s i x

                                    

                                          
The fever Kara ran turned out to be a mild infection she got from an infected alien she fought. She recovered in about a week and was soon back in action. 
                          
Avery was growing into a very intelligent child. After the spring parent teacher conferences, she had been moved up into a private school for gifted students. She clearly had her aunt Alex's brains. The private school had uniforms, and Kara adored seeing her daughter in the plaid blue skirt and white polo.
                          
 Nova and Elara were doing very well as eighth graders. Elara was very shy and introverted, but got good grades and had a steady group of friends. Her art talent was blossoming, and she was passionate about musical theater. Nova was doing well in gymnastics, and her grades were just as high as her sisters. She was popular, and well liked.
                          
But Kara and Mon El were worried about Hudson. He seemed to have a rebellious bone in his body. He never did homework, and would get into fights every other day. It was concerning when he came home with broken glasses. After all, he could not feel the punches of his opponents. They enrolled him in soccer, hoping to knock some sense into him.
                          
Alex and Maggie's children were happy, and the cousins got along very well. Sophia, who was a year younger than the twins was a lot like Alex, headstrong, steely, smart, and determined. Noah was a sweet eight year old who had taken after Maggie, loud, kind, and very streetwise. He wanted to be a cop, just like his mama. 
                          
-
                          
Casey and Elara were walking home from school together, laughing about the substitute teacher who had been an emotional wreck because of a breakup.
                          
"Class, you, you have a free period today to work on anything, I just cannot teach, I miss my dear Johnny," Elara mimicked, punctuating each sentence with sobs. Casey clutched his stomach from laughing. He was a little taller than Elara, who was also very tall, at five eight, same height as her mother. "Do you want to come over today?" Elara asked him. He nodded.
                          
"Sure, let me just text my mom," he said, pulling out his phone. Elara sighed enviously.
                          
"I wish I had a phone. I don't get one until my birthday."
                          
"Which is?"
                          
"June 11th. I'm turning fourteen then."
                          
"I'm already fourteen. My birthday was in December."
                          
"Lucky, my family has this stupid no phones until you're fourteen rule."
                          
They reached the Danvers-Matthews household, and Elara warned Casey about the noise. He laughed, saying his sister Liliana was the noisiest child alive.
                          
The smell of baking cookies wafted through the air as the duo stepped inside.
                          
"Mom! I'm home!" Elara said. Kara came out of the kitchen, smiling warmly.
                          
"Hey baby girl. Who's your friend?"
                          
"This is Casey."
                          
Kara studied Casey. He was handsome, and looked like a good kid. He had warm brown eyes, a tan, and blond hair that was messily tousled. He wore jeans and a blue shirt, and was tall, maybe five nine. He spoke in a vaguely southern accent.
                          
"It's nice to meet you Mrs. Danvers-Matthews."
                          
"Nice to meet you too. Do you want some cookies and lemonade?"
                          
The two nodded and stepped into the kitchen. Avery was sitting there doing homework, they could hear Hudson's video games from the living room. 
                          
Kara poured some lemonade from the glass bottle, and set the glasses with a plate of fresh cookies on the table. 
                          
Casey leaned over Avery to see what she was working on. She was working on fractions.
                          
"Avery is super smart. She goes to this private school for gifted and talented children," Elara whispered into Casey's ear. 

                          
Casey smiled and whispered back. "She looks just like you." 

                          
Avery had long, wavy brown hair to Elara's blond, but otherwise, from their mother inherited blue eyes, to their facial features, they looked the same.
                          
"Every one says that."
                          
"But it's true."
                          
They finished their snack, and went to the room the twins shared.
                          
He looked around smirking. "Cute," he commented, looking at baby pictures on the wall. Elara swatted him with a pillow. "Hey, that's not very nice."
                          
"Oh really, wanna see what nice is? Warning you Case, I'm stronger than you are."
                          
He laughed, knowing it was true. He sat down on the floor and Elara plopped down right next to him. She had the tiniest crush on him with his cute accent and messy hair.
                          
Elara Rose Danvers-Matthews had her first crush.