4 years ago...
"Lauren, come down please."
Lauren set down the book she was reading and ran downstairs to go see what her mom was calling her down for.
She walked into the kitchen and saw her mom standing next to an unfamiliar man, "Yeah mom?"
Lauren raised an eyebrow in curiosity when she saw her mom whisper something in the mans ear, he smiled kindly at Lauren before walking out into the backyard, leaving lauren and her mom alone.
Her mom sat down at the table and motioned Lauren to do the same.
She sat down next to her mom, her mom broke the silence, "We're moving."
Lauren's eyes widened, she opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by her mom, "That man, his name is Alejandro and we'll be moving in with him and his daughter by the end of the month."
"Mom why are we moving in with him? That's weird, why can't we just stay here?"
Lauren's mom smiled kindly at her daughter, "Me and Alejandro are getting married, so it would make sense to move in together."
A big frown and displeased look formed on Lauren's face. She doesn't want a new family. She likes the way things are now. Just the two of them.
The smile on her mom's face dimmed when she saw how upset her daughter was over the news, "I know you don't like it, you don't have to. But this is how things will be from now on, and hopefully you'll be happy when we're all living together as a family."
They both looked up when they heard the patio door open, the man, Alejandro, walked in with a teenage girl behind him.
He smiled kindly at Lauren, "Lauren this is my daughter, she's 13, one year younger than you."
Alejandro whispered to his daughter, "Introduce yourself, mija."
"Hi, I'm Camila," she whispered quietly but polite and nice.
Lauren wasn't happy at all, she couldn't even fake a smile at the man and girl in front of her who will be her new family.
Without a word, Lauren got off the chair and went upstairs slamming the door.