Chapter 1

I got home from school and open the door as silently as I could, I could hear them screaming from outside, I'm surprised no one's called the cops. I sneak up the stairs, going into my little sister's room and grabbing her, she's on her bed, her hands on her ears and she's crying. "Jade!" she smiles, her eyes looked red and sore.

"It's okay" I pick her up and put her on my hip, going into my own room and putting her down on my bed. "How long have mummy and daddy been arguing, princess?"

"When did you leave for school?" She asked as I fixed her hair, putting it into two pig tails.

"About 5 hours ago" I say, kissing her on the head.

"Since then" She sighs and I pull her onto my lap, rocking her up and down. Alice is 5 years old, and incredibly intelligent, even though she is my sister, she looks nothing like me, she has bright blue eyes and blonde long hair, she is beautiful and the most important thing in my life.

"They forgot to take you to school again?" I say and she nods

"Daddy wouldn't let her take me"

"Well, I'll start taking you to school okay? Then you won't have to miss it ever again!"
"But then you'll be late for your school Jadey!"

"It's okay, I'll get cat to cover me" her eyes light up

"I love cat! When can I see her again?"

"She'll be round soon baby, I promise" I lie and she grins, Cat can't come round anymore, not until Mom and dad stop fighting, I can't let cat – or anyone see that. I hear the sound of glass smashing downstairs and we both jump up.

"Stay here, Here Cat got you a colouring book today!" I grab the colouring book and some crayons and lay them on the bed.

"Yay!" Alice giggles and starts to draw.

I run downstairs, Mom's on the floor, glass is shattered all around her. Dad's gone, left us alone to deal with the situation.

"Mom...Mom, are you awake?" I loop my arm around her neck and pull her up, dragging her to the couch.

"Hey Hun" She smiles, her face looks like it's been used as a punching bag "Don't clean up, I've got it! I'll just sit for a while, get my balance back" she laughs and winces at the pain.

"Mom, it's fine, I'll cleanup" I smile, sweeping away all of the glass, mopping up all the blood and bandaging mums bruises and cuts.

"You're an amazing daughter Jade, you really are" Mom smiled, it makes me happy when she smiles, I don't get to see it often.

"I sure am" I laugh, and help her up to her bedroom, laying her down in her bed. After getting her soup and putting on her favourite TV programme, I sit down next to her. "Mom, we need to talk, about...this"

"Its fine Jade, I don't want to talk about it" She stared into her soup

"I'm going to tell my... friend, Tori, her dad's a cop and he can help mom, he can move all of us out of this shit hole and we can move on! Alice didn't go to school today, she hasn't eaten all day and she just sat in her room and listened to you two fight, you can't stop me from helping okay?" I say, reaching out and taking her hand, A tear drop falls onto her bowl

"You can't, you just...cant" Mom cried "Please"

"But..." I try

"Don't jade. Stop" She shouted, and took her hand away from mine, completely looking away from me "your father is a good man, Jade"

"I'm taking Alice out to the diner" I say, bitterly and stand up, I get up and go into my room, Alice is on the bed, her face concentrating on the picture she's colouring.

"Come on princess, were going to dinner!" I shout and she hopped up excitedly, leaping onto my back.

"Wait! Let me get Mr fluffy!" she jumps off, goes into her room and retrieves a small bunny toy; I gave to her when she was born. We both got in my car and drove to the diner, ordering the same we do every time, and paying with my credit card, like we do, every time. On Sundays and Mondays I work across town in a small mall in a shop selling fruit, it's not the best money, but it helps.

"How was school Jadey?" Alice asks, shoving another chip into her mouth.

"It was good, I got the lead in a play! You can come and see it if you want, it should be sometime next week! You can hang out back stage and then you can go and watch it, what do you say?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" She grinned, jumping up and down.

"Cat's in it too, and my boyfriend, Beck"

"Why haven't I met beck yet, jade?"

"Um...Well I don't like bringing him home much, I don't think he'd like it if he saw Mommy and Daddy fighting, but you'll get to meet him before the play, you'll love him"

"Is he handsome?"

"Very" She grinned and nodded, trying to picture him

"I'm tired Jade" She yawned, so I paid, and picked her up, carrying her like she was a baby, sitting her gently in her car seat. I put the Disney CD in and played her favorite song 'part of your world' from the little mermaid, and as I looked in the car mirror, I saw her sleep, cuddling tightly onto her teddy and snoring gently. As I pulled in the drive, I realized Dad's car was there too and I started to shake as I heard shouts coming from the house. I picked Alice up and turned the key in the door, just before I heard Mom scream.