Zoe opened her front door and walked inside. Jon and Mikey were on the couch watching TV and her mom was busy in the kitchen.
"Zoe's back," Jon yelled to the kitchen.
Her mom walked out to the foyer and said "Hi, honey. Did you have a good day at school?"
It was still weird to see her mom acting this way. Usually Zoe didn't even have to say anything and her mom began fighting with her. But now her mom was unusually good-spirited.
"Uh, yeah."
"Back to being a cheerleader, huh?" Jon said, standing up from the couch.
"Uh, yeah." She really didn't want to be a cheerleader, but it seemed she had no choice.
"Time to eat, guys," her mom said happily.
Athena opened the front door to her house and tried to sneak upstairs. She didn't tell her parents that she'd be late, and they usually scolded her for it. Except this time.
"Oh, Athena. There you are," her mom said, walking into the front room. "We already had dinner, but I saved some leftovers for you."
"You're not mad that I was out?"
"Of course not. Why would I be?" her mom asked. She was clearly confused. "I mean, what you do with your friends isn't any of my business. Unless you're using drugs. You're not using drugs, are you?"
"No."
"Well, good," she said, smiling. She squeezed her daughter's arm and said "I love you so much." Then she continued on her way, leaving a very stunned Athena.
After Zelda returned home, she went straight to her room. But before she got there, he father intercepted her.
"Zelda? Is that you?" He turned on the hallway light and saw that it was. Zelda and her father got along better than her friends got along with their parents, but it was still a rocky relationship. Basically, he kept his distance and didn't interfere with Zelda's life, as much as it pained him with Zelda's fashion choice and lifestyle. But that life was gone now. It belonged to Melissa.
"What's wrong, honey?" he asked her. "You look spooked."
"Nothing's wrong."
"You need a hug?"
"What? No. Can you just leave me alone like you usually do? I just have to sort some things out."
"Leave you alone? Honey, what are you talking about?"
"Just keep your distance."
"If you need some space, fine. But, honey, I'm always here for you." Then he walked away.
That was different, Zelda thought.
Sabrina walked up to her house, stumbling once on the way. She wasn't sure if she could pull off this whole popular girl thing. "Fucking shoes."
"Honey, is that you?" a voice came from nowhere. Out of the shadows came her mom. Apparently she was sitting on the porch swing. She did that sometimes to relax. "I didn't just hear you say what I thought you said. Did I?"
"No."
"I better not."
Sabrina walked up the steps and opened the front door.
"Leftovers are in the fridge," her mom said.
"You're not mad that I was out?"
"I know how important your social life is."
You didn't know before, she thought. Then she went inside and slammed the screen door.
Her mom leaned forward and looked towards the front door. "What's up with that girl?"
Stephanie returned home, but no one was there. Usually at this time her mom, dad, and older brother were watching TV or something. But it was completely dark.
She walked into the kitchen and turned on the light. A piece of paper sat on the table, stating that her family went out to see a movie and that they'd be back later.
Stephanie wasn't all that hungry at the moment, so she went up to her room.
It was gonna take a long time to get used to her new room. In fact, maybe even an eternity. She'd have to be consumed with insanity before she could even like pink. At least, so she thought.
She sat down on her bed and remembered what Jessica told her. And immediately she sat upright and crossed her legs. Then she got up and walked across her room as gracefully as possible. Then she stopped. Am I really trying to do this? she thought. She shook her head and sat back down, this time slouching. Then, as if her subconscious mind were urging her to do things right, she sat upright again and crossed her legs again. She sighed, then laid down on her bed.
