Stacie's POV

As my alarm fish beeps, Brittany whines, "Ugh! Why do you have to wake up so early?"

"So I can get all of you ready for school."

"I don't want to go to school. School is for losers."

"School is not for losers. Don't you want to buy a big house when you grow up? Now, get up, and get dressed."

"Ugh!"

"Blythe, get up, and get ready for school," I try to say sweetly since she had a bad day at school yesterday, but I know she will rudely refuse. Bad days are just a bump in the road that you're going to have to get over if you want to get to a happy place. Every day is a bad day for me, but you don't hear me complaining. I know that someday I'm going to be happy and will look back on all of this gratefully.

"I don't want to," she groans.

"Blythe, you have to go to school. I know you don't want to, but you have to. Please get up."

"Fine."

"Thank you."

~

Once Blythe and Brittany are both up, I make them breakfast. I get changed while they eat and wake Avery up.

"Avery, honey, wake up."

"Stacie!"

"Hi, sleepyhead!"

"Hi!" he says giggling.

"Do you want to pick out your breakfast, today?"

"Yeah!"

Avery loves picking out his breakfast. He always goes with the same thing: sweet tasting cereal; it's his favorite. I pour his cereal as he sits down at the table. While he eats, I wake up my mom.

"Mom, it's time to get up. Avery is eating cereal at the table, and I'm taking Brittany and Blythe to school before swimming to mine." I give her a kiss and grab my backpack.

"Brittany! Blythe! It's time to go."

I grab a granola bar, and we head to their schools. Brittany is first, Blythe second, and I'm third.

~

"Hey, girl. What's up?"

"Hey, Marissa. Nothing's up with me, like always. How about you?"

"I met this cute guy! He asked me out on a date. It's on Friday. Can you go with me to buy a new outfit? Please?"

"Sure, but I'll have to take my siblings with. Is that okay?"

"Yeah! I've missed Avery! Does Brittany have to come, though?"

"Yeah, I can't leave her at home. She can't take care of herself."

"Ugh! She's so mean, though. Okay, fine," Marissa says groaning.

"I know right! You ready to work with Nick today?" We are almost to our desks.

"No! Are you ready to work with Alex?"

"No!" Mr. Johnson hears me. I know because he is glaring in my direction.

~

Alex's POV

"Hey, Alex."

"Oh, hey, Nick."

"You ready to work with Stacie?"

"Yeah, I actually can't wait," I smile.

"Oh, well, I am not ready to work with Marissa. She's so bossy and mean."

"Awe, the poor little baby. You probably were making her do all the work like with everybody else you've been partnered with. You wouldn't last this project if you had to help her." I know he won't be able to. He never does any of the work, and he always make the other person do it all.

"I bet I could," Nick smirks.

"I bet you couldn't."

"Is that a bet?" Nick questions.

"Yeah, it is."

"Okay, then, I bet you can't get Stacie to be your friend. Have fun losing." I chuckle at this. I won't lose. I can't lose.

"Class, settle down and get with your partners," Mr. Johnson says.

"Bye, Stace," I hear Marissa tell Stacie.

"Bye, Marissa," Stacie says, answering her.

~

Stacie's POV

"Hey, Marissa! How have you been? You ready to get to work?" Nick asks.

"Um, hey, Nick. What's up? Why are you being so weird?"

"I'm not being weird. I just want to get started with our project," he says. Marissa and I both gasp. Wow, that's surprising. Let's see if this is actually true.

I start grabbing my stuff when, suddenly, I look to my right, and Alex is sitting right there. I didn't even hear him swim over. He must be a great prankster. I turn to look back at my things when I hear something. It sounds like a voice. It's Alex.

"Hello, Stacie. I'm sorry I didn't talk to you yesterday. It's just that I'm very shy, and I get very nervous around girls."

"Oh, um, hi Alex. That's okay. I'm shy, too. I get very nervous around people. Um, do you have any wars that you like? Any of them are okay with me."

"I like the Good vs. Dark War; it's interesting. Do you want to do that one?"

"Sure, fine with me."