Alexa & Katie

After everything that happened last year, I decided to see a therapist.

And it was pretty helpful,

like the day I brought Katie.

You remember Katie.

My super annoying, know-it-all best friend.

So, when you asked to bring Katie with you today,

you said you'd had a fight.

A big fight.

- Huge. - It was just big.

Okay.

So what would you say was the cause of this big,

huge,

larger-than-average fight?

- I think it was... - Probably when...

- Um... - Or it was...

I have a better idea.

You said the fight started last night.

Let's go through yesterday, hmm?

It was the first day of 11th grade.

You see, first days of school are really big for us.

Huge.

Oh, so that can be huge?

Anyway, it was the first day of 11th grade.

Hey...

first day of school.

Exciting!

Dad, I'm a junior now.

It's not, "Oh, I'm so excited!" anymore.

We're juniors!

Ah! I'm so excited!

Seriously?

- Trade. - Trade.

Mmm, yeah.

Ha!

I can't believe it.

We're upperclassmen,

we look amazing,

and I'm driving to school with a licensed adult in the car.

Sorry, honey, I got a bunch of stuff planned

for your mom's and my anniversary and...

I really wanna live to enjoy them.

Dad, if we wanna get our licenses

we have to do more than practice practice-driving on Katie's couch,

and my driver's ed teacher said I need as much time behind the wheel as possible.

He also said don't drive within 30 miles of his house.

Oh, he was kidding.

He was trembling.

But he's always trembling.

I mean, it's like, get a sweater, dude.

- Good morning. - Hey.

We wanted to be here when Lucas left for college.

And for fancy "first day of school" breakfast.

I just see toast.

Lori and I are going to brunch. We've been married 20 years today.

Oh, that's beautiful.

So just toast and cold cereal then?

Honey, I put some extra underpants in your suitcase

next to your night light and soft blankie.

Oh, you look so handsome.

I also left you a note that I wrote you when you were seven years old

about how much I was gonna miss you when you went off to college.

I used a quote from "Hollaback Girl." Just ignore that.

I'm only gonna be an hour away.

This whole thing is bananas.

B-A-N-A-N-A-S.

Honey, are you sure you don't want us to drive you?

I mean, we can set up your dorm, help you meet new friends.

Make sure they know the Heimlich.

You've never been a strong chewer.

I'm in college now. I don't need my mommy.

Here's your snack bag to go.

Ooh, Go-Gurts!

Well...

I'm off.

- Don't mess up. - Well, I'll try not to.

- Bye. - Bye, buddy.

It's gonna be weird being the only guy around here.

Seriously?

You got this, Jack, but maybe don't wear a bathrobe to school.

It's a gi. Cal quit Taekwondo and gave it to me.

I'm wearing it to school so people know I'm cool.

If that doesn't work, at least you'll know some self-defense.

- Bye, guys. - Bye.

Cherish this time, Jennifer.

Every minute.

Um... Taekwon toots.

It happens.

A lot.

Wow.

First kid is in college.

So who's ready for some anniversary brunch?

I'm so excited.

Oh, honey, I know. I'm sad, too.

But you know what helps...

is French toast.

Speed it up, Katie. Therapy is only 50 minutes.

I am painting a picture. Stop rushing me.

We're officially juniors!

We get to have lunch off-campus.

- Junior section at football games. - Junior hallway.

Junior night out.

Oh, what's junior night out?

Any night we go out.

Oh, yeah, best first day of school ever.

Yeah.

We were so young and naive back then.

You mean yesterday?

We're in the junior hallway.

We are so in the junior hallway.

But it's like, where did the rest of tenth grade go?

I know, it was my birthday and then, boom, here we are in 11th grade.

Katie went to London.

- Alexa had more good checkups. - Lucas and Gwenny broke up.

Ryan and Katie stayed together.

Alexa and Dylan are friends.

I feel like I didn't see any of that.

I know it all happened, but it feels like it never happened.

Ah, who cares?

We're juniors now.

Oh, found our lockers.

Mm-hmm.

- Switch - Switch.

Wow, look at all the stuff juniors do.

Pep rally Thursday, football game Friday.

PSAT's October.

Sign up before it's too late.

Meet with your guidance counselor.

"Grades matter."

Wow, junior hall is intense.

Did we know about all this?

No one did.

- I did. - I did.

That's why I joined Peggy's study group.

You know that senior that always talks about how she got the perfect SAT score.

Well, she's paying it forward by tutoring juniors.

And so that more people know she got the perfect score.

There's my crew!

She can't mean us.

She can and she does!

Just because you're my ex-BFFLs doesn't mean we can't be friends.

It could.

You're funny. Seriously, we're not little kids holding grudges anymore.

Ah, we could be.

We're mature juniors now.

Get out of here, freshman!

I love being mature.

Hold on.

Are you friends with Gwenny now?

That's a whole another session.

Bye, besties.

I didn't know getting into college would start so early...

or be so much.

You know, we've got so much going on.

Maybe we shouldn't go off-campus for lunch.

We've been waiting two years to eat off-campus.

This is a major dining milestone.

Yeah, where should we go?

- Hmm, burgers. - Tacos.

- Tacos. - Burgers.

Okay, so it sounds

like you started falling out of sync before lunch.

Yes.

No.

Maybe.

Hmm.

She's writing. What is she writing?

Is it about me?

Probably, because she never writes when it's just me.

She's kidding. I've got pages and pages on Alexa.

I think we're getting closer.

So what happened next?

We were still trying to enjoy the good parts about being juniors.

That's right.

We sure did go off-campus

for lunch today.

Because that is what you do when you are a...

junior.

Is this still happening?

We women need to stick together,

build each other up, not tear each other down.

Which is why I say, Hannah,

never wear that sweater again. Makes you look like a poor ghost.

That's what I was going for.

She's not wrong.

Hey, what happened to you guys?

We just met with the guidance counselor.

We are so not prepared.

She to told us to collect materials for our portfolios

so we can track our accomplishments.

I don't have materials.

I don't have accomplishments.

And college is so expensive.

I hope I can get a scholarship.

Oh...

I forgot my wallet in her office.

- Just leave it. - You're right, I don't need lunch today.

I knew we shouldn't have gone off-campus for lunch.

I could've met my guidance counselor.

I need a scholarship.

I need to accomplish accomplishments.