Hello, hello, hello! So it turns out, I did have to replay "High School Story" again because of what I did with Ashley's character and Diana's story is even more important now as to how it ends. I left some parts out in the original stories I wrote surrounding Diana and this time, I plan to incorporate those missing parts in it. In a way, this is kind of a reimagination of Diana's stories. But, if you'd like to read "Diana's High School Story," please head there. You may also get a spoiler alert for what happens to Ashley because I did not invent this character. The writers at Pixelberry did an amazing job with their original story and they deserve all the praise. I'm just here to imagine what may have happened before... and possibly after. I do have an idea leading up to the end of this story. Speaking of which, with the time jump, we have less than eight years to go! Enjoy the show!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Meet the Robinsons," "TMNT," nor "Choices: High School Story." I only own Lilianna, James, Little Donnie, Mika, Karena, Wesley, and Diana.
UPDATE: Today, July 1, I played more "High School Story" and I realized that September 1 in 2059 is a Monday, which would have been Labor Day. Based on the events that happened in the story, my timeline of the first day of school being August 18 did not make sense. So everyone's first day of school is September 2 instead of August 18 to better reflect the story.
September 2, 2059 - Westport, Connecticut, USA
LILIANNA'S POV
I knocked on my four-year-old daughter's door after I concluded ninjutsu training with my son and I let myself in. I walked over to the bed she slept in and I nuzzled her.
"Mika, it's time to get up," I sang to her. "It's your first day of preschool!"
"Yay!" Mika sang back with a sleepy smile.
I slowly lifted the blankets off her as she stretched her small body out. Then I gathered up an outfit for her to wear and showed it to her.
"How does this look? Do you like it?"
I had picked out a purple shirt with a rainbow on it and blue jeans. Mika nodded eagerly.
"Alright," I replied with a chuckle. "I'm going to set this down so you can get changed. Don't forget to make your bed, wash your hands, and brush your teeth, okay?"
"Yes, Mommy."
I left Mika alone and went down the stairs to join James and nine-year-old Little Donnie in the kitchen.
"Hi, Mom!" Little Donnie greeted me with his perfect grin.
"Good morning, Donatello," I replied, giving him a kiss on his cheek before kissing my husband. "Good morning, hun."
"Good morning, sweetheart. Where's Mika?"
"Getting ready for school."
"How is she feeling?" James asked.
"Sleepy," I answered with a chuckle. "But she's excited, too."
"Mom, why can't I go to school?" Little Donnie asked me.
"Because you are smarter than every kid that goes to school. You'd make those kids jealous of your smarts. And besides, you learn stuff here at home that you don't learn at school."
"Like being a ninja master?"
"Yes, that's one thing. You also learn Japanese here, something schools here don't teach you. And you learn about the Bible and our history from long ago."
Little Donnie smiled.
"Then homeschooling doesn't sound so bad. I wish you could convince Isamu the same thing."
"Why?" James asked. "Does Isamu not like being homeschooled?"
"Well, it's actually Aunt Justine who hates it."
"She's always wanted Isamu to go to school until you-know-who was reborn."
"Huh?"
"You'll learn in a few years," I replied. "Let's go set up the table."
"Okay!"
We set up the table and put the food on it just in time for Mika to come on down.
"Mika!" James exclaimed happily. "You look stunning!"
She giggled.
"Thank you, Daddy! Mommy picked this out for me."
"Well, that was very nice of her. Well, breakfast is ready."
The four of us sat at the table and ate to our hearts' content.
"Let's go over the plan again, okay?" James suggested.
"That's not a bad idea," I replied. "Go ahead."
"I take Mika to school while Mom stays home with Donnie. By the time I get home, Mom goes to work and I stay home with Donnie. Then, I'll pick Mika up from school at noon and then the three of us do some work around the house. Then, Mom comes home from work and we enjoy dinner together."
"That sounds about right," Little Donnie replied. "Can I help Mika with homework?"
James and I chuckled.
"Sweetie, Mika's too young to have homework," I explained. "But you may definitely help her when she gets older. Right, Mika?"
"Sure!"
We continued eating.
"Diana's starting high school today," James spoke.
"Already?!" I asked with shock. "Where did the time go?"
"In the clouds?" Mika asked.
James and I cracked up laughing at our daughter's response.
"Well, you're not wrong," James replied.
I suddenly gasped. Mika's brown hair looked like she had just gotten out of bed.
"Mika, sweetie, let's go in the bathroom and fix your hair, okay? Excuse us."
I placed my hands on her shoulders and led her to the bathroom downstairs. I took out a hairbrush and gently brushed her hair. It felt so rewarding in that moment. The only people I could practice hair on when I was younger were my mom and Athena. Athena had long hair, so it helped me a lot. But never did I know back then that I would have a human daughter someday. And she is very beautiful.
I finished brushing her hair and I put it up in two pigtails.
"Mommy? May I have my hair like yours, please?"
"I'd love to, but your hair isn't long enough yet. We'll try in a few years, okay?"
"Okay! Now I'm ready for school!"
"Yes, you are! Let's go so Daddy can get you there."
We got out of the bathroom and back to the table.
"Are you ready for school, Mika?" James asked with a grin.
"Yes, I am!"
"Good! Say goodbye to Donnie."
Mika hugged her big brother and he affectionately returned the hug.
"I love you, Donnie."
My heart melted.
"I love you, sis. Have fun at school."
Before we knew it, James and Mika went out the door and it was just me and Little Donnie left.
"So, Donatello, what should we do while we wait for Dad to come home?"
"Would you teach me Latin?"
I laughed at his curious mind.
"Latin, really? Not Japanese."
"Nah, Latin sounds fascinating," Little Donnie replied.
"Well, I can teach you the basics of Latin for this morning. How's that?"
"Sounds great!"
"Come on."
We walked into the living room and Little Donnie grabbed a notebook and pen that he kept hidden in case he learned something new.
"I'm ready to learn!" he announced.
I chuckled.
"Well, as with every new thing to learn, we learn the basics," I explained. "Sum means I am. If you are to say I am a boy, you would say ego sum puer."
"Mom? What does ego mean? Is that another word for I am?"
"No. Ego simply means I."
"Oh!"
"But you don't always say ego in every sentence."
"So Mika is a girl," Little Donnie started to ask again. "What do we say?"
"Mika puella es."
"Es?"
"Es means is."
"So how do I say my name is Donnie?"
"Nomen mihi est Donatello."
"Oh, that makes sense!"
I chuckled as he wrote everything down like he understood it in a flash.
"What is hello?"
"Salvete," I answered.
"And what is Mom in Latin?"
"Mater. And Dad is Pater."
"Salvete, Mater! Nomen mihi est Donnie!"
I laughed and he grinned as we continued our little Latin lesson.
New York City, New York, USA
WILBUR'S POV
Russell and Amy had picked me and Lily up and then he dropped the three of us off at the monorail station. The ride to the monorail station was strangely quiet. When we got on the monorail, Lily was the first to strike a conversation.
"Wilbur, are you okay? You're unusually quiet."
"It's Diana," I confessed. "Today's her first day of high school and she's very nervous about it."
"Aw, how come?" Amy asked.
"Well, she's going to a different high school than her friends, so she's starting brand new."
"Oh, dear," Lily replied. "Well, knowing Diana, I'm sure she'll do great."
"She's wearing my old shirt to give her confidence," I explained with a smile. "So I'm sure she'll be fine. And what about Mika? Today's her first day of preschool, isn't it?"
"Yes! And she was very excited to go to school."
"That's great!" Amy replied. "How did Little Donnie handle it?"
"He handled it really well, actually! He asked me why he couldn't go to school and I simply explained he's smarter than all those kids and he learns things at home that aren't taught at school."
"Well, it's the truth," I replied. "Little Donnie is just as smart as you, if not your dad."
My smile faded away, my worry coming back.
"Wilbur, now what's wrong?" Lily asked.
"She's learned how to lie," I explained. "She lied to me quite a bit in middle school, so I'm hoping going to a new school will help with that."
"Wilbur, I'm sure Diana will be fine, like you and Lily said," Amy assured me. "From what all you've told me about Diana, she's a smart kid, just like you. Don't underestimate her."
"And if you two ever fight, don't try to win her battles," Lily chimed in. "Stop and listen. A teenager is still a child learning her way. And Wilbur, you've done a whole lot better at listening to people the past few years. I'm sure you all will do fine these next four years."
I smiled, truly thankful to have great friends like these two.
Westport, Connecticut, USA
DIANA'S POV
My first day of high school was going better than I had ever expected. Right away, I made a new friend in Emma, a sophomore who found me just wandering around the school unsure of where to go. We made it through homeroom together, though it was a rough patch as I ended up being invited to a party and Emma wasn't. I had to follow her to the girls' bathroom to cheer her up. Then we made it through our next classes and it was finally time for lunch.
Emma and I stood around and glanced at all the different groups of classmates bonding together. I noticed a group of jocks that I assumed was part of our football team. In the middle was a group who talked about music I had never heard of before. And the group on the right were some of the most beautiful girls I had ever seen, probably cheerleaders.
"So many people!" Emma exclaimed with worry. "I might need to take a little 'me' time, but you should totally get to know some of them."
"You think so?" I asked.
"Diana, this is your big chance to make a first impression. Go for it!"
I smiled and hugged her as she got in line to get her lunch. I found myself walking towards the girls with a smile on my face. To my delight, they smiled back at me.
"Hi there!" said a black-skinned girl wearing a cute purple shirt. "You must be new. Welcome to Westport High!"
"Thank you so much!" I replied. "I'm Diana."
"I'm Payton! It's nice to meet you!"
"Please tell me you're planning to try out for the cheer team!" the blonde girl with fair skin pleaded with me, a huge smile plastered on her face.
"We're desperate for fresh recruits," a fair-skinned girl with brown hair chimed in.
"We're not desperate, Sydney!" the blonde replied with a withering gaze. "That's a bad look."
"We're... eager," Payton corrected her.
"Not to mention very selective," the blonde said, her smile returning.
"Do you really think I'd be a good fit?" I asked with surprise.
"Sure!" Payton answered.
"You seem... cheerful," Sydney told me. "That's half the battle."
"It's just that... I'm new!" I replied hesitantly and honestly.
"There's nothing wrong with that," Payton said with a big smile. "You're a blank slate."
"As long as you respect your elders, we'll get along just fine," the blonde told me.
Respect my elders? I asked myself in confusion.
"Of course, sometimes that's harder than it sounds," Sydney said, now frowning.
"Not this again, Sydney!" the blonde snapped. "Can we please not argue in front of the recruit?"
"Uh... enough talk!" Payton chimed in, and I was thankful for her intrusion. "I say we get out to the field and check out Diana's moves!"
"Right now?!" I replied, now worrying I won't be able to eat lunch.
"Sounds perfect to me," the blonde replied. "I'm Mia, by the way."
I glanced around watching everyone eat. But I wanted to make new friends, too.
"Well, when you put it that way," I started to say.
Always go with your gut, my mother had encouraged me once upon a time.
"I'm in."
The four of us walked out onto the football field.
"Just follow Mia's lead as she shouts out commands," Payton told me.
"And it'll help if you remember our names!" Sydney chimed in.
"Oh yeah. That will definitely help.
"Okay, fresh meat," Mia said, still with a smile. "Let's see what you got."
I felt uneasy around Mia, but I decided to brush it off for now and went into formation with them.
"Line up behind Sydney!" Mia instructed me.
"That's it!" Sydney yelled enthusiastically as I got behind her. "Now, link arms with Payton!"
I laughed as I did what she was told.
"You're getting it!" Payton said excitedly. "Now, let's toss Mia in the air!"
I grinned, very much looking forward to doing that. Mia stepped onto our arms and we tossed her into the air. I backed up and allowed Sydney and Payton to easily catch her.
"That was amazing!" Payton complimented me. "You've got to join the team."
"I have to admit, even I'm impressed," Mia said.
I blinked. She is?
"Official tryouts are next week," Mia continued. "If you decide to go for it... I hope to see you there. We could use some fresh talent around here."
I watched Mia glare at Sydney before turning and walking away.
"Whoa," I finally spoke, noticing something was already amiss in my new world. "What was that all about?"
"I know she can come off as harsh," Sydney tried explaining the best she could. "But she's just... going through some stuff right now."
"Sydney, I can't believe you're defending her," I replied, finally feeling confident to call Mia out. "After the way she spoke to you..."
Something suddenly clicked.
"Wait a second... you're into her!"
Sydney looked taken aback at my suggestion.
"I... I guess it's possible. I've never really dated anyone. In some way, I'm not even sure I know the difference between admiring someone and, you know, liking them. Mia is truly amazing. But this year, after everything that happened, she's... different. It's like the Mia I used to watch with admiration is gone, replaced by some imposter."
Sydney smiled.
"But I truly believe that somewhere deep inside, the old Mia is still there, ready to come out."
"So... what happened that made her this way?" I asked, remembering my godmother's advice to always listen.
"I don't want to spread gossip," Sydney replied with a frown. "I should probably just stop talking."
Sydney then smiled again.
"But... I hope you stick around, Diana. I think having you here might lift Mia's spirits... and make the team better, too!"
I smiled as Payton and Sydney returned to the cafeteria. I felt confident in that moment that I would become a cheerleader for Westport High and I would be there to lift someone's spirit.
LILIANNA'S POV
The four of us met again, but this time, it was to eat dinner as a family.
"How was school, Mika?" I asked my daughter.
"It went great!" she answered enthusiastically. "I made a new friend!"
"Already?" James asked in reply. "That's great! What's her name?"
"Sally. We played blocks and hopscotch together."
"Did you learn anything, Mika?" I asked.
"The ABCs!"
"Ooh, that sounds like fun!"
"It was! I love singing!"
The three of us laughed.
"Like mother, like daughter," James replied, winking at me.
"What about you, Donnie?" I asked. "How did things go after I left?"
"I did all my chores!"
"Very good!"
"And then I kept practicing my Latin and Japanese and my ninjutsu and my powers-"
"Pretty much, Donnie practiced all day after he did all his chores in the morning."
"I am very proud of you, Donatello," I told him.
"Thanks, Mom."
I glanced up at my husband as we ate our steaks, broccoli, and mac n' cheese.
"I wonder how Diana's first day of high school went. Wilbur told me she was nervous."
"I'm sure it went fine," James replied.
DIANA'S POV
I changed out of my school clothes after my parents gave me the okay to go to the pool party tonight. I put my pink swimsuit, to Wesley's suggestion, on and then I put on a new off-the-shoulder white shirt and denim shorts to try to impress my new friends.
"Ooh, yes," I said out loud with a confident smile. "I am loving this!"
I glanced at a text that Emma sent me and I made my way down the stairs.
"Bye, Mom!" I yelled. "Bye, Dad! I love you!"
"We love you, too!" I heard my parents yelling back.
I went out the front door and found Emma standing outside her silver car.
"Hey, Diana! Did you bring your swimsuit?"
"Yeah! I'm wearing it underneath, actually."
"Me too! You look fantastic by the way!"
"Thanks! I figured if we're going to this party, we'd better do it in style. Ready to go?"
"Yeah... I think..."
Emma frowned.
"I'm a little nervous. That's all."
"How come?" I asked with curiosity.
"Caleb's probably going to be there... not to mention I'm crashing this party!"
"Trust me. You've got nothing to worry about. I'll be by your side if you need some backup."
"In that case..."
Emma paused and smiled giddily.
"Let's do this before I chicken out!"
"Sounds like a plan!" I replied with a laugh.
We drove off to the party which took place at a bigger house.
"Oh boy," I said quietly. "There's gotta be hundreds of people here. I'm suddenly nervous."
Emma squeezed my hand as the music got louder.
"We've got this," she reminded me. "You know, I always wondered why Brian was so popular. This house kind of explains it."
I knocked, and Brian, a red-headed boy, opened the door with a huge grin on his face.
"Welcome to my-"
His smile quickly disappeared once he saw Emma and he glared at her.
"Wait a second... I know you weren't invited."
My brown eyes quickly fell on Mia's blue ones. She read my cue and walked over with Payton and Sydney.
"It's nothing personal," Brian tried to explain. "There's kind of this 'Hotties Only' rule around here."
"Is that so?" Mia asked with a glare. "Maybe I should leave. I'm not feeling so especially hot. In fact, it's kind of chilly in here. Isn't that right, girls?"
"Yeah!" Payton and Sydney answered in agreement.
"Let's get out of here," Sydney angrily said.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Brian exclaimed. "Ladies! It isn't like that! I was just joking around."
It was my turn to glare. Brian was a Class A jerk.
"I just meant, uh, that Emma showing up was a little bit of a surprise! She and Diana are welcome to stay!"
Mia looked around before replying.
"Consider yourself lucky that you're serving free food at this thing. We'll stick around... for now."
I blew a sigh of relief as Emma and I walked into the house.
"That was really nice of you guys," I told the girls. "You didn't have to do that."
"Uh, yes we did," Mia replied angrily. "I'm not just going to sit back and watch while a jerk like Brian picks on some terrified girl! If we don't watch each other's backs, who will?"
"Thanks, Mia," Emma replied happily.
Suddenly, a girl in a grey dress walked up to us.
"People seem to be reacting positively to the decorations here," she mumbled to herself, taking notes on a clipboard.
Emma and I glanced at each other with some awkwardness, and we shrugged.
"Diana, Emma, I need your first impressions of this party!" the girl suddenly spoke loudly with a smile.
"Why, Maria?" Emma asked.
"For the good of homecoming, of course!"
I rolled my eyes, ready to call Brian out.
"So far, this party is super lame."
"And why would you say that?" Maria asked.
"Did you see what just happened at the door?" I asked angrily. "That's not how to make your guests feel welcome."
"Mhmm. I see... I'll take that into consideration for homecoming. Thanks for your input!"
Maria walked away from us. Emma and I finally took a breath and took the party-scene in. We saw the musicians dancing nearby. In another room, the football team were playing some sort of card game. Mia, Sydney, and Payton had returned to the snack table.
"So... where should we go first?" Emma asked.
LILIANNA'S POV
"It's very nice to see you, Wilbur."
"You, too."
Wilbur seemed nervous again.
"Dude, you've been nervous all day! Did Diana have a bad first day of high school?"
"On the contrary, she was beaming when she got home!" Wilbur replied. "She made quite a few friends already and she got invited to a party tonight. That's where she's at now."
"A party on a school night?" I asked with concern. "Are we talking about the same Diana?"
"What would your dad have told you if you told him you got invited to a party?"
"He'd say no!"
"Exactly. So would mine. But there are some things my dad did that I do not want to do as a father. Sheltering Diana is one of those things I will not do. So, after Karena and I talked, we decided to let her enjoy herself. She did have a good first day of school, after all."
I smiled.
"Did she tell you what she did?"
"Well, we didn't spend a whole lot of time together after I got back," Wilbur explained. "But from what I gathered from Karena and the source, she made a new best friend in Emma and she's deciding to try out for the cheerleading squad."
"Good for her! She was a cheerleader in middle school, too, wasn't she?"
"Yes, but she was picked on for her acne. Thankfully, we're past that stage. Diana seemed... confident, at the dinner table tonight. Not that I'm complaining!"
"Like father, like daughter," I reminded him with a gleam in my blue eyes.
Wilbur chuckled.
"I'm happy she's happy. That's all I want for my daughter. Just for her to be happy. You were right, Lily. Diana's going to be just fine."
"You did set a curfew for her, right?"
"Of course, I did. Karena and I told her she had to be back home by eleven."
"Good."
Wilbur's smile went away and he looked like he had something on his mind.
"I know you said you wanted to do this on your own, but have you found anything new on Ashley?"
I shook my head.
"Nothing on Ashley. But I was able to obtain lists of what was stolen back in those days from the San Francisco Police Department. But the lists don't make sense. Thank heavens no one's been hurt since I told everyone to hold off on investigating her."
"Something will turn up," Wilbur replied. "Always have hope, Aumanil. Always have hope."
I smiled and hugged him. We continued spending time together as best friends, gazing up at the stars on a most gorgeous night.
DIANA'S POV
I walked outside, needing a breather. I performed a pirouette in front of the cheerleaders, who were impressed by both my moves and my outfit. I gave Caleb, a boy I had met earlier today, my input on whether he could fold, call, or raise the stakes in Texas Hold 'Em poker, only to find that Brian had stacked his deck of cards and cheated. And lastly, I taught Aiden, a junior in the band, how to dance the basics. But now, I needed a break.
I sat down on one of the chairs and I heard two people talking nearby.
"Are we done here yet? The Staples party at Kara's house is going to make this one look like a third grader's birthday."
I winced at the insult.
"I'm having fun," I heard Caleb replying to her, and he sounded sad. "And we agreed that we'd stay for two hours, right?"
"I made that deal assuming this party would be fun. Tell you what. Why don't you hang out poolside with your loser friends. You can find me and beg for my forgiveness later."
I watched the girl, Zoe, wearing a pink crop top and a black skirt, bolting past me back inside the house. I shook my head, wondering what all Caleb saw in her. She sounded like a horrible girlfriend. Suddenly, Caleb glanced my way.
"Oh! Hi, Caleb!"
"Hey, Diana."
"You know you could do so much better, right?"
"Maybe I don't want to 'do better,'" Caleb angrily replied before taking a deep breath. "I know Zoe can be demanding... impulsive... hot-headed. But she's also the first girl I've ever loved. And that means something to me. I know it makes me look stupid. Weak. But... I guess I just don't care. I love her."
I simply smiled and shook my head before replying.
"I don't get why sometimes."
"That's because you don't see the Zoe who calls me up after a long day just to talk," Caleb said, returning the smile. "Or the Zoe who pushes me to try out for the football team. Or my Zoe who falls asleep against my shoulder during our Walking Dead marathon."
"Does that mean you're going to go run after her?"
"Heh. I may be in love, but I'm not crazy. She needs some time to cool off."
I chuckled.
"Good to see that you've got some survival instincts."
"So..."
Caleb paused, rubbing his neck.
"You, uh, liking the party?"
"It's alright," I answered honestly. "After that rough run-in with Brian, I was able to have a good time. But sometimes, I need some 'me' time. What about you?"
"Honestly, I'm not great with big groups."
"Really?" I teased him. "The Golden Boy Football God prefers the simplicity of life?"
Caleb laughed.
"I'm happiest when I get a chance to grab some one-on-one time with someone at these things."
"I know what you mean."
I glanced around before smirking at him.
"How about I have some one-on-one time with you, Caleb? You need to loosen up and have fun! I mean, it is a party."
"I know," Caleb replied with a frown. "But I'm worried about Zoe still..."
"She'll cool off and be back to herself in no time."
"You're probably right."
My new friend took a sip of his drink and nodded up and down, gazing at my outfit.
"I didn't notice before, but nice outfit."
"Oh, thanks!" I replied enthusiastically, striking a small pose. "I wanted to look extra special tonight."
"It's definitely working."
I glanced around again and this time, I spotted an empty Twister mat spread out on the ground. I turned back to Caleb, who was rubbing his neck again, and our eyes met.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked me.
"A classic round of Twister? Game on!"
I playfully elbowed him.
"You sure you're not too tied up to play?" I teased him.
"Positive. Let's make the most of this party together."
"Prepare to lose."
"We'll see about that."
We headed over to the Twister mat and stood across from each other. After discussing the rules and wishing each other luck, I pushed the button, causing the spinner to spin. It stopped on...
"Right foot, red," I spoke.
"Easy as pie," Caleb replied, choosing his red circle.
"Next one's right hand, yellow!"
We ended up reaching for the same circle and our hands brushed each other for a moment. We giggled as Caleb moved his hand to another circle. We continued on for a while until we really found ourselves in a twist!
"Left hand, green!" I yelled with some strain. "Oh! That tickles!"
His hand grazed my back.
"What does?" Caleb asked teasingly. "This?"
He brushed his hand down my back and I couldn't hold it anymore!
"You're distracting me!" I cracked up laughing.
"Never!"
"Ah! Caleb, I'M ABOUT TO FALL!"
And I collapsed, my leg accidentally hitting his knee. Before I knew it, he had almost landed on top of me, his face just inches away from mine. We both chuckled as I felt electricity between us.
"I guess you win," I breathed.
"Looks like it."
I gazed into his brown eyes as he gazed into my own brown eyes. Then we both shook our heads and he pulled away.
"Sorry," Caleb spoke. "It's just... You know, there's Zoe and everything."
"No, no, it's fine," I replied. "I get it."
He reached his hand out to me to help me get up, and I accepted it.
"It's a nice night out. How about we go walk around the yard for a bit?"
"I'd like nothing more," I answered with a genuine smile.
We walked away from the party and into the woods. I glanced up and gasped in awe. There were so many stars out, and they were beautiful.
"It's so quiet out here," I breathed.
"Yeah, it's nice to get away and just think."
"Oh? About what?"
"School, Zoe, the party."
"And new friends like me, right?" I teased him.
Caleb chuckled.
"That too. Whenever I get overwhelmed, I try to sneak off to find a quiet moment... like this."
"Me, too. It's very beautiful out here."
We had a moment of silence.
"You know, I bet I can guess what's on your mind."
"Oh, really?" Caleb replied. "After knowing me for a day?"
"I like to think I'm half-perceptive, half-psychic."
My mind immediately went to my godmother Lily, who was very perceptive and full-on psychic, who always gave me terrific advice. I wondered how she was doing.
"Shoot, guess away," Caleb suddenly spoke, bringing me back to reality.
"I bet you're thinking about how you left things with Zoe."
"Is it that obvious?" Caleb asked with surprise.
"A little. But then again, I'm half-psychic, remember?"
"Ah, yes," he teased me. "How could I compete with the all-knowing Diana Robinson?"
I laughed.
"I like the sound of that. Did you want to talk about Zoe? I'll listen if you want."
"Zoe and I just seem to be on different pages lately. I mean, you saw how she stormed off earlier."
I frowned.
"Give it time. I bet she'll come around."
"Yeah, that's been my motto in the past year we've been together. Well, almost a year. We don't hit our anniversary until a week from Thursday."
"Wow!" I exclaimed with surprise. "Congrats!"
How did he survive one year with her?
"Thanks... Although I wonder what my life would be like if I never dated Zoe."
"Who knows?" I blurted out. "Maybe we'd be together."
Caleb laughed as I mentally judged myself. Get it together, Diana! You just met him and he has a girlfriend.
"It's crazy to think about, right?"
"Yeah... crazy."
I frowned, glancing down and feeling foolish about myself. I suddenly got cold and rubbed my arms.
"Is it me or is it a lot colder out here than by the house?" I asked, thankful to change the subject.
"Probably 'cause there's not as many people."
I shrugged, realizing he had a point about body heat.
"Sorry, I'd offer you my jacket if I had one on me."
"No, don't worry about it," I replied.
I suddenly felt mischievous and broke into a grin. I tagged him and ran off back to the house.
"Last one back is a rotten egg!" I yelled.
"Hey, you got a head start!" Caleb yelled back.
"All is fair in love and races!"
Shut UP, Diana!
But I didn't care about my thoughts. I'm a Robinson. I was supposed to be a fun-loving person. So I focused on my sprint against the wind. I felt so happy to be free for the moment as Caleb caught up to me. We were close to each other, but I managed to pull ahead and win our little race back to the party.
"That's what you call a Diana Robinson victory!" I yelled excitedly, holding my arms up in a victorious pose.
"Dang!" Caleb exclaimed with surprise. "With speed like that you should definitely think about trying out for the football team."
I laughed sarcastically.
"Maybe when I'm not out of breath!"
"Yeah, I haven't run that hard since Brian and I raced to see who'd get the last popsicle."
"Who won?" I asked with curiosity.
"Brian... But it was close!"
Suddenly, the door opened and Payton came outside holding a camera. She carried a big smile on her face as she looked around the backyard.
"What's got you so excited, Payton?" Caleb asked.
"OMG! Look at this place! Autumn put me on yearbook duty."
"Good for you!" I replied happily.
"We need a pic of someone in the pool."
Caleb and I glanced at each other and shrugged.
"Well, I guess we can help you," Caleb answered.
"It is a pool party, after all," I chimed in, taking off my shorts and shirt to reveal my pink bikini. "Ah! Much better!"
I glanced over at Caleb, who was very muscular all around. I had to think about what to say before complimenting him and I chose to focus on the grey polka-dotted swim trunks.
"That's a nice swimsuit!"
"So is yours, Diana!"
We slipped into the pool, and the water felt amazing after our little race.
"Okay, stand right there!" Payton instructed us. "This is gonna look great!"
"CAAAAAAANONBALLLLL!"
Caleb and I held our poses, ignoring the huge splash behind us.
"This picture is adorbs!" Payton said happily.
"Obviously!" Brian chimed in from behind us. "Everything I do is picture perfect!"
Brian climbed out of the pool and walked back inside with Payton following him.
"Well, I dunno where Brian ran off to," Caleb spoke. "The water feels nice."
I glanced back up at the stars, which weren't as visible as they were in the woods. But it was still a gorgeous night outside. After a few minutes, Caleb and I were very close in proximity again. I chose to be mischievous again, and I splashed him!
"Oh, two can play at this game!" Caleb yelled excitedly.
We splashed each other for a few minutes, cracking up laughing with each other.
"I will be victorious!" I yelled with laughter.
We eventually got tired and rested against the wall of the pool.
"Well, I'm going to dry off and think about getting home soon," I finally spoke. "Do you know where I can find towels?"
"There's a bathroom next to the door," Caleb answered. "There should be some pool towels in there."
"Thank you."
I followed Caleb's direction and noticed the door was cracked open with the light on. I opened the door... and I covered my mouth as to not let my gasp out.
"Oh, Brian..." Zoe moaned into her kiss.
"Mm, we should really do this more often," Brian said in between kisses.
"Oh my gosh," I breathed quietly.
I slowly backed up, not even bothering to grab a towel, and I ended up bumping into someone behind me.
"Diana?" I heard Caleb's voice. "Is everything okay? What's going on?"
I quickly turned around and tried to block the door, unsure of what to do in the moment.
"Caleb!" I exclaimed quietly. "Oh, boy, this is going to be hard to explain..."
"Never be afraid to do the right thing," my father's voice echoed in my head.
I took a deep breath.
"Zoe and Brian are in there together," I finally spoke in a lower tone of voice.
"What? No. You're lying. She wouldn't do that."
Caleb pushed me aside and went into the bathroom to find Zoe and Brian continuing their make-out session.
"No!" he exclaimed in shock. "It... can't... be... Please tell me this is some sort of misunderstanding."
I shook my head, now feeling the need to stand by him.
"It doesn't look like one to me," I said, glaring at Zoe.
"Crap!" Brian exclaimed, finally turning around to face us. "You weren't supposed to see this!"
"Caleb, I'm sorry," Zoe said with sadness in her voice.
"After everything, how could you?" Caleb asked with a unique sadness as his voice cracking. "It's over, Zoe."
He turned to me before exiting the room.
"Thanks for the heads up, Diana. You're good in my book."
"Anytime," I replied sadly. "I just wish this didn't happen."
"Me, too."
Caleb took one more look at Zoe before leaving the room.
"Good riddance," Brian jeered.
"Are you serious right now?" I shouted angrily.
"We were kinda in the middle of something," Zoe replied with just as much anger.
"You are a monster, Zoe!" I pointed a finger at her.
"Excuse me, I'm monster? Maybe if Caleb would've been a more attentive boyfriend, this wouldn't have happened!"
"I cannot believe this. Caleb loves you. How could you do this to him?"
"Time for you to go," Brian said sternly.
"Yeah, go comfort that washed up excuse for a football player," Zoe chimed in. "I found someone better."
"Now, where were we?" Brian asked her as he slammed the door in my face.
I panicked for a moment, unsure of what to do next. But I found there was only one thing to do: find Caleb. I looked all around the house and called his name, but I couldn't find him. Then I looked outside in the backyard. Instead of finding Caleb, I found everyone else running up to me.
"Diana, what happened?" Maria asked. "Caleb just took off."
"Oh, no..."
I let out sigh.
"He and I just walked in on Brian and Zoe making out."
"No!" Emma exclaimed in horror. "Why would she cheat on Caleb?"
"Can't say I'm surprised," Michael, wearing a green jacket, said with a frown as if he saw it coming.
"He shouldn't be alone right now," I replied to everyone. "We've gotta go after him!"
"We?" Aiden repeated with surprise.
"You're new here, so I'll let it slide," Michael explained. "But none of us really hang with Caleb... except Julian."
"But he's one of us!" I said, thinking of Caleb as one of the family. "Wouldn't you want someone to go after you if the tables were turned? We can't leave Caleb alone. Who's with me?"
"I'd do anything for Caleb," Emma replied. "I'll help."
"I can't let my football brother down," Julian, a senior and captain of the football team, said with a smile. "I'm in, too."
"Count me in as well," Maria chimed in. "What Zoe did is disgusting. Not to mention Caleb could persuade a few more people to attend homecoming."
"It's the right thing to do," Aiden replied. "So I'll join your group."
We all turned to Michael, the only person in the group who hadn't said anything. He raised an eyebrow and scoffed at us.
"I can't believe you all. But this party's boring, so what the heck, I'm in. I've got nothing better to do."
"Thank you, everyone," I replied. "Any idea where Caleb would run off to?"
WILBUR'S POV
I paced around the living room with worry. It was after curfew and Diana was not home. I called her cell phone again and it went to voicemail.
"Karr, I'm getting concerned."
"Wilbur, relax!" Karena replied. "Diana's a big girl. She's a kunoichi. And she is responsible. I'm sure she knows what she is doing. After all, we made the choice to let her go to the party. Maybe she's having a fun night with her new friends."
"I hope that's all it is."
Half an hour passed by and Diana was still not home.
"I don't know what else to do, Karr. I'm calling Lily. Maybe she has an idea."
I called the best friend I call my sister.
"Wilbur, what's wrong?"
"You can tell, huh?"
"At eleven forty-five at night? You never call me that late."
"Touche. Look, Karena and I gave Diana permission to go to a party tonight and we told her to come home at eleven."
"Diana's not home?! Would you like me to try to find her for you?"
"No, don't do that. Otherwise, she's going to think I sent you to find her and I don't want to lose her trust."
"I'd do it for you because you love her, but I see your point."
"Lily, what would you do if Little Donnie or Mika was out after curfew?"
"I'd trust them to come home safe and then I'd ground them for disobeying me."
"Cut right to the chase, huh?"
Suddenly, the door opened, and in came Diana.
"Lily, she's home. I gotta go."
"Oh, good!"
I hung up before she said anything else.
"Diana Evelyn, where have you been this past hour? Mom and I were worried about you!"
"I'm sorry for making you worry," Diana answered. "And I'm sorry for coming home later than curfew, but please let me explain."
Karena and I glanced at each other and nodded at her.
"My new friend Caleb discovered his ex-girlfriend was cheating on him and he ran off. My friends and I went all over town to try to find him and we found him alone at the beach."
"Is he okay?" Karena asked.
"Yes, he's okay. He's had a rough night, but he'll pull through."
"Oh, good! I'm glad he's alright."
"He's fortunate to have you with him," I replied. "And I'm happy you and everyone else are alright."
"Thank you, Dad. So, what's my punishment? I did break curfew."
Karena and I glanced at each other again and nodded at each other, knowing what we were thinking.
"No punishment, Diana," I told her. "You did the right thing. And sometimes, doing the right thing does involve breaking the rules once in a while. I'm willing to overlook this one."
Diana suddenly embraced me, and I hugged her back.
"Thank you, Dad!"
"You're welcome. And besides, today was your first day of high school. I'd hate to be the one who ends it on a sour note. Did you have fun at the party otherwise?"
"You know what?" Diana answered, glancing up at me. "I did have fun. I got to meet a lot of people and I bonded with Caleb. He's a fun guy to be around."
"Good. And now, you need to get to bed, princess. It's a school night. You still need your sleep."
"Okay, Dad. I love you. And I love you, Mom."
"We love you, too, sweetheart," Karena replied as Diana kissed her on the cheek.
We watched Diana go up the stairs to her bedroom before we gazed at each other.
"I think we did the right thing," I told my wife. "What do you think?"
"I think so, too."
"You know what's funny?"
"What?"
"If Diana was Lily's daughter, she'd be screwed. Lily told me she'd ground her kids for disobeying her."
Karena laughed.
"Keep in mind, Wilbur, that Little Donnie is only nine. Of course, Lily would ground him for disobeying her. Maybe when Little Donnie becomes a teenager, she'll change her tune."
We laughed together before going up the stairs and going to bed ourselves, already dressed in our pajamas.
September 3, 2059
DIANA'S POV
After my mom dropped me off at school, I asked myself what I had gotten myself into. I was expecting a perfectly normal, if not worse, first day of high school. Fate had other plans for me as I was already in the thick of the drama. But I promised myself I was going to be there for my friends, no matter what. Yesterday, it was Emma. Today, it was Caleb. I made a mental note to ask him how he was doing.
When I made it to homeroom, I realized I didn't have to keep a note. Caleb walked in and sat right next to me... just as the bell rang.
"You are cutting it close this morning," I teased him.
"After the night I had, can you blame me?" Caleb asked.
"Point taken."
Just then, the door swung open and Brian waltzed in as if nothing had happened last night. He sat behind Caleb.
"Hey, Caleb, buddy!" Brian greeted him nonchalantly. "How you doing?"
I rolled my eyes as Caleb looked down at his textbook, tensing up at Brian's presence.
"Ooh, the silent treatment. How angsty."
"Just ignore him, Caleb," I encouraged him in a whisper. "He's not worth the energy."
"Agreed," he replied.
"You can't ignore me, Caleb!" Brian suddenly yelled. "I'm your best friend."
"Well, some friend you are!" I shot back, turning around to face him.
"Is this about the whole Zoe thing? 'Cause lemme tell you. She's a damn good kisser. So after you two ran off, we-"
SLAM!
I jumped. Caleb shut the textbook on his desk and the room was suddenly deathly quiet.
"That's it!" Caleb yelled.
He stood up and turned around to face Brian, who was still seated at his desk. His fists clenched and Brian stood up, meeting him eye-to-eye.
"I can't take it anymore!" Caleb yelled again.
"Caleb, please don't!" I pleaded with him.
"You gonna hit me?" Brian taunted him. "I'd like to see you try."
I gasped as Caleb grabbed Brian by the collar of his shirt and held his other fist up.
"Want to say that again?" Caleb yelled.
"Caleb, Brian, STOP IT!" I yelled.
Not even that could stop them. Brian punched Caleb in the stomach and the latter stumbled backwards.
"Thanks for giving me an easy shot," Brian gloated.
"Oh, no you don't!"
Caleb punched Brian in the jaw and the other students started to chant.
"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!"
I had enough. I was taught not to start fights but to finish them. I made my way to the center of it all and I punched Brian on the side. I heard a unified gasp from the entire room as Brian was caught off-guard. He turned towards me with a glare.
"Diana..."
"That's enough, Brian!"
"Guys!" Emma suddenly yelled, pointing to the door.
I turned towards the door to see a woman with long black hair wearing a black blazer, black jeans, and black heels, standing at the door. The room got quiet again.
"What are you doing?" she asked, gesturing to me, Caleb, and Brian.
"That is an excellent question," I answered, using one of my dad's signature mottos.
"Come with me. Principal Hughs will know what to do with you."
"Oh, sewer apples!" I exclaimed with the feeling of dread.
We took our things and followed the woman to the principal's office. I was lucky I wasn't grounded last night. Now, for sure, I was going to be grounded.
New York City, New York, USA
WILBUR'S POV
I was doing some research when my phone suddenly rang.
"Robinson."
"Hello there! Is this Mr. Wilbur Robinson?"
"Yes, it is. Who am I speaking with?"
"This is Principal Hughs at Westport High School. I am calling regarding your little girl Diana."
"Is she okay?" I asked.
"Yes, she is fine. She just got into a little trouble for throwing a punch at another student."
"She did what now?" I angrily asked with shock.
"Mr. Robinson, please relax. Everyone involved is fine. I am having Ms. Robinson, Mr. Mitchell, and Mr. Crandall participate in the homecoming committee so they will become good little boys and girls again."
I felt so perplexed at what she just said.
"Well, okay, then. So, Diana is serving detention on the homecoming committee? Am I hearing you right?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"Well, that's one way to correct an action. Would you happen to know when homecoming committee ends and for how long it'll last?"
"Every meeting ends at six o'clock and it lasts until the homecoming dance in October."
I let out a sigh.
"Thank you, Principal Hughs. I will have a talk with Diana about her actions at home tonight."
"Thank you, Mr. Robinson. I can already tell you are an awesome daddy."
I could not help myself and cracked up laughing.
"Thank you. Listen, I have to get back to work. Thank you for your time."
"Thank you very much, Mr. Robinson. Have a great day!"
"You, too."
I hung up and Lily was standing at the door with an amused look on her face.
"What was so funny?" she asked.
"That was Diana's principal on the phone."
I explained what happened to Lily. At the end, she laughed.
"You are an awesome daddy? She seriously said that?"
"Yes!" I answered, laughing again. "I swear she thinks she's a kindergarten teacher or something."
"There's nothing wrong with that," Lily replied. "Teenagers are still children. It shows that the principal is willing to protect them as if they are her own children. I think she's onto something with the homecoming committee punishment. Positive reinforcement. Instead of punishing bad behavior with a bad punishment, show kindness. Do something that benefits a group of people as a whole, not just yourself."
"Would you do this with your own children?"
"Absolutely. If they were to harm someone, whether it was intentional or not, I will tell them to work with or for that person to make up the bad deed. It's the best way to grow as a person, I feel."
We smiled at each other.
"Well, I should get back to work," Lily spoke.
"Me, too. And now I gotta text Karena and tell her I'm picking up Diana instead."
Westport, Connecticut, USA
After Russell dropped me and Lily off, I got in my car and drove to the high school to pick up Diana. She was waiting with a blonde-haired girl when I got there, and, to my surprise, the girl followed her.
"Hey, princess," I greeted her with a grin.
"Hi, Dad, this is Emma," Diana introduced the girl to me. "Emma, this is my father, Wilbur."
I shook hands with her.
"It's nice to meet you, Emma."
"You too, Mr. Robinson!"
"Wilbur, please."
"Emma doesn't have a ride and her mom is at work," Diana explained. "Plus, she's feeling depressed because her crush turned her down. I offered her to stay with me until her mom's off, if that's okay. I don't want her to be alone."
"Of course! Emma, you are an honorary Robinson today. Hop on in!"
"Thank you so much, Wilbur!" Emma replied happily.
The girls hopped in and I drove them home. I noticed Emma had tears in her eyes.
"Hey, Emma, I don't know exactly what's going on in your life for you to feel that way, but I wanted to let you know you are a beautiful girl and that any guy would be lucky to have you someday."
Emma smiled through her tears.
"Thank you, Wilbur."
We made it home and the three of us walked in the house.
"Karr, we're home!" I yelled.
"Good timing," Karena replied in a normal tone of voice. "Dinner's just about ready."
Then Diana and Emma followed me in.
"Oh, hello! I'm Karena, Diana's mom."
"I'm Emma. Diana and I became fast friends yesterday."
"It's very nice to meet you. I take it you're staying for dinner."
"If it's not too much trouble."
"Not at all," Karena replied, gesturing our son to her. "We're very happy to have some company tonight. This is Diana's brother Wesley."
"Hi, Wesley," Emma greet him. "It's nice to meet you."
"You're crying," Wesley replied, cutting right to the chase.
"Wesley, be nice," I sternly told him.
"Is Emma staying here for dinner?"
"Yes, she is," Diana answered.
"Mom, may I go to Donnie's for dinner?" Wesley asked.
"That is up to his mom," Karena answered.
"May I call her, please?"
"Yes, you may."
"Excuse me, Karena, where do I go to get cleaned up?" Emma asked.
"Oh! There's a bathroom underneath the stairs."
"Thank you!"
Emma went off to the bathroom, giving me an opportunity.
"Diana, we need to talk to you about your actions today."
"I knew this was coming," she replied. "Principal Hughs called you?"
"Yes. She told me you punched someone."
"Dad, I'm sorry. But Brian wouldn't leave Caleb alone. I tried to stop the fight, honest."
"You cannot stop a fight with a punch, Diana!" Karena told her. "What if you had gotten hurt?"
"I'm here and alive, aren't I?"
"But that punch was enough for you to serve detention on the homecoming committee," I replied, crossing my arms. "There are some battles, Diana, that you need to stay out of because it's not your fight."
"Sometimes, the best thing to do, Diana, is just to be there for him," Karena explained. "Do nothing. Say nothing. Just be present. And I'm sure that means more to Caleb than you fighting for him."
"Yes, Mom. So, what's my punishment this time?"
"Diana, honey, Principal Hughs' punishment was the most unique punishment I had ever heard of in my life and I'm not even sure I can give you one alongside that," I explained, shaking my head. "But let me promise you this. If we ever hear of you punching another student again, you will be grounded at home as well. This is your last warning because I let you off yesterday, too. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Dad."
"Mom, Dad, I'm going over to Donnie's for dinner," Wesley chimed in. "Miss Lily said yes."
"Well, have a good time at Donnie's then!" Karena replied with smile. "Tell everyone we said hi!"
"I will! What time do you need me home?"
"Before dark. Miss Lily will know what that means."
"Yes, Mom. See ya later!"
We all waved at Wesley, who went out the door.
"Can you let Emma know I'm in my room?" Diana asked me.
"Sure."
"Wilbur, can you help me finish dinner?" Karena asked.
DIANA'S POV
I grabbed a glass of water before heading up to my room in case Emma needed it. Shortly afterwards, Emma walked in.
"Here's your water."
"Thanks, Diana," Emma replied, taking the glass from my hand. "How's my face look? Can you tell I was crying?"
"You look much better," I answered with a smile.
"Good. Thanks for letting me use your bathroom to wash up."
"No problem! You're feeling better, then?"
"A little."
"Well, that's a start."
"Yeah," Emma replied with a frown. "I guess I'm just not sure where to go from here. I know it was a long shot, but, whenever I imagined my future, having Caleb in it was always at least possible."
"Well, he will be, just as a friend," I replied, remembering that Caleb and Emma agreed they were better off as just friends.
"Yeah, and I'm glad for that, but it's still hard to let go of this fantasy."
"You know what I think you need?"
"What?"
"A new activity," I suggested with a grin.
"Like a sport or something?"
"Sports, arts, anything that sounds fun to you."
"Something to distract me?"
"And something to look forward to."
Emma smiled.
"That's not a bad idea. But you know how I get around new people."
"Hey, I'm new, and we're friends, right?"
"That's only because you won't let me be shy around you."
"Well, what if we signed up for something together?" I suggested.
"Maybe... What were you thinking?"
"You remember how I chose to hang out with the cheerleaders yesterday?" I asked and she nodded. "Well, after getting to know them, I feel confident about trying out for cheerleading. Why not you, too?"
"Do you really think I could do it?" Emma asked. "Cheerleaders are supposed to be so... confident."
"That sounds like a great opportunity for you to learn how."
"Well... if you're sure. I'll give it a try if you do."
Suddenly, the door knocked.
"Diana, Emma, dinner's ready," Dad spoke.
"We're coming!" I yelled.
Emma and I joined my parents at the table. We said a prayer and then we started to cut our fried chicken. We also had green peas and mashed potatoes.
"How are you feeling, Emma?" Mom asked.
"Much better. Thank you, Karena."
"Good," Dad replied. "We're glad to hear it."
"So, Dad, Emma and I decided we're going to join the cheerleading squad."
"Well, okay. But you'll have to stop eating cooked meat."
Emma, Mom, and I all glanced at him with confusion.
"Cheerleaders like it rah-rah-rah!" Dad said with a grin on his face.
I groaned. Emma laughed. Mom facepalmed.
"Wilbur! Stop teasing our poor guest!"
"Yeah, Dad!" I chimed in. "You're embarrassing me in front of my new friend!"
"That's what I'm here for," Dad said with a wink.
I rolled my eyes.
"So, Emma, what does your mom do?" Mom asked.
"She's a nurse, so she works long hours."
"That's a fulfilling role," Dad replied. "We have a friend who used to be a nurse. She became a nurse to pay her way through college until she became a veterinarian."
"I love animals! Working with animals would be an amazing thing to do. But I'm only a sophomore, so I still have some time to think about it."
"Careful, Emma. Time flies faster than you think."
"And what about your dad?"
Emma frowned.
"He's a doctor in Atlanta. He and I are not on good terms."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Mom replied.
"So that's why things are stressful," Dad chimed in. "Well, if you ever need an escape, you're always welcome here. No permission required."
I grinned at that. My parents were truly amazing people.