Modern Family • L. Dunphy

Firts days

Today was our first day of school. I cannot believe how fast the summer ended.

New start, new school year, new soccer season and most important, new friends.

This is our first high school year, which means starting from zero again. Luckily, Rose is also going to my new high school which is really good, honestly.

I got up from bed and came downstairs to find Manny and Gloria in the kitchen talking about some drama class Manny was going to take. Rose and I planned on joining the school soccer team, so we have been practicing a lot this last two weeks when she came back from Italy.

I ate my breakfast in silence since I was still half asleep and I was too tired to say anything.

When I finished, I put the plate in the sink and went upstairs to change into some clothes. I put everything in my bag, making sure i didn't forget anything.

I looked at my watch, 8:17. School starts at 8:45.

Then, it was time to leave. I was walking with Manny and Gloria when I spotted Rose waiting for me on the entrance of the school, I bid goodbye to Gloria and started walking towards Rose.

✰ ✰ ✰

We entered the school and went to the secretary to get our timetables. We had almost all the classes together except for Spanish.

The bell rang and we went to our first class. Room 102, biology.

When we entered the class we saw a few people already in. We didn't have time to do anything when the teacher came in, we sat in our seats and the teacher introduced himself as Mr. Ortiz.

He started explaining something which nobody seemed to listen when the door suddenly flew open.

"Well, look who decided to show up" Mr. Ortiz looked at Luke and Manny.

"Sorry, Mr. Ortiz, someone messed up our schedule and we went to the wrong class" Manny tried to explain.

"Yeah, we are really sorry, it won't happen again, I swear" Luke added to the apology.

Every year they manage to be late on the first day. I honestly don't know how they do it. They took the seats in front of us and acted as if they were really paying attention.

"Now, I want the real reason as to why you were late again" I whispered to Luke, who was in front of me.

"Why? I just told you the reason, our schedule got messed up" He leaned his chair back so it was pressed against the front on my table.

"Okay, nice try, now the truth"

I have known Luke since I was a baby, I can tell when he's lying or not. He's a really bad liar.

"Okay, we were talking to some girls and we walked with them to their class, then we realised we were late but then we got lost. Happy?"

"Very" Ha. I knew they were lying.

After the lesson ended, the bell rang. I've never been happier to hear the bell, and it's only been first period. 
Thankfully the rest of the lessons passed by quicker than I expected.

✰ ✰ ✰

"Okay ladies, listen up! only five of you will make it to the team, so if you really want to be in it, you have to work harder than you have ever done. Trust the process, you will thank me later. Joining this team is the best thing you will do and probably the only, since there's nothing interesting going on at this school" Our new coach and phe teacher, Ms. Santos, told us in a really dramatic way. "Except for that new teacher, I think he's called Robert, who is smoking ho— ANYWAYS off the point, what I'm trying to say is... work hard and you'll get rewarded"

By the end of the lecture we were all very impressed, and not in a good way. This was the tryouts for the team, and I really want to pass them.

"I think she's gone mad" Rose whispered beside me.

"You think?" I turned to her with a deadpan expression.

Then she blowed the whistle and we started doing the tasks she assigned. They included: tapping, controlling, taking shots, dribbling and passing.
By the end of it, we were all sweating.

"Okay, We've got the results. Now, after discussing it with our team captain, Camila, we've made a decision" Ms. Santos announced.

"The five girls who have made it to the team are— Ashley Bennett, Maria Lopez, Caroline Jones, Rose Miller and Cecilia Martin"

We all cheered along the rest of the girls on the team. We made it. I felt the relief run my body. Thank god, I don't know what I would have done if I didn't get in. I hugged Rose really excited, she almost fell to the ground with me on top.

After meeting the rest of the girls on the team, we discovered they were all really nice and happy that we were the ones to join the team.

✰ ✰ ✰

"It's crazy. I mean- we both got in, it's amazing Ceci!" Rose was smiling really hard.

"Yeah, I know. Coach Williams would be proud"

"Yeah, I'm really gonna miss him"

"Yeah, me too. Not his lame jokes, though"

Rose chuckled at that. "But Ms. Santos seems nice, a little crazy if you ask me. But still nice"

"Yeah, she reminds me a lot of my uncle Cam. I don't know why... Maybe the hand gestures she does when she speaks— or maybe the dramatic voice she uses in every sentence"

"Or probably both, I'm telling ya. That woman is gonna make a hell of a coach,
trust me"

"I hope so"

"Hey, how is the L-thing?" Rose suddenly changed the subject.

"What L-thing?"

"You know, the Luke Dunphy thing..."

"What about him?"

"I mean, are you guys in better terms?" She asked looking at me suspiciously.

"Well, we've got our days, but mostly yes"

"I remember when you moved with the Pritchetts, the first years the only thing you two would do is argue, argue and more argue" She reminded me.

"We still argue sometimes, less than before, but still do. But now is more like teasing not actually fighting, you know"

"Yeah, I guess. It took you both a long time to be friends. I remember our conversations over the phone used to be: 'Luke called me this' 'Luke called me that' 'Luke did this'... Thank god you guys get along now, it was exhausting"

"Well I don't know if 'friends' is the term I would use, because we still don't get a long a hundred percent yet, and it's not that I'm looking forward to it either way"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night"

We reached Rose's house and we hugged each other goodbye. I heard her say "see you tomorrow" as she entered her house.

Then I reached my house and all I wanted was to take a long nap.

And that's what I did.