Chapter 1

Jade's P.O.V.

"Where are you going again George!" I sigh and turn in my bed hoping the yelling would end soon. This is the third time this week and it's only monday. I hear more shuffling above me, indicating that my mother is probably following around after him trying to get some answers for his absence.

"I told you once, I will not tell you again Nathalie." I cringe at my father's naturally loud monotone business voice. I remember when I was younger it would be filled with adoration to both my mother and I but over time it slowly left his voice now this is all we've ever received from him.

"Yes, George work I know but this is the second time in the same damn day! You've been getting called in more and more frequently! In fact there are days you don't even come back home! Is there something you are not telling me George? And don't you dare give me that damn crap that it's been hectic in the office excuse again!" I heard my mother desperately dig for answers searching for something that explains for the growing wedge between him and her; or our entire family for that matter. I hear my father deep sigh.

"I'm just trying to get some extra cash Nathalie. You know how much Jadelyn's school costs and you know damn well that this house isn't going to pay by itself with how much you're getting paid!"

"Oh, don not give me that bullshit! You know damn well we're able to pay for everything in this household, especially our daughter's schooling! So I don't understand what exactly you are doing with extra hours in the office!" There is silence and more shuffling and I don't hear anything until I hear the front door open. "Don't you dare walk away from me!"

"I'm done talking about this." Then that was it. The door slammed closed and the never ending silence engulfed the household once again for the millionth time. I sigh and get out from under my covers and bed and walk over to the my door. I open it and climbed up the stairs from my room in the basement into hall first floor hall. My door is located directly at the end of the hall before the kitchen, dinning and laundry room. I walk down the hall into the large living room to find my mother sitting on the couch with her head in her hands, slouched over. I slowly and quietly make my way over. No one knows this but… I actually do care for my mother and ever since my father started putting distance between all of us I've been closer to my mom more than anyone else. I stopped right behind the couch and leaned slightly forward to try and see her face.

"Mom?" I whisper and I see her quickly start brushing her tears away and look up to me with a smile. "You okay?" I know it's a stupid question because obviously she isn't but I don't know… I don't know how to deal with the situation.

"Oh Jadelyn, I didn't hear you come up. I'm sorry did we wake you?" She avoided the question again. I stepped around and sat next to her and put my right hand on her left shoulder.

"You're avoiding the question again." I heard her sigh and she again put her head in her hands.

"I don't know what to do about your father Jade. I don't know what's going on." We've had this conversation before and it's been the same every time. At first I never knew what was going on, growing up my father left for work all the time but he would always make sure there was time for us. He'd bring me to the park, he'd get my something for my birthday or just randomly bring home something for either me or my mother, sometimes both just for the heck of it. When it started becoming less and less and his hours at the office seemed to become longer and longer we just assumed he was being over worked. However, for the past two months it seems as if he's just ripped himself out of the family. "You shouldn't worry too much about it though." But I do. "I'll figure this out for the both of us." But you've been trying and… There's still no answers. "I promise." You always say that. I can only nod not even tempting to voice out my opinion. "You should go back to sleep. You have school tomorrow and I'm sure Beck wouldn't want you two to be late or be caught in the drive way by your father again." I nod and and kiss her cheek.

"I love you mom." I whisper. I've rarely said it to her lately and times like this… It's when I know she needs to hear it and it's when I mean it even more than I already do.

"I know sweetie. I love you too. G'night my gem." I smile slightly as I get up and walk back down to my room and climb back in bed. I close my eyes and try to sleep. I try to dream of the family I once had.

Tori's P.O.V.

"I'm working another late night at the station. I'm so sorry; I'll see you tomorrow okay honey?" I listen closely as I observe the couple in front of me spit out a dialogue. I can't help but glare at the woman she sweetly smiles up to her husband and nods.

"Oh, it's all right David don't worry. Be safe at work." He leans down and kisses her cheek and I clearly see that she stiffens from it but not my dad, no he never notices it.

"I promise I will. I love you, sweetie." He then walks over to me in the kitchen and I push up off of the counter and meet him half way and engulf him into a hug. "I'll see you when you get home from school okay Tori?" I nod and burry my face into his shoulder.

"Okay dad. I love you." I whisper, I know that if mom hears me she'll know that I noticed she never said it back to him.

"I love you too, sweetheart." I smiled, I loved when he whispered it back to me because it meant he knew I meant when I said it. Everyone thought I was super close to my mom but in all honesty I was closer with my father than anyone else in this house. With that we let go of each other and he left without another word. Trina was out at a friends house so it was just me and my mom; who was currently on her phone again texting.

The interaction between my mom and dad isn't something new. There's been something weird going on between them for a while now. I, truthfully, don't know exact what but I have a feeling that mom just isn't… as interested in dad as much as she was before. I've noticed that for the past four months that she's been out of the house more than Trina has and trust me that's a lot. Whenever dad asks her if she wants to go out for a romantic dinner or date with him she mostly says she has plans for that night and asks him to reschedule for a later date. It's not that she always does it but she does it enough for me to notice a change in their relationship.

I start to walk away from the kitchen and into the living room as I sit down near my mother. Once she feels the sink in the cushions of the couch she turns so that I won't be able to look at her phone screen, which is strange. She usually has to show me something on her phone when I'm near her. I raise my eyebrow and her but shrug and just turn on the TV and I decide to flip through channels. As I'm doing so I watch her out of the corner of my eye and notice how she smiles at the screen when she sees the message that she receives, even giggling every once in a while. My eyebrows furrow even more; she's acting like a giddy little teenager that is getting flirty texts from her crush or boyfriend or something.

"Hey mom?" I ask out, not looking in her direction, keeping my gaze at the TV. I quickly relax my face so that she doesn't suspect me of what I know she thinks I may know.

"Yes, Tori?" I can hear the slight fear in her voice of being caught because she knows first hand that I had almost caught her in the act but I never knew what exactly I was catching her in but I know that when I ask questions she gets all jumpy and I just need to know why.

"Who you texting?" The long thick silence from her only confirms my theory that it's something that she doesn't want anyone to know, not even her own child.

"Just a good friend of mine and your father's. We're just catching up because we haven't heard from each other in a while." I nod.

"Oh, really? That's cool I guess. Do I know him?"

"I'm sure you and Trina both know me and your father's friends, Tori."

"So it is a guy."

"What's with the interrogation Tori? Is there something you want to tell me?" I looked over at my mother after her snappy question. Her face was contorted into an irritated expression and I couldn't help but feel scared. Was she doing what I think she's doing? Am I really right about my mother's activities?

"Nothing mom just curious; look I'm sorry for asking so much. I'll just go to bed and leave you alone. Besides I have school tomorrow and I wanna get there early, night mom." I quickly turn off the TV and almost run upstairs away from her; not wanting to be near her at this moment. I make it into my room and close and lock the door before sighing and walking over to my bed. I run my right hand through my hair in frustration before falling back onto my bed. I stare up at my ceiling for a good few minutes and lick my dry lips and I got lost in my thoughts.

Everyone thought that me and Trina had the most perfect family in the world. My father was a high ranking officer in the police force and my mother was a stay at home mom that had enough money from dad to do what ever she wants while they both sent me and Trina to Hollywood Arts. They were both loving parents right? I mean if you count a mother that doesn't really par attention to her kids or husband as a perfect family then yeah that's what we are. Perfect. I scoffed. Yeah right, if we had the perfect family none of us would have the want to stay away from this house or get caught up in our work. I sighed. I was the unlucky one who couldn't get out of here. Everyone liked coming to my house because it was such a mutual place. In reality I didn't mind being here is my mom wasn't home and it was just me and the gang but if the gang was here and so was my mother I'd rather be out of the house doing some crazy chizz then be in the household.

I fix myself better onto the bed and close my eyes. I tried to dream of the perfect family that everyone say because I surely didn't see it when I was here with them alone.