You Aren't My Real Parents

"It doesn't make sense" groaned Lydia, banging her head onto the coffee table.

"What doesn't sweetie?" asked Barbara, coming downstairs and making her way over to Lydia "Are you ok? That sounded like it hurt"

"It's this dumb science" groaned Lydia, not lifting her head up. Barbara knelt next to the teenager and looked at the book

"Oh, I don't understand genetics, but Adam does" said Barbara "Want him to help you?" Lydia nodded but didn't lift her head up "Adam?" called Barbara

"What's up honey?" asked Adam, appearing at the top of the stairs

"Can you explain genetics to Lydia?" asked Barbara, gesturing to the 15-year-old who still had her head in her arms

"Of course," said Adam, he came and sat next to Lydia and Barbara went to sit on the couch, picking up a random book. "So, what don't you get?"

"All of it" muttered Lydia

"Want me to start at the start?" asked Adam "Basics first and we'll work our way up?"

"Ok..." said Lydia, lifting her head up. Adam smiled and dragged her textbook over to him. He started talking about something to do with the double helix and how they are genetics "I know that" groaned Lydia "I just can't do it"

"What do you mean?" asked Adam

"For this dumb assignment" said Lydia, gesturing to the word document on her laptop "We have to pick to people and then look at their genes and create a kid for them."

"Oh, and who are you doing?" asked Adam

"Two random celebrities" said Lydia "But I don't get these dumb punnet squares" she banged her head down on the table again and groaned.

"Well... punnet squares are the simplest way of explaining genetic make-up" said Adam. He droned on and on about them until it all got too much for Lydia.

"STOP!" she exclaimed, her head snapping up "Just stop"

"Lydia?" asked Adam

"Stop" repeated Lydia, slamming her laptop shut and gathering her books together "Please stop"

"I don't understand" said Adam

"It's too much" said Lydia, her voice cracking "It doesn't make any fucking sense" she shoved her pencils into her pencil case "None of it does. And why do I need to learn this crap?"

"Language" mumbled Barbara under her breath. Lydia's head sharply turned towards the female ghost

"What'd you say?" she asked

"I said language" said Barbara "Because you do really need to-"

"NO" shouted Lydia, standing up and grabbing all her stuff "NO! YOU DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"

"Lydia..." said both the Maitlands.

"NO!" shouted Lydia "YOU DON'T LYDIA ME!" she snatched the textbook from Adam's grasp and flung it into her arms, hitting him in the process "YOU TWO HAVE NO RIGHT TO PARENT ME! NONE AT ALL. THERE IS NO LEGAL DOCUMENT SAYING THAT YOU ARE MY PARENTS AND THERE NEVER WILL BE ONE BECAUSE NEWSFLASH YOU'RE DEAD! SORRY TO BURST YOUR BUBBLES BUT YOU'RE DEAD AND YOU'RE NEVER COMING BACK TO LIFE!"

"Lydia" said Adam, standing up and looking at the teenager with an expression she'd never seen on the male ghost's face before "Do not speak to us that way"

"And what are you gonna do to stop me?" asked Lydia in a mocking voice "YOU GUYS CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO STOP ME! NOTHING AT ALL. BECAUSE YOU'RE DEAD! DEAD! DEAD!" Lydia made her way towards the stairs