"NOT ALL of us have to learn how to walk twice in one lifetime. But we all do have to learn how to pick ourselves back up when we're down and stand firmly on our own two feet. In the end, I learned that first steps are harder the second time around. I hope my next step brings me to Stanford University."

Miguel sat back from his laptop screen, looking around at his family to see their reactions. Carmen's eyes filled with tears, "Miggy, I'm so proud. I'm gonna cry!"

Miguel smiled, before receiving a nod of approval from Johnny. The boy looked at his siblings, "What'd you think?"

"It's great," Robby nodded, "Even though I'm kind of the bad guy in it."

Miguel panicked, "No, uh, I'll change your name—"

"Dude, I'm kidding." Robby smiled, "It's not like I'm applying to Stanford. Or anywhere, really."

Isabella agreed, "Maybe, we should go into a business together. Start a job, get rich. Like, a skateboard store."

"With, like, skateboards hanging on the display walls." Robby nodded eagerly, "I'm down. What's it called?"

"Uh... something catchy." Isabella wondered, "Like, uh—"

"You won't have to open a business together because, after the Sekai Taikai, doors will be flying open for all of us." Johnny explained.

Carmen asked curiously, "Belle, have you applied to—"

Isabella didn't need to interrupt, because her Grandma's sobs saved her from the conversation. Johnny glanced at the laptop keys, which were being covered by the droplets of tears, "Hey, easy with the waterworks."

Their Grandma pulled out of the hug, as the family stared down at the keyboard which was still being splashed with droplets of water. Heavier and heavier. Isabella's eyes averted up to the ceiling, which was cracked and dripping with brown water.

Suddenly, the ceiling collapsed down, causing the dirty water to release down into the kitchen. The family all backed away, sliding out of their chairs at the kitchen table.

"Fuck!" Isabella cursed, before pulling a face at the smell, "It smells like shit."

Johnny grimaced, "It's a sewage pipe."

"Robby, get the bowls!" Miguel insisted, as the two rushed over to the cupboards in the kitchen. Her brother passed her a bowl, before they all tried to collect the dirty water that poured from the broken pipe.

After a very angry phone call to the plumber, Johnny drove the three teenagers to school; he mostly spent the drive complaining about the broken pipe. With a family of nearly seven, struggling with money for their teenagers to hopefully go to college, this wasn't a good time for a pipe to break and flood their kitchen with dirty water. For now, they moved into Johnny's apartment a long the hall.

At school, the college fair was being held in the gymnasium; the multiple college markets were placed around the perimeter of the gym, persuading students to attend their school.

While Miguel, Hawk, and Demetri all wandered around the college stalls, Isabella found herself wandering to the restrooms to meet with Tory.

"Hey," Tory kissed her, "How's your leg?"

"Good," Isabella showed her the massive plaster that covered the cuts and grazes on her shin, "Have you checked out the college markets?"

"I'm not wasting my time," Tory scoffed, "There was no point of even coming to school today." Isabella smirked, causing Tory to chuckle nervously, "What?"

"Just thinking." Isabella hummed.

Tory tucked Isabella's hair behind her ear, "Yeah?"

"We could always..." The girl leaned closer to Tory, "Skip."

Tory couldn't help but smirk, as she held Isabella's hand and guided her out of the toilets. On days like this, it was easier to escape school; Isabella and Tory just had to blend in with the crowd of students who were going on a school trip to their chosen college, but instead of getting on the school bus, they'd run in the other direction.

"Don't worry, my kitchen got flooded so my family moved into Johnny's apartment down the hall." Isabella explained, as she held Tory's hand, "Nobody will interrupt."

"Interrupt, huh?" Tory repeated flirtatious, "What exactly are we doing?"

Isabella's stomach swarmed with butterflies. She could only chuckle nervously in reply: what were they gonna do? The girl quickly opened the front door, guiding Tory around her flooded kitchen and into her shared bedroom. The house was completely empty: no mom, no brother, no grandma... no interruptions.

Tory shared her single bed with Isabella, both of them watching a movie on Miguel's laptop. Tory asked curiously, as she stroked Isabella's head that rested on her chest, "What happened to the kitchen?"

"The sewage pipe broke," Isabella replied, "Luckily, the smell of shit hasn't reached our room yet."

"How's your mom dealing with it? Being pregnant, and all." Tory added.

Isabella exclaimed, "I think she's trying to stay strong for us, but I heard her and Johnny talking and I think she's really stressed. Especially because the gender reveal is in a couple days."

"Shit," Tory exhaled, "Maybe she can reveal the gender at Johnny's place."

"I don't know," Isabella answered, looking up at Tory, "You should come."

"Issy—"

"I'm serious," Isabella sat up, face-to-face with Tory, "You need to be there. Miggy's inviting Sam, so..."

"I'll think about it," Tory replied, and they kissed each other again.

Isabella's hand slowly moved onto Jenna's waist; they kissed more passionately, before Tory moved her head towards Isabella's neck, kissing her delicate skin repeatedly. They exchanged nervous giggles and breathless exhales, as they admired each other for a moment, before Tory slowly pulled Isabella's t-shirt off.

Tory asked, "Is this okay?"

She nodded truthfully, as Tory fiddled with Isabella's bra strap, pulling them down. Isabella watched as Tory removed her t-shirt, leaving them both on the bed with only their bras. They kissed again and...

"Oh my God!"

Isabella and Tory both flinched at the sound of the door opening. The girl died inside when she saw Robby and Miguel covering their eyes, attempting to close the door quickly. Fuck.

"Get out! Fuck off!" Isabella yelled, covering her hands over her topless body and slamming the door shut for them. She turned around to Tory, pressing her back against the door as she covered her face in embarrassment, "No, no, no."

Tory quickly put her t-shirt back on, before walking over to Isabella with hers. She reassured, "Look, it'll be fine. Just put this back on and we can both go and talk to them. Together."

"My brother's just saw me half naked," Isabella exhaled in distressed, as she redressed herself, "Just kill me."

Tory chuckled nervously, "Hey, it's okay. I've got your back, whatever happens."

After a moment, Tory had given Isabella the mental strength to step outside of their room; the boys weren't in the apartment anymore, so Isabella guessed they had ran to Johnny's apartment... or killed themselves from shock.

Tory knocked on the apartment door because Isabella couldn't bring herself to do it. They heard muffled voices from the inside, which was definitely Miguel panicking about what he had seen, before the door slowly opened.

Robby stood awkwardly, "Hi."

Isabella and Tory walked inside of the empty apartment; thankfully, all the adults were out of the house. Isabella's eyes met with Miguel, who was splashing his face with water from the sink repeatedly.

Miguel rubbed the water out of his eyes, before meeting eye contact with his sister, "Oh. Hi." He tried to smile.

Tory blurted out, dying in the silence, "Can we all just sit down. Please."

The four all sat down on the two black couches; the silence becoming so loud that none of them had the bravery to speak.

Robby took a breath, "So..."

"Tory and I are dating." Isabella blurted out, "I'm sorry. I know she's both of your ex's, and I know that Robby only broke up with Tory a month ago... but— I don't know, it just sort of happened, and I didn't—"

She was interrupted when Miguel and Robby started laughing. Laughing. Why would they be laughing? They should be disappointed or upset.

Robby replied, "We know."

"What?" The two girls exclaimed in unison.

"We had our suspicions," Miguel added, "I mean, it was pretty obvious. We didn't wanna rush you into labelling yourselves."

"And we're both cool with it," Robby reassured, "You make each other happy."

Isabella and Tory smiled to each other.
They make each other happy.

a/n:
okay this is the most action ur gonna get (i can't write smut)😋