School was such a drag again. I hated it. I want to be out on the road with my dad. I loved the idea of making a living by playing amazing music for people and having fun. But Mom and Dad refuse to let me and Tom tag along on the tours. We're only allowed on the summer ones if Dad wanted to take us with him. But Tom and I have been stuck helping Mom take care of our younger brother Liam, whose 11 and our baby sister Noelle, who will be four next month. Tom and I are 14. Which makes Noelle the oopsy bad-timing baby. That and Mom almost lost her.
"Stella Marie," Mom called as Tom and I walked in with our gang of friends, Jack, Aubree, and Nate, behind us.
"What did you do Stell," Tom groaned. I was the trouble maker and he was the one that saved my skin.
"I'll tell you what she did," Mom started, "She decided to 'get even' with a girl at school and punched her in the face."
"Stella, Dad's going to kill when he comes home tonight. You promised not to hit anyone," Tom complained.
"She was talk shit about you and I wasn't going to let her be a bitch and start shit about my twin brother," I replied.
"Cuss jar Stella," Mom tapped her foot and pointed to the jar that stole my money since I got my dad's vocabulary over the years.
"Ugh," I put my last couple dollars of the day into the jar and dragged my behind to my room with Aubree in tow. Tom took Jack and Nate with him.

---

Aubree, Jack, and Nate left an hour ago since their moms told them that their dads would be home soon and wanted to see them. This meant Dad was on his way home. I knew he was going to be pissed that I'll be home for three days to serve my suspension. I was not going to hear the end of it either.
"I just got off the phone with you father. he's not very happy with you right now, Stella. We've told you to shape up and start behaving in school and around the house. Noelle looks up to you and you're setting a bad example for her," Mom lectured.
"Would you sit by while some girl decides to talk trash about your twin brother while in earshot of you. Knowing that it makes you mad and get defensive for him," I asked her.
"That's no reason to punch a girl in the face, Stella. You need to get it under control or I will leave you with Uncle Micah this summer while the rest of go out on tour with your father," Mom warned.
After a while, I was writing my latest lyric journal when I heard a knock on my door. I capped my pen and close my journal up before stashing it the false bottom of my nightstand drawer.
"It's open," I called to the vistior. The door opens to reveal me dad in his greying glory. I got off my bed and hugged him tightly. I missed him a lot when he went on tour. He would call me everynight to say goodnight and sing to me. But I missed his hugs the most. I always felt like he kept the bad things in life from hurting me.
"I missed you, princess," he greeted me before kissing my hair and ruffling it a little.
"I missed you too, Dad," I replied, "How was tour?"
"It was good. I wished it was over sooner so I could have stopped you from getting the idea to punch that girl in the face. Your mother and I have told you time and time again to behave in school. She also told me you gave up three dollars to the cuss jar today too. Stella, I know you want to be like me, but I want you to finish school first. I did it and so has your mother. I want you to get through it in one go with no repeats. I fyou don't shape up I will agree with you rmother and leave you with Uncle Micah," he lectured.
"Fine, I'll shape up," I told him.
"Did you write any new lyrics today," he asked.
"Yeah, but they're not ready for you yet, Daddy," I told him.
"Since you and I will be having the next three days to spend time together with your mom and Noelle, I can help you polish them up adn keep up on your school work," he told me.
"Okay. So what's the punishment this time for my suspension," I asked.
"No new guitar this month like you hoped I'd get you. You'll have to stick to the one you have," he told me, "I hate punishing you, Stella. But you have to learn to be a good person before you can front a band like I do. Now get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow of palying with Noelle," he kissed my forehead beofre he left my room and closed the door behind him.
Everything is going to be very interesting around here with Dad home for the next couple weeks before he flies out to Europe for his nesxt tour.

Notes

Hurray for the first chapter. Jess and I are back to finish off the story of Jules and Alex with telling the tale of their kids growning up and going after their dreams. Subscribe to keep up. This is going to be a fun adventure. :)