Adopted

Chapter 35

We came home from tour a week and a half before school started. I slept for two days almost straight, recuperating from the hectic schedule we'd just come off of.

Mom took me shopping for even more clothes for school. They'd given me the option of private or public school and I was happy with public. Mom and I went to get me registered before school started and the principal, Ms Abigail, gave us a tour of the school so I wouldn't be completely lost on the first day.

The school had a pool, and a swim team as well as a diving team (and a diving pool!), a girls baseball team, and apparently, one of the best sports and music programs in the county.  She explained that their academics were also very good and they expected every student to take responsibility for themselves.

"We won't accept students blaming teachers for their own failures. If you don't do the work, that's on you. If you don't understand the work and don't ask for help, that's on you. Our teachers are here to help you succeed and will always be available for extra help. You just have to ask.

I see from your transcripts from your old school that you should have no problem fitting into our academic expectations."

"Thank you," I said.

"Jess loves sports. With her diagnosis, will the school allow her to participate?" Mom asked.

"Absolutely. I will arrange for a refresher on first aid for students like her with the teachers ands coaches. We don't start school sports until the second week anyway.

Now, I understand you'd like to be known as Jessica Urie, but I understand that hasn't been legally changed yet?"

"No, not yet. We've been away all summer. We've started the paperwork though," Mom said.

"Well, normally we'd expect the legal name change to be finalized, however since Jessica is adopted, and you've begun the paperwork, I see no reason we can't accommodate that."

"Fantastic, thank you," Mom said.

"Welcome to Mulholland Middle School, Jessica," the Ms. Abigail smiled. "If you have any issues, please feel free to come see me, or the Vice Principal, Mr Taha.  Or your guidance counsellor, who will be..." she checked a list on her desk.

"Oh, Mrs. Wright. Fabulous. You'll like her. She's very friendly, very approachable and she's also the girls' baseball coach," Ms. Abigail smiled.  "As a new student to our school, she'll meet with you sometime in the first week. She'll get in contact with you. 

Now, in the first week you'll get a packet of forms to fill out. Some of it will feel redundant because we've already discussed it. Things like medical forms and the like. But we'll need those for Jessica's file. Jessica, do you prefer Jessica or Jess?  Or Jessie?"

I shrugged.

"Based on your grades, I'm willing to bet you can come up with a better answer than a shrug," Ms Abigail smiled.

"I don't really mind any of the three if I'm honest," I said.

"Alright. Well, just to let you know, there is a gym uniform that you will be required to purchase, Mrs. Urie. All that information will be in the packet Jessica will bring home on the first day. Any questions?"

"I think, honestly, my biggest concern is if Jess gets sick and has to miss a significant amount of school, how do we make sure she doesn't fall too far behind her peers?  She already lost a year from when she was in the car accident that claimed her parents."

"All of Jessica's teachers will provide the students with their school email addresses. And are required to check them twice a day at minimum. Before and after school. If Jessica is going to miss school, just email them and they should be able to fill you and her in on what the work is. I will also speak with her teachers and let them know the circumstances. I'll see if I can arrange for them to provide a quick lesson if Jessica misses enough school and needs the extra lessons. For example, if she misses the beginning of a new unit"

"Fantastic. Thank you," Mom said.

"Any questions, Jessica?"

"No. I don't think so, thank you," I said.

"Okay. Well, we look forward to seeing you on the first day of school," Ms Abigail smiled.

"Thank you," I said. 

Mom and I left the school and headed out for lunch.

"Excited? Nervous?" Mom asked as we sat down at the table in the cafe she took me to.

"A little from Column A, a little from Column B," I admitted.

"Totally natural. You'll be great. Just be you. And of course, you can always call me if you need,"

After lunch we went back home and sat by the pool and played with the dogs.

Dad called almost every night if he could. He was heading to the East Coast, so with the time difference, he could call us after his show and it was still pretty early here.

Kala had come home with us and she came over a bunch of times. Tyler had gone back to Ohio where he lived with his wife Jenna, and Josh was in LA, and he came over a bunch of times, too. He was teaching me the drums with Dad's permission, because I needed to use his studio for that.

Pete came by a bunch of times too, with Patrick.

"Hey Little Urie," Pete said, coming into the studio one afternoon after a particularly frustrating drum lesson. 

"Hey Pete," I frowned.

"Jess, chill. You'll get it," Josh said. 

"I don't think I'm coordinated enough for drums," I said.

"Pfft. It's a new instrument. You've been at it less than a week," Josh said.

"Okay, well, I came to tell you that your mom wants you in the house," Pete said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Probably because it's almost dinner time. I don't know. I'm not a mind reader," he joked.

"You couldn't have asked her?"

"Why would I?  It's you she wants. Not me,"

"Okay. I'm coming," I said, putting my drumsticks down. 

Josh and I followed Pete to the house.

"How was the lesson?" Mom asked.

"Terrible," I said

"She's doing great," Josh said.

"Well, one of you is lying," Mom said.

"So, what's up?" I asked. "You called?"

"You start school tomorrow. I though we could go out for a nice dinner and then get you to bed somewhat early to be ready."

"Ok," I said.

"You guys want to join us?" Mom asked.

"I can't," Pete said. "But kiddo - I'll see you tomorrow. Sarah has to work in the afternoon, so I'm going to pick you up from school, okay?"

"I can't walk?" I asked. I really had no idea how to get to the school.

"Jessica, it's, like, five miles away!" Mom said.

"I'm kidding!  Yeah. Okay. That's cool."

"School ends at 2:30?" Pete confirmed. Mom nodded.

"I will be there at 2:25,"

Josh joined us for dinner.  We went to the Italian restaurant we'd gone to on my first night home with my new parents. 

When we got home, Mom made me go to bed.