talk. Do you know why you're here?"

"If I'm not in trouble, then I wouldn't know."

"I'll be frank with you, Diana," Principal Isa replied, a stern expression on her face. "I've seen you for the troublemaker you are."

"Excuse me?" I asked with shock.

"You were late to class, part of that rogue news show, and I know you broke into Staples High last quarter. But since I'm feeling generous today, I'm offering you a chance at a clean slate."

I felt even more uneasy as she drummed her fingers against her desk.

"We're aware that Koh was skipping class this past week," Principal Isa continued. "And that you ran into her during that time. We also have reason to believe she's been involved in something serious. Do you have any more information about this?"

I pondered, wondering what to say. I made a promise to Koh to keep her secret. But Isa terrified me now. Does she have secrets of her own? Is she herself afraid?

"Don't lie to me," she said. "You'll regret it if you do."

I knew exactly what to say then.

"I know nothing about it."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," I answered, returning the glare.

"All right. You've left me no choice when I speak to Koh."

"But-"

"Get out... now!"

January 8, 2060

LILIANNA'S POV

I knocked on the door after my children went to bed. The door opened, revealing Wilbur.

"Hey, Lily."

"Hey. Diana asked me to come over and talk to her. Is that okay?"

"Of course."

Wilbur gestured me into the house.

"How is she doing?" I asked.

"I don't know," he replied, shaking his head. "She hasn't spoken to me all day. Please tell her I love her."

I nodded before making my way up the stairs. I knocked on Diana's door before entering her room and closing the door.

"Hey, kiddo."

"Hi, Lily."

"You said you wanted to talk to me?"

Diana patted the bed and I sat down with her. Her normal spark of life was not present as she had a downcast look on her face.

"I don't know if I can trust my dad right now," Diana explained.

"What happened?"

"Back in September, I helped my friends break into Staples High School."

I felt surprised.

"That was not what I was expecting to hear, but go on."

"We stole their spirit stick as part of a prank," Diana continued. "We didn't tell anybody about it because we eventually returned the spirit stick before the homecoming dance."

She sighed.

"My dad found out about the break-in yesterday. Principal Isa called him and reported me to him. I had never seen him so angry in my life."

"That's why you're so upset," I replied. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know. So many things have gone wrong very quickly. At first, I was excited to go back to school. But I've had this feeling of dread every day since then because of Principal Isa. I keep thinking, she's promising change, but I have this gut feeling the change will affect us for the worst. And I think it's already started."

"What happened?"

Diana explained what all had happened the last four days alone. She sounded more stressed than normal.

"I'm sorry you're going through this," I consoled her. "It's all a big change. But why did your father just now hear of the break-in at Staples High?"

"Well, like I said, we didn't tell anybody and Principal Hughs was understanding, saying it's a part of school spirit. But I think Isa has it out for me. I don't know why or how."

"And I thought my high school career was rough," I replied with a dry chuckle. "But first things first. You need to clear the air with your dad. He doesn't know your side of the story and you're his daughter. You should be more important here."

She shook her head.

"I know my dad, Lily. He always puts the truth above everything."

"I know your dad, too, Diana. I've known him since we were your age. He's always put his friends and family over everything else. But he needs to hear you, Diana. Did he give you some kind of punishment?"

"I can't go to cheerleading practice for two weeks. I'm supposed to go to Staples High to help my mom clean after school."

"How ironic," I replied, feeling flabbergasted. "But Diana, cheerleading practice is important to you. You need to go to that. Maybe on the days you don't have practice, you can help your mom out."

Diana smiled for the first time.

"That's a good idea. May I go talk to my dad right now?"

"Yes. In fact, I encourage it. Go on."

WILBUR'S POV

Karena and I retired to our bedroom and were having some quality time together when we heard knocking.

"Who is it?" I yelled.

"Diana."

"Come in!" Karena yelled.

Diana opened the door and peeked her head in.

"Can we talk?" she asked.

Karena patted her hand on the bed and Diana sat down on it.

"How did your talk with Lily go?" I asked with a smile.

"It went really well. In fact, she encouraged me to talk to you."

Diana handed her cell phones to me. But I refused her T-Phone.

"Keep that one with you," I told her. "You'll need it in case of an emergency."

"Oh, thank you."

She hung her head.

"Dad, please tell me the truth. Do you trust me? Do you trust me despite my break-in at Staples High?"

I pondered for a moment, thinking about how to answer her questions.

"Had you not broken into Staples High, then absolutely."

"So, you don't trust me, period."

"Diana, what's done is done," I tried to explain to her. "You made a choice and now you have to live with the consequences."

"So you're not going to even listen to what I have to say?" she asked with some anger in her voice. "You only received Principal Isa's side of the story. Why won't you listen to your own daughter, your blood?"

"And I only know what you told me, Wilbur," Karena said. "What is your story, Diana?"

Our daughter blew a sigh of relief and smiled.

"I knew it was wrong the entire time," Diana explained. "With every step I took, a part of me knew you were going to find out eventually. But I did not go alone. I went with my friends, including Emma. And we did eventually return the spirit stick to Staples High before our homecoming dance. I personally made sure of it."

"I will admit that I had heard some Westport High students came to Staples High and stole the spirit stick," Karena replied. "But I had no idea you were one of them. I had seen this as a harmless senior prank."

"In a way, it was. My friend Julian is a senior."

"I remember Julian. He's a good kid. But why did all of you come to Staples together to steal the stick?"

"Because some nasty students from there bullied my friend Myra to vandalize the Trojan statue," Diana explained further. "We wanted to show that we do not tolerate bullying in our school and we back up our friends. We love our school, Mom, and we encourage one another."

Karena shook her head and frowned.

"I'll admit, when I started out at Staples High, it was great. The students were an amazing bunch of people. And then the bullying incidents went up a few years ago and not one teacher listened. They only got worse. And then I hear of this."

"Karr, are you alright?" I asked.

She put a determined look on her face.

"Diana, I'm going to put in my notice and apply for the music teacher position at Westport High. You clearly seem happy there and you say you back each other up instead of tearing each other. I want to help all of you in some kind of way."

Diana got off the bed and hugged her mom. I smiled at the sight.

"So, what punishment did your dad give you?" Karena asked her.

"I was not going to have my phone for two weeks. I cannot go to cheerleading practice for two weeks. Every day after school, I'm supposed to go to your classroom and help you since I lied to you."

Karena gave me an odd look.

"Diana, you need to go to cheerleading practice," she told her. "That's important and it's your passion. I don't want to take that away from you. On the days you don't have cheerleading practice, then you can come to my classroom and help me clean. Is that okay?"

"It's okay with me if it's okay with Dad."

I gave my wife a smirk.

"Did Lily talk to you about this?"

"Yes, Dad," Diana answered. "She did. And she would agree with Mom. Dad, I remember you saying you didn't want to take anything away from me because your parents took things away from you. I understand why you did it, but with everything going on and all these changes happening, the squad needs me more than ever. I promise if I'm not at practice, I'll go to Staples High and help Mom clean."

"Then, it is alright with me. I'm willing to compromise."

Diana smiled.

"Thank you so much. I promise I'll make you proud of me and I'll earn your trust again."

She left the bedroom. Karena and I glanced at each other.

"I think we handled that pretty well," Karena said.

I frowned.

"Yeah, but I sure didn't. I screamed at her. I think I owe a visit to an old friend."

New York City, New York, USA

DONATELLO'S POV

I had just gotten back from patrolling and dumpster-hunting when I saw a familiar face in my lab.

"You have clearly mastered being a ninja, Wilbur," I greeted him with my gap-toothed smile.

"Hi, Donnie," he replied with a small smile. "I'm glad I'm seeing you as just a friend tonight and not as your colleague."

"It is nice to spend time together outside of work. What can I do for you?"

I gestured him to take a seat with me.

"Thank you. It's about fatherhood."

"Oh! Okay."

"I think I made a mistake," Wilbur explained. "I received a call from Diana's principal this morning about her breaking into a rival high school and stealing their spirit stick."

"Diana stole something?" I asked with shock.

"She said she wasn't alone. She was with her group of friends. And then a week later, Diana personally returned the spirit stick to the school. She told me that she was against the plan from the very beginning, and I think that's why she returned the stick. But when I spoke with her after practice, I screamed at her. I thought I was doing the right thing, but Diana wouldn't even look me in the eyes during our talk this evening. What would you have done if Lily did that?"

I laughed.

"Actually, I would have done the same thing you did. But then I'd feel guilty for yelling at her and then I'd apologize to her. But I hadn't fully grown as Lily's father back then. I was still learning, and you're still learning right now, Wilbur. There's no shame in that. We often act before we think. We're fathers. We act to protect our children. But when we're careful, we think about how our actions will impact them. Some will help our children become better people. Others have consequences and the blame is on us for not doing the right thing."

Wilbur sighed.

"I know my teenage years were hard. But I never imagined being a father to a teenager would be harder."

"Hey, my teenage years were hard, too," I replied. "And trust me, I had my hardships with Lily."

"I remember."

Wilbur sighed again.

"I don't know. Diana was so nervous her first day of high school because all of her friends went to Staples High. But I never imagined she'd be living the best days of her life so soon after that. She was genuinely happy and it made me happy to see that. But then this happened and she seemed really depressed. And I think part of that is my fault."

"Then tell her how you feel," I encouraged him. "It's not the end of the world, Wilbur. "Diana reached out to you, did she not?"

"I think it's only because Lily encouraged her. I'm pretty sure she trusts Lily over me right now."

"Wilbur, be careful," I sternly told him. "You're letting your emotions overtake you. Don't. In fact..."

I got out of my chair and got on the cold concrete floor. I beckoned Wilbur to join me.

"We're going to meditate. We're going to help you clear your mind of all you are feeling right now. And the solution will present itself to you."

"Okay, Leo. Whatever you say."

I chuckled at his sarcasm. We closed our eyes, breathed, and cleared our minds.

January 9, 2060 - Westport, Connecticut, USA

DIANA'S POV

I was in my room doing my homework when I heard knocking.

"Come in."

I glanced back and saw my dad walking in the room.

"Hey, princess."

"Hey, Dad."

"May I speak with you?"

"Sure."

We moved to my bed and we sat down on it. I glanced down at the floor as my dad started to speak to me.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry for screaming at you yesterday, and I'm sorry I didn't listen to you."

I glanced up at him as he continued talking.

"I visited an old friend who has dealt with this before and he taught me to think about my actions and how they may have consequences. It hurt me when you didn't look into my eyes, and I can only blame myself for that. I may have hurt you instead and you are the more important person here because you're my daughter. Mom and I aren't right all the time. I hope you can forgive me."

"Of course, I can, Father."

I started crying as I hugged him. He held me in his arms, putting his head on mine.

"I actually felt scared of you because you yelled at me," I confessed. "I wasn't sure if I could look into your eyes again."

"I'm so sorry for making you feel that way. I didn't mean to. My job as your father is to nourish you with knowledge and yesterday, I instilled fear in you instead."

"Dad, stop. You are forgiven. It's all done. Just... please hold me and promise me you'll trust me from now on."

We shared a few silent moments together before he said two words:

"I promise."