Changes || [Johnny Lawrence]

Chapter 1

Newark, New Jersey

September

1984

Rosana LaRusso rolled her eyes at her brother Daniel as he says his goodbyes to his friends. They were seated next to one another in the car while their mother was slowly pulling out of the space that they were parked in.

"Bye, Judy!" Daniel says to the girl who he had a crush on.

"Send me a picture—"

Judy's words were cut off by the other five or six friends that were talking over each other trying to get the last goodbyes to their friend who was leaving to move to California.

A part of Rosana ached at the love and farewells Daniel was receiving while she received none. It wasn't because she wasn't nice or were a bitch to them, it was just that they didn't know her well. She never gave then a chance to. She didn't have friends despite all the efforts Daniel made to include her with his friends or anyone else.

Rosana just wasn't like Daniel who was outspoken and more hotheaded than her. She was quiet but not timid. She liked her own company and the company of her books so much so that she didn't bother to make friends because all that does is bring pain and anger. Lesson learned and painfully received.

Then she shook her head at the ache in her chest and just thought, It was a good idea I didn't make friends seeing as we're leaving anyway. Still... it would have been nice to know that she would be missed.

No, she shook her head again. She had Daniel and her mother, they were all she needed.

***

"California here we come!"

Rosana jerked awake at her mother's singing and moved her head away from her brother's shoulder.

She tiredly wiped at her one eye while the other remained slightly blurred, taking in their surroundings as they drove. She checked her watch to see that they have been driving for two hours already.

Daniel grunted next to her.

"Oh, come on, Daniel, what's the matter? You don't like my singing?" Lucille LaRusso asks her son when she noted his negative sound as she smiled, her eyes on the road.

"I don't like the song, Ma," Daniel grumbled.

"You're gonna love California. You get up in the morning, you roll out of bed. Pla! You're in your swimming pool."

"Yeah, sure," Daniel muttered sarcastically.

Rosana chuckled as she opened the book in her lap to the last page she read before she fell asleep and said, "Someone's being Mr. Grumpy again."

"Shut up, Rose."

Rosana didn't take offense to her brother's grumpy attitude knowing full well that he was just going to miss his friends and their home. And plus, she loved irritating him. Then again, what are older sisters for?

"Now, now, little brother. I am sure you'll love California!" Rosana said, faking her sunny words with a bit more smugness than necessary.

"You're only older by five minutes!" He exclaimed.

"Still older," she sang her words with a smile before she went back to reading her book Magician: Apprentice by Raymond E. Feist and completely ignored Daniel's rant about how five minutes barely made a difference.

Rosana kept her eyes glued on her book as she patted Daniel's head with sarcastic sympathy just to get a rise out of him, "There, there, Danny. You may have been born second, but at least you're Ma's favourite... Oh, wait! That's me," she smirked, knowing he was going to start up again with his ranting.