(Chapter has been edited, because I posted it sorta impulsively before.)

A/N

real quick before you get into the story. All characters are humans, you can use your imagination, -or my past story covers are how I see them though (IWDWS -Alvin & Brittany, Desires -Simon and Jeanette, I don't have a cover for Theodore and Eleanor but I may add one sometime). They are also aged up, so around 18-19.

"I hate him!"

Brittany sat under the covers of her pink duvet bed sheets, sobbing over the boy she loved. Her sisters at her aid with tissues, consoling words, and tubs of Ben and Jerry's ice cream. Today was the last day of her freshman year in university, and she had just gotten her heart broken. Tomorrow was supposed to be the beginning of her dream summer, which she had been planning since the start of the year. Unfortunately, the dream was shattered before it even began.

"I can't believe I trusted that fucking asshole!" Brittany cried, "I thought he loved me!"

"There, there Brittany, let it all out." Jeanette comforted.

"Yeah, he didn't deserve you anyway, boys like that are only interested in themselves," Eleanor added, scooping up a spoon of chocolate ice cream, "You'll get over it."

Brittany only sniffled in response. Apparently, this breakup meant a lot more to her than her sisters had thought. Considering this isn't the first. The difference this time is that instead of her ending the relationship, it was her significant other, Bart. The surprising turn of tables left her truly speechless and with a mighty blow to her ego. Not only that but a slightly cracked heart.

Brittany never fully believed in love, to her it was a mere gamble or competition. A game she always wins -or did until recently. When Bart came along, she was instantly awestruck by his charms. He wasn't like any other boy she had ever met. He smelled of expensive cologne, dressed with class –and a lot of cash, had an athletic physique and beautiful blue eyes that could hypnotise even the most disagreeable people. He was the ultimate ace. She felt something for him that she had only felt one time before, true affection. For once she really wanted a real relationship, and she was all in.

With Brittany being an ace herself, she quickly caught his attention and reeled him in. It was love at first sight. Their relationship began within days of their first greet in class and lasted all throughout the year with few bumps and hurdles. They were a power couple, perfect for each other in every way. Where her temper came, his calmness reigned, her overdramatics and his down-to-earth tactics, her aggression and his moderation. For that, Brittany treasured her relationship and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. She really thought he felt the same way, up until he ended it.

What did she do wrong? Was she getting boring? Was it her hair? Was it because she took up too much time in the bathroom? - It takes time to look that good. Whatever it was, it was ruining all that effort she put into doing her makeup that morning.

"Oh, by the way, did you get your tickets?" questioned Eleanor.

"Tickets?" Brittany turned to her sister.

"Uh yeah, the ones you were supposed to book for your trip to LA," Eleanor replied, swallowing a spoon of the cool dessert.

"The trip!" Brittany gasped.

The trip that Bart was supposed to accompany her on. The trip where she was supposed to show Bart her hometown. The trip she promised Ms. Miller she'd come and visit. Oh, Ms. Miller, the poor old lady, hasn't seen all three of the girls together in ages since they moved to New York to pursue their career goals and attend college. Unlike her sisters, who made seasonal trips, Brittany made a total of zero visits back to LA. It's been nearly a year since she last saw Ms. Miller, so her sisters encouraged her to go this time, without them.

She had completely forgotten about her summer plan because of the recent breakup.

"You know you can't cancel, Miss Miller is expecting you." Eleanor turned to face her sister, noticing that her face was contorting regret.

Brittany put her face into a pillow to avoid her sister's stare. She knew it was inevitable. A promise was a promise. She really did want to see Miss Miller, but she didn't want her adoptive mother to see her like this. In this pitiful state of misery. Miss Miller was supposed to see that Brittany was healthy, happy and with someone who loved her.

"Did you even get your tickets?" Eleonor pressed.

"Eleonor, I don't think now's the best time to talk about this." Jeanette spoke, trying to ease the tension.

Eleonor sighed, and adhered to her more sensible sister, before getting up to put away the container of ice cream. Leaving behind Brittany and Jeanette in the pink themed bedroom.

"Brittany, you should drink some tea and get some rest." The ever wiser Jeanette soothed Brittany, "Just come downstairs when you feel a bit better, okay."

Brittany removed the pillow, now stained with her tears and mascara and cringed inwardly at the sight. She did feel a lot better from Jeanette's gentle strokes through her hair though. But it was short lived as she felt a wave of heartache and guilt regenerate through her body.

She hadn't bought the tickets. Or ticket now, since her lover is now her ex-lover and won't be joining her on this trip. But she knew that she would have to purchase one for herself soon now. It felt depressing to think about. But at least now she doesn't have to go through the trouble of planning for two.

Brittany felt Jeanette's hand leave her hair, and some shuffling on the bed. Jeanette had begun picking up all the used tissues and extra tubs of ice cream. Even though Jeanette was younger than herself, she always took on the role as the responsible one. She was more of the motherly character in the trio. Brittany wanted to thank her, but she felt a wave of exhaustion and decided that she would properly thank her later. She watched as Jeanette left the room in silence and closed her door.

Brittany rested her back onto her silk sheets and closed her eyes. She would deal with everything later.

–

Mumbling curses to herself, Brittany sat in her bed scrolling her laptop to find a reasonable flight price. Why is a round trip across the country costing me over $700?

She was really wondering if this trip was worth it at this point. Not only is she sick from heartache, but now she has to empty her wallet to spend her summer alone with her adoptive mother. Don't get her wrong, she loves her mother; but imagine spending an entire summer with an elderly woman who's always going on about the same stories from her golden days, and can't hear a thing unless you yell. She was going to have to prepare her lungs for any conversation she was going to have with Miss Miller.

Although she felt dreadful of what was to come, the old woman also made Brittany smile in reminiscence. She was still her mom, someone very dear to her and her sisters. Even if they weren't tied together by blood they were joined by their love. And she travels further down her memory remembering when her everydays were spent repeating sentences, forming patience and being referred to as dear. As annoying as it is with her, it's also nice. Maybe spending the summer in her childhood home would be healing for her.

Her smile disappeared not long after she heard a voice trail to her room from downstairs. It was of course Eleanor, as Jeanette keeps her vocal range low. So Brittany brought herself to her door to tune in. She's not usually interested in what her sisters say in privacy but after the entire ordeal earlier today, she felt a sort of sting from her youngest sister. Yes, Eleanor comforted her, but she also wasn't easy on her, not that she usually is, but today more than usual.

"She disregards everything, Jeanette."

"Eleanor, you shouldn't say that.." Even in defence of her sister, Jeanette's voice sounded uncertain.

"It's true. And you know it. Her attendance was terrible and her grades this semester were the lowest I've ever seen."

It didn't take much to get Brittany contentious, and as Eleanor was finishing her sentence, Brittany had made her way down. How did Eleanor even find out about this? She had made sure to keep her grades safe and locked away on her passcode protected laptop. She had told no-one as of yet, so the only way for anyone to find her school information was if they found her laptop opened.

"So you've been snooping around on my laptop, huh? Who gives you the right?" Brittany felt her ears warming up from embarrassment and anger.

Eleanor and Jeanette's heads instantly turned toward Brittany's voice which had just entered their conversation, or rather Eleanor's rant. It was plain to see that there was no good way in which this would end, Jeanette was already preparing herself for the aftermath and uttered a silent prayer under her breath.

"The same right that you snooped in on this conversation with." With sass, Eleanor answered.

"If you didn't want me to hear then why are you practically announcing my personal business to the entire neighbourhood?" Brittany raised her voice.

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know your failing grades were a surprise to anyone!" Eleanor matched Brittany's tone, this time actually loud enough for the neighbours.

Hearing it again from her smart-mouthed sister, felt like a slap to the face. It was a fact, she was failing. But in this moment she didn't care about her less than scholar grades, she cared about winning this argument. Brittany Miller did not lose a dispute to anyone.

"So tell me trustworthy sister, why again did you invade my privacy?"

"That's not the point. You're failing your classes, and it's all because you're out chasing boys instead of studying or working."

"Chasing boys? I had one boyfriend! And I was in love!"

"In love?" Eleanor almost laughed, repeating her sister's words. After the amount of breakups and boyfriends Brittany has gone through, love is something she isn't capable of. At least that is what Eleanor believes.

"Yes, Eleanor. I wouldn't expect you to understand as you have never even been in a relationship before… Maybe it's cause you can't be trusted."

"Oh, will you shut up about trust? The truth is already out." Eleanor exasperated.

"Truth that you stole from me!"

"I didn't steal it!"

"Yes you did! I was going to tell you myself but you just had to stick your nose in my business and then air it to everyone else!"

"Why is that so important? You should be worried about your future!"

Jeanette sat between the crossfire anxious. She had to interfere and stop this but with her presence shrinking by the second she wasn't sure if she could do anything at all. Nonetheless, she gathered her voice and spoke up.

"Guys, I think we should talk about this tomorrow, it's late and–"

"Why are you so concerned about my future? It's mine! I can do whatever I want!" –Only to be cut short by Brittany.

"Do you even realize how childish you sound right now?" Eleanor was growing frustrated through this argument, anything she throws Brittany's way, she just throws it aside.

Brittany knew she sounded childish, but her dignity was already a dumpster fire. What did it matter to Eleanor if she failed some classes? It's not the end of the world. If she would just drop this and apologize then Brittany would explain everything. This didn't have to turn into an argument. But she keeps insulting her, as if she had been keeping this hostility bottled in and is now letting it spill in a nasty outburst.

"What? I sound childish because I'm confronting you about your invasion of my privacy? That I'm defending a relationship I believed in?"

"You are so self-centred! Your failing grades means you lose your scholarship! And you'll have to either pay for classes or pay for rent."

"So you're worried I'll choose not to pay for rent? How shallow do you think I am?"

Brittany was fully awake to the reality of the situation. She knows her failing grades have put her on a risky catwalk, where her balance is crucial. She knows she can't miss a single opportunity if she wants to finish the walk. She's well aware of this and she has a plan to remedy her circumstance before she falls off. Something she wanted to do on her own without Eleanor up her ass about it. She avoided telling her sisters of her grades and her plan to take online summer classes because she knew it would have involved an outburst similar to this.

"Very. And you don't even have a job right now, me and Jeanette can't be busting our asses for you."

"Well sorry to disappoint, but I have planned a failsafe for my scholarship. And I have money saved up for a while."

"Sure, I don't think a couple summer classes will bring your GPA up from the plunge that you took." Eleanor had very little faith in Brittany, it was evident from the start of the argument.

"Why do you always think the worst of me?!"

"Because you are the worst."

"You're a cunt Eleanor. An untrustworthy and hollow cunt." Brittany spat in the most malicious tone she could muster. Eleanor's earlier remark was short but piercing, and she was going to spear back with the same force.

Now it was Eleanor who fell slightly agape hearing her sister's words. She was definitely offended by this one whether she meant it or not.

"And you're a pathetic, boy-obsessed disappointment!" Eleanor yelled, matching Brittany's spite. It may have not landed with great impact, but sure did ring through Brittany.

Brittany's icy eyes were melting to tears, and she noticed the same of Eleanor's brown ones. But teary eyes weren't enough to resolve this fight. And there was no way Eleanor would have the final word in this argument that she started. She was going to fist the final blow and achieve her victory.

"Sometimes I wish Jeanette was the only sister I had."

She could only imagine Eleanor's reaction through watery eyes. But undoubtedly it left her youngest sister with tears that slipped her widened brown eyes, a mouth unable to shut and a face red as fire. Even Jeanette was left with less words than those she began with, which was next to none.

Without waiting for her sister's response Brittany turned around and went back upstairs to her room, slamming the door hard and loud. She could feel her ears red and hot as if steam had just left through them. Her hands were clenched into fists so tight her knuckles went white and her face wore a nasty scowl. She wasn't feeling any sense of achievement, but rather a sense of fury. Pathetic, boy-obsessed disappointment? Please.

She was the farthest thing from it. And she was going to prove it.

So Brittany recollected herself, eased the muscles on her face to prevent any wrinkling and climbed into her silky pink duvet and reopened her laptop. The very first page to open up was the $700 round trip flight, leaving tomorrow. At this moment the cost was irrelevant, all she knew was that she had to get out of this house as soon as possible. A slight dent in her savings was nothing for the result of the peace and tranquillity she would feel after leaving behind the hateful blonde sister. She got to work immediately after purchase. Pulling out her pink suitcases and stuffing them with her summer wardrobe.

She was definitely not pathetic, not a disappointment, and most definitely not boy-obsessed. And she was going to prove Eleanor wrong by vowing to abide to be the opposite of everything she said this summer. She was no longer going to sulk over this break up. She was going to get her grades up. And she was going to focus on herself only. Because if anyone is up for a challenge, it's Brittany Miller. As she believed that she won the earlier fight, she can easily surpass this challenge.

So Brittany cooled down, finished her packing, and slipped into her beauty sleep. After all, she had a flight to catch tomorrow. It was time she got away from here, away from all her stresses. It was time for LA, time for vacation.

–

Leggings or sweats?

Brittany's current dilemma. She had packed last night and was just finishing up to leave for the airport. Her alarm had yet to even ring, but her nerves weren't letting her sleep, so what better to do than plan her outfit for when she leaves. Still not fully recovered from her angry jitters she was definitely going through it, but going through it in style. Fashion was the only thing that kept her stress-free, and for now it was her little escape from hassle that was to come. Dealing with her sisters. She knew they wouldn't let her through the door that easily after a dispute just the night before. But there was a chance Eleanor may not even speak to her and she could easily slip past and out the door. And if it was only Jeanette she would see on her way out, well then it wouldn't be much trouble at all.

Sweats it is.

She applied the finishing touches of her makeup, patted down her straight auburn hair, took a deep breath and shimmied out her door pulling along her pink suitcases. Leaving her room and to the stairs, Eleanor's words rang through her head once more. They're certainly hard to erase from her mind, so in a positive light; they would serve as motivation.

There was shuffling heard coming from downstairs, and Brittany was praying to find Jeanette at the bottom, she'd rather not see Eleanor at all. She wasn't sure what would happen if they came face to face. And to her luck, her quieter sister Jeanette stood by the stove warming her morning tea. Her hair tied in a messy bun and her glasses sliding down the arch of her nose. Brittany couldn't be gladder to see a dishevelled Jeanette. It was time she thanked her properly for being kind to her yesterday.

"Brittany!" Jeanette called out in surprise once she caught sight of her older sister walking into the kitchen.

"Good morning Jeanette." Brittany replied to her with a smile, as if nothing happened the night before.

Noticing her two pink suitcases and odd mood, Jeanette's expression changed from surprised to worried.

"Are you moving out?" She questioned, genuinely concerned.

"What? Don't be ridiculous Jeanette." Brittany rolled her eyes, of course her sister would think the worst. "I'm leaving for LA, to visit Miss Miller."

A heavy sigh escaped Jeanette, relieved that her sister wasn't about to impulsively move out over an argument. But she wouldn't put it past her either. Brittany is well known to her sisters to be unpredictable and dramatic.

"I booked my ticket last night, I'll be returning at the end of August." Brittany continued as she moved past Jeanette to pour herself a glass of water.

"How did you find a flight so soon?"

"Flights are always coming and going Jeanette, you just need money."

"Oh.." Jeanette wanted to ask how much she paid for this early flight, but she didn't bother as Brittany seemed to be getting irritated with each question.

Brittany gulped down her water and laid her eyes back on her now silent sister. Sighing, she thought now wasn't the time to become irritated with her sister's curious nature because she won't be seeing her until the end of summer.

"Thank you Jeanette. For being there for me yesterday. It means a lot. Really." Brittany said whilst taking ahold of her sister's hands.

Her voice had become soft and sincere as she held her eyes to Jeanette's. She really did mean it. Jeanette's love and care for her sisters was never in question and she never hid it. Brittany on the other hand only showed hers when it mattered most, when it was needed. Her personality never aligned with that of sweet and gentle. Brittany was abrasive, bold and conceited, and she knew that. She was never good at these small moments of sincerity, but she intended to work on it. And right here, she felt it was right to show her appreciation of her sister.

"That's what sisters are for Brittany." Jeanette gave her hands a squeeze in affirmation.

They shared a smile in this small moment. And Brittany's heart warmed with endearment. Perhaps she should thank Jeanette more often.

Jeanette broke eye contact as she gathered words from what she had on her mind, "...and I think you should speak to Eleanor too.." she proceeded hesitantly, unsure how Brittany would feel about talking to Eleanor after what happened, "She seems really upset–"

"Good."

In a suddenly very cold tone, Brittany had replied in the opposite manner she had just thanked Jeanette with. And her warm smile morphed into a tight smile. There was an instant shift in the atmosphere and Jeanette zipped up her lips. It wasn't going to be easy to get the two of them to speak on good terms again, especially now with Brittany leaving for the summer. At least Jeanette tried.

Just then a head of blonde hair poked through the stairwell and entered the kitchen. Jeanette looked over, but Brittany didn't bother turning around. She had hoped to be out of there before Eleanor could make her appearance, but she supposed it was inevitable; they lived in the same house. Instead she gave Jeanette another quick stern smile and excused herself. It was time she left anyway, her Uber was waiting. So Brittany dragged away her suitcases right past Eleanor and out the front door.

"Is she moving?" Eleanor asked with an eyebrow raised after Brittany had shut the front door.

"No, she's going to LA." Jeanette responded, still facing the door.

–

Brittany knew she left them astound, just as she liked. It was time to put her problems behind and say hello to summer in LA. She felt happy about it, for the first time since her breakup.

"Flight to LA now boarding."

Right on cue, she thought as she got in line to start her summer vacation.

A/N

Thank you for reading! 🙏

I want to make this a multi-chapter story (my first multi-chapter -woooo!). Please let me know what you think, or if you have any suggestions, I'm open for criticism and other comments.

You can probably tell but this is a Brittany centric story, more characters will be introduced later, and chapter povs may change as well. So far I have only written this chapter but I have a plan sorta mapped out. I also took a lot of inspo from other stories in the aatc fandom to create something a little different. Story is also inspired by the song, 'Vacation' by the Go-Go's (the aatc cover).

Updates will be slow, I'm sorry. I have terrible time management and very random urges to write. But I really want to make sure I stick to this story and finish it, bear with me guys. It also helps motivate if you guys leave reviews, that would be really nice 👍 .