"ARICKA! GET UP! FIRST DAY OF MIDDLE SCHOOL!" Patton runs into her room, and she was already up, getting dressed. "Oh, you're up." he says, and hugs her. "Sleep good?"

"Yep. I'm all ready for seventh grade," she replies. Turning around, she smiles. "What do you think?" She was wearing a light grey sweater, blue skinny jeans , and her lucky gold Converse.

"You look great, kiddo." she grins, and holds out her wrists-adorned with bracelets that him, Roman, Logan, Virgil, and Thomas had given her prior to and after her adoption:

(left wrist.)

(right wrist.)

"Nice jewelry choice," Logan says, making Patton jump. "I especially approve of the watch. Very practical." Aricka giggles, and runs into his arms, saying, 

"You got it for me Lo, remember? For my 11th birthday!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aricka met Rae and Damien outside the school, and they walked in together. "What's your guy's schedules look like?" she asks, suddenly nervous she won't have any classes with her friends.

Rae hands her her schedule-phew, Aricka had all eight classes with her. Sadly, Damien and her only had four classes together. Rae and Damien only had three together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Reach out and find your happily ever after.." Aricka was so excited-the choir teacher used to work at Disney, and they were going to sing the Happily ever after soundtrack! It was now her turn-the teacher had assigned her the part of Tiana's solo. She steps forward, and sings in a crystal clear voice,

"The evening star is shining bright

So make a wish and hold on tight

There's magic in the air tonight 

And anything can happen..." then she goes and stands with the other soloists. A little bit later, it was Damien's turn:

"Out there

Strolling by the Seine

Taste a morning out there

Like ordinary men

Who freely walk about there

Just one day and then

I swear I'll be content

With my share

Won't resent

Won't despair

Old and bent

I won't care

I'll have spent

One day

Out there..." and him and Rae switch spots, so she can sing the Brave solo:

"I will read every story,

Take hold of my own dream.

Be as strong as the seas are stormy,

And proud as an eagle's scream.

I will ride, I will fly,

Chase the wind and touch the sky!

I will fly.

Chase the wind and touch the sky...

Chase the wind and touch the sky!"

Then it was her turn again. She felt the magic of the song coursing through her, making her believe she was Moana. Her lips curled into a passionate smile and she let it rip:

"Every turn I take, every trail I track,

Every path I make, every road leads back

To the place I know, where I can not go, where I long to be.

See the light as it shines on the sea? It's blinding.

But no one knows how deep it goes.

And it seems like it's calling out to me, so come find me!

And let me know, what's beyond that line, will I cross that line?

The line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me.

And no one knows, how far it goes.

If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me,

One day I'll know, how far I'll go!" She holds out her hand as though reaching toward the sun, and was startled when they all started clapping-Rae and Damien had knowing smiles on their faces. She blushes and returns to stand next to Rae, who pats her on the back and whispers,

"Good job."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I think I'm going to like choir," Aricka tells Thomas after school. "I get to sing two solos, and Rae and I sing together for the I can go the Distance part."