Yours, Mine & Ours

6

The next morning I walked to the bathrooms to find a long line of angry North kids.

"What's going on?" I asked Naoko but she just shrugged. I slowly made my way closer to the bathrooms standing next to Phoebe.

"C'mon I have to get ready for school. Your face isn't big enough to hold that much makeup" Phoebe yelled as she banged on the bathroom door.

Christina's voice can be heard from the other side "get a watch hippie chick it's my time"

Joni, Phoebe and I gathered around the schedule looking closely at the times listed. "She's right our time was first" Joni said

"No way I checked the schedule last night. Your stupid boyfriend and his minions must have changed it last night" Phoebe said changing her focus from the list to me.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't drag me into this" I said as I hoped in the bathroom for my allotted time. I was in the mist of shampooing when the fire alarm went off.

"Fire" Dylan yelled. I quickly grabbed my towel jumping out of the shower. Everyone ran down the stairs and I followed in pursuit. As we made our way outside I saw that Phoebe, Dylan and the rest of the North kids didn't come out.

I look up to see them huddled at the window laughing.

"Nice towel Christina" Phoebe called out

"Yeah cute boxers William" Dylan joked. I quickly sprinted behind William trying to hide myself.

"You guys are so dead" Christina yelled back.

"At least we'll be clean" Phoebe said before heading to the bathroom.

"Laney let me see you and William closer together" Naoko yelled while videotaping us.

"Naoko what are you doing?" William asked using the shaver in his hand as a pointer. He had shaving cream all over his face.

"Webcasting this" Naoko giggled making everyone else erupt into laughter as well.

"Ugh" Christina whined running back into the house.

"C'mon guys" William said wrapping his arm around me trying his best to shield me from the video camera.

"I'm sick of this" I yelled as I walked up the steps.

"Don't be mad at us you just happen to get stuck in our little feud" Dylan said.

"You're right this isn't my battle but I'm now stuck in the middle. I don't want to live here anymore" I yelled out slamming my bedroom door behind me. Tears streamed down my face. I was beyond fed up with Phoebe and Dylan's malicious behavior and tired of William and Christina's actions towards the North's. 

I was stuck between to sides having no clue who to fight with.

A knock came from my door followed by a sweet and soft voice "Laney? Are you okay?" William asked but I ignored him. I sat in the back of the bus by myself not saying a word to a soul.

I continued my day ignoring anyone who I lived with.
———
The next morning before school we gathered in the family room.

"This is our talking stick and this a no judgment circle. So whoever has the stick may express themselves without fear or interruption. So William why don't you begin. Go ahead just say what you need to" Helen said handing the stick to William.

William passed the stick to Christina who showed a sign of disgust passed it along to her siblings. Each one passing it without saying a word.

Before Ethan could pass it to Aldo, Frank stopped him.

"Wait, one of you must having something to say" Frank said looking sternly at his children. Ethan shook his head causing Frank to stand up and grab the stick.

"I have something to say. In the interest of making this house a home, I have come up with a little chore chart" Frank said flipping the old school chalkboard to reveal a board full of words.

"You got to be kidding me" Jimi said aloud

"Is this a joke?" Dylan asked causing Michael to respond with "charts are never a joke with the admiral"

"Look mom we have to go we are going to be late" Phoebe said causing everyone to get up.

"WOAH I want you all home before school so we can requisition supplies" Frank said.

We gathered on to the bus. I was hoping to sit alone again but that wasn't the case today. "Hey are you mad at me?" William asked.

"No I just don't want to get involved in this sibling feud you guys have going on" I said

After school we gathered at the local supply shop. Frank blew his whistle.

"Blue team spacial" Frank said pointing to the right.

"Red team insulation" Frank said pointing to the left. I headed to the insulation with Kelly and Michael.

We were heading back to Helen and Frank when we saw Otter and Ely driving the forklift.

"Oh my god" I said before running towards Frank. We found him in a pool of green goo.

"Admiral are you okay?" William asked helping Frank out of the pool.

"Where are the boys?" He kept repeatedly yelling. The forklift all of the sudden came barreling through a stack of toilet paper. Dylan was pulled out of harms way.

Frank was back against a self and sand was dumped on him.

"Yeah a sandbox" Ethan innocently said. Frank was fuming and we all rode home in silence.