Last year in high school is just plain annoying High school with all the extra work. But if you've got the right friends and quote me anywhere, they can help you get through it.

The first week has gone by in a blur with packs of assignments from frustrated teachers and it's finally, thankfully, the weekend and that spells freedom. Who agrees with me?

"And what exactly is it that has you distracted my dear cousin?" Dawn Caltral says with a smirk, bringing me out of my daze.

I chuckle at her statement and stand up from my position on the living room sofa where I'm seated on to give her a hug.

"The prodigal daughter finally graces us with her presence, huh?" I say releasing her from her hug.

"Oh, you should actually thank me because I dragged her here." Ivy says announcing her presence from the door.

I give Dawn an accusing look to which she rolls her eyes and turns to Ivy with a snort, "Oh, like your sorry little 5'5 body could drag me here."

"Oh, don't sweat over my pretty minor figure. You wish you had it." Ivy said and sashayed herself past both of us into the kitchen, making us laugh as she passed.

"Hello Ivy, Dawn. How are you girls?" Mom says as we walk into the kitchen.

"Perfect as always, Freda." Ivy responds with a bright smile once she sees my mom.

"We're good, Aunt Freda. How are you?" Dawn says settling down on the counter.

"Well, and one can be when taking care of one grown man and two little kids." She says giving me a pointed look.

"Mom!" I say, surprised at her accusation.

"Hmm, little kid, huh?" Dawn says laughing to which I send a glare that just makes her laugh more before turning to my mom again, "So Aunt Freda, which of your delicious dishes are we eating today?" Dawn asks my mum.

"It's your favorite."

"You're always making my favorite." Dawn says with a bright smile.

"You know it. So Ivy, without wasting much time, any new song?"

"Actually, there is......"

And that's where I tune them out. As much as Dawn and Ivy are best friends, you'd almost think the real best friends are my mom and Ivy because they both have an uncanny liking to Jazz music, especially Mary Lou Williams, and well I honestly think it's crazy. Anytime Ivy comes over, she gives my mom any updates because she's the more recent century girl whilst my mom isn't.

Dawn and I excuse ourselves from the kitchen the moment they talk. We head to the living room.

"So did any interesting stuff happen in your life, dearest cousin?" Dawn says sitting on the sofa.

"Interesting stuff?" I say with a raised eyebrow, "Definitely not. Unlike you, I don't live for the drama."

"Ugh! You're just boring." She says shrinking up her face.

"Thank you very much. I like my life the way it is. Simple and perfect. The moment one looks for drama, disaster crawls in. you're having enough drama for both of us and I appreciate." I end with a smile to which she just chuckles.

"Gladly, sweet holy cousin, but you've got to know one day you're going to join me and come have some fun." She says and then a smirk finds its way to her lips, "You know I thought that having that bitch as your best friend, you'd expect that your life would have some drama to it."

"Dawn." I groan, closing my eyes, "Not this again. Olivia's not a bitch"

I might have missed mentioning how Dawn totally doesn't like Olivia. It was never like this from the beginning and I honestly don't know what happened but Dawn just can't stand her and well seeing as Dawn wasn't making her life easy, Olivia also began not liking her.

"Oh, but she is. You just don't know it yet. But that's beside the point. The point is, with all the drama I know she's accosted to, it's funny how your life is still boring and I can still help but think..."

"What was I thinking of before I made her my best friend." I complete knowing that was exactly what she was going to say.

"Yes. You don't believe me now or soon but I know trouble when I see one. I'm an epitome of trouble myself so I can smell it very sharp around that bitch of a friend."

"Yeah, well, you've been saying that for two years now and nothing has happened and trust me, nothing is going to happen. Enough about me and my wonderful best friend. What's juicy in your life cousin?"

"That's the sad truth. Nothing. I've been so busy with having tryouts for the team for freshman year students, I haven't had time to have any form of fun in school. The only juicy news you can get from me at this point is that I think Alistair has got his eyes set on someone in your school. I just don't know who and seeing as I wasn't in the last game, I can't guess who too." Dawn says groaning and she squeezes her eyes shot like she does any time she's frustrated.

A broad smile creeps up my face. First, there's nothing amazing happening in Dawn's life and that's like a first and then Alistair likes someone in Beacon high, oh, now that's special news, "That my dear cousin is splendid stuff. So you're telling me he didn't tell you?"

"If he did, wouldn't I say it, huh?" she says with a raised eyebrow.

Dawn and Alistair are very close friends, they could have been the best friends, but Dawn doesn't believe in boy-girl best friend relationship. She believes they all end up either together or they will be heartbroken because maybe one of them likes the other and the other just sees the friend as a friend. Not something she looks forward to.

"But I have a hunch it's your bitchy best friend."

"First, it is Olivia, and that is good news. Gosh, Olivia would be so happy to hear that."

"I said I wasn't sure, and I definitely hope it's not her because Alistair definitely deserves someone better than her."

"Whatever, it's your hunch, and that's all that matters." I say with a broad smile.

I hear footsteps running towards us, and I know Diego is running towards us.

"Dawn!" Diego shouts as he jumps on her laps.

"Geez! You're no longer a kid, you know that, right? And where have you been?" Dawn says, smiling and hugging him.

"Oh, I was out on a stroll." Diego says with a broad smile and gets down from her laps.

"What! A seven-year-old child is out on his own?" Dawn says and sends me an accusing glance to which I shrug.

"Well excuse you Dawn, but seven isn't a small age."

"Oh, don't flatter yourself Diego, you're only allowed down the road." I say with a smirk to which he scrolls at me.

"Well, who asked you?" He says giving me a hard look.

I just reply with a smirk.

"Oh come on Taylor, my guy is all grown, right Diego?" Dawn says teasing him.

"Oh, you have no idea." He replies and turns to smirk at me whilst I just try to hold my laughter.

Dawn now hugs him with a smirk, secretly laughing with me. Although she's teasing him and he doesn't know, I just love watching Dawn and Diego bond. It's lovely in my sight. You know things are quite special when there's a bond between family members.

"Well, hello! Don't you know we need your hands in the kitchen?" Ivy shouts, catching our attention.

"Of course we know, but we're skipping the talk." Dawn says.

"Oh, so nice of you Dawn." Ivy says with a calm tone which she immediately changes to a serious one, "Get up the three of you now!"

"Yes, ma'am." Diego says standing up, "But em my mum doesn't allow me in the kitchen what should I do, huh?"

"You know I could strangle you right now!" Ivy says, getting frustrated.

Poor girl isn't used to my brother's tantrums yet.

"I know you could, but you won't because you can't. Ha!" He says and then runs away laughing. Just then my phone rings.

"It's the bitch, right?" Dawn asks.

"Olivia, yes. You guys go on. I'll join you." I say with the most charming smile I can give them. I watch as they leave and Dawn telling Ivy not to mind Diego and his pranks. By the time they leave, I pick the call.

"Hey!" I say after picking up the call.

I walk in to the kitchen after receiving the call.

"So what message did the bitch deliver?" Dawn asks just as I enter the kitchen.

"Language, Dawn!" My mom cautions her.

I smile at her with a smile of thanks. After the food was done, I set the table. I love the artistic work very well, so I always have very special ways of setting the table every time I'm given the privilege to. Not long after Zachary, my dad, who Diego looks like with the brown wavy hair but whom I get my grey eyes from, walks in.

He comes in from work and we all settle down in the dinning. Just after Diego gives the blessing, we all start eating.

I stop eating, and then I watch everyone eat before I talk.

"There's this camp outing that Beacon High is organizing..." I say, remembering why Olivia called.

Unfortunately, I'm interrupted, "This early? When did you guys resume and you're going for a camp?" Zachary spits out.

"Apparently, I figured that out too dad but who knows exactly what my school is preparing you know?" I say, knowing fully well that was going to be his reaction.

"Forget it." He says again.

Just as I am about to tell him I have already registered my name and there is nothing he can do about it which will turn in to a quarrel and then dinner will be a disaster, Ivy comes to my rescue or should I say the dinner's rescue.

"Actually, Zachary, even my school is embarking on the camping stuff Taylor is talking about. Dawn and I are going and it's got a lot of education stuff. You can trust me on that, I take my studies seriously." Ivy says very charming. Zachary looks at her, not fully convinced, so she continues, "Besides, Ethan is going to be there. Taylor's going to be alright'" She says twisting words and mocking me in the middle.

She knows how much my dad trusts Ethan in taking care of me. Ethan being as charming as he can be hasn't disappointed the old man, Ethan is doing pretty well. So my dad looks at me, then at my mom, trying to decide if he should let me go.

"Just let her go, dad." Diego blurts out like he's the man of the house commanding people around.

"Fine!" Zachary finally says.

Ivy, Dawn, my mom and I open our eyes wide in shock at Diego's commanding tone and the way my dad succumbed.

Okay, maybe I should start getting into Diego's good books since he can make the great Zachary Perez give in this way.

To be sincere, my dad just wants to protect me because nine years ago, my twin sister, Taylia, died. It was an enormous loss for everyone, especially me. This was obvious before I met Ethan and Olivia. So my dad keeps me protected every time, just as he tries to give me everything I need. Well Taylia died of heart pain and well since we're twins he's trying to be careful so I don't go too.

It's still a harsh topic to me and I don't want to talk about it, so my dad is just always extra careful with me.

"Thanks, Dad!" I say smiling and giving Diego a kiss to which he rolls his eyes and smiles.

After dinner, Ivy and Dawn stay for some time before they leave. I totally am looking forward to the camp.