Day 2

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Bree woke up the next morning at six o'clock sharp, as usual, and threw on a navy jacket with a gray shirt and black joggers. No one except her dad was up.

"Uh, Dad? Where's Mom? Still sleeping?" Bree asked groggily, entering the living room where her dad was reading the newspaper with a cup of coffee in one hand.

"She's already gone." Bree's dad said.

"Oh," Bree said, slightly surprised. "Why does she have to go so early to the daycare?"

Bree's mom worked as an ECE at a daycare, but it was irregular that she set out before six in the morning to go to work there.

"She's actually gone to figure some things out with Kiara's US passport," Bree's dad said, massaging his forehead in concern.

"Kiara's passport?" Bree echoed. "Why, what's wrong?"

"It's going to expire soon, so we have to renew it. But it's not so easy, so that's why your mom has to go so early to the center." Bree's dad explained.

"Oh, okay," Bree said blankly. She was confused. Why was Kiara's passport going to expire soon? Or really, the better question was: what was going to happen if things went wrong and Kiara ended up not having a passport at all? But Bree didn't want to nag her parents about things that didn't necessarily concern her, so she didn't say any more about it and took out some cereal for breakfast.

A little while later, Skipper, Kiara, and Stacie all came downstairs to get ready for school. They had always marveled at the fact that Bree woke up at six in the morning.

"Bree, I have basketball tryouts today. You're going to have to walk home alone again today," Skipper said groggily.

"Got it," Bree said sarcastically. "I can manage just fine on my own, thank you very much. And besides, I'm TA-ing for my English teacher after school. So there's nothing to worry about."

"I'm just telling you, jeez," Skipper said, frowning.

The sisters silently ate breakfast and packed their bags for school.





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Conner woke up twenty minutes before school was going to start.

"Shoot!" Conner said loudly, stomping around the house, trying to get ready. He was always so tardy, and he doubted that would ever change.

"Conner, hurry up," Alex called, all done eating breakfast and shouldering her backpack, ready to go.

"Coming!" Conner yelled, hurrying downstairs and grabbing a toast to eat on the way to school.

Alex rolled her eyes and dragged Conner out the door. Their mom, Charlotte Bailey, had left early for work, as usual.

They arrived at school five minutes early, thanks to Alex. Conner panted as he opened his locker and hurried to get his books. He looked around. And then he saw her.

Bree was walking in his direction, probably to get to her first class. She was holding her books and calmly observing the other kids as she walked by. She was wearing a navy jacket with a gray shirt and black joggers. Her classic black and white Converse high-tops and her purple beanie immediately caught Conner's attention. Gosh, he wished he could just stop noticing that purple beanie.

Conner forgot that class was about to start any minute now. He fumbled clumsily with his books, and they all toppled to the ground. Face turning red, he dropped to the floor and shuffled around to try to pick up his books before Bree saw him.

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