Being Grassi-Hoying

Chapter 42

**Mitch's POV**

"Karlie!" I scream, walking over to her tree-house, "Karlie!" I climb the ladder, but she's nowhere to be found. I ask our neighbors and they don't know. I start to panic a bit more walking back to the house, I go inside and check again. I start to shake horribly, what if her father hired someone to grab her? What if it's Hunter? She could be dead for all I know! My phone rings and it's Vonzell, "Hello?" I answer quickly, "Stop panicking I'm on my way with her." I fall back on the couch, "Oh my God, thank you." I sigh, "Where was she?" "On the side of the road, marching with a huff. I'm with Todrick an-" She's cut off by the mic picking up his voice, "You never, never! EVER leave your daddy like that, I cannot believe you thought that this was okay! Where in the hell did you think you were heading?!" I freak out mentally about her walking on the side of the road. Todrick's inner momma really comes out when he's mad. "I don't think I need to finish." Von continues, and I agree. "She's been acting like this all week, it's like nothing I say matters to her unless I'm screaming." I explain as she tisks. "I think her problem is that she feels lonely. I mean, you guys just got back from tour and she was here the whole time. Let me take her after school, let you have some Mitchie time. I'll see what I can get out of her." I don't want to agree, I want my baby all to myself. But that just might be your problem. "Uh, sure." "Don't worry Mitch, she'll be okay and I'll have her at cheer practice at 6:30." She assures me. "Oh, I forgot about cheer." I laugh. Then I remember I got an email from Orby last night. "I'll have to get back to you on the cheer thing. I got an email last night with the official team." Then I hear Karlie, "Did I make it Daddy?! Did I?!" She squeals, "Did she?" Todrick asks, "Hold on. Let me look." I put them on speaker phone and check my email. "Dear the parents of Karlie Grassi-Hoying, we are very pleased to inform you that your daughter will be on both Little All-Stars and Sparklers. We have accepted her as a flyer on both teams." Karlie and Todrick scream as Von cheers. "So I'll have her at practice." Von says happily. "Thanks, I guess?" I answer, what am I going to do? "Take some time to relax, okay Mitch?" Todrick calls into the mic, "Yes sir." I laugh. Saying our goodbyes, I hang up and sigh loudly, fixing my hair. Wyatt meows and climbs on the couch with me, rubbing his face on my chin. "Hmm. What now?" I think out loud.

*Marli's POV*

"She just thinks she's something because her mom is the tour manager for Pentatonix." "Penta-who?" "Exactly." I hear to kids talking about me in class, causing me to focus more on my drawing. "She's such a loser." "Oo, no. My brother's called her worse. He's in middle school and he said she flirts with him." Who? I continue drawing, "Ms.Kaplan." My teacher walks past and I hold up my finished test, she takes it, shocked. I just zone out until the bell rings. I see tears on the paper, but I ignore them and shove it in my bag. I get everything and when I go to walk out, someone trips me and I have to catch myself on the ground. Everyone laughs as my teacher helps me up. "You okay Marli?" she asks, I just nod and continue walking. I make it to my music class and sit down. Everyone is whispering about a new teacher, since the other one retired because of some illness. I pull out my headphones and sulk in the back like a teenager in those movies. The bell rings and I take them out when the assistant principal walks in and starts talking. "-may know that Ms.Forbes had to retire because of her husband's disability." Is what I hear when the music stops. Good riddance you untalented, tone deaf PentaHater. I growl mentally, she was always rude to me because of my family. "So in replacement we hired a new teacher. He's been to many schools and has a successful background as a music teacher, and taking on the burden of all grades 4th through 12th, I expect no one cause any trouble with him." He goes on about this new guy's career, Blah, blah, blah, he's gonna be rude and probably use me to get to Pentatonix. "Everyone, meet Mr.Coats, the new Choir instructor." I cover my mouth to keep from screaming, You're kidding me right?! Sure enough he walks in, smiling. I keep my mouth covered while he talks, "Morning guys and girlies!" He laughs, "As he said I'm the new Choir teacher..." He goes on about stuff we'll do until the assistant principal's phone rings and he leaves, "But more than that I want you to have fun with music and express your creativity. Let this be your safe place, k?" He grins, "Now I get to pick on you!" He grins. "We're going to go around the room and introduce ourselves, and tell us your favorite song." He goes around the room, and I can tell he doesn't recognize me. This is gonna be funny. I mentally laugh. "And you?" He points at me. "My name's Marli Kaplan, and my favorite song is... Perfume Medley by Pentatonix." I smile sweetly, watching as his face changes, "Good song." He winks. After music is lunch, and when the bell rings I stay behind and when everyone leaves, I run up to Mr.Coats and he picks me up in a hug. "Oh my little Mar!" He says happily. "You've grown up so much!" "I have, haven't I?" I giggle. "And, you're just, so.." "Different? Yeah." I half laugh. "Yeah." He sighs, "How's life?" We talk about everything from tours to homework, and I remembered why I loved him so much, he listens. He has time for me, not 'sorry I was in a meeting' or 'I was booking hotels I'm so sorry I forgot!' 'I'm busy right now but soon.' I mean Shane does too, but he's in New York, and is always either busy or sleeping.