Katie and Lindley had spent a couple weeks glued to each other's side. Katie went over Lindley's nearly every day after school and stayed as late as possible in an attempt to avoid her cousins as much as she could. She loved them, but Katie was used to only having to deal with them in short doses. Living with them was a whole new challenge.

Katie grabbed her book bag on Friday morning and slumped her way down the stairs and out the door when it was time to leave for school. Only two out of three of Katie's cousins were in high school. Chris was a year below Katie, being a junior, and Jeremy was a freshman. Marcus, the youngest of the boys, was in eighth grade and went to school half an hour later than the rest of the teens in the house. Chris and Jeremy were out Katherine's SUV before it was even fully stopped. Katie took her time getting out of the front seat and saying goodbye to her Aunt Katherine. The last place Katie wanted to be today was in school.

Katie walked to the art room, where Lindley spent her mornings before class. When Katie walked into the room, the teacher was over at one of the tables helping a small group of students finishing projects. Katie sent a small smile and good morning to Mrs. Price, the art teacher, before making her way to the other side of the room.

Sierra McKenna, Lindley's girlfriend, was sitting on top of one of the art tables. Lindley was standing in between Sierra's legs, playing with the holes in Sierra's dark skinny jeans. Sierra ran her hand through her thick, black waves then rested her arms on Lindley's shoulders. Katie could tell Lindley was pleading, but didn't know what for. Katie pulled out a stool beside the two lovebirds, and took a seat, plopping her book bag on top of the table. Lindley was pouting at Sierra, which only made Sierra chuckle at her girlfriend. She turned to Katie once Katie sat down.

"Katie, can you please tell this one to stop whining?" Sierra asked.

Katie pulled her loose dark curls back and into a messy bun, studying Lindley and Sierra briefly. Katie's hands settled back down to her lap as she sent a sincere look to Lindley. "Stop whining."

Sierra looked back at Lindley. "Do what the pretty girl says."

Lindley stubbornly agreed and stopped pouting. She turned to face Katie, resting one hand on Sierra's leg. Sierra dropped her arm to rest on Lindley's and moved the other around Lindley's waist. Katie's eyes followed nearly every movement the two girls made. They were so in sync with each other it was mesmerizing to Katie. She missed having that kind of touch – that kind of connection – with someone.

"So, Ms. Torres." Lindley flashed her pearly whites at Katie. "Sierra and I were talking and wanted to know if you wanted to come and spend time with us Sunday."

Katie's eyes narrowed, "Thanks, but I think I'll have to pass. I third wheel you guys enough on a daily basis. I'm not about to do so on Valentine's Day."

"It's really not a big deal. We didn't have major plans anyway." Sierra reassured her.

"Seriously," Lindley added, "we love having you around. Promise you won't be intruding."

"Seriously, Lindley. I'm okay. Thank you." Katie sent the couple a small smile. "Look, it's been almost two months since Dana and I broke up. I'm not going to spend Valentine's Day like every other single girl – listening to Adele and wallowing over my ex. My couch and I have a hot date that night." Katie sent another smile, telling the girls that she was in fact okay.

Katie spent the rest of the day internally groaning and gagging at every couple she passed by in the halls. Katie officially hated Valentine's Day. She was sick of all the cheesy love that was floating around school. Katie ran out of school the moment the last bell rang. She couldn't have been happier to escape. When Katie found her Aunt Katherine's car, she flew to the passenger seat. They waited only a few short moments for Chris and Jeremy. Katherine pulled into the driveway, but didn't turn the car off. Katie looked at her aunt puzzled, knowing something was off.

"Boys, I'll be back in a couple of hours. Make sure your chores are done by the time I'm back." Katherine instructed her sons. The boys told their mother their goodbyes then walked inside the house. Katie sat still, sending questioning looks to her aunt. Katherine turned to Katie. "Your mother wanted to see you." Katie groaned and turned her attention to the window of the car. She didn't car what her mother had to say to her.

The hour-long car ride was quiet, with the exception of the radio. Katherine didn't want to bother Katie with questions she knew the answer to, and Katie wasn't in the mood to be bothered. Katherine dropped Katie off and told her to call if she needed a ride back. Katie waited inside her house, pacing in the foyer. She anxiously waited for her mother to come home. Katie heard a car door and stopped in her tracks. She peaked outside the window and saw a familiar face in her driveway. Katie gasped at the sight of the girl and ran out of the house.

"Marti!" Katie yelled as she flew into the girl's arms.

"Hey kiddo!" Martina squeezed Katie tightly, stumbling backwards a couple steps. She released Katie from her grasp.

"What are you doing here?" Katie couldn't help the large grin on her face.

"Well," Martina sighed and lifted her sunglasses and set them atop her head. Her golden brown eyes danced as they scanned Katie's face. Before Martina could get a word out, a young man's voice shouted from across the street.

"Katie?!" Eddie excitedly shouted. He jogged across the street and pulled Katie into a warm hug. "Oh my god, it really is you! This is real life!" He looked at Dana who was now beside him. "I'm not dreaming! Katie's back!"

Katie beamed at Eddie. She was happy to know that he missed her. Her grin slowly started to fade. "Actually Ed, I'm not back. I'm just here for a couple hours."

Eddie shook his head and pulled Katie into another quick hug. "Oh hell, I don't even care. I just miss seeing your perfect little round face." Eddie placed his hands on his hips and grinned at Katie. He looked at Martina, then back at Katie quickly. Eddie lifted one hand to point to Martina. "Who's this?" He asked, still grinning.

Katie shook her head, remember the girl standing next to her. "This is my sister, Martina. Marti, this is Eddie and Dana." Katie gestured to the two standing before them.

"You two moved in across the street?" Dana and Eddie both nodded at Martina's question. "So are you two at the high school?" Both nodded again, and Dana informed that they were both seniors. "Ah so are you two twins?"

"No," Dana answered. "Eddie's my cousin. He lives with me and my mom." Martina nodded in understanding, placing all the pieces together. Martina looked between Katie, Dana, and Eddie. She studied them all silently as they exchanged simple conversations.

Eddie's phone began to buzz, and he looked down to see Grace's name flash across the screen. A smile tugged at the corner of Eddie's lips as he glanced at the phone. He lifted his head saying, "I'm going to take this inside." He then looked at Martina. "It was nice meeting you."

"You too."

After Eddie was inside, there was a silence among the three girls standing in the driveway. "So," Dana started, "how is everything?" It was awkward, but Dana didn't know what else to say at this point.

"It's good. It's a lot bigger and noisier and crazier, but it's good." Katie answered.

"Good. That's good." Dana nodded. "I'm glad." Dana and Katie exchanged awkward smiles. Both girls went to speak, but stopped just after they started, not wanting to speak over the other. Katie insisted Dana speak first. "I... was just going to say I should go." Dana lifted her thumb to point at the house across the street behind her. Katie nodded in agreement. Dana turned to Martina, sending her the most genuine smile she could muster. "It was nice to meet you. Katie talks about you all the time." She looked back at Katie. "Hopefully I'll see you around."

"I hope so." Dana shoved her hands into her pockets at Katie's response. She paused a moment, noticeably hesitating, and then crossed the street and escaped to the solitude of her own home.

Martina waited for Dana to be inside before turning to Katie. "Mom called asking for my help." Martina announced why she was home. Any resemblance of a smile wiped from Katie's face.

Katie crossed her arms and furrowed her eyebrows in defense. "Help with what?" Her voice was timid and defensive.

"Let's go inside." Martina offered. Katie stubbornly followed her sister into the house where the two sat down on the end of the large leather couch in the family room. "I hadn't heard from you lately, which is odd because you're usually pretty good at keeping in touch." Martina began to explain why she was home. "That's when I sent mom a message." Martina hadn't been home since the summer, before Dana and Eddie moved in. She was busy studying abroad the first semester and then helping build houses in another state during winter break. "Mom called me right away so I knew something was wrong. She said that you were living with Aunt Kat and that you had been acting weirdly. That you're not yourself anymore and you're 'acting out'."

"That's bullshit-" Katie started, but Martina interrupted her.

"That's what I told mom. I asked what she meant and she didn't know what to say. She begged me to come talk some sense into you, but truth be told, I have no idea what sense you need to be knocked into."

A small smile appeared on Katie's face. It quickly disappeared as she thought about her mother. "It... I..." Katie sighed. She searched for words, but none seemed to fit. "I fell for someone mom doesn't approve of." Those words weren't enough to Katie, but they were all she could manage to speak.

"That one from across the street, right?" Katie's lips parted, but Martina spoke before Katie could object. "Dana."

Katie's eyes widened. She was shocked when Eddie's name was not the one to come out of her sister's mouth. "Did mom-"

"No." Martina answered quickly. "She didn't have to. Mom made a comment about someone new in your life, but didn't tell me much. Once I saw you and Dana together, I knew."

"Please don't tell me you're on mom's side." Katie pleaded.

"Actually," Martina winced. "I'm on your side more than you think." Katie's eyes narrowed at her older sister, not understanding. Martina sighed then shrugged at Katie, "I guess it takes one to know one."

Katie shook her head, still not getting it. "I don't-"

"Katie, I'm gay. I like women. I'm a flaming homosexual."

"I'm sorry your what hurts?" Katie's mouth dropped, shocked at her sister's confession.

"Katie how the hell did you not know? I spent my winter break building houses. I played softball growing up. I used to help dad fix up his cars. I used to run around in dad's clothes when I was little! I'm an actual walking stereotype!" Katie shook her head in disbelief. Martina threw her hands in the air, giving up. Martina scooted closer to Katie, placing her hands on Katie's shoulders. "Katie," she looked her in the eye, "remember Angela Clemens?" Katie nodded, mouth hung open. "Remember how I used to go over her house to study?" Katie nodded again. "Katrina Marie Torres," Martina said sternly, leaning closer, "there is nothing to study for in the summer."

"Okay!" Katie broke from her sister's grasp and leapt off of the couch. She perched herself on the fireplace and crouched, covering her mouth with her hands. She paused for a moment, thinking. Katie then crossed her arms over her chest tightly, scrunching herself up. One of Katie's hands quickly moved to grip her chin and cover her mouth. She was still scrunched up like an awkward turtle. Katie looked around the room, avoiding her sister's eyes. She finally glanced back to Martina. Katie's hand moved to fully grasp her chin and allow her to clearly speak. "Since when?!" Katie's voice cracked.

Martina chuckled slightly at Katie and shrugged. "Since always. Dad knew actually." Martina quickly let out.

"He did?" Katie collapsed her butt onto the fireplace and kicked out her legs in front of her. She moved her elbows to rest on her thighs and placed her hands over her mouth once again.

Martina nodded. She felt a small laugh escape her as she recalled coming out to him. "He asked why I felt a need to come out to him. To make this huge production telling him that I liked girls the same way he did." Martina smiled at the memory of her father. "He told me that he thought he raised me to understand that he'd love me no matter who I love. He said he thought he raised me in a way that wouldn't require me coming out but rather me simply telling him about my significant other who happened to be a girl."

Katie groaned. "Why'd we have to lose the good parent?" She threw her face into her hands.

Martina stood up and walked over to Katie. She sat down beside Katie. "Mom isn't bad. You know she loves you and cares about you more than anything. She just... doesn't understand." Martina wrapped her arm around Katie. "Mom just needs time. And I know that you've been pushing her away lately, but you can't just cut her out of your life. You are not allowed to leave me to deal with that woman alone."

Katie released a small chuckle at her sister's remark. She lifted her head from her hands and looked at the older girl. "She kicked me out, Marti. For being in love with a girl..."

"I know, bug." Katie smiled at Martina's name for her. She rested her head on her sister's shoulder. Martina took a deep breath, thinking of the right words to say. "If it's any consolation, I'll be home from school in two months. And until then you don't have to deal with mom. I'll deal with her for you, and I'll only be a call away whenever you need me."

"Thanks, Marti." Katie wrapped her arms around her sister, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Oh!" Marti broke away from the embrace. "I almost forgot." Marti pulled out a heart shaped box from behind her. "Happy chocolate and flowers day."

Katie examined behind Martina then around the fireplace. She looked at Martina in awe. "Where the hell were you hiding that?"

"I've been practicing my magic." Martina beamed.

Katie smiled, nudging her sister. "You're such a dork."