The Way We Were

The Way We Start School

Mercedes adjusted the phone between her ear and shoulder. "I don't know what to wear! I want to wear something cute!"

Quinn sighed over the line. "You heard Laura; we have to wear clothes that let us move around."

Mercedes pouted as she went through her brand new clothes and pulled out a pair of designer sweatpants that read JUICY across the butt. "Fine. But I'm still going to be cute. And I'm dressing Marcy."

"Is she going to let you?"

"She said she was. That she was already a teen mom and needed something to take the heat off it. That being well dressed and put together will help her keep her head up."

"No one knows, do they?"

Mercedes picked out a white tee that said Princess in purple script and an outline of a crown in rhinestones. "They shouldn't but you know how gossip is. People from church are sure going to say something next week when we go back."

"Does she want company? I could go to church with you guys."

"You could. You know they all love you." Mercedes picked out underwear from Madison's, Lima's version of a high end Victoria's Secret.

"Yay. I'll come. Now hurry up and get dressed so Mikey can pick us up. He has his permit and he can drive us to school!"

Mercedes squealed. "That's so cool! We're going to be the only freshmen who won't be getting dropped off."

"I know! Okay, I gotta go! Bye!"

"Bye!" Mercedes hung up the phone and rushed through getting dressed then brushed her hair and threw it up in a high pony like Laura taught them.

She put on Jordans and grabbed her purple backpack, purse, cell phone and keys before going to her sister's room.

She put her keys and cell phone in her purse and set both purse and bag on the bed before crossing to ‪the cribs‬ set up by a bookcase.

"Hi, babies!" She tickled Mickey then Mally; both blew bubbles at her. "I love you! Tia loves you!"

"What are you doing?"

Mercedes turned around to see Marcy standing in the closet doorway with only a towel on. "Oh hey! I was just talking to the twins. Why aren't you dressed?"

"Because you haven't told me what to wear." Marcy said with major attitude.

"Okay, okay. I'll pick out something now." Mercedes went to the closet and rifled through the clothes on the racks. "Are you wearing underwear?"

"No."

"Grab something."

"Does it matter what?"

"No." Mercedes grabbed a red plaid jumper then rifled through the dresser for a long sleeved black shirt. "Where's Mal?"

"Downstairs. He's probably eating. Mercy, I'm nervous."

Mercedes looked at her. "Honey, don't be nervous. You've been to a tonne of new schools."

"I know but I haven't been in school since June of last year. I'm really nervous that I won't have friends, that the twins will hate me for leaving them, that Mal will feel suffocated, that my teachers won't like me. I'm just nervous all the way around and I hate it. I'm never nervous!"

Mercedes' mouth fell open and she went to her sister, taking her hands. "You make friends by accident so I know you're going to make friends. The twins are too little to know you're leaving them and it's not forever. It's just twelve hours a day. Mal loves you. You could never suffocate him. And the teachers will love you. How can they not?"