When they started ninth grade for the third time, the two were actually aware of their first day of class. And they weren’t even recovering from any suicide attempts or summers full of hating themselves for their feelings. Nor were they walking into a school full of dreaded and disgusting rumors about themselves. It was a sensation that was so odd, they each were even wearing smiles which did clash a bit with their outfits, all things considered. That day, they even found a way to just happen to mention not being actual blood relatives at least five times before lunch, just for good measure.

When lunch did start, the two sat next to each other still wearing the smiles. Star then whispered to him, “maybe this is actually the reset that should have happened, that first time.”

“Yeah, we just got to this world three years late, that time” he smiled as he touched her hand for only a moment before three giggling cheerleaders moved past the table interrupting their private discussion.

As they turned and sighed at the queen bees, Sky took pause a moment. He then just smirked, “having a good first day, Raina?”

The blonde in the brightly colored baby tee and short shorts just turned at the sound of the question and gave him a disparaging look, more than a bit surprised by him even having the audacity to speak to her. She was only more taken aback as he gave her an obvious look of appreciation from head to toe, even slightly licking his dark-stained lips. “Since when do we speak to each other?” she bit out.

“New year, figured we could make new friends” Sky smirked as his eyes continued to move over her.

Raina just scoffed and shook her head, “Yeah right. And why are you looking at me like that?” she asked angrily as her friends just glared back at him.

“Was just thinking about coffee” Sky chuckled.

“You are so weird, freak” she complained as she and her friends shook their heads and glared at him before heading off again.

Star couldn’t help giggling at him as they left, “coffee shop Raina I take it?”

“Trust me, she looks much better in purple hair and black leather.”

“You’re so bad” Star giggled again.

The two continued speaking to each other quietly for a few more moments when another of their peers caught their attention. Standing near the door to the cafeteria, looking like a tiny frightened emo freshman girl in headlights was Alana Thomas. Upon seeing her there, the two gave each other sad looks before turning back to where Alana was just about to turn right back around to head through the doorway once more.

“Alana” Sky called over to her, which did cause her to startle a bit.

“Oh, hey Sky, Star. Didn’t see you two” she greeted them shyly as she awkwardly took a few steps toward their table.

Star then took a breath and spoke, “lunch just started. You leaving already?”

“I think I wanna be back in junior high. This is way too many people looking at me like some kind of...” then she allowed a small smile, “guess I don’t have to tell you guys” she then nervously bit her lip, “was just gonna go find a quiet place to hide til lunch was over. Think anybody’d find me under the bleachers?” she asked with a nervous smile.

The two then gave each other slightly panicked looks, “don’t go there” Sky told her with urgency that had to have seemed out of place to the other girl.

“O...k....” she said as she gave them a questioning look.

Star gave Sky a pointed look as she cleared her throat, “I’ve just heard that jock assholes... like Curt... were gonna go hang out there during lunch.”

Alana shuddered, “definitely not going there then. Feel like he’s a sex offender waiting to happen every time he looks at me.”

“I get that about him too” Star agreed as she gave Sky another furtive look.

“So, could I maybe sit with you guys then?” Alana asked quietly as she gave them a small smile.

“Exactly what we were gonna ask you” Sky smiled back at her then Star, who returned his smile, satisfied that they had somehow managed to dodge one of the many bullets waiting for them over the next few years. If only they could see further than that. But they guessed that was a future they’d actually have to make up once they got to it; which they hopefully could, now.

Brie and Connor had spent the last few years of their kids’ entrance into puberty wishing they’d look less somber and sullen, and actually smile once in a while. However, when they spent all of dinner that night watching Sky and Star give each other flirtatious and knowing smiles over the dinner table; they almost longed for that angst to return.

Once dinner was finished, Star looked over at Sky, “sun’s a little less annoying now. Pool?”

“Yeah, I like pools” Sky smirked as he got up to follow her through the patio doors as Brie and Connor just gave each other another stressed look as the two teens headed outside. Then Brie spoke up, “that reminds me; we really need to make them actually get some proper bathing suits.”

Connor just let out a small chuckle, uneasy though it still was, “bathing suits that don’t cover any more than the underwear they usually go swimming in?” he asked pointedly.

Brie just shook her head, “just there’s more... connotations, with underwear” she argued, though weekly.

“This is gonna be a long four years” Connor sighed as well then. He then started toward the living room before noting that Brie was still staring out at the pool patio, “still comin to watch that show with me?”

“With them out there, watching the sun set together?” she scoffed.

Connor then let out another chuckle, “do you realize what level of insanity our children would have to have if they tried doing anything...unseemly,” he smirked, “when the patio doors are glass? As in, see-through? You need to calm down; just a lil bit” he said as he moved to hold up his fingers and pinch them close together to accent his suggestion.

“Famous last words” she retorted with a slight scowl before grudgingly making her feet carry her away from the doors and back into the living room at last.

Feeling a somewhat nostalgic fondness for the pool these days, the two teens both moved to lay down on their stomachs, chins propped upon their arms, facing one another, with about five inches separating their noses, if that.

“So, we have plans to make” Sky told her with a bit of mischief.

“We do, do we?” Star smiled back.

“For that charming third time, right?” he teased.

“Well, I dunno, the first and second time did kinda mess up the entire world, twice” she told him wryly,

“Acceptable risk” Sky smiled back at her.

Star just gave him her own smile, “it’s not like we could fight it even if we wanted to anyway, right?”

“Been there, tried that; failed miserably. Twice. Pretty sure that’s a fixed point in space and time” he returned knowingly.

“Your penis inside me is a fixed point in space and time?” Star smirked with a raised eyebrow.

“I wouldn’t doubt it” Sky agreed matter-of-factly.

With another snicker, Star continued, “So what plans do you have dear?”

“One; don’t get caught.”

“Ooh, definitely a good first step” Star concurred.

“Two; cab ride to clinic?” he suggested pointedly.

“What? Is your stash of condoms in a different hiding place this time around? Having trouble finding them?” she teased.

“No, but it occurs to me that there is one sexual experience I haven’t had yet, in any life” Sky informed her.

“How is that remotely possible? And does it involve something illegal?”

Sky couldn’t help but laugh, “ok, there’s a few things I haven’t done, I guess. But only one of them is something I would actually like to experience; really, really like to” he stated with a bit of desire seeping into his tone at whatever act he was actually speaking of.

“Color me moistened with intrigue” Star continued in her own teasing tone.

Sky’s breath caught a bit on that statement, but he pressed on, “well, the one thing I’ve never done, and would really like to” he took another breath, cast a glance back toward the now empty dining room on the other side of the glass doors, and continued, “I’d like to finally be inside you, that first time, with nothing at all between us for once.”

Star let out a near audible moan at the thought, “that is definitely a good one for the charm of this third time. I’ll give you that.”

“See I get good ideas sometimes, don’t I?” he told her with another little grin.

Star’s voice also becoming hoarse with desire as her mind supplied the image of this impending occasion, she spoke again, “definitely couldn’t fight it, even if we wanted to.”

Sky took a moment to try and regain his own composure at the thoughts their conversation produced, before finally speaking, “so, now we know ‘how,’ and ‘when’ will be as soon as we can get to that clinic” he smirked again, “so now it’s just a question of ‘where.’”

“You’d think first choice would be in one of our own beds; but our parents know where those are. And you never know when they’d come home early or something. With our luck, it would be the exact same fucking day. You know it would” Star stated with more than a touch of cynicism.

Sky just shook his head, “trying to make plans like this; it makes me realize exactly how little fucking planning we did in any of those other lives.”

“Fucking planning? Points for puns” Star chuckled.

Sky just laughed once more, “how the fuck do other teenagers plan this shit?”

“I don’t think it’s so much they plan, as they just have better luck not getting caught?”

“So, that’s our trade off? Hey kids enjoy your super powers, but your weakness? Being a magnet for bad luck and or timing.”

“Timing does seem to be our kryptonite” Star agreed.

“Good thing we can time travel then, huh?”

Star just shook her head back at him, “yeah, let’s try to cut down on the times we need to be fourteen again. I really don’t wanna plan for my fourth loss of virginity. I’m quirky that way” she smirked.

Sky then just allowed another laugh before sliding forward to cover her mouth with his, hoping that this really would be the time they get it all right, finally.