3.3 New Kids

The first thing Apollo did when arriving at Sims University was look for his room. He wanted to drop his stuff off and unwind before he was forced to go to orientation. He wondered who his roommate would be, or if he even got one. Since he was a last minute sign up, spots were limited and he applied for whatever was available.

"Hmm, lets see...room 303. That's the third floor," Apollo said to himself as he pressed the button on the elevator. He had passed the dining hall and the computer room. Both would be useful for his late night cram sessions. As soon as he stepped off the elevator, he could hear the loud sound of screaming. It wasn't until he got closer to his room that he realized it was actually death metal music being played and it was coming from his room. "Oh great." He slid the key into the  hole and pushed the heavy door open. His eyes glided over the posters decorating the left side of the room. His eyes finally fell unto a guy lounging on the bed. His piercing lavender eyes were fixated on Apollo's figure. "Could you maybe turn that down?" Apollo asked sweetly. The boy turned it off with a grunt. "I mean you could have left it on..." The guy just stared at Apollo. "I'm Apollo Gray, I'm your roommate. Cool posters."

"Woods," was his response.

"Uhh...what?"

"My name is Damian Woods."

"Oh! Nice to meet you Damian!" The pair instantly fell to silence. Damian didn't seem interested in talking to Apollo anymore and turned his music back on.

Apollo let out a long sigh. Maybe hanging in his room wasn't the best idea. "I'm going to check out campus, uh...see you later?" Damian's eyes were shut and he seemed to be tuning Apollo out. "He''s something else."

He was stopped in the hall by another student. "Yo! I'm Matthew Tellmore, nice to meet ya. I'm on the floor above you. Maybe you could tell your roommate to lower his music."

Apollo laughed nervously. "I tried...he won't listen to me."

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Apollo Gray."

"Well, Apollo. Tell him to save the loud music for the parties. Woo! See ya around freshie!" He hit his palm on his chest and let out a loud howl. The people here were definitely interesting.

Apollo figured he would go and watch some television downstairs. When he entered the room there was already someone sitting on the sofa.

"Hi," She smiled politely.

"Hello," Apollo nodded back. Pink hair? Red and black outfit? Definitely a female version of his little brother. He leaned back on the sofa and shut his eyes. Seriously? All jokes aside, he wasn't aware that this was a coed dormitory. It shouldn't have been a big deal to him, but the only girl he had lived with before was his mother. He had no idea how this would go down.

"My name is Lynette Dagle, and you are?"

"Apollo Gray."

"Nice to meet you!" She grinned. "I'm actually glad to meet someone new here. I was a little discouraged when I found out that my roommate was my step brother's girlfriend. They better take their fun to his room because I will not be having any of it!"

Apollo couldn't help but crack a smile. It definitely was an awkward situation, but she seemed to find the humor in all of it. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, my roommate looks like he came out of some heavy metal band. He's blasting music and everything."

"So you're here to escape your roommate too? I feel like I'll be doing it a lot. She's nice but she's been kissing my disgusting brother. Blehh!"

"My roommate won't even talk to me."

"It's not worse than mine!" 

"Definitely not. I wouldn't want to room with my sister's boyfriend, you know if I had one. Well maybe, what if he was a nice guy? It's gotta be better than the death metal thing."

"We'll never know will we?" She stood up. "I'm heading over to orientation if you'd like to join me. Its in the student union center."

Apollo shrugged. "It's not like I'm doing anything else."

"Name?" The person behind the registration counter asked.

"Apollo Gray."

"Intended major?"

"Business."

"Alright you're all set. Head to the door on your right. Orientation will start in ten minutes. Next."

Then it was Lynette's turn. "Hey, business major?" She grinned. "You don't seem like the uptight kind of person."

"Not all business men are uptight," he defended.

"My dad sure was. He hated when anyone tried to have any fun. That's why he left my mom." She looked at Apollo's surprised face and changed the subject. "Woops, sorry there. Didn't mean to bring that up. I talk too much, that's why some people tend to stay away from me. I say things I shouldn't...I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize." Apollo told her. "It's no big deal. I don't care about little things like that. You seem nice, so I want to be friends with you."

She smiled in return. "I was thinking the same thing about you!"

"I'm going to go to the bathroom before we head in. Wait for me, okay?" Lynette said.

Apollo nodded. He began to look around the student union center. It was nice. There were vending machines and arcade games. He even saw a guitar laying around. He wondered if there was anyone who could actually play a guitar here, it'd be pretty cool to see. he wouldn't doubt if his roommate could. As he was lost in thought, his eyes set on two figures deep in conversation. Shit, Katherine and Tommy. They're going to Sims University too? Apollo thought to himself. He tried to turn around and duck away but he was too late. They saw him. Katherine stared nervously at him. Tommy on the other hand seemed ecstatic to see him. "Apollo, bro! Over here!" He waved his arms frantically to get his attention.

"Damnit," He cursed under his breath as he got closer to the two. Hopefully this would be the only time he saw them.

"Hey man, what's up?" Tommy stuck his fist out to bump with Apollo.

"Tommy, what's going on?" Apollo decided to play along. Tommy didn't understand how awkward all of this was. Probably because Katherine didn't tell him what she did a few months ago.

"I'm actually really happy to see you here. I feel kind of bad for ignoring you in highschool. It was a rough time you know, trying to find out who you are and who you want to be. I thought being cool meant dissing my friends. It was a stupid mistake."

"Yeah..." Apollo said silently. He didn't believe a word of it, but he was sure he'd never bump into these two again so it wouldn't matter.

"See Katherine, I told you he wouldn't be mad. You were worried for no reason! She thought you were going to flip out on us or something." Katherine's eyes never left Tommy's face. "What's wrong babe?"

"Nothing, I'm just tired from moving in. I had a lot to unpack." She rubbed her eyes. Anything to avoid Apollo's all knowing gaze.

"She isn't kidding. The girl came in with two suitcases and a carry on bag! It's only for a few months!" Lynette said.

Apollo smiled up at her. She couldn't have made better timing. "I plan on staying through the winter semester too, to get extra credits."

"Lay off, Lynette!" Tommy warned.

"Wait a minute...is Katherine your roommate?" Apollo asked Lynette.

"Yep, and that jerk over there is my brother."

"Step-brother," Tommy corrected.

"Wait...what? I never knew you had a sister!" 

"Her mom married my dad last year. They insisted we go to the same university. Now we're dorming in the same building. I can't escape her."

That's what I'm thinking about you, Apollo thought. Were they really going to be in the same dormitory as him? He would most likely be seeing them a lot more than he thought, especially because of their link to Lynette. Great, just great. Can this be any worse?

"Whatever dunce. Let's go before we don't get a seat, Apollo." He was glad that she hated them just as much as he did. He couldn't get out of there fast enough.

"Hi, just find a seat anywhere. We'll be going over everything you need to know before classes start. My name is Mason."

"Hi Mason!" Lynette smiled brightly at him.

Apollo eyed him. he didn't look much older than them at all. "I didn't think teachers were allowed to dye their hair." He looked away nervously, realizing that he said it out loud.

"Yeah, that's awesome! I love colorful hair." She laughed, playing with her own.

Mason laughed along with her. "I'm a teacher's assistant, that's why I introduced myself as Mason. I probably should have said Mr. Moon. Don't tell my advisor!" He motioned to the back of the room.

"Your secret is safe with us, sir!" Lynette placed her hand across her forehead as if saluting.

"Mr. Moon, if you will start orientation please," The teacher said.

Halfway through the orientation, Lynette began to whisper to Apollo. "This is soooooooooo boring. If Mason wasn't so cute, I'd be sleeping right now."

"Are you serious?" Apollo sighed. Girls.

"His purple hair is soooooooooooo dreamy. Seriously...look at him!" 

"I can't believe you're..." Apollo began.

"Any questions should be addressed with me and not with each other. Is there a problem?" Mason asked.

"No problem, sir!" Apollo said quickly and Lynette giggled. He shot her a look.

"First day and already in trouble. Look at you Gray!" Tommy snickered light heartedly.

"Alright settle down, settle down," Mason instructed. His superior did not look too happy at the outburst.

The rest of the orientation went by pretty smoothly. Lynette was doodling M's all over her notebook. Apollo tried to concentrate, but he couldn't shake his roommate's creepy gaze. (He happened to be sitting across from Lynette.) There was something definitely different about that guy but he couldn't place his finger on it.  After the orientation was over, Mason came over to talk to the two of them.

"Hey guys, cut me some slack on my first job would you?" Mason rubbed the back of his neck. "My advisor is so strict. He looked like he was ready to kill me."

"Sorry about that," Apollo apologized. "So, you're teaching here as like a teacher's aid?"

"Kind of." Mason nodded. "I'm in grad school now, so this counts as credits instead of me taking a class. Plus I'm getting paid which isn't so bad."

"Grad school!" Lynette's eyes lit up. "That's awesome!"

"We're heading back to the dorms, come on," Tommy said grabbing Lynette's arm.

"I thought you didn't want anything to do with me?" Lynette taunted.

"Come on you guys. You're siblings, just get along." Katherine told them.

"Maybe we should head back too." Apollo told Lynette.

"Don't let her drag you around Apollo!" Tommy said.

"I'm not.." Apollo tried to reason but Mason cut in.

"Since I'm a student, I'm in a dormitory as well. Which one are you guys in? I'm in Northeast."

"Us too," Katherine said.

"Don't tell me you're my roommate...brown bed covers?" Tommy asked.

"Yupp, that would be me."

They all headed back to the dorms and hung out in the common room until it got pretty late. Tommy held Katherine tightly and she seemed to be enjoying his touch. Apollo didn't get it. It made him sick to his stomach. Katherine had always been his best friend. He had never believed that he would look at her and not recognize who she was. She wore a crop top and short shorts. When he knew her, she would wear baggy clothes and no makeup. he didn't care what others thought of her. Tommy was the guy he would always call when he wanted to play video games or if he had a stupid idea he wanted to try out. Tommy was like a brother to him. Why were his two closest friends pulling so far away from him? They felt like strangers now. Tommy was completely comfortable with with him still, but Apollo wasn't so sure about him or his girlfriend. Lynette sat next to him, sprawled comfortably on the couch. He could tell that she was a carefree person. He had only seen ill will towards her brother and even then, she seemed to lack any malicious intent. Damian somehow ended up with the group. He offered few words, mostly grunts. He was still pretty much unreadable to Apollo. Mason sat on the floor, chatting happily with the group. He was older than them by at least five years but he was stuck in the undergraduate dorms because there was no more room in the graduate dorms. Nobody seemed to mind because Mason was cool enough.

"The kinds of parties we're going to have in here!" Tommy exclaimed excitedly.

"Count me out," Apollo raised his arm up. "I need to focus on my studies. No parties for me."

"Aww come on, it's the only good idea he's ever going to have!" Lynette whined.

"Me too. You know how I feel about drinking babe." Katherine leaned closer into Tommy's body.

"Fine, we'll have our own personal party." He kissed her ear tenderly.

"Not here, Tom." She tightened her grip on his arm.

"I'm leaving this barf fest." Damian got up.

"Not a bad idea," Mason stood up as well. "I don't need to watch eighteen year olds make out."

"Come on guys!" Tommy called out. "We'll keep it pg."

"It's getting late, go to bed guys." Lynette was getting ready to leave. "There's no party if it's just you guys. You're making my new best friend uncomfortable. Get a room."

"What? No, I'm fine. But I do think it's time to get some rest. I'll see you guys in the morning. Good night everyone." Apollo followed Lynette, Mason and Damian out of the room. He was thankful that Damian kept to his side of the room. Apollo was exhausted and wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone else. He sent his mother a quick text to let her know about his first day and then went to sleep. His first day was pretty eventful. He could have done without seeing Tommy and Katherine but the rest of the day was alright, so it balanced out.

3.2 Haven't Changed a Bit

"This was your idea of a last summer get together?" Apollo sighed. He looked over at his friend Kiwi Hale who was staring intensely at his notebook.

"Man, my mom is forcing me to do this homework. I wanted to play video games!" Kiwi groaned.

"Don't you think we should stick it to the man and not do our homework? Who cares about all of that!" Ambrose said fiercely.

"We start high school in less than a month. I don't want to fail before I even get there..."

"Come on Kiwi! I told all of my friends that you were cool."

"I am! I am cool, but my mom is going to kill me..." He said nervously.

"Whatever man, I'm leaving. There's no way I'm staying here and doing homework. Call me if there's something more fun on the agenda," Ambrose said before standing up.

"Wait! Come on....I am cool! We can do all kinds of things when we finish this worksheet!" Kiwi called after him.

Ambrose shook his head. Why was everyone in Sunlit Tides a bunch of goodie two shoes? 

"Dad!" Apollo ran into the living room. "I need your help!"

"What's up?" Noah asked.

"I just got an email from Sims University, they want me to send them another essay to be considered for the honors program. Can you believe it!? That means I was accepted!" Apollo said gleefully. It was nearing the end of summer, and he had received such a late response because of his late application. He was shocked that they were even considering him for the honors program. He had to make sure his essay was perfect to really wow them.

"Thats awesome news!" Noah hugged him. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Thanks! Now, I just need your help! You were accepted into Sims University with a full scholarship, so can you check out my essay and let me know what you think?" 

"Of coursed I can." Noah sat down on the floor and motioned for Apollo to join him. Apollo sat in uncomfortable silence until Noah spoke up again. "This is really good! I can really tell who you are through this essay. Its not as boring and objective as others. I think you'll win them over."

"Really?" Apollo's eyes lit up.

Noah nodded. "I think you should consider writing other things too, like books and articles."

"I have actually," Apollo said sheepishly. "I already have a sci fi book written. It's not that great..."

"Don't say that! If it's good and complete we can send it off to a publisher right away!" 

Apollo smiled, enjoying the praise from his father. He thought for a minute. He planned on going into Sims University to study for a degree in business. He hoped to be a CEO of a mega corporation, that way he could make a comfortable living for him and his future family. Could he really be a writer? It was something he just discovered he loved, but was he good enough to make a career out of it?

Good news turned into bad news pretty quickly. Athena Gray had passed away from old age. No one saw it coming. She had passed away in her apartment early last week. Levi had awoken to the inevitable, but it still hurt. Leia offered to have the funeral reception at their house. She had believed it would be easiest for Noah to cope that way. She took charge for the time being, holding Noah tightly in her arms.

"Shh...It's ok, everything will be alright," Leia cooed into his ear.

Apollo watched helplessly at Noah's broken figure. The man he had thought was indestructible fell weakly to his knees in front of him. Apollo was beyond upset. He had loved his grandmother immensely, but even more than that, he loved his father. Watching Noah break down so openly scared him. He was supposed to be the strong one holding the family together. He knew that Noah was human after all, and Apollo himself would be destroyed if his own mother died. He wanted to help, to say something to make everything ok, but he couldn't. At the end of the day, someone was gone forever. It made him want to work harder to continue the legacy, in her memory.

Noah held his father's arms firmly. "Dad..." He began.

"Son, are you alright?" Levi asked softly.

Noah began to tremble. "No, I'm not alright...mom...she's gone...we'll never see her again..."

Levi placed his hand on his son's shoulder. "She's gone, but not forgotten. She'll live in all of our memories, forever."

Noah wiped his eyes but more tears flowed. He wasn't shocked that his dad held back his tears. It wasn't that he wasn't upset, his sense of loss was much deeper than anyone else's. It was that Levi had known that it wouldn't be long until he would see her again. He wasn't getting any younger, his time was soon. "I'm going to miss her so much!"

"Me too, son. We all will. What we can do now is honor her memory by keeping the Gray legacy going." Levi thought back to the moment when he first laid eyes on her. They were the founding couple of the Gray family. Sierra and Bruce fought hard for Athena to be able to start her own legacy and he was glad to be a part of it. Not once did he regret giving up his immortality to be with her. Even as his bones got weaker, all he could think of was seeing her face again. He couldn't wait until he joined her, but for now he'd be strong for his children and grandchildren.

Tasha and Ambrose seemed unphased by all of this. Both Leia and Daisy knew that their children wouldn't dare show their feelings in front of all of these people. They would save the tears for when they were behind closed doors. For now, they tried to talk about other things.

"I heard Kiwi Hale is going to be in our homeroom this year. Can you believe it? He's such a dweeb," Tasha snickered.

Ambrose frowned. Maybe it was all the despair around him, but suddenly he wasn't feeling like Kiwi was all that uncool. "Are we talking about the same Kiwi? That guy is crazy cool. I was just over his house a few days ago. We did all sorts of cool stuff."

"Like what? That boy is a stick in the mud." Ambrose didn't know why he was defending Kiwi. Tasha was right. Kiwi wasn't as daring as Ambrose and his cousin, but every Batman needed a Robin right? Maybe a mellow sidekick like Kiwi would make taking over high school just a bit more fun.

"Let's just say, you're in for a big surprise once high school starts." Ambrose told her. He had hoped for Kiwi's sake he could get him on board for his ultimate high school experience plan.

"Why are you always here?" Apollo asked the girl standing in front of him. He wore a look of disgust on his face. "My mom told me that she didn't invite you to Ambrose's birthday party, so you're going to have to come up with a better excuse."

"I lied because I didn't want you to get mad at me. I was there to see you, but you seemed like you wanted no part of me, so I tried to play it off like I was there to enjoy the festivities. I'm not here to make you feel bad. I'm here because I feel so bad about your grandmother. I want to be here for you," Katherine admitted.

"I don't really need you to be here," He answered her rudely. "You should have been here for all of the other times, not just now. Don't kick me while I'm down."

"Why can't you see where I'm coming from? I made a mistake Apollo. I shouldn't have put you last in my life. You haven't changed one bit, it reminded me why I fell in love with you in the first place."

He began to get angrier and angrier. "Now you decide to come out and say all of this because high school is over! You should have said this four years ago. I don't have time to be dealing with this right now, my grandmother is dead, so if you'd let me grieve..."

How could she show him what she was feeling? She missed hanging out with Apollo. She had secretly watched him as he passed her by in the hallway, looking down when he looked her way. She laughed along with her friends when they made fun of him, but she felt bad. She wasn't sure what she wanted four years ago, and she wasn't sure if this was what she wanted now either. There was one way to see if what she felt about Apollo was true. She placed her lips on his and unlike their first kiss, she felt him melting into it. The sensation was short lived as Apollo pulled away angrily.

"Get out of my house!" Apollo growled.

"Apollo..." Katherine whispered.

"Don't you think I know you're dating Tommy? I was friends with Tommy at one point. Don't do that to him or to me. Have some decency for yourself."

Katherine held her head. She was so caught up in the moment that she forgot about Tommy. Her head was swimming. She was dating Tommy, and she loved him...but then why couldn't she stop thinking about Apollo? She covered her ashamed face and left the premises immediately.

Before long, it was time for Apollo to graduate. Noah let him use his car to drive the four of them to city hall to watch the ceremony. Apollo had been elected Valedictorian by the dean himself. He was honored to go up and speak on behalf of all of his classmates. He was even more excited to finally be done with it all. He had received a scholarship package in the mail. He was getting a full scholarship, including dorming at Sims University. They even offered him 18 credits in the business field, cutting his credits needed to about half. He hoped college would be everything he dreamed of.

After he had received his diploma and awards (he was surprised that his classmates voted him most popular. Apparently, everyone other than Katherine and Tommy's friends loved him) he decided to change his look. What Katherine said kept ringing through his brain. "You haven't changed one bit." He didn't want to be the only thing that stayed the same while everything around him was changing. Sims University would be getting a more mature Apollo Gray. He was now a young adult, ready to take on the world. He kneeled down by his dresser and began to pack his bags.

When it was finally time to leave, Apollo stopped Ambrose.

"Ambrose!"

"Yo!"

"You know I can't leave without lecturing you right?" Apollo grinned.

"Of course not," Ambrose laughed. "What's up this time?"

"I've noticed recently that you've got a bit of a rebellious streak in you. Tone it down a bit will you? If you get any crazier mom is going to have a heart attack. Think about channeling your energy into your painting, and I can't believe I'm saying this...street art. BUT! You know, make sure you have permission to deface people's property first."

Ambrose smiled in return. "You're leaving me in this house with that guy for four years, how can I tone it down?"

"Come on Ambrose!" Apollo exclaimed. "How many times do I have to tell you..."

"Relax, I was joking. I'm passed making his life a living hell. I think we can coexist amicably. I won't like it, but I won't do anything stupid."

"I guess, that's a start." Apollo shrugged, knowing he couldn't change Ambrose's mind. "I'll be back in a few months to check up on you."

"Before you go, I got you something. Give me a minute." Ambrose went into the other room and came back with a large canvas in his hand. "I thought you'd like to put this painting in your dorm room or something."

Apollo pulled Ambrose into a tight hug. "Thanks twerp."

"I'm gonna miss you, idiot," Ambrose said back.

The Gray family gathered outside their house to say their goodbyes to Apollo. Noah held his arm loosely over Leia's shoulders as she spoke.

"I can't believe you're going to University...you're not that little boy anymore who would always beg me to play video games. You were awarded valedictorian and most popular in school. My little boy, the smartest and most popular in school! I am beyond proud of you. Everyone there is going to be in for such a surprise!"

Ambrose rolled his eyes. His mother got so emotional all the time. He remembered what she told him on his fourteenth birthday. Apollo on the other hand looked ecstatic.

"Thank you mom, I love you so much." He hugged her.

"What about me?" Noah asked.

"You didn't give him a heartfelt speech," Ambrose offered jokingly.

"Well, alright. Apollo, remember everything I told you when I chose you as heir. I'm so proud of you. You took a difficult situation when I returned and turned it into something incredible. Look at you now, with a full scholarship to Sims University. You're going to have a blast." Ambrose didn't even bother sending Noah a dirty look. For once he wasn't upset, he knew that Apollo was strong for accepting Noah so easily. Ambrose still had to face his demons and he wasn't strong enough to give in right away. He admired Apollo for his strength and patience when dealing with him as well.

"Thank you dad," He leaned over and hugged him as well.  "I'll be back before you guys know it."

______________________________________________________________________________
What kind of madness will ensue in Sims University? Thanks for reading!

3.1 Rough Start

After hearing that he was going to be heir, Apollo noticed that everything began to change. Caleb had been out of the house more often than usual. He had met a woman. Her name was Hope and she was one of the food vendors at the festivals held in the park. It was a weird meeting, Caleb casually strolling through the park, her bolting down the sidewalk to get to work on time. They had clashed, and as cliche as it sounded, according to both, it was love at first sight. Caleb spent a lot of time talking himself out of a relationship because of the loss of his first love but he couldn't stop thinking about Hope. He was always wondering how she was feeling, what she would be doing at that time and things like that. Eventually, she got tired of waiting for him to make a move and asked him out. Caleb was a bit taken aback, but of course he couldn't turn her down. She was so much more to him than just a food vendor. 

Caleb knew that they weren't getting any younger. Slowly, they had been creeping towards the elder stage and his parents were slipping closer to death. He'd like his mother to rest at ease knowing that he had someone to share his life with. So, Caleb gleefully fell down to one knee and proposed to Hope who excitedly said yes. Not wanting to draw so much attention, they had a private wedding at city hall. They didn't need to parade their love, they both knew they couldn't live without each other. She had become Hope Gray and he had become the happiest man alive. 

That of course came with the declaration that Caleb would be moving out. Hope and he had found a nice place to live, and both of them pulled their money together to buy it. Things would be weird for Leia, not having his help, and it'd be upsetting for Noah, not seeing his brother everyday anymore, but both were very happy for him. They both knew how rewarding the married life was.

Caleb held his breath as he approached Ambrose. He wanted to tell him personally that he would be moving out. Ambrose knew that Caleb and Hope were already a pretty serious couple. 

"What's up?" Ambrose asked casually.

"I wanted you to hear this from me before anyone else said something to you." Ambrose nodded. "I proposed to Hope. She said yes."

"That's great news!" Ambrose said happily. 

"Yes, we're both very happy," Caleb agreed. "We've found a nice house to move into together."

Ambrose's face fell instantly, but he masked it well. He quickly replaced the question in his eyes with a bright smile. "That's awesome, I'm happy for you."

Caleb let out the breath he didn't know he was holding. He was expecting a much more explosive reaction. Ambrose and him were extremely close, and ever since Noah returned, he found Ambrose latching on to him more and more. He was afraid of leaving Ambrose, but he knew that he had to move on eventually. He'd only be a car ride away.

Ambrose was great with masking his true feelings. He had become accustomed to it when Noah came back. He could only be scolded so much by his older brother and mother before realizing it wasn't ok to show Noah his true feelings of hatred. Caleb was worried that Ambrose would take his leaving hard, just as he took his Uncle Elliot's departure hard. He was glad to know that Ambrose was a much stronger kid than he was. 

Ambrose tried to keep it together. He tried to ignore the sinking feeling in his gut, but he couldn't. The happy talk about curtain shades and new lamp fixtures was enough to make him insane. He had locked himself in his room for the entirety of Caleb's final few days in the house. Caleb was so busy packing his things that he hadn't noticed Ambrose's recent recluse activities, and Ambrose was relieved. He didn't want Caleb to see him break down. With Caleb gone, who did he have to turn to? He was alone once again. He wasn't good enough to be heir and he wasn't good enough for Caleb to stay...

The week after Caleb left, everyone was feeling a bit lonelier. It only confirmed for Apollo what he already knew. Everything was changing. Despite having an empty room, Apollo decided not to move out of his room with Ambrose. Some would argue that they were getting too old to share a room, but Apollo wanted to keep hold of what he always knew. That night, Ambrose tossed and turned in his bed. The silence was beginning to be a bit much for him. He couldn't take it anymore and hopped right out of bed. He threw on some clothes and grabbed his bike. Apollo turned over in his bed and watched Ambrose slip out of the room. He knew that he wasn't just going downstairs to get a midnight snack.  He quickly put on his clothes and began to follow his brother. He was careful to stay quiet and hidden.

Apollo followed Ambrose for twenty minutes before he arrived at The Hideaway. It was a casual hangout center, but at this time, 3 am, it was closed. The Hideaway itself wasn't locked up but he was sure the owners hid the valuables. What was Ambrose doing here then?  Apollo watched him make himself a drink and sit down. 

"Ambrose, tell me thats not alcohol." Apollo climbed into the Hideaway. 

"What are you doing here?" He mumbled. "Did you follow me?"

"Yes, I did. I was worried about you. You can't just leave so late. There's a curfew."

"I'm sorry for waking you up, I think I'll have to move into Caleb's old room."

"Don't apologize," Apollo said. "Listen to me. None of this is the answer to your problems. I know you're upset, but you're fourteen. There's other outlets."

"It's just coffee," Ambrose mumbled after a moment of silence. 

"I get the feeling you don't really want to talk about this right now." Ambrose shook his head. "Let's go home. If you want to talk to me about it when we're both fully awake, I'm here. If not, I'm not going to pressure you. Just, please don't do this anymore, and if you want to sneak out, at least let me know, I'll tag along, and I won't rat you out to mom."

Ambrose let out a long sigh. "Thank you."

Apollo was grateful that it was a saturday night and he didn't have school the next day. His academic life was hectic. He constantly found himself studying, trying to maintain his A. He really wanted to impress Sims University. Without a scholarship, he didn't think he could attend. After he made sure Ambrose was in Caleb's room asleep, he went to the living room and stared into space. His eyes landed on some portraits his family had hanging up on the walls. On the left was a picture of his uncle Caleb, uncle Cyrus, his aunt Daisy, his aunt Lorie, his mother and his grandmother with him in her arms. He was just a toddler. In the picture to the right, he remembered it clearly, was taken at Ambrose' birthday party around the time Noah had come back. It was strange how much of an impact one event could have on your life, on the future. Noah had entrusted him with securing a future for the Gray family. He knew better than anyone, having lost his father initially to one decision, that the future was fragile. He would do his very best to make sure the family stayed together, Noah included.

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You can check out the Gray family tree here. Or by clicking the tab at the top of the page. Also, for a special treat, click chapters and see Apollo's new look as heir :)

2.38 Generation Finale!

The Heir Poll is officially closed! Keep reading to find out who won!

The years had flown by, Apollo had found himself halfway through his senior year. Ambrose would be starting high school after the summer. The boys were both ecstatic to be moving on to bigger and better things in their lives. Ambrose had been slowly warming up to Noah. What I mean by that is Ambrose didn't shout or yell at his father as he used to, but instead kept his hatred below the surface. He had gotten used to his presence and tolerated him for Apollo and his mother.

"Have you thought about what college you want to go to?" Noah asked Apollo one day as they played video games.

"Sunlit Tides Community College looks pretty promising," Apollo forced a smile.

"Is that what you really want? I'm not saying it's a bad school, but I thought you'd want to leave Sunlit Tides and do something bigger."

"It's fine," Apollo shrugged. "I'd like to stay here with you guys and watch over Ambrose." Truth was, Apollo had wanted to go to Sims University. Leia was no longer making any money from the government because Noah was out of jail. Caleb had been saving up money for his own place, and Noah couldn't get his job back at the hospital. He was working at a grocery store as the bag boy. Apollo had been saving up money from his part time job at the bookstore but it was pocket change compared to what he needed to pay for college. He didn't want to put his parents in that kind of predicament and he knew his parents would rather take a loan under their names than ruin his credit. he couldn't allow it.

"Is that really what you want? Ambrose is getting older, he doesn't need as much help as you'd think. Sunlit Tides Community College will give you a great education but I think that if you were to try for something like, say, Sims University, you'd get a better experience."

"Dad...how did you know that's where I wanted to go?" Apollo sighed, pausing the game. "Is it that obvious?"

"No, it's not. You're pretty good at hiding your feelings, but I was your age at one point. I was a child genius, my parents sent me to a boarding school for high school, I was away from them for four years, and then I got a full scholarship to Sims University and I had to go."

"A full scholarship?" Apollo was shocked. "Really? That's incredible!"

Noah nodded, "I barely remember it, it was a time when my memories weren't so clear to me. I was losing who I really was for this girl that I thought I loved. But, the point is, I got this fantastic job here, I didn't have to worry about where I would work once I moved here. I was able to apply my degree to any place that I would move to. Sims University has more likeliness than Sunlit Tides Community College. Employers will be more impressed with a degree from Sims University. But, if you really want to stay here then you have our full support."

Apollo groaned and held his hands on his head. "It's just too much! I'm expected to know what I want so early in the year! I didn't think it was ever possible for me to go to Sims University because of our finances, so I didn't bother applying and now it's passed the deadline!"

"Here," Noah pulled out an envelope from his pocket. "It's an aptitude test. I called Sims University and let them know that your application was lost in the mail. They're willing to make an exception for you as long as you get it to them in the next few days. Your grades are fantastic so I know you'll get in. Don't worry about the money, you might get a scholarship and I've been saving money in a separate account for this very reason."

"You're not joking?"Apollo asked in disbelief.

"I'm not joking," Noah smiled.

"Dad, you're honestly the best. Thank you so much!" Apollo ran to work on the aptitude test. He was still worried about the money, but it wouldn't hurt to try, especially since Noah went out of his way for him.

Apollo had recently discovered writing as a hobby rather than only academically. He was surprised by how much he was enjoying it. He was able to create such dynamic characters different from anyone he knew. It was exciting to him to watch his characters grow on the paper in front of him. Ambrose on the other hand took to painting. While Noah was in jail, Leia had purchased an art easel to help her cope. She hadn't really enjoyed it much, so it was left unused. Ambrose begged his uncle Caleb to get him some paint and brushes and before long, Ambrose had become really good at it. He loved it.

"Hey...twerp, what do you want for your birthday?" Apollo asked from his seat at the computer.

Ambrose smirked before answering. "A Car."

Apollo chuckled. "Not happening, you're turning fourteen. You can't even legally drive."

"Pfft...whatever." Ambrose rolled his eyes. "All I really want is some cake."

"That, I can make happen."

That very day Noah was startled by the sudden appearance of a time portal.

"Emit...? What the heck! I thought you were trying to keep this time traveling thing a secret?" Noah said in disbelief.

Emit shrugged, "Is that how you greet your father in law? Besides, I was being discreet. This is your backyard, no one can see this portal."

"Except for my family. It's leisure day, the kids are off from school."

"Oh...well. Then I guess I'll make this quick. You know your children are getting old enough for you to have the talk with them."

"The talk? I just got back into my children's life. I don't think they want to hear about THAT. Especially from me."

"They're both old enough. They need to know Noah."

Noah became flustered, "I'm sure they'll act responsibly when they meet the one."

"What are you talking about? Oh...that's definitely not what I was talking about Noah! I was talking about you choosing an heir. You need to talk to them about who will lead the next generation! It's imperative for the well being of the future."

"Oops," Noah chuckled nervously. "I guess you're right. I do have to pick an heir."

"Yes, you must decide by tonight."

"Tonight!? It's Ambrose's birthday. I can't do that!"

"I know, but I just got orders to tell you that you need to choose right away. It's not me, it's the guardians. They're the backing of this whole plan. I'm not going to be involved in Apollo's or Ambrose's life. They think I'm getting too emotionally invested in your life and ignoring the future," Emit admitted.

"That's ridiculous. They're your grandsons. You're a human being, of course you feel some sort of attachment to us. We're your family," Noah exclaimed.

"Unfortunately, the lives of many are in danger with the fall of Lunar Lakes and the instability of Oasis Landing. I can sacrifice my wants for their lives. Frost Bite will be working alongside whoever you choose. I can't go much into detail about that but just know, I care about my family. I'm just unable to lose control of the timeline. It could be disastrous. I'm sorry. I must go now, I'll stop by later for your answer. Make sure you tell your sons who you choose."

"Emit, wait! Don't leave yet," Noah pleaded. Emit turned around. "Can you at least talk to Leia and Lorie once, if you're going to cut off all contact?"

He let out a long sigh. "I'll see what I can do."

Everyone was at the Gray house for Ambrose's party that night. Noah was trying to mingle with the guests but his mind was elsewhere, Who was he going to choose as heir? Both Apollo and Ambrose were wonderful boys. He remembered the moment his parents had with him. They chose him, and his siblings were supportive of their choice. It didn't make the others any less important, it just put the burden of keeping everything together on his shoulders. He had to let the boys know that when he made his decision.

"Leia darling, you have done an amazing job with all of my boys. Noah, Caleb, Apollo and Ambrose. They're all amazing people."

"Thank you Mrs. Gray, but Noah and Caleb were all you. I can't take credit for that."

"You changed Noah's life for the better. It was you who made him fight so hard for his family. Caleb had suffered for awhile when he was younger. Living with you and the boys has showed him what he was missing in life. He's finally woken up. He knows that he can't keep suffering, thanks to you. So thank you," Athena told her.

Leia was shocked and honored to be hearing this from the head of the Gray family. "Thank you  Mrs. Gray, it means so much coming from you!"

It wouldn't be a Gray family get together without some drama. A particular guest had arrived uninvited, or so Apollo thought.

"Hi, Apollo," Katherine said shyly. She was biting her lip nervously.

"What are you doing here?" He lowered his eyes.

"I came to wish your brother a happy birthday. Your mother invited me."

He would have to yell at his mother later. He knew they hadn't spoken to each other in three years. Seeing each other in the hallways was painful. In the beginning he would look up at her hopefully, wishing she had changed her mind. She never looked back at him. By the middle of his sophomore year, he had given up all hope on ever befriending her again. It kept him up at night, wondering what he did wrong. He had reconnected with John, but other than that, he barely spoke to anyone, which he was fine with. He didn't want to lose someone else, so he kept his distance.  "Great, well go make yourself at home. I'm going to go give Ambrose his gift."

"No, Apollo, wait!" She begged. "Please just talk to me. Brad, go inside and play with Tasha, I'll be done in a minute," She told her little brother. Apollo was aware she had a little brother but her family life was of no concern to him anymore. "He's just so excited to be here. He loves Tasha. Even though she's a bit older than him, they get along."

"Is he alright...?" Apollo asked hesitantly. He wasn't heartless enough to take out his anger on her little brother. There wasn't something quite right about this entire situation. He felt his stomach drop before she could even confirm what he thought.

"He had cancer, but it's in remission now. We're gradually taking him outside of the house, but it's hard for him because he's been bedridden for a few months. The doctors caught it early luckily, so everything will be alright."

"I'm so sorry," Apollo said. He had suddenly felt terrible for being so rude to her in the first place.

"It's really ok, but please don't let this change anything between us. I mean, please don't let it make it any more awkward. I don't need you feeling sorry for me."

"Wait, I don't get any of this." Apollo shook his head. "You come to celebrate Ambrose's birthday, but barely show any interest in him, tell me about your sick little brother and then tell me that I'm still not cool enough to hang out with you. Why are you even here?"

"I...I want to make things right!" She stuttered.

"You can't, not until you give up all the popularity. I know it's something you won't do, and I can't be friends with someone who is fake." Apollo told her before walking away.

After much insistence from Ambrose, it was finally time to blow out the candles. He had the full support of his entire family there. Daisy, Cyrus, Tasha, Kayden, Athena, Levi, Caleb, Lorie and Katherine were cheering him on whole heartedly. He blew out the candles with one wish in mind. Hopefully it'd come true.

Ambrose grew into his rebellious nature. He picked out a red flamed sweater and some black earrings as his first teenage outfit. This was his last year in middle school, soon he'd be tearing up Sunlit Tides high school. Hopefully they wouldn't expect too much from him being Apollo's younger brother.

"Aww Ambrose, my little boy is all grown up. You've grown into such a handsome man.I'm so proud of everything you've done up to this point. Your teenage years will fly by, so make the most of it. Here is your gift. Since you've taken such a liking to art, I thought you'd like this sketch pad." Leia leaned in and kissed her son's cheek.

"I think I'm gonna barf from all of this mushy talk." Apollo held his hand over his mouth.

"H-Hey! Shut it!" Ambrose groaned.

Later that night, Noah was stopped by Emit.

"How did you get into my house?"

"Don't worry about it," Emit smirked.

"Oh geez," Noah sighed. "What are you even doing here?"

"I'm here to see if you made your decision yet. Who did you choose?"

"Wellll...." Noah said nervously.

"You didn't talk to them yet did you?" Emit let out an all-knowing sigh.

"It's been hectic." Emit began to walk away. "Hey! Where are you going! The kids are still in there!" Noah called after him.

"I'm here to see my daughters, who conveniently happen to be talking in the kitchen, your boys are on the other side of your house, I'm going to talk to them, and you tell the boys. I expect you to give me
an answer before I leave."

"Geez, you can be so demanding sometimes."

In the kitchen, Leia and Lorie were in a heated discussion about orie's love life.

"He wasn't the one for me," Lorie said.

"Don't be discouraged. There's someone out there for everyone." Leia tried to cheer her sister up. She had recently broken up with her boyfriend, the third one this year.

"Yeah, I wish I had what mom and dad had." Lorie blurted out.

"Mom and dad? If they cared so much about us then where are they?" Leia was still a little touchy on the subject of their parents.

"You heard about my dream, they had to give us up. They didn't want to!"

Leia was about to shoot back at her sister with a snarky remark but she was cut off by a voice she never heard before. "She's right, we didn't want to separate and give up the family we created."

Lorie gasped. "You're him!"

Leia took a step back, not trusting this man at all. "I don't expect you girls to be so welcoming to me. Isn't Noah going through the same thing with Ambrose and Apollo?" Emit said thoughtfully.

He was right, Leia realized. Lorie was the happy child who was ecstatic to see her father and Leia was the skeptical one, distrusting his actual merits. She had understood Ambrose's actions and pains, but she also understood Noah's which is why what she did next surprised even her.

She hugged him and began to cry in his embrace. "Why...why would you just leave like that? Why didn't you fight to keep her. Why are you so much like Noah, trying to be the hero!" She sobbed into his arms. "Why wouldn't you make the extra effort." She knew the answer to all of those questions. Emit didn't have a choice but to leave Lorie, Leia and their mother, Cora. Oh, how he missed Cora so much. He saw her spunky persona in Lorie, and her beautiful facial features in Leia. His daughters had grown up into incredible women.

"I'm sorry...I wanted to be here more. I should have been so much more to this family. I could have used my power to stay here with you guys a little longer. But now it's too late. I missed all of my opportunities and I have to return to the future and never leave my spot as timekeeper of Oasis Landing."

She didn't know how good it would feel to be in her dad's arms. She had wanted this so much. She thought back to her dance recitals where she looked into the audience to see if anyone was there to see her, she saw the lonely orphanage where her and Lorie had to argue with parents that they were a package deal, she saw Noah waiting for her at the altar and wanting so bad to walk down to him with her father on her arm. She thought she didn't need him, and here he was in front of her, only to be violently ripped back from her grasp. She hated the future. She hated that he had given up his family twice for the same reason.  "This sucks." She wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. "Totally not how I pictured it."

"This was why I didn't want to come. I didn't think I'd be able to let you go." He opened up his arm and pulled Lorie in as well. "I'm so sorry that you girls had to go through all of this. I wish things could be different." They both held onto him and cherished the fleeting moment they had together.

Meanwhile, the boys had been cornered by Noah.

"What is it?" Ambrose mumbled. He was tiredly rubbing his eyes. The days festivities had gotten to him.

"Happy Birthday."

"That's it?" Ambrose said.

"For once I have to agree with him." Apollo nodded.

"No, there's more. Ambrose, Apollo both of you have grown into fine men, and it's finally time to let you in on our family secret. My mom worked so hard to get her family the way it is today. She was plagued by the loss of her mother in a monstrous way. She met our dad, your grandfather, and he was able to illuminate her life. Together, they raised us and made a promise to a certain blue-haired time traveler that they'd pass down their legacy and make sure the future was one of radiance and not darkness. Their objective was passed down unto me when they chose me as the heir, the one who would take watch over the family. She told me that I had to keep the family together, continue the legacy and then pass it on when the time was right. That time is now. I need to put one of you in charge. One of you boys will act as the protector of the Gray family name and bring greatness to us. I know both of you are completely capable of doing it, but I have to choose one of you. Whoever I choose,  I entrust you with what I have just mentioned but also continuing the legacy by passing it onto your children and telling them to do the same. Do not let your grandmother's efforts be in vain. The world isn't such a great place when you look around. Thats why the Gray family has to make an impact, one generation at a time." Noah had left out all of the technical aspects of why this was so important because he didn't think they'd actually believe all of the time travelling business, just as he had been skeptical of it at first. The boys stared at Noah in silence. Neither knew what to say, so Noah just continued. "Apollo, after much thought, I think you're the right person to entrust this honor on."

A look of hurt flashed through Ambrose's eyes. Ambrose had known that was coming. Of course he'd pick his favorite child, Apollo. Everyone always chose Apollo. Whatever, did he really need to listen to this guy anyway? Noah tried to word it as objectively as he could. He hadn't intended to hurt any of the boys, but he knew Ambrose had demons that he needed to get rid of before he could take control of the family. Apollo needed to find out who he truly was, and Noah knew this was the perfect opportunity to make him a better person. Unable to bear the hurt in Ambrose's eyes, he walked towards the living room to confirm his choice with Emit.

Apollo turned to his little brother. This would be no different from what he normally did. He would continue to watch over and protect his little brother.

"Ambrose..." Apollo began.

Ambrose brushed him off. "Save it. I know it's not your fault that you're the favorite. I was stupid to allow myself to think for a minute that maybe he might have really been part of this family, even if the idea of him was intolerable. Now I know, he doesn't see me as the perfect little boy he wished I was. Sure, I pushed him away, but he wasn't supposed to retaliate. Guess that's why you're the favorite huh?"

"I'm not the favorite! Don't say that. Its probably because I'm the older brother and I'm already keeping an eye on the family."

"We both know that's not true," Ambrose said before walking off. "I'm heading to bed."

Apollo sighed in frustration. Why was everything so complicated to Ambrose? He understood his jealousy and it killed him. He hadn't meant to set such high bars. He was honestly shocked. He saw it from the other side of the coin. he thought Ambrose was the favorite because Noah tried so hard on a daily basis to get his approval. He was sure that he'd have chosen Ambrose for sure. He was eighteen, he's be going to college soon and he had no idea what he wanted to study, and his social life was in shambles. What did Noah see in him? Would he make a good heir?
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It was tied for awhile but in the end Apollo took a big lead on Ambrose. Stay tuned for gen 3 to see how Apollo handles everything life throws at him. 

2.37 What Happened?

If you haven't voted on who you want to be heir, you can vote here: Heir Poll. Just scroll all the way down for the actual poll. Even if you have voted, you can vote again. I will close the poll on Wednesday. Please vote, the boys are tied right now! If they stay tied I'm going to have to pick one at random! 
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"That looks like the cheesiest green screen I've ever seen!" Caleb grinned, handing the postcard back to Noah. 

"Come on, it looks believable!" Noah protested.

"It doesn't even look like that's a hotel in France."

"I think it's cute. Even if it wasn't our hotel room, it still portrays our family vacation well," Leia smiled.  

"Why are we standing out here?" Ambrose asked grumpily. The group had just arrived back to their house in Sunlit Tides and Caleb was promptly blocking the door. "I want to go in and take a nap." He yawned.

"For once I agree with him, a nap would be nice." Apollo stretched out his arms.

"Well, I guess you guys could come in." Caleb shot a look at Noah who nodded back in return. He stepped back and let them into the house. "Now, before you say anything, this was all Noah's idea."

"Is that a puppy!?" Ambrose exclaimed before dropping his bags and running to the furry little creature.

"A puppy?" Leia asked, clearly not in on the surprise.

"Yep, her name is Coco Gray. What do you think?"

"Wow, I think this is amazing!" Apollo grinned and began to pet the puppy as well. "She's gorgeous!"

"You guys are lucky to have a dad like Noah," Caleb added.

Ambrose looked up at Caleb, as if something had suddenly snapped in him. He didn't know why he was feeling this way. Maybe it was because he didn't want to be told that this man, who was gone for Ambrose's entire life, was his father. Sure, he had fun in France, mire than he'd like to admit. He even was ecstatic to have a puppy, but this stuff could have been done by anybody. What set him apart from the rest, and made him his father? Ambrose still didn't see it and every time someone tried to force that idea down his throat, he became angry. How many times did he have to tell them, no matter what Noah did, he wouldn't make it passed the friend stage, let alone father. "Thanks for the puppy, but you can't buy our love."

"Ambrose, come on!" Apollo scolded. "We just got back! Don't do this." Apollo couldn't understand his brother. They had just gotten home from a surprise trip to France, only to be surprised again by the presence of a puppy. What child wouldn't be thrilled by all of this?

"I'm going to take a nap," He mumbled before walking away.

"I think this was a good effort dad," Apollo said.

"Thanks son," Noah sighed, fixated on the spot that Ambrose was just standing in. He had thought he was finally getting to him in Champs le Sims.

Leia placed a hand on his back and rubbed it affectionately. "I agree Noah, you did something wonderful. He's excited, even if he won't admit it."

Months had passed, and gradually, Noah had moved back in. Ambrose wasn't too happy, but he eventually got used to Noah's presence in the house. Leia wished that he wouldn't just tolerate Noah. She wanted something more than the slight acknowledgement Ambrose was giving. Not even Caleb could snap him out of it.

"Do you have any homework?" Noah asked Ambrose at the table.

Ambrose scowled, "What's it to you?"

"You know, school is so important. I want you to do well. If you need any help with it, I'm here."

"If it's so important, then why do you only work at the grocery store? Apollo's friends work there and they're teenagers!" 

Noah sighed, "Your degree means nothing in the medical field if you have a bad record. They don't trust me to save people's lives..." He said more to himself than Ambrose. He had been making a comfortable living for his family, now he was living on minimum wage, The hospital had looked the other way as if he never worked for them at all. It was disgusting, but he understood their wariness.

"They're not the only ones who don't trust you."

"Ambrose!" Leia shouted. "Stop it right now and do your homework! I won't have any more of this!"

Ambrose was struggling even more with his school work than ever before. He completely shut out anyone who offered to help, even Caleb. "Stupid homework.." He mumbled as he erased the answer to the first problem for the seventh time. He hated school. He was constantly being picked on by the teacher, as if she didn't get the hint that Ambrose never knew the answer. Even though it had only been a few months into the new school year, his teacher asked to speak to his parents, in which both Leia and Noah were present. She had suggested something along the lines of boarding school for Ambrose, it would surely snap him out of his laziness. Noah quickly refused. He had been to a boarding school. It was intense. Cutting Ambrose off from his family until he was practically an adult would not help him at all. Leia agreed, not wanting her son to leave the nest so early. She had no idea how to get Ambrose to take school more seriously, but she desperately wanted him to.

Ambrose had quickly attached himself to Coco. They had become best friends quickly. Whether Ambrose realized it or not, Coco was the best thing to have happened to him. SHe came at just the right time. When he was upset, which he often was with Noah around, Coco would come bounding over to him and lick his face affectionately, as if to say "I'm here! I love you!" He treated her as if she was a human, insisting that his mother buy her gourmet pet food. She was one spoiled pooch.

Apollo was a different story entirely. He hadn't went to the summer prom with Katherine. She had went with their mutual friend Tommy. Once school started, they never saw each other anymore. KAtherine was taking regular classes, while Apollo was enrolled in the higher level courses. It wasn't a choice by him, but by the counselor who thought he'd do much better that way. Katherine had made new friends easily. She had hung out with an all girl group now, rather than her usual crew that was filled with nerds and gamers. Apollo had lost touch with most of his friends in the short few months he had been in high school. They had all moved on to different groups of people. It was originally Apollo, Katherine, Tommy and John who had become close friends in middle school. Now, Tommy was a jock and Katherine was a girly girl. John was still the same gaming nerd he always was, but being in different level classes, Apollo never saw him. They had all moved on and Apollo was by himself. Sure, he could probably make new friends, but why would he want to? All of his classmates were older than him. He was the only first year in all of his classes. One day, he had bumped into Katherine in the hallway, and he asked her if she'd meet with him one day. She smiled, saying only if he took her to this new bakery. Apparently it was a replica of one built in Lucky Palms or something. Apollo didn't care where they went, he had just wanted to see her again. The conversations were awkward, her always giving one word answers.

Finally he couldn't take it anymore and he blurted out, "What happened to you?" He examined the girl in front of him. No longer did he see the tom boy hidden behind baggy clothes. She was different. She wore a bright purple dress, matching headband and those girly flats that she always complained were uncomfortable. The biggest change was that she was actually wearing makeup, something Apollo and her had used to make fun of other girls for wearing in middle school. He wasn't seeing the same Katherine he knew only a few short months ago.

"What do you mean?" She frowned.

"You're a totally different person than the one I knew in middle school. You're dressing all girly, and you don't even say hi to me anymore, let alone call me everyday like you used to. I barely ever see you anymore. I don't talk to John or Tommy either."

"I see Tommy all the time. John, is in his own world, always has been. You know that. I'm sorry if you feel like I've been neglecting you or something, but it's not my intention. We're just in different social groups now."

"Why does that matter?" Apollo frowned. "You can' t talk to me because I'm not a jock like Tommy?"

"That has nothing to do with anything Apollo, it's different from before. You and Johnny have your own friends now, and me and Tommy have ours. We just grew up."

Apollo couldn't even look at her anymore. She had completely adapted to the high school sub-culture, while Apollo was socially drowning. He had always been the one introducing her to his friends, now she was the one happily chatting away at lunch while he was in the library studying. He hadn't ever cared so much about his work, it usually came naturally to him, but now he needed an excuse to not sit in the lunchroom alone. "Yeah, I guess so."

"I hope this isn't awkward for you. I really do want to be friends with you still," Katherine said. He didn't know if he believed her.

"If you really mean that, come with me. If you're just saying that not to hurt my feelings, then just go home."

Katherine hadn't wanted to hurt Apollo at all. She had wished he had clung to Tommy, that way she would actually get to see him more often. She hadn't been making the effort to talk to Apollo as much as they used to and that was both their faults, not just hers. She had her own friends now and he had his. That was the social order. She was finally treated like the girl she wanted to be, not some tom boy. Despite all this, she couldn't stop her feet from dragging her towards Apollo's fleeting figure. "Wait up!"

"Your uncle is singing again?" Katherine asked.

"Yeah, he's making a comeback, and this is his first show," Apollo answered.

"Why did you bring me here?" She asked.

"This is my real life, not the one you think I have at school. If you want to be friends with me, I want you to know what you're getting. I'm not changing myself for any social group."

She looked away from him and turned her attention to the stage. She was glad the show was starting. She didn't know what to say to Apollo. She had held him in high esteem once, now she was debating on whether or not he was worth losing her new friends over. Was he? She didn't know. Her long time friend or the attention she always wanted?

Everyone was at Caleb's first show in ten years. He wasn't the same teen heart throb he once was, but he had amassed a decent sized crowd. He was finally ready to face his fans once again and turn to the most important thing in his life, music. The show was a success in his opinion. Leia was dancing wildly in the crowd, Apollo had been cheering, Noah was casually swaying next to Leia and Ambrose was watching in awe. Kayden had offered to babysit Tasha, and Daisy and Cyrus were in the back watching as well. Katherine had told Apollo she had to leave early to finish her homework, not wanting to face him after the show was over. Apollo didn't care. He had gotten the answer he needed from her. He would just have to find some new friends.