✨It Doesn't Even Matter✨

Hashing It Out

Friday, September 5th (3:30 PM) (Trinity School) (Amaya's Perspective)
"Amaya, are you done?!?" August asked. I rolled my eyes. For some reason, Mom and Dad have August walking home with me, Andrew, and Allie. They want us all home at the same time today.
"Bye Harper, bye Lili! Call me!" I went over to August.
"Was it good?" I nodded.
"We had an assembly today." While August is sometimes annoying, it doesn't mean that I hate him, he is my brother after all. Allie and Andrew came over.
"Ready to go?"
"Yeah?"
"Hey, do you guys have an idea of why both Mom and Dad want us home so badly?" Andrew asked.
"I haven't a clue." Allie said.
"Maybe they're done arguing?" I asked.
"They're definitely not." August and Allie said.
"Jinx." Andrew laughed.
"This is making me kind of scared."
"It's okay, I'm sure it's nothing." Allie said.
"They're probably just telling us that we're going on some vacation soon or something."
"Or getting a new pet????"
"I doubt it. We already have two dogs."
"Yeah, but if we beg hard enough we can get another!"
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The Great Room (Riverside) (Allie's Perspective)
"How was school guys?" Mama and Dad seemed strangely calm, which I wouldn't question under regular circumstances, but with everything that's been going on these past couple of days, it's making me a bit nervous.
"Fine." I replied. Mama rubbed my back.
"Fine? You usually have a lot to say."
"Mo-om." She stopped pressing it and we all looked at our parents. They seemed pretty confused by our behavior, but to be honest we were just as confused as they were.
"So, you Mother and I asked for you guys to come straight home after school today because we have some news to tell you."
"Are we going on another vacation?" Andrew asked.
"Not anytime soon buddy." He frowned.
"So, I know you guys may have heard our disagreement-"
"It was more than a disagreement, you guys were having a full-blown argument." Amaya stated.
"Okay, okay argument." Dad sighed.
"And we're sorry that you guys had to sit and listen to that. We're okay now."
"So what's the announcement?"
"I am going to be leaving for Toronto to film a movie."
"That's awesome! How long are you going to be gone for?" August asked. Our parents froze. And let me tell you, that isn't something that they do often. My siblings and I looked at each other.
"I'm going to be gone for a little bit over a year." A year?? No wonder they were arguing. That's a while.
"Are we going to have to move??"
"No, sweetie. Dad is going to rent an apartment in Toronto while the five of us stay here. You guys just started school and it would not be fair for you guys to have to abruptly move. Plus, I can't go anywhere because I'm working."
"But then how would we see Dad?" I asked.
"Every month we'd fly up to see him for a couple of days. He'll fly down here sometimes too. How do you guys feel about that?" Mom asked.
"Okay. It wouldn't be the first time Dad has been away for a project. Plus, it's just a year." August said. We all agreed with him.
"Are you sure? Because if you're uncomfortable at all I can-"
"It's okay Dad, you want to do it. So do it. We're not babies anymore, we're older now and we could handle the separation. It's fine." I said.
"Is that all?"
"Yes, that was all."
"May I be excused please?" Amaya asked.
"Yes, you may." She gave me a look that said, meet me in my room.
"I'm coming right back. I have to use the restroom." I went upstairs and followed Amaya to her bedroom.
"What is it?" I asked her.
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My Bedroom (4:45 PM) (Amaya's Perspective)
"What is it?"
"They're definitely getting divorced now, Allie! Can't you see it?"
"Huh, what do you mean My-My? Dad is just working."
"No, you see. They've stopped arguing!"
"Okay...isn't that good?" Allie asked while putting her arm around me.
"No, they say that when a couple is having problems they separate, Allie. So the movie is a separation! They're not fighting anymore because they won't be around each other. And then, they're going to get comfortable with it and then they're going to divorce, and then there'll be two houses, and I don't want two houses because that's too much! I don't want to have to be at someone else's house every couple of days."
"Woah, woah, woah. That isn't going to happen."
"But you don't know that, Allie. They never fight like this."
"That's true...But think of it this way, if someone serious we're happening, wouldn't they tell us? Mom and Dad wouldn't ever hide big things from us. They didn't lie about Mom's stalker or the fact that we will run into paparazzi from time to time. You shouldn't have to worry Amaya."
"But I can't help it."
"I know, and it's okay." Allison hugged me.
"Look, if it makes you feel better, I'll talk to Mom about what's going on with her and Dad."
"No, don't tell them that I said anything!"
"I'm not going to tell them that you said anything, I'm just going to ask Mom if she and Dad are okay."
"Which they aren't."
"But we don't know that, Maya." I started to cry.
"Amaya.."
"Don't touch me. Usually, you'd hear me out and agree with me but now you're just like the boys. Get out of my room."
"I didn't-"
"Leave me alone."
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Aunt Ali's End of Summer Bash (Saturday, Sept. 6th) (Long Island, NY) (Andrew's Perspective)
"This is so boring." I whispered to myself. Every year, Aunty Ali has this party at her house to celebrate the end of summer. After doing that for so many years I'm starting to feel pretty bored of it. Plus, I feel left out. I'm not going to sit here and play cars with Bodhi, but I don't want to be all up in August and Harper's grill. I walked around looking for something to do.
"Hey, Andrew." I heard. I looked around and saw Charlotte from my math class. What is she doing here?
"Hey." I said awkwardly. I didn't expect to see someone from school here. I'm not wearing any of my super cool outfits at the moment, so this is kind of embarrassing. I wonder if Charlotte feels the same way. She's nice, but she seems a bit shy too.

"Hey, do you know how to do this problem? I'm kinda lost." I asked her. She looked around and her face turned red. I don't quite know why.
"So...I guess it's hard for you too? That's okay."
"Yeah...I kind of really suck at math." She said. We both laughed.
"Well...we could work on it together."

"I didn't think I'd see you here."
"Me too. Is Ali your Aunt too?"
"Yeah, but like in a 'my Mom's super close with her' kind of way."
"Me too. My Mom's good friends with her."
"Oh." That was when she came over.
"I see you've meet Janie's daughter."
"We sit together in math class."
"Ohh, really? Well, I'll leave you two alone." Aunt Ali giggled and I was a bit confused.
"So, what kind of stuff do you like Charlotte?" I asked.
"Well, I love watching tv. It makes my Mom and Dad kind of annoyed though."
"Mine too. They hate it when we're on our electronics for too long, but Xavier's Journey rocks."
"Wait...you watch Xavier's Journey?"
"Yeah! It's awesome!"
"Woah! What episode are you on?"
"34! I'm trying to catch up after vacation. What about you?" We talked about shows until it got dark outside and the fairy lights turned on. I hadn't met a girl that watched some of my shows before, it was kind of cool.
"Andrew, we're gonna leave in five minutes." Dad said.
"That's your Dad?"
"Yeah....he's the strict one."
"My Dad's strict too. But he's better these days. My brothers say it's because I'm a girl and the youngest. What about you?"
"I'm the youngest too. I got two sisters and a brother. Dad's better with us too."
"Charlotte, can you come here a second?"
"Looks like I gotta go. If I don't get a chance to say goodbye to you, I just want you to know that you're cool Andy." She waved and went over to her Mom.
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West Side Therapy (Wednesday, September 3rd) (7:45 PM) (Peter's Perspective)
"Oh, you are just selfish."
"Really, I'm selfish??! Says the man who wants to relocate his family for an entire year when it isn't necessary."
"You're selfish for never giving a damn about my career."
"Wow, Peter. Wow. You and I both know that's not true. How many times have I put in a good word for you? How many? You said that me being in SVU wasn't a problem, you said that you loved New York and that's where you wanted to raise a family because it's your second home. If you truly weren't okay with any of it, why did you agree to get back together?"
"That's not it."
"Then what is it?" Mariska asked in near tears.
"What is it, because every day we're fighting. I don't want to fight with you anymore, Peter. Every day, I have to look Amaya in the face and tell her that you and I are fine, despite knowing the truth. I don't want that for us." She looked over at our therapist.
"This is why we're here. This is why Dr. Fuller is helping us." I told her.
"I know." He smiled.
"How is this funny?"
"It isn't. You're getting somewhere."

To be continued~