Reposted and edited from The Summer After! I'm not a big fan of first person point of view, but I kept it this way for editing purposes. Stacey's high school life and her mother is dating. Just a fun thought process fic to try out.


Sophomore year was just kind okay, thought Stacey McGill, walking home with her friend Claudia Kishi. It had just started and not much different from freshman year. Claudia was telling her how her schedule would lighten up some with more art classes and somehow skirted around taking P.E. in her first semester.

"Did you hear about the game?" asked Claudia. "Trent Wright helped us win that big game against Circleville."

"Yea, the football teams are doing great and I can't wait for homecoming, I have my dress picked out. I kind of wish I could go with Trent," said Stacey confiding with her. "Anyway, don't forget I'm still helping you with math."

Numbers just fascinated her just as much as clothes. Like for example today she had on black boots, black tights, and a black short sleeve dress with a white collar. Stacey's hair twisted into two French braids that met in the middle and combined down the back. Paired with silver earrings, and a simple silver bracelet on her left wrist made her look grown up. She always got dressed up for school, that's what made it fun to go to class sometimes.

"Please! Later okay? I have to sit for the Rodowsky's," said Claudia before she waved her off.

Humming to herself Stacey walked up the front path to see her mom's boyfriend's car parked. She had met him a few times and never really got to know him much. Between math club, pep squad, dance committee, baby-sitting, and spending time with her friends she didn't have much time to spend with him. She saw her mother every night.

She could hear them laughing in the dining room and she paused outside the door. There was a new voice that sounded familiar.

"Stacey!" called out her mom and she had to go in now.

That was when she felt her jaw practically drop. The star football player and basketball player was in her living room. Trenton Wright was in her living room looking happy too.

"Hi," said Stacey trying to keep her voice cool, not looking at him for too long. He was so cute with longer hair and these stunning turquoise colored eyes. "Mom, Douglas…"

"Hi Stacey," said Douglas from his spot. Her mother's boyfriend was pretty cool, he's an electrician that works with the city. Douglas made her mom happy which makes her happy and he always dressed nice too, which is a bonus. "This is my son Trent, you might know him from Stoneybrook High School."

She just nodded and looked at Trent who just smiled at her. He had a really cute smile and slightly floppy hair that he brushed away from his face.

"Yea, I heard the football team won last night," said Stacey, still not trying to freak out too much. One of the most popular seniors at Stoneybrook High School was sitting in her living room! "I'm Stacey."

"Nice to meet you," he said, looking at her closely. "I think I've seen you around before."

He saw her before? Oh my gosh that didn't freak her out or anything. Hopefully it was a good hair day and not when she had to tie it up or wear a hat. Trent grinned at her as she felt herself slightly melt at the attention.

"Anyway, we're going to go out to dinner here shortly Stacey," said her mom and she barely heard her. She was going out to dinner with her mom, her boyfriend, and Trent. She needed to get into something cute quickly and mom for that matter.

Stacey hurried up and changed into something nicer than usual in hopes of impressing him. Plus, she had to call Claudia once she reached her room safely and then Rachel. They were excited for her and then added something that I never thought of before.

"What if your mom marries him?" asked Claudia. "I mean then you'd be related to him and you couldn't go to homecoming with him. Plus what if he's not as nice as we think he is?"

Oh Stacey hadn't thought of that before slowly nodding along. She had to be careful around Trent more than she thought she would. That way her mom wouldn't get hurt and her reputation wouldn't be damaged. Stacey really did like Douglas though and she wouldn't want to ruin her mom's happiness because she messed something up.

After some thought she decided on a pair of dark washed jeans, a white boatneck top, kept the braids in her hair, and switched jewelry to colorful earrings that Mrs. Walker (an old neighbor in New York) gave her. Stacey went from being excited to nervous then she should be. Slowly they made their way across town to Friendly's for dinner.

Mom and Douglas were talking about something or another. Trent doing his math homework on the car ride and she wondered how he did that. She had to make a good impression and she had to make sure mom was happy too.

"You want to sit next to me Stacey?" asked Trent as they were being led to a booth. Then he lowered his voice. "I want to make sure that my dad sits next to your mom if that's okay?"

"Fine with me, anything to push them together," she said and quickly added. "I'd like to sit next to you anyway…"

Trent looked at me a little puzzled and she just turned a little pink. Oh no. This was going to be ruined before he gestured for her to get in first next to the window. Yikes, what if someone saw them together? Still flustered, she sat down next to him.

"So, Stacey," he said. "How well do you think my dad and your mom are getting along?"

"Good, she really likes him," she said looking at him closely, he seemed nervous. "You really want them to hit it off I guess?"

"Yea, I'm going to college next year and I don't want to see him alone. My dad's really important to me and your mom makes him happy."

That was when she gave him a real genuine smile. They had to be close and her crush on him pretty much died during dinner. He was more focused on his dad and learning about him was interesting.

He wasn't a geek or anything outside of school. Trent was just normal and not a bad guy or anything special. Huh. Trent did have a lot of neat stories and interesting things to say. Not only that but watching her mom and Douglas was sweet. He would crack those terrible jokes that her mom liked so much and they would touch each other's hands a lot.

Later when they left, Stacey had sat down with her mom while she worked on some paperwork for her store. She had homework sprawled out in front of her with most of it done. Both of us worked quietly and quickly since the social studies assignment was just a worksheet. She had already read the chapter in The Wave for English. History was left and a worksheet in front of her looking up the answers.

"Stacey," said her mother, who for the first time sounded nervous. "How do you feel about Douglas and Trent?"

"Oh my gosh mom are thinking about getting married to him?" asked Stacey sitting up straight, her mind going straight to wedding bells. She looked startled at me and flushed herself.

"Well, kind of maybe, we had discussed it," she said, stuttering. "Stacey…."

"I know that you'll always love me and just because you're getting married doesn't mean that I will be pushed out of your life," said Stacey, getting to the gist of it. She never had to worry about her mother getting remarried like her dad. She loved her dad but she didn't see him as much as she used to without Samantha or her half sister. Mom was always here, and we knew each other best.

My mom just hugged her tightly and brushed back a piece of her hair. "Do you really like him?"

Stacey thought about Douglas, there was a lot to like about him. He was funny in a dad way, gave good advice, and he dressed nicely. "Yea and he makes you happy, which is just as important as my own happiness."

"Then we have things to discuss," she said, kissing her. "Would you like some popcorn?"

Stacey nodded and focused on her homework and silently added in her mind, she'd get a neat brother too.