Chapter One-by Cheer
"Brian O'Connor, the state of Florida has decided to award you custody of Stacey O'Connor." The judge in Miami County hounded his desk with his gavel. Sixteen year old Stacey sat there in silence, replaying the past two weeks in her head. Her mother had recently passed away and the only family that had been able to be found was her half-brother, Brian. She hadn't met him until the day of the funeral. He had informed her he was happy to take her but that he was moving back to California. That was her problem with this whole situation. She was happy at her home here in Miami.
"Thank you, Your Honor." Brian grinned, looking at his sullen sister. Poor girl, he thought. She had been though a lot lately and he was sure that he could get her to love him like a sister should. She probably needed time to adjust, he thought.
"Good Luck." The judge nodded, getting up. The people in the court rose as he exited.
"How much more packing do you have to go?" Brian asked Stacey on the way out. She shrugged. It was rainy and gloomy, exactly the way she felt.
"Can't I please stay here? I can live with my friends." She said, surprising Brian.
"I promise you'll love it in Cali." Brian said, starting up his orange Evo. Stacey rolled her eyes.
"Cheerleading is top notch here, Brian. I don't think Cali is hardly up to competitive standards." Stacey said as she stared out the window. Cheerleading was all she had left since her mom had died. She gulped and held back her tears. Her emotions had been running high and she knew she wasn't treating Brian the way she should. He was there to help her, after all.
"Hey, I got friends that got knowledge on that sort of stuff. I promise I'll take care of you." Brian said, trying to reassure her. It was hard when he wasn't even sure of what his friends would say when he did make it back to California. He thought about Dominic and the rest of the crew. Jesse had been shot but had made it as well as Vince but the team hadn't seen he since they had let them go.
"I don't need anyone to take care of me. If you love California so much, why are you here?" Stacey asked as the rain began to pour.
"I told you, I just finished a job here for customs and then I had to stay here to get custody of you." Brian said, her attitude starting to piss her off. "Listen, I am trying to be understanding,. But, Stacey, you can't hate me for trying to help you." Brian looked her in the eyes intently. Stacey's blue yes looked away, knowing he was more than right. She got out without a word and headed up to her soon to be vacant room. She closed the door, locked it, and fell on the bed sobbing. After she felt as though she couldn't cry anymore, she got up to pack her clothes. She looked at her soft and furry cheerleading bear, the last thing her mom had given her before she had died.
She sat up and shuddered at the memory. It was last period and she was just finishing up the cheerleader's dance at the pep rally. Mr. Owens, the principle, had called her name over the intercom and she was escorted to he office. It wasn't anything new, as she often got into trouble. It was when they had asked her to sit down that her world soon came crumbling down around her, Her mother had been hit by a drunk driver and had been killed instantly upon impact. Her mom had been her only family , as Brian had a different mom. She hugged her knees to her chest and drifted off into a fitful sleep.
"Brian O'Connor, the state of Florida has decided to award you custody of Stacey O'Connor." The judge in Miami County hounded his desk with his gavel. Sixteen year old Stacey sat there in silence, replaying the past two weeks in her head. Her mother had recently passed away and the only family that had been able to be found was her half-brother, Brian. She hadn't met him until the day of the funeral. He had informed her he was happy to take her but that he was moving back to California. That was her problem with this whole situation. She was happy at her home here in Miami.
"Thank you, Your Honor." Brian grinned, looking at his sullen sister. Poor girl, he thought. She had been though a lot lately and he was sure that he could get her to love him like a sister should. She probably needed time to adjust, he thought.
"Good Luck." The judge nodded, getting up. The people in the court rose as he exited.
"How much more packing do you have to go?" Brian asked Stacey on the way out. She shrugged. It was rainy and gloomy, exactly the way she felt.
"Can't I please stay here? I can live with my friends." She said, surprising Brian.
"I promise you'll love it in Cali." Brian said, starting up his orange Evo. Stacey rolled her eyes.
"Cheerleading is top notch here, Brian. I don't think Cali is hardly up to competitive standards." Stacey said as she stared out the window. Cheerleading was all she had left since her mom had died. She gulped and held back her tears. Her emotions had been running high and she knew she wasn't treating Brian the way she should. He was there to help her, after all.
"Hey, I got friends that got knowledge on that sort of stuff. I promise I'll take care of you." Brian said, trying to reassure her. It was hard when he wasn't even sure of what his friends would say when he did make it back to California. He thought about Dominic and the rest of the crew. Jesse had been shot but had made it as well as Vince but the team hadn't seen he since they had let them go.
"I don't need anyone to take care of me. If you love California so much, why are you here?" Stacey asked as the rain began to pour.
"I told you, I just finished a job here for customs and then I had to stay here to get custody of you." Brian said, her attitude starting to piss her off. "Listen, I am trying to be understanding,. But, Stacey, you can't hate me for trying to help you." Brian looked her in the eyes intently. Stacey's blue yes looked away, knowing he was more than right. She got out without a word and headed up to her soon to be vacant room. She closed the door, locked it, and fell on the bed sobbing. After she felt as though she couldn't cry anymore, she got up to pack her clothes. She looked at her soft and furry cheerleading bear, the last thing her mom had given her before she had died.
She sat up and shuddered at the memory. It was last period and she was just finishing up the cheerleader's dance at the pep rally. Mr. Owens, the principle, had called her name over the intercom and she was escorted to he office. It wasn't anything new, as she often got into trouble. It was when they had asked her to sit down that her world soon came crumbling down around her, Her mother had been hit by a drunk driver and had been killed instantly upon impact. Her mom had been her only family , as Brian had a different mom. She hugged her knees to her chest and drifted off into a fitful sleep.