My name is Michelangelo Hamato, and I am not a father.

What about your future?

"Hey miss, heard you wanted to see me?" Michelangelo (better known as Mikey or Orange) said, bouncing into his guidance counsellors, Ms Eastmans, office. It was only 10 am on a Monday morning, and despite only having two classes so far, he was already visibly tired.

"Ah, Mikey, yes please sit down. I've noticed you haven't come to me yet about college and I wanted to know if there was a reason why? Have you already been accepted somewhere or have you chosen to go straight into working?". She smiled up from her computer, typing away.

Mikey stared blankly at her before deciding on his answer. "I-I mean I haven't really given it much thought, but, I think for my family it would just be easier for me to not go to college and just keep working. I have a lot of siblings and as you know from the parent teacher meetings my dads not the same age as dads of most kids my age... and to be honest I don't think college is my thing anyway." He looked down at his hands, trying to hold back tears. "My dads 75th birthday is next week... and... it's scary, ya know? I mean, I'm 18, I'm the oldest of 11 and he's not gonna be here for that much longer, really. And that means that instead of my youngest brother and sister growing up with a dad they're growing up with me, and I-I don't I-.... I don't want that for them. They deserve their dad. Now life is all just one big cowabummer after another.."

Ms Eastman smiled at him once more, and handed him a tissue as she spoke, "Mikey, can you tell me what your current daily routine is? I mean there is a possibility you could do some online classes, cause let's be honest you're a talented chef and one shell of an artist according to your teachers."

Mikey rubbed his teary eyes while nodding his head. "Uh let's see, ya know it's kinda hard to think about it when you're on the spot, but it's like when I'm doing it I just instantly know, ya know? Anyway um.. I get up about 4:30 ish, I'm kinda lucky I don't have to share a room with any of my little bros and siss cause I always fall over in the morning so I'd definitely wake them up. After I get up, I get dressed and go join my dad and we meditate together, then at like 5 I go and make breakfast. Oh and usually when I'm doing that I just kinda try and write down what we're low on so I can know what to buy when I get groceries. Then I go get everyone else up while my dad sets the table and dishes out the food. Raphs the hardest to wake up, cause well he's..."

Ms Eastman smirked, "Raphael Hamato, Principal Laird and I are well aware of what he is like in school, as well as Leonardo and Donatello."

Mikey sighed, smiling again slightly. "Ya he's kinda a jerk sometimes... anyway him, Leo and Donnie, they're the first twins, all share a room so I usually wake them up first. Then I go to my sisters room, Miwa and Karai are the oldest in that room so I get them up first which usually ends up in some sort of fight, then Venus and Frida. Then I go to the daycare... well I mean technically it's a nursery but Jennika, Milo and Lita think nurseries are for babies so we started calling it a nursery."

"And what about your mother?"

Mikey's voice fell silent as he stared at her once again. "Well, my mom died when me and Raph were like, babies. And my dads brothers all waited a really really long time to have kids and then they all either died or got too old to raise them so my dad took them in. Well, all of them except for Lita.. Anyway after breakfast Raph, dad and I help the little ones get dressed, then we climb out of the sewer, and get to school for a few hours. Then after school raph, Leo, Donnie, Miwa, Karai, Venus and Frida all walk home together while I go and get Jennika, Milo and Lita. Then when we're home I cook dinner and I try to help with homework but I'm not really the smart one in the family. After homework and dinner I put everyone to bed, then I go out to work. I work as a security guard for Fredbears family dinner sometimes I get free pizza! I start at 6 and finish at 1:00am since that's when the other security guard gets there. Then I go home, sleep for a few hours, and start the day again. Oh and on specific days I take my little siblings to their after school activities." He pulled out a list on his notepad which read:
Monday:
7:00am meditation class with dad
2:00pm take everyone grocery shopping
3:00pm Raph's boxing class
3:30pm Donnie's science class
3:30pm Leo's space heroes/Jupiter Jim fan club meeting.
4:00pm Venus's meditation class
5:00pm training
Tuesday:
Same as Monday
Wednesday:
4:30pm Litas magic class
5:00 pm training
Wednesday:
2:00pm training
4:30pm train the little ones
5:00pm Raphs anger management class
Thursday:
2:00pm training
3:00pm Miwa and Karais fighting class
4:00pm Fridas art class
5:00pm training again
Friday:
2:00pm meditate
3:00pm Donnie's evil genius 101 class
4:00pm Lita's dance class
5:00pm Jennikas art class
Saturday:
7:30 am - 3pm training
3:30pm - 5:pm making dinner and dessert
5:30pm - 6:00pm eating
Work 6- 1am
Sunday: same as Saturday but everything is one hour ahead.

He rubbed the back of his head and laughed quietly "I try and write it out wherever I can so I never forget! It's on my wall, the fridge, my locker, the dojo, everywhere really!"

Ms Eastman typed something out on her computer. "You seem to be doing a lot at home. Do your father or brothers ever try and help?"

"Well.. my dads old but he tries to help out as much as he can, and I feel like everyone else is too young to understand. My dads 74, I'm 18, Raphs 15, Leo and Donnie are 11, Karai and Miwa are 10, Venus is 8, Frida is 7, Jennika is 5, Milo is 3 and Lita is 2. I'm really the only one who can do anything. I mean, would you want your 74 year old dad out working? I had to beg him to retire last year... the others still don't know, so that's why I work at Fredbears, so that they don't notice."

"And what about finances?"

"Well, I use my dads money for things like Netflix, Disney plus and fun stuff, and my money is for clothes, groceries, medicine, bills, ya know all that stuff." He quickly glanced up at the clock. "Like last year we went to Florence to visit my moms family cause we hadn't seen them in a while, and it was really nice, but..."

"But what?"

"I spent all of my money on everyone else... this was a trip for me and Raph to see our family again and I-I... I ruined it for myself! I... I'm sorry I need to get back to class, I do not wanna end up back in Ms Lairds office again!" And with that, he grabbed his bag and ran out of the office.