With summer speeding far quicker than any of the teens wanted, they were happy to celebrate a joyous event. Rei and Nat were celebrating their shared 16th birthday. Deciding to meet at Nats home the teens now excitedly found themselves knocking on the MacGregor's front door. Liam MacGregor now smiled as he looked at the gathering of teens. "Hey Mr. MacGregor is Nat here?"
"They're out back kids," he smiled, Liam now paused as he now studied Stephanie carefully. "I don't think we've met before," he said. "I'm Nats dad."
"Stephanie Marsh," she smiled. "I'm Miles...girlfriend I think." Miles blushed slightly, eliciting a small chuckle from Mr. MacGregor. "Nice to meet you Stephanie. Nat and Rei are out back, I'm going to start grilling soon can I get your orders?"
"Um maybe a burger," Stephanie called back. Liam nodded, the others now calling out orders of their own as the group made their way to the backyard. As the group now spilled out into the late afternoon sun, they waved as they saw their friends lounging on the wooden patio. "Happy birthday you two," Miranda called as she and Amara hugged the pair. "How's it feel to be Sixteen," Amara added.
"Its been a great day so far," Nat smiled as she and Rei now accepted birthday cards and gifts. "So how did the driving test go," Connor asked as he and Spark took a seat. Both Nat and Rei smirked, now holding up their driver's license with pride. "Passed with flying colors!"
"Awesome," Spark exclaimed. "Knew you wouldn't have any problems."
"Abou that," Rei replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. The others now cast the Asian teen an odd look as she now related her experience during her driving test.
Both girls had been nervous leading up to the exam. After aceing the written portion, the girls began their practical exam. Nat finding her instructor to be a pleasant woman in her 40s while Rei found herself with a rather grumpy looking man in his mid 60s. As the exam began Rei found herself increasingly nervous as the man grumbled orders.
"He just seemed so mean," Rei groaned. "He grumbled when he told me to start the car, grumbled when I put the car in drive, he even grumbled when I turned on my turn signal. I was a nervous wreck. And that's when I noticed my ring glow." A collective groan now emanated from the teens, Rei blushing fiercely as Nat tried to stifle a laugh. "So how bad," Stephanie asked.
Rei blushed explaining how the process was gradual. The man's grey hair slowly reverted to brown, his deep wrinkles in his stern face smoothing. By the time he reached 40, Rei noticed his hairline begin to inch forward as the frown on his face slowly began to vanish. "So he started to become less of a grump face," Rei said, her face still blushing. "For a second I thought things would be okay but...um...it didn't stop."
The middle aged driving instructor continued his backwards trek in age. A grumpy looking 40 year old becoming a stern looking 30 year old before becoming a fresh faced 20 year old. At 20 the man's brown hair had completely returned, his face much smoother and far less stern than before. As he retreated into his teens, Rei watched his face round slightly, his body become skinnier. Soon enough he looked like he was barely old enough to drive himself.
Unfortunately it wasn't quite over for him, Rei watched as her driving instructor became 15 then 14. Soon enough the instructor was reduced to a skinny preteen, the boys feet slowly rising from the car floor. As the years and inches melted off the boy, Rei was beginning to panic, just how young would he become. As the childish driving instructor finally settled at age six, Rei was near panic. "Yeah I would've started freaking out too if my driving instructor all the sudden turned into a first grader," Spark shrugged.
"Yeah those rings are kinda funny like that," Steph stated. "I've seen it before, they have a mind of their own sometimes."
"So what happened next," Miranda asked.
"He um...wanted to get a Happy Meal," Rei blushed. The others now burst into laughter, their imaginations running wild as they tried to picture Rei's response. "I didn't know what else to do," Rei moaned. "So I ended up pulling into the drive thru."
After finishing his meal, Rei and her now first grade driving instructor returned, much to Rei's relief the boy passed her, saying she did a good job. Fortunately, after Rei exited the car the instructor returned to normal. Rei, though didn't stick around as she looked to get her license and get out of there. As the group now began to laugh, Liam poked his head out. "Nat another friend of yours just got here." Nat and the others paused, casting eachother a confused look. All of their friends were here, who could possibly be at the door.
"Miles!"
"Chenoa?!"
Chenoa the deer girl now bounded towards Miles. The teens shocked to see her return, as well as the human legs she was now sporting. "I missed you so much," she sighed, nuzzling against the now perplexed teen. "Look," she said, stretching her firm young legs and placing them on Miles lap. "Aunt Goldie taught me how to transform." Stephanie now frowned, folding her arms across her chest as she glowered at Miles. "Who's this?"
"Um," Miles stammered, his voice cracking as he gazed between Stephanie and Chenoa. "This is Chenoa." Chenao smiled, a warm smile on her face as she looked at the ebony haired teen. "I'm his girlfriend."
Nat and the others now exchanged awkward looks between one another as Miles squirmed. Things were about to get really awkward between Miles, Stephanie, and Chenoa.