You sat in Joel's room, listening to everything she tells you about. At the moment, she was telling you about her trip to Disney world.

"Jodie, your other friends are here!" Joel's mother yells. She sounded less enthusiastic than she did when she saw you.

"Awesome!" Joel cheers. "You are about to meet my best friend."

"okay."

"Send him up mom!" Joel says, loudly.

You hear the sound of heavy footsteps coming up the stairs. The doorknob on Joel's door begins to turn and then.... it suddenly stops. Outside the door you can here muffled arguing.

"Damnit..."Joel grumbles. "Did this dumbass bring his brother?"

Joel rolls off of her bed, quickly walking towards the door. She swings the door open, the doorknob hitting the doorknob-shaped dent in the wall.

"Can you guys not!" She yells, grabbing them both and dragging them into her room.

There were two boys. One had dark brown hair and brown eyes and then other had light brown hair and deep blue eyes. They looked nothing alike. The one with the dark hair looked like the typical bad boy and the one with the light hair looked like he was as delicate as a flower petal. The dark haired boy, was somewhat tan compared to the other boy and he had piercings just like Joel.

"Why'd you bring your brother along?!" Joel yells. "He's such a push over!"

"Stepbrother... we are not related." The dark haired boy groans. "My dad wanted me to bring him."

While Joel and the dark haired boy were bickering, the lighter haired boy stared at you.

It was the same boy from class, the one that wanted to hang out with you. He smiles, walking towards you.

"So this is who you were going to hang out with? I honestly didn't think you hung out with this type of crowd." The boy says.

"I don't usually hang out with any crowd." You say.

"That so? I guess you and I are the same." He laughs.

Joel and the boy's brother turn and stare at you. They smirk.

"Soooo, is this your girlfriend~?" The dark haired boy says loudly. "Damn, you've got good taste."

"I ship it." Joel giggles. "So when's the wedding?"

"Guys..." the lighter haired boy blushes, frowning. "Not cool..."

"Calm down Aiden, we are just joking around." Joel sighs. "Told you he was a push over."

"Yeah yeah... so... who's the cutie?" The dark haired guy asks.

"Oh her. That's (y/n)..." Joel suddenly frowns. "(Y/n) (l/n)."

"(L/n)?! She's related to that punk!? No way..." The dark hair boy walks over to you, putting his hand on your shoulder. "I'm Liam.... oh and sorry that you live with that asshole."

You nod, already aware that they are talking about your brother.

"Oh and my name's Aiden!" Aiden says awkwardly.

(Time skip)

Your new friends talked about school and life for a while. You didn't really say anything... all you did was listen. Joel told you about the time her dad had hit a deer when they were going to a water park some time back, Liam was talking about how crazy his father was, and Aiden said nothing, claiming that he had nothing interesting to say.

They all laughed about the crazy things that happened to them... all but you. You had nothing to laugh about. There was no reason to laugh. You completed your mission. All you had to do was make friends. You promised you mother that you would and you did.

That's all.

"Dude my dad is a real nutcase." Liam sighs. "He's a grown man yet he's scared of the dark. I'm still surprised Aiden's mom decided to marry him."

"Your dad is pretty weird, but at least he's not a control freak like mine." Joel says, frowning. "What about your parents (y/n)?"

"My... parents?" You whisper, tilting you head.

"Yeah dude." Joel says, her frown disappearing.

"I......" You furrow your eye brows.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I mean... almost every at school knows who your parents are. I'd be pissed too... if my dad was a prick and my mom was a whore." Liam says. He clearly wasn't trying to be offensive. He just assumed that all teenagers hated their parents just like he hated his, but you never did understand the concept of hate, nor any other feeling. You didn't understand, yet here you were... feeling horrible. You wanted to yell at him for some reason, you wanted to stand up and fight him and scream at him and tell him to shut his dirty mouth.

"Don't call my mother a whore." You say, frowning.

"I didn't mean... all she did was give you a bad reputation. I was just... don't be so mad about it..." Liam stutters, surprised that you took offense.

"Reputation means nothing to me." You say, taking deep breaths. "I'm going home..."

"We'll walk you! Right Liam?" Aiden says glaring at Liam.

"Wha— yeah... yeah...." Liam stand up from his spot and walk towards the door. "Bye Joel."

The three of you leave Joel's house. You start walking in the direction of your house. You could see the park from Joel's house... you were going to take a short cut through there.

"Listen I'm sorry." Liam says trading to match your fast pace.

"Yeah.. sorry (y/n)." Aiden says.

"Your father is scared of the dark right?"

"What does that have to—" Liam says stopping.

"John Elliot was quite the handful. He frightened my mother."

"How did you....You know my— don't tell me... you are the girl he's been ranting about for years! The girl that caused all of this crazy monster shit! 'It knows her name' he would say over and over again." Liam grinds his teeth, a grimace appearing on his face. "It's so damn annoying! What have you been telling him?" Liam shouts.

"Nothing at all. I told him to leave and never come back. It's not my fault that he's insane."

"You threatened him saying you would call the police! What, did you think I wouldn't find out?! You know what, it's not my faults that your father is an ass!" Liam snarls. "It's not my fault that you are related to a douche!"

"Liam!" Aiden says, looking at you sadly.

"It's not my fucking fault that your mother is a two-timing bitch!"

"I see." You whisper. "You are quite hotheaded. I wish I could understand why you are so upset." You turn around. "Or maybe not..." You walk away.

"I'he same reason you're upset dum—" Aiden smack Liam in the back of the head.

"Damn it Liam. Why'd you have to go and scare her off like that. You know she's important." Aiden scoffs. "And you call me a push over... you idiot."

(Time skip)

Your father wasn't home yet. The sun was just starting to set. You make your way up the stairs and towards you mother's room. You slowly open the door. She sitting up right in her bed, sewing something. She turns to look at you.

"You look so cute in your school uniform." She says, a ghost of smile on her lips. The smile wasn't real.

"Thanks momma." You walk closer to her. "What are you making?"

"A new hair bow for you. I should be done soon."

You sit down beside her, placing you head on her shoulder.

"Thank you mother." You hum. That horrible bitter feeling was lifted from you body the moment you placed you head on her shoulder. She was so warm, so special to you. Everything was brighter and sweeter.

"How was school?"

"My classes are easy."

"Oh? Is that all?" Your mother asks, looking at you from the corner of her eye.

"No, I made a friend."

"Not an imaginary friend this time right?" She asks, going back to looking at her work.

"No, she's real. Her name is Jodie. I went to her house today... that's why I came home late." You mumble softly, closing your eyes.

"Are you happy to have a friend?" Your mother puts her sewing down. She stares at the empty wall, waiting for your answer.

You didn't know what happiness is. You didn't know what it was supposed to feel like, but you didn't want to make your mother upset. You've seen her when she was upset and now she's covered in scars. They were all over her arms and legs. They were all over her beautiful skin and you didn't want her to make more. She did nothing to wrong... she didn't deserve the pain. You would have to lie... for her sake.

"Yes, I had a lot of fun today." You smile, but their was no feeling behind your smile and your eyes remained void of any type of emotion. It was hard to smile. You lied to your mother. She didn't deserve that type of treatment, but you knew that she would cry if you weren't happy. She was fragile.

You mother turns to look at you once again, gasping in shock at what she saw.

You looked absolutely beautiful. You had a lovely little smile on your face. For once, you looked like a living human being... you looked like the daughter that she always wanted. She finished got what she wanted. A normal... little girl. You mother smiled back at you. It was so beautiful. It was real. It was so bright... so warm. It was all you've ever wanted.

You both got what you always wanted and everything was good. Every thing was fine and nothing could ever go wrong.... nothing at all.

It was difficult.

You tried to ignore the box of condoms on her nightstand, but you couldn't help but wonder...

why were they there?