The next week flew by much too quickly for the Mathers and before they knew it it was time for the children to start County High and time for Debbie to start work with Dr. Abbott. Debbie had spoken to Andy in the yard a few times since the awkward dinner, but none of them had seem Ephram since. Brandy's alarm clock went off at 6:30am that chilly Monday morning. She rolled over, turned it off, and began to slowly stretch her way out of bed. She noticed that no one else was up despite the fact that Debbie was suppose to have gotten up at 6. She walked into her mother's bedroom and found her sound asleep with the comforter pulled over her head to block the sunlight peeking through the window.

"Mom," Brandy said as she pulled the comforter away from Debbie's face and began to shake her gently. Debbie grogily opened her eyes, "Why are you up this early?" Brandy pointed to Debbie's alarm clock glowing with the time 6:37, "You were suppose to be up a half hour ago. You don't wanna be late on your first day, at least save that for the second day." Debbie quickly jumped out of bed, "Shit! I am gonna be late. Go get your brother up and help him get ready." Debbie grabbed underclothes and ran into the bathroom. Brandy laughed as she she walked into Marshall's room and woke him up, "Come on Marshall. Get up and start getting your stuff together. I'm gonna get in the shower downstairs and when I get out your getting in." Marshall grunted and rolled over.

Brandy finished her shower just as Melissa's alarm clock went off at 7. Brandy pulled her brother out of bed and instructed him to take a quick shower. As she was heading back up the stairs she met Melissa in the hallway, "Mom is still in the shower?" Brandy rolled her eyes, "Yeah she woke up after I did." Melissa grunted as she took her clothes and headed downstairs to wait for Marshall to finish his shower. Brandy put on a pair of flare jeans and her pink and navy stripped sweater. She was putting on her makeup when she heard her mom call her. She finished her lipstick and hurried to her mom's room. "So, how do I look?" Debbie asked while she looked at herself in the mirror. She had on her white receptionist uniform and had her hair pulled back into a ponytail. "You look nice mom," Brandy said. "Good," Debbie let out a sigh of relief, "Is everyone ready to go?" Brandy looked at the clock 7:25, "I hope so. We have to leave before long and we haven't had breakfast yet." Debbie's eyes widened, "Shit! Breakfast! Are you ready?" Brandy looked into Debbie's mirror, "Yeah, I just gotta get on my shoes."

"Could you do me a huge favor and fix some cereal or something?" Debbie asked as she dug threw her purse, "Here are some ones, give some to your brother and sister for lunch." Brandy made breakfast while Melissa and Marshall finished getting ready. It was 7:40 by the time everyone got to the table. Debbie was putting on her shoes and eating, "Hurry guys I still gotta take you all to school before I go to work." Then they heard a knock on the door. Melissa started to get up, "No" said Debbie, "I got it, you finish eating." Debbie opened the door and was surprised to see Ephram standing in the doorway, "Well hi there." Ephram shuffled his feet, "Hey. I was wondering if Brandy and Melissa might want to ride to school with me. I mean you know, if they don't wanna walk or whatever..." Debbie cut him off, "That would be great. Would you do me a favor hun and take Marshall by the grade school."

Ephram was slightly taken back by Debbie's question, "Uh..sure I guess." Debbie smiled brightly at him, "You are so sweet. You get the gold star for today." Then she turned to her children who were sitting at the table listening intently to the conversation unfold, "Get your stuff guys, Ephram is taking you all to school today." Melissa shook her head thinking about how incredibly rude her mother could be sometimes. Debbie didn't really try to be rude, she just often spoke without thinking about how things would sound or be interpreted. Brandy shoveled a final mouthful of cereal in her mouth and then grabbed her purse and bookbag. Melissa gave up on the cereal and made sure both she and Marshall had their stuff. As they walked out the door Debbie said, "Good Luck. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Brandy looked at Melissa and rolled her eyes, then she looked back at her mother, "Good Luck to you too mom."

Ephram's car was rather small, but appropriate for a 16 year old's first car. "Shot gun," Melissa said to her sister as they walked up to the car. "The back seat is roomier than it looks and the school is pretty close," Ephram said to Brandy and Marshall as he pulled the front drivers side seat up for them to crawl into the back. Melissa settled into the passenger's seat next to Ephram. "So what kind of music do you guys like to listen to?" Ephram asked to break the silence as they pulled out of the driveway. "Well," Melissa said, "I like N'Sync, O-Town and Justin Timberlake." Ephram laughed and said, "That's a good one. I like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera." Melissa gave him a hard look and turned to look out the window. Ephram caught on quickly, "Sorry. I've never really listened to any of them, so their music might be good."

Brandy's face was turning red as she tried not to laugh. "O-Town's good, but you got the right idea about Justin and NSuck." Melissa turned around to face her sister and stuck her tongue out, "You know you love, 'Cry Me A River.'" Brandy laughed and Ephram was releaved that Melissa wasn't really angry. "About like I love a kick in the teeth," Brandy said, "I prefer Eminem." Marshall said, "Me, too. Eminem is much better than any old boy band." Melissa turned her nose up, "Ewww, don't make me vomit." Ephram pulled a CD out of the middle consol and placed it in the CD player. He turned it to song #4, "You should like this then." 'Cleanin Out My Closet' began blaring from the speakers. Ephram and Brandy were singing along before long Ephram realized that Melissa was singing along as well, "You certainly seem to know a lot of the words for something that makes you vomit." Melissa blushed as Brandy laughed at Ephram's comment. They were still discussing music when Ephram pulled into the middle school parking lot.

Marshall clung to Brandy's hand, "I don't feel so good." Brandy gave him a tight hug, "You're gonna be alright doll. Mrs. Kimbel seemed very nice and you know right where to go." Debbie had brought them all to the school earlier in the week and had met Marshall's teacher Mrs. Kimbel, at the moment however, that wasn't very comforting for Marshall. Marshall reluctantly took his bag and got out of the car. As he was walking toward the school he turned around and watched the car drive away.

Shortly after they had dropped Marshall off Ephram pulled into his parking space at County High. They stepped out of the car and Brandy and Melissa stared at the building for a moment. It was a lot bigger than you would expect a small town high school to be. Once they were inside Ephram directed the girls to the office where they were to pick up there schedules, "Well I have gym first so I better go. Do you want a ride home?" Brandy knew her mother hadn't even thought about that one, "If you don't mind." Ephram smiled, "Nah, we're going to the same place." Before he walked away he said to them, "Welcome to County High. Welcome to my nightmare." With that he walked toward to gym. Brandy looked at her sister, "My that was comforting. Come on we better get our schedules." After they had gone to the office they stood in the hallway comparing their schedules before the bell rang.

Three familiar people stood close by watching them. "Don't see too many new people around here. What'd you think?" Kayla asked Amy and Colin. "Their names are Brandy and Melissa. They are twins from Tennessee, they used to be really poor but their mom came into some money so they moved here. They have one younger brother. Their mom is going to be my dad's new receptionist," Amy informed the others. Kayla glared in their direction, "Hick trailer trash. Not really our type." Colin chuckled, "Hick Trailer Trash Twins. Sounds like a porno." Colin proceeded to dance while humming porno music. Kayla rolled her eyes, "You wish. Come on Amy lets go greet our new arrivals." Amy hesitated, "Don't be mean." Kayla patted Amy on the shoulder, "I'm not mean. I'm just truthful, people sometimes mix the two up."

Kayla and Amy walked up to Brandy and Melissa. "Well howdy ya'll," Kayla said in a mock southern accent. Melissa quietly replied, "Hello." Brandy just glared at her. "I hear ya'll just arrived from sweet home Tennessee. I just have 2 quick get to know you questions. How are ya'll adjusting to this here indoor plumbing and which of ya'll gets to marry your bother and which has to settle for your first cousin?" Melissa stood there speechless but Brandy spoke up, "Well I actually have a get to know you question for you too. Are you a complete and total bitch to everyone you meet, or should we feel special?" Brandy walked away down the hall and Melissa followed her. "Well," said Melissa, "we are off to a great start. I'm sure we'll have lots of friends here." Brandy shook her head, "If everyone here is like that bitch, then I find the fact that we won't have friends rather comforting."

Brandy and Melissa had their first two classes, Math and English, together but then Brandy had history while Melissa had gym so they split up. Brandy had to go the bathroom so she arrived late to class. She told the teacher, Ms. Allen, she was new and had gotten lost and Ms. Allen was cool about it. Ms. Allen introduced Brandy to the class, "This is Brandy Mathers. She is new to Everwood from Tennessee. Let's all make her feel welcome." When Brandy heard this she thought back to the welcome Ephram had given them earlier in the day and it sounded strangely accurate. During their first two classes no one had spoken to either one of them but they had gotten some glances. "So," Ms. Allen told Brandy, "Why don't you go sit by Amy Abbott and we'll begin class." Ms. Allen pointed to an empty seat in the back of the class beside a blonde girl. As Brandy got closer she recognized Amy as the friend of the bitch girl from this morning. Brandy slid into the desk and tried to avoid eye contact with Amy.

"Now class, I find it pointless to learn the history of world if you don't know where the places are that we are talking about," Ms. Allen said as she passed out a paper with a map on it, "So our first activity will be to partner up with the person sitting next to you and identify the places I wrote on the board." Brandy blew out heavily at the thought of having to work with Amy. Amy scooted her desk next to Brandy's. "Hi Brandy," she said attempting sweetness, "My name's Amy." This girl who had stood and watched while her friend dissed Brandy and Melissa a few hours earlier was now trying to be friendly. Brandy wasn't very fond of two faced people and didn't mind showing it, "The pleasure is all yours let me assure you." Amy looked hurt, "You might want to try being more friendly if you want to make friends. You haven't even gotten a nickname yet. Everyone around here has a nickname. Wanna know mine?"

Brandy began doing the assignment, "Not really. And if everyone around here acts like your little bitch friend then I don't really mind not having any friends." Amy completely ignored the assignment, "Kayla is just a little..." "Bitchy?" Brandy offered. Amy shook her head, "She wasn't always like that. A few years ago when we came to high school and got to be popular she just sort of changed and it was so hard for me. Then last year my boyfriend Colin was in a coma and I was so stressed out all the time and it was so hard on me." The more Amy talked the more quickly Brandy tried to complete the map. "Kayla would be nice to you if you were our type," Amy said as she finally started the map. Brandy looked up, "What do you mean, 'our type'?" Amy didn't look up from the map, "Well...we are popular and in that clique." Brandy glared at Amy, "And exactly what clique do you think that my sister and I are in after you saw us for like 10 seconds?"

Amy continued with her map and didn't look up, "Forget it." Brandy was about to say something when the bell rang. "Ok class," Ms. Allen said, "Turn in your maps on the way out and I'll see you tomorrow." Lunch was next and Brandy managed to find Melissa in the crowded cafeteria. After Brandy told Melissa about the Amy experience she had just had Melissa went to get some lunch while Brandy found them a table. As she sat down Ephram came over and joined her, "So how has it been so far?" She rolled her eyes, "You know the movie Hellraiser where the demons come to Earth and start torturing people? It's kinda been like that."

Melissa came to the table with a plate of what she guessed to be chicken and 2 rolls. "Hey Mel," said Brandy, "I was just telling Ephram how lovely our day has been." Melissa poked at the chicken with her fork, "People here are so rude." Ephram shook his head in agreement, "Yeah, most of these people have known each other since preschool and they aren't very nice to outsiders. Typical small town mentality. Who this time?" Brandy and Melissa began looking around. They spotted Amy, Kayla, Colin, and 2 other people sitting a few tables away. Brandy pointed at them, "Amy Feel Bad For Me Abbott, and that Kayla bitch." Ephram said, "Yeah Kayla is a major bitch but Amy can be really nice...when she wants something from you." Brandy took a roll off Melissa's tray, "I don't doubt that at all." Ephram got up from his chair, "I'm gonna get some food. I'll be right back." Not too long after he left Melissa said, "Brandy, that guy over there is staring at us." Brandy swallowed the roll she had been chewing, "What guy?" Melissa looked over Brandy's right shoulder, "Blonde guy 2 tables back." Brandy acted like she was stretching and looked over at him. Melissa laughed, "That was real smooth. I think he's kinda cute." Brandy shook her head thoughtfully, "Yeah, oh some kind of a wierd level, 4th diminsion kind of thing."

The rest of Brandy and Melissa's day went about the same way. They ended up having their final class of the day with Ephram so when the final bell rang they all walked to his car. "Glad that's over?" Ephram asked them. "God yes," Melissa said as they climbed into the car, Melissa once again got shot gun. "Just think," Ephram told them, "you have survived, just to turn around and do it all over again tomorrow." Brandy buckled her seat belt, "My that was inspiring." Ephram laughed and started the car, "Do we need to go pick up Marshall?" Brandy wished that Debbie took a little more interest in how her children were going to get to and from school, "If you don't mind." Marshall was standing outside the building waiting alone when they pulled up. He ran to Brandy and hugged her, "I want to go home. I'm hungry." Brandy asked, "Didn't you eat lunch?" Marshall shook his head no, "This kid said he would kick my ass if I didn't give him my lunch money." Melissa looked sympathetically at him, "You poor thing. As soon as we get home we will get you something to eat." Brandy was hoping this town would be different for her brother. He never would stand up for himself. Of all the times he had been beaten up at his school in Nashville, he had never tried to fight back. Brandy blamed Debbie for always putting him down and giving him no confidence in himself.

When they got home Debbie was sitting in the living room apparently in a very good mood, "You will never believe how great my day was! Dr. Abbott is such a nice guy once you get to know him and he seems to really like me. He says that I am so much more efficient than his last receptionist. And from what I hear he doesn't compliment people too often. And guess what?" She didn't give them time to guess though, "He has invited us over to dinner with his family tonight. I told you things were going to be different here. So how was ya'lls day?" Neither Melissa nor Marshall said anything so Brandy spoke up, "It was fine." Debbie was seldomly in a really good mood so the children didn't want to spoil it. "That's great," Debbie said excitedly, "Dinner is at 5 so you all should do your homework, if you have any, and get ready."