Flynn shoved herself through her front door with an annoyed grunt, puffing her bangs out of her face. Her irritation soon melted into bewilderment as she stepped into the living room, finding four teenagers piled on the couch with a bag of chips between them.

"Hey Flynn," Demetri stuck his palm out in greeting. "Sorry we're in your home."

"Wait, I thought we were invited?" Miguel questioned, anxious eyes darting to the tall brunet.

The Wilder girl dragged out a sigh, letting her backpack crumble to the floor. "How the hell am I late to my own hangout?"

"Well, you said five and you weren't home yet," Dakota explained, shoving another handful of chips into her mouth. "So I used the emergency key."

The brunette swiftly kicked her backpack at the wall before stumbling to the couch and fishing for the chips as well. "Remind me to hide that key in a new place next time."

"Are you kidding?" The shorter girl chuckled. "Hiding them under your mother's banana duck sculptures was genius."

"Those are my banana duck sculptures," Flynn corrected in a serious note. She shuffled further down the spine of the couch, catching a glimpse of her little brother's head before she engulfed it by slinging an arm around his neck. "Hey, stupid," she murmured.

"Flynn," Jaden whined, the twelve year old ducking out of her loose grip. "I can't see!" He was locked in a very close race of Mario Kart with Eli. The Moskowitz's unblinking gaze remained pinned on his Toad maneuvering Moo Moo Meadows.

"Oh, wee wee wah wah," she mocked him, fingers ruffling his curly head. "You're gonna beat him anyway. Sorry, Eli."

The dirty blond only responded with a frustrated moan, shaky hands mashing controller buttons.

"So, how was managing the volleyball team?" Dakota asked as Flynn perched on the back of the couch, swinging her legs over and resting them on the empty space besides Miguel.

"Ugh, kind of boring," she admitted, jerking her shoes off. "And annoyingly long. I got only an hour at the rink before I had to come home and hang out with you dipshits."

"Always a pleasure, Flynn," Demetri replied, flinching as the plastic bag he nursed was pried from his grasp.

"Stop eating all my Swedish Fish," the brunette chastised, pouring a few bright red fish into her mouth before jutting the bag out to Miguel. "Want some?"

"Thanks," the Diaz's smile crinkled his cheeks as he accepted a handful.

"What the hell, Flynn?" Demetri complained.

"New kid privileges," Flynn explained with a mouthful, jabbing her thumb at a grateful Miguel. "And, unlike you, he has a pair of balls. Only people brave enough to try to make a move shall have the Swedish Fish," she declared.

"Yeah, because that worked out very well, huh?"

"Aww, bitter alert!" Flynn spat at him another raspberry, flinging her legs back to the floor. "I'm gonna get a Big Blue. Anybody want one?"

"Ugh, no. You have to stop drinking those bottles of pure sugar," Dakota scolded with a roll of her eyes, despite knowing her efforts were pointless. "Coach keeps getting onto your ass about that."

Flynn just eyed the boy beside her. "Miguel?"

"Nah, I'm good. But I'll come with you to see what else you got," he scrambled out of the sunken cushions, joining her in their small trip to the kitchen.

"So, your house is really nice," Miguel started, fists dancing on top of the counter as Flynn yanked the fridge open.

"Thanks."

"Um, where are your parents? Jesus," Miguel sputtered as Flynn snapped open a bottle of bright blue soda. "That is...wow."

"No, trust me, I know," she laughed with him as she waited for the fizz to bubble down. "Eighty grams of sugar, but, it tastes amazing! I still should probably stop, though. Considering I'm supposed to be a good athlete."

"Old habits, I guess?" Miguel winced as he watched her take a generous sip of the sapphire-colored drink.

"Exactly. I'm holding fucking childhood in my hand, Miguel," she snickered. "Or at least, what I imagine childhood tastes like."

"Sounds nice."

"To answer your earlier question," she continued, resting on the countertop by her elbows. "My parents are both workaholics so they don't get off until late. I cook most dinners during the week and take care of my brother."

"Yeah, I was gonna say—I mean, just because when we got here your brother was here by himself," he elaborated sheepishly, afraid of treading on thin ice.

"Yeah, he's a little young. But my parents agreed he's finally at that age where he can stay home alone a few hours after school. Jaden's definitely grateful he no longer has to do his homework while waiting for me to finish at the rink."

"Oh, cool," Miguel nodded.

Flynn felt her shoulders stiffen with tension, shifting her weight uncomfortably. "And look, I know you're probably wondering why my brother is Black and I'm not," she exhaled through her mouth before continuing. "I'm adopted."

"Oh," Miguel drew back a little, eyes growing wide. "I mean, yeah, I noticed, but—"

"It's fine. I, um," she tapped her nails against the side of her bottle, suddenly unable to meet the brownness of his eyes. "I've never known my real parents. I had a brother, but we got separated pretty early on thanks to the system. I was in and out of foster homes until about two years ago, when the Wilder family adopted me."

"Oh," he uttered again, making Flynn suck in her lips to suppress a laugh. This conversation was always a weird one to have. "I'm sorry about that. I've heard pretty bad things about the system. I know that couldn't have been easy."

She glanced up into his dark eyes, scanning them and finding an unexpected burst of kindness. One that shot straight through her chest. "Yeah, it wasn't," she agreed quietly.

After another moment she jerked upright, hands finding their way back to her drink. "But it all worked out, so! Remember how Demetri told you at lunch I punched Yasmin in the face?"

Miguel nodded again.

Flynn copied his action, lifting herself onto the counter behind her and letting the tips of her socked feet rest on the edge of the island he sat at.  "That's how I lost my previous foster family. I may not have been caught by school, but...your kid comes home with bruised knuckles and you'll have some questions. Turns out foster families don't want a violent kid."

"Jeez, that sucks. I'm sorry."

"Nah, it's fine," she waved a hand half-heartedly before resting both arms in her lap. "Like I said, I'm here now. Gotta count my blessings."

"That's true," the Diaz agreed. "If it makes you feel any better...I've never met my dad."

She blinked, feeling a twinge of empathy. "Damn, really?"

"Yep. It's just me, my mom, and my yaya," he replied. "But like you said, count my blessings."

"Yup," Flynn concurred. "And now you have this awesome and epic new group of friends who will never stop bothering you."

"Yeah, that's also true," he brightened before the skin between his eyebrows suddenly creased. "How do you know Demetri and Eli? I'm guessing you met Dakota through skating."

"Yeah. Well, me and Eli have been friends since kindergarten, and then later Demetri. It got tough sometimes. I had to move schools a few times when I went to a new family, but I always eventually made my way back here. And now...for good."

"Yeah, I could kinda tell you guys go way back."

"Yeah," Flynn sighed with a hint of nostalgia. "We might be a little different, but, those nerds are my best friends. Dakota too."

"Cool," Miguel grinned, showing her a glint of his braces.

"Well, Miguel," Flynn beamed over at him, sliding off the smooth countertop and digging into the fridge again. "What did you want to drink? Water? Soda? Juice?"

"Just a water," he answered, eyes shining with appreciation as she handed him a bottle.

"To never knowing your biological parents," she stated, raising the tip of her bottle and letting out a soft giggle as he clinked his against it.

"Proud to be apart of this club with you," he smiled into his water as he drank.

"Hell, let's be the CEOs of this bitch," she retorted, rounding the island and standing beside his seated figure. "You're alright, Diaz."

"Yeah, you're pretty okay yourself, Wilder."

Though what she really thought as the pair trickled back into the living room was that he was an adorable mess of dimples and braces. And that she really liked her new friend.

Flynn opened her car trunk with a sleep-deprived whine, shoving her ice skating bag out of the way to grab her backpack. She let out a sigh as she slammed the trunk, gazing at the sunrise where gold pierced blue.

"It's way too fucking early for this," she muttered to herself, tossing a backpack strap over her shoulder. The brunette turned for the gym entrance before a car horn made her jump inches into the air.

"What the fuck!" She exclaimed, violently wheeling around to face the vehicle. Her muscles relaxed at the sight of Kaia waving from behind the steering wheel.

Less exciting: the stranger volleyball boy from practice sat next to her in the passenger seat.

"I thought you said there was an emergency managers meeting," Flynn grumbled once Kaia's window slid down, a blast of the car's AC whipping her face.

"Sort of," Kaia grinned, raising her hand to reveal a blunt wedged between two fingers. The stench of weed smacked the Wilder's nostrils all at once, the corners of her eyes beginning to water.

"Oh, so you meant not at all," Flynn's mouth scrunched into a thin line of displeasure.

"We just wanted to hang out," the boy answered for Kaia, donned in dark morning curls and a dopey smile.

She blinked at him, hands resting on the open window sill. "I don't think even know your name."

His lips peeled back to reveal annoyingly straight teeth. "It's Jamie."

Flynn stared at him hard, watching the dimples work his expression. "Good enough for me," she exhaled, swinging the backseat door open and clambering inside. "But I'm not smoking any of that shit. Not before school."

"That's fine," Kaia said as she stuck the joint between her lips.

"So, you have any experience with managing volleyball?" Jamie asked with interest, peering at her over the shoulder of his seat.

"Nope," she replied, folding her arms into her lap. "So don't expect much."

"Noted."

"So, how do you two know each other? From volleyball?" Flynn gestured between the pair. "Or is there some elaborate, dramatic history here? Possibly a failed relationship? Family rivalry?"

"What?" Kaia coughed out a laugh, jamming the half-smoked blunt into Jamie's wiry fingers.

"I don't know, guys! Y'all dragged me out here an hour before school starts to hang! This is me, hanging!" Flynn flailed her arms, letting them fall back to her thighs with a clap. "I had to cut time at the rink to be here."

"Oh, that's what I forgot to tell you!" Kaia gasped, eyes wide on Jamie. "She's a figure skater! Has been, for like, years."

"Well, since I was eight, but," she commented, feigning modesty.

"Damn, that's sick!" Jamie gazed back at her, eyes coated with an admiration that made her squirm. "Have you won any competitions?"

"Tons, but maybe let's not talk about ice skating right now?" Flynn chuckled, resting both elbows on her friends' seats. "Tell me about the rest of the team, since I'm supposed to be co-managing them with you, Kaia."

"Okay, sure. Should I list them off by height?" The auburn-haired girl questioned insincerely.

"Yes. Also maybe catch me up on what the fuck a libero is." She explained once she saw the duo's bewildered looks, "I did a little refresher reading last night. Why the fuck does volleyball have so many rules?"

Jamie and Kaia's first response was to laugh.

"Cyberbullying is no laughing matter."

"She's definitely never been on Twitter," Flynn hissed under her breath to Dakota. Her friend cupped her mouth to suppress a laugh.

The guidance counselor continued to ramble, the brunette tuning her out as she thumbed through TikToks with one Airpod in. Miguel, reclined in the chair beside her and bored, began peering over her shoulder. They chuckled in unison as they watched a Roblox video.

"I'm not gonna name names, but the other day, a mother called me up...because her son was crying after some kids online made fun of his facial deformity."

Flynn's head shot up. The crowd erupted into tight whispers pointed at Eli, the meek boy covering his scar with a pale hand and eyes dropping to the floor.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" The Wilder girl bristled, glowering at the clueless woman. "She did everything but say his name," she spat, earning an agreeable eye roll from Miguel and a disappointed huff from Demetri.

"Literally so stupid," Dakota muttered. "How did she think that was gonna help?"

"But today," the mousy woman persevered, ignorant to the glares radiating from Flynn's table. "Our goal here is to make this school a safe space for all students."

"A safe space?" The brunette teen echoed incredulously. "Where was this energy when the girls in P.E. spray painted a homophobic slur on my locker last year?"

"Jesus, really?" Miguel casted an astonished glance at her.

"Yep," she confirmed, bitterly folding her arms over her chest. "But I was the one that got detention for calling the ringleader a bitch and making my pen explode all over her. Safe space my ass."

"It's fine, guys," Eli chirped up, voice tainted with sadness that only made the anger in Flynn's chest twist further.

"You know, if you're sick of getting bullied, my karate dojo's looking for recruits," Miguel offered to him.

"Yeah right," Demetri mumbled in disbelief. "You hear that, Eli?" The taller boy mimicked chopping with flat hands. "Little karate training and you're gonna kick some major ass!"

"Bro, what?" Flynn snickered. "Why'd you dismiss it so fast?"

"Cause Demetri's a pessimistic ass," Dakota replied for him, chucking another chip into her mouth.

"I'm serious Demetri," Miguel continued with a hint of exasperation. "My sensei's the real deal. I'm sure I could get you both discounts."

"They take girls?" Flynn corked an eyebrow at him, feeling all eyes slowly train on her. Her own gaze petered between her friends, noting their faces of surprise. "What?"

"How are you even gonna have time for karate between skating and volleyball?" Dakota reeled.

"I just asked a question!" Flynn laughed, phone clattering against the table as she dropped it. "It's not like I'd do it full time or anything."

Dakota shook her head, unable to stop the smile creeping to the corners of her lips. "Flynn—"

"I just wanna hit stuff," the brunette interrupted, holding up a stiff hand toward her. "Is that too much to ask?"

Now it was Demetri's turn to shake his head. "You're crazy." He lifted his chin and redirected to Miguel. "And as enticing as that sounds, I think we'd rather spend our afternoons playing Crucible Control than getting hit in the face."

Flynn ignored him, observing as something close to consideration danced in Eli's eyes. Seeing something other than shyness or gloom cross her friend's face made her heart ache with longing.

"Oh and one last thing," the counselor spoke up, regaining Flynn's attention and making her roll her eyes so hard her head tilted back sharply.

"While we're all looking forward to the Halloween dance, let's make sure our costumes are culturally sensitive. For example, instead of 'sexy nurse', maybe try 'gender-neutral' hospital employee!"

Flynn prodded Dakota's bicep. "Hey, do you think Counselor Morrison will be down with my Black Swan costume or is it insensitive? You know, because...women kiss in the movie?"

"Shut up," Dakota snorted.

The lunch bell chimed, the group beginning to disperse and migrate to their next class. Flynn weaved through a web of students to reach Eli.

"Hey, Eli." Her fingers gently grazed his bicep to slow him.

"What's up?" He inquired, eyebrows shooting for his hairline. "Isn't your next class back that way?"

"Look, if you wanna do karate with Miguel then you should go for it," Flynn said, watching hot shame melt into his timid features. "C'mon, I saw you thinking about it back there."

"It was just a thought," he shrugged, training his gaze at the patch of students ahead instead of her eyes boring into his temple.

"Hey, we've talked about this before. Don't let Demetri speak for you. I think it's cool you wanna try it. Could be badass," Flynn shot him a fanatic grin. The curve of her lips slowly ebbed away, seeing his unchanged mood.

"I told you about how I stopped skating for two years, right?" The brunette mentioned as they strayed to Eli's locker. He began rifling through it for his textbook.

"Yeah. Your foster family back then couldn't afford it," he replied, confused as to why she was rehashing old memories.

"Well, I never told you why I got back into it."

Eli straightened at that, his calm eyes sliding over to her with a ray of curiosity.

"I was twelve and I was starting to realize some things about myself," Flynn explained, leaving the unspoken meaning floating between them. "And...other people were starting to realize that about me too. This was when I went to a different school district too, so I didn't have you or Demetri around."

"Yeah, I remember," he nodded. "You never really talk about that time."

"Cause it's a lot," she explained, nails poking the material of her backpack strap as she fought the shakiness in her voice. "I didn't really know how to stand up for myself yet, and I was being bullied pretty bad. I knew I needed something. An outlet I could devote time to. Something I was good at too so it would give me the confidence I needed.

"So when I moved to the next foster home, one that could afford a skating program, I started back up. And I've been skating ever since. It's helped me feel so much better about myself and feel strong enough to stand up for myself too." Flynn laid her shoulder against the lockers, regarding her friend with a kind expression.

"All I'm saying is, karate could be exactly what you need. You deserve to feel good about yourself. Cause you're pretty freaking amazing, dude. And I'm tired of seeing people make you feel like you're not."

The sandy-haired boy stared at her with glistening eyes, his chest concaving with a rush of emotion. "Thanks, Flynn. Seriously. And you're...you're amazing too. I'm sorry you went through that back then."

The Wilder girl's face puddled into a sloppy smile, her hand patting his shoulder. "It's all good now. I just wanna see my friend happy. And I also think you need to be reminded to not let Demetri decide everything for you. His stubborn ass can stay at home building Legos while you learn how to roundhouse kick a bitch."

Eli dipped his head as he laughed, nodding. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll definitely think about it."

"Cool," her cheeks ached as she beamed at him, watching him walk away. She left the hallway with a strange lightness, glad to know she was making a difference for her friend.