Boy Plus Girl Equals...

Parenting... It's something that comes with its fair share of stresses and pains, and a whole myraid of emotions tied to the failures and successes of the children we love. But, while for some it's an unintended burden with which they must learn to cope, for others it's the greatest bliss: and neither of the Kane parents would ever be caught saying that they didn't love every single moment of being a mother and father.

They wouldn't be caught saying it, because it would be a lie. And, today, one of those joys was finally about to come to another fruition.



Although, Meredith probably could have stood to be a little less anxious.

As the Kane family arrived at Twinbrook's beach, Meredith suddenly grabbed her head and screamed, "Aaaghh, I forgot the cake!"

So, as they waited for her to return from the grocery with Bradley's Special Confection of Age-ly Proclamation, the rest of the family started to get ready for the guests to arrive...

The guests being most of Travis's friends, that is. Bradley, albeit his friendly nature, still did not have many -- and not one of Travis's didn't like the idea of going to a party. What else is being a teen all about? School? Whatever!



But as Jebidiah proved, the kids weren't the only ones that wanted to have a little bit of fun.



Travis showed Emerald -- newly aged herself -- some new dance moves...



... and everyone else decided to play in the sprinkler, since no one would dare swim in the gross-ity that is Simslaus Lake.

Meredith was thankful that she arrived back in time to indulge in some sprinkler-hopping herself, before it was time to blow out the candles.



As Bradley looked out over the lake, the friends and family cheering for him to grow into a new age, and the three candles on his wonderfully generic cake, he couldn't help but hope -- hope, for a moment -- that the next stage of his life would be better than the last.




But... For good measure, he made sure to wish for it, too.

Good thing he was looking in the other direction, though; if he'd had seen his dad pointing and laughing...



Bradley was finally a teenager... His parents (even Jebidiah-the-mocking) could not be happier to see him get to that point, to see him grow to an age where he'd finally be able to sprout some independence.

And from the other side of the table, although Bradley did not notice her enthusiasm, there was someone else who was even more happy to see him finally come of age.

---

"You know, Jade, just because I'm taking you out to dinner doesn't mean you have to skimp on getting what you want," Travis said as he looked over his food at his friend. "I've got a job now, I've got a few extra Simolie's lyin' around."

"Yeah, and I didn't skimp out. I just really wanted a hot dog!" Jade responded with a laugh, before taking another large bite from her food.

Travis chuckled to himself and shrugged. He wouldn't argue with her. "Well, suit yourself then."



Jade set down the rest of her meal onto her plate, and spent a few moments in silence staring across the table at Travis before she finally blurted out, "So uh, why were you so insistent I come to the Bistro with you tonight?"

"What, I can't ask a friend out to dinner?" Travis responded with another laugh, shaking his head at her.

"Well, yeah, of course, but..."

"Just finish up your hot dog, and then I'll tell you, alright?" Inside his head, he mentally rolled his eyes and continued to laugh: "Silly, silly impatient women!"



Finally, when they'd finished eating, Travis led Jade across the street, where they stopped at the top of the stairs leading down to the lakeside. There, they joined hands and stood in silence, gazing into each other's eyes... Until:

"So, why here?"

"Haha, Jade, can't you leave the surprise in anything? I just wanted to be away from the street lights, so we could be under the stars..."



And, why did he want to be under the stars? ... Well, Jade found out quickly enough. It was... quite a long kiss, as well; it wasn't until Travis' lips felt coarse that he finally pulled away, again seeing Jade's beautiful eyes looking back into his.



"Jade, I... There's something I want to ask you." As he drew away, he took her hand firmly into his. He realized, he had an awfully hard time keeping eye contact.

"What is it, Travis?" Jade giggled; she knew quite well what was coming, but... Like he said, she needed to stop ruining the surprise.

"Well, I know it's pretty soon, I only just broke things off with Lolly the other day, but..."

"But what?"



"But, I don't think I would be happy unless I could call you my girlfriend."

A broad smile crossed Jade's lips, one that displayed every pearly white tooth she was capable of showing. She didn't have to say a word in response -- he already knew her answer.



And, still clasping hands, they could feel the racing heartbeat through each others' palms... They both knew, this was the moment they both had been waiting for.

---

Bradley's first day in high school... Well. It could've been better. Travis was certainly not the supportive brother he could've been, and Brad had come to realize that he really, really did not fit in. He tried so hard to be funny, but no one laughed at his jokes... He was so friendly to everyone he met, but everyone thought he wasn't being genuine... He tried so hard to be smart, but he just ended up being that nerdy kid who knows too much Star Sims trivia. ("I mean, come on -- who doesn't like Star Sims?")

He didn't quite understand why no one found him entertaining -- he sure thought he was interesting! But... The glasses never lie. He'd been labelled. He couldn't help but wish that High School was over. So, OMP totally, over.

And it was still only his first day.



As he worked on his first high school homework assignment, he realized that he would probably end up spending most of his time here at the library, like all the other studious nerds his age. He didn't particularly care, but, part of him yearned for the great outdoors, for adventure... He was a brilliant inventor, so maybe someday -- someday -- he'd invent something to take him far, far away from here...

... Somewhere where someone would like him.



But Bradley didn't have to go nearly as far -- or wait nearly as long -- as he thought he would in order to get that.

"Brad... Braaad!" As Bradley tucked away his fishing pole (he'd been trying to lure in a big-one for a school assignment that day) he heard a voice calling his name from across the pond... There, he saw Emerald's face appear from over the rushes... and his heart skipped a beat.

Emerald Greenwood...

"I've been looking all over for you! Figured you had to be at one of the fishing holes for that assignment Mrs. Curious gave you... You end up catching anything yet?"

"Naw." After a moment, Bradley sighed at himself. "Wow, Brad, wasn't that awfully charismatic of you! You're such an idiot." 



Brad was surprised to find that Emerald hadn't come empty handed -- as he neared the spot she'd called from, she began to lay out a picnic blanket and set out some food for him.

"I figured you'd be hungry," Emerald said as she plopped herself down onto the red-checkered fabric. "And that you wouldn't get back into town until you were famished. See, I even made you a tofu burger!"

Well... Tofu burger wasn't exactly Brad's food pick of the month, but he bit into it as enthusiastically as one can bite into the food prepared by the girl one had been oggling after for the last, oh, you know, infinity.

"You're so thoughtful, Emerald!" Bradley smiled, looking at her through the glare in his circular glasses "I... Really, thanks."

"Don't mention it. I finished all my homework early, and Jade's off hanging out with your brother as usual, so... I figured I'd, you know, hang out with my sister's boyfriend's brother."

It wasn't all that funny, but, they both laughed. Bradley realized, for once, someone actually shared his dry sense of humor.... And it just had to be the girl he liked... Oh brother.



As he finished and Emerald started to put everything away, Bradley was completely taken off-guard when she reached over and grabbed his hand -- he felt a bit like a fish out of water, flapping about awkwardly as she grasped each sweaty palm into hers... but she didn't seem to mind for one moment.

Man, she sure had the guts to do whatever she wanted; Brad envied her that.



"Why... Why'd you... I mean..." Brad muttered, his tongue so twisted he barely even managed to keep his sentences straight. (If you can even call that a sentence.)

"Well," Emerald replied as she looked into his eyes. "I just, you know, felt like it." As she continued to look at Bradley with her gorgeous hazel eyes, his heart felt like it was exploding in his chest... Funny, because the rest of him didn't seem to be able to move.

"Oh. Oh..." was his uber romantic response. "That's nice."

Emerald giggled, before leading him off towards the firepit tucked away behind the reeds.



Bradley lit the fire, and as the moon began to grow over the horizon, they began to talk... About everything. How she was working on helping build a new webpage for the school; how Brad had just invented a device that could contain a miniature tornado; how everyone at school was soooo overly dramatic about everything; and how no one else seemed to really "get" either of them...

For the first time, Bradley finally felt a connection with someone. He had always liked Emerald, but he never realized she was like this. That she was this amazing.



"Well, Brad, I better get home," Emerald said quietly into his ear as she pulled him into a hug, suddenly noticing the height of the moon -- and, you know, the time. "It's been really great spending time with you... Let's do it again sometime, alright?"

While Bradley certainly was not shy, with Emerald in his arms and her hands draped over his back, he felt himself falling into a mixed state of bliss and terror that had managed to grab ahold of him and choke his vocal chords -- it was very, very convenient. (Not.)

As she pulled away, the only word he could manage to get out of his lips in response was, "Alright."
...
"Dammit!"

Well... I guess eloquence would have to wait for another day.