Ineta woke up and instantly knew that she didn't want to go to school. There was no way that she could face Thea and the other girls again. She just wanted to run away and disappear. She was sure that no one would notice. She was literally invisible in the house.

At first, she and Amy got on well but then they started to fight. It was probably because they were starting to act more like sisters. She did like Amy but she was a little diva which annoyed Ineta, she also always got in the way and was taking her dad away from her.

Ineta snuck down the stairs still with her pyjamas on. She put her dressing gown on top of her pyjamas and sat on the sofa. She leant to the side and watched the TV.

She noticed Roxy walk in and knew that she hadn't seen her. Ineta hadn't really bonded at all with Roxy and she wasn't really keen on her. Ineta felt like she just got in the way and knew that Roxy didn't like her.

Roxy turned around and shouted on Amy.

"Amy! It's PE today, get your bag" Roxy shouted as she picked up toys and letters from the table.

Amy came running down the stairs and dived onto the sofa to reach behind Ineta to get her gym bag.

"Ow, I'm not a tree" Ineta shouted as Amy tried to climb over her. She pushed the girl off her.

"Get off, you stupid girl" Ineta muttered under her breath but still loud enough for Amy to hear her.

"I need my PE kit" Amy said to Ineta and the girl leant over and flung the bag at the little girl

Roxy stepped in to catch it.

"Oi! What's the matter with you?" Roxy asked.

"She called me stupid" Amy complained as she grabbed her gym bag from her mum's hand.

"Yeah? And what's she done to you?" Roxy asked looking at Ineta. "And why aren't you dressed for school?"

"Because I'm not going" Ineta said with a bit of an attitude on her.

"I think you'll find you are, madam. You, go get your coat" She said addressing Amy at the end.

Just then the door opened and Aleks walked in.

"I have just spent the whole night at A and E, my arm hurts and I come home to shouting" Aleks complains as he walks in.

"She's picking on Amy" Roxy said and Ineta sighed. She didn't understand what Roxy had against her.

"Oh, thanks for your sympathy" Aleks said. "Why are you not dressed for school?"

"I feel ill, Dad. My tummy hurts" She said. She knew it was bad to lie but she really couldn't go to school today.

"You're poorly?" Aleks said going to sit down next to Ineta "Why didn't you tell me that?"

He looked over to Roxy who was sighing.

"Come here" He said putting his hand on her head. Roxy knew that the girl was lying. She used to pull that one on her dad all the time when she was younger.

"Oh, no, you don't go to school. You stay right here" Aleks said as he walked out the room. "I'm going to get you some medicine"

"I know you're lying" Roxy said leaning forward towards the girl. Ineta just looked at her before avoiding eye contact and turning around to continue watching the TV.

Roxy stormed out the room to take Amy to school leaving Ineta by herself. She sat in the living room for a bit before realising that she needed to go and get changed.

Aleks had texted Roxy telling her to get medicine for Ineta. Once Ineta was ready, she decided that it was too boring inside by herself so decided to head to the café for a drink.

She walked in and quickly found a seat and just sat watching everything. She got some toast to eat and sat in silence. She got a fright when Roxy walked in for a coffee.

Roxy turned around and noticed Ineta. She sighed before walking over to the girl. She really didn't know what was going on with her.

"How's your stomach? Is it better" Roxy asked snidely.

"I was hungry" Ineta said back. She really didn't like it when Roxy spoke to her like that.

"Your dad has had me out buying medicine for you" Roxy said. "Now you might fool him, but you don't feel me"

"Leave me alone" Ineta shouted before storming out the room. Roxy was surprised that the girl had flipped at her like that. It certainly wasn't like Ineta and it caused Roxy angry to change to worry. She knew that the girl was hiding something from her.

The girl stormed passed her and out the café. It took Roxy a moment to realise what had just happened before she ran after her.

Roxy arrived at the house and walked into the living room. She noticed Ineta had been crying and this worried her even more. Roxy had never see Ineta cry before so she knew that something must be wrong. She was also relieved that the girl had gone home. She came speeding around the corner and sighed a sigh of relieve that the girl was there even if she was upset.

"Ineta, look please…" Roxy said as she sat in front of the girl.

"Just tell me what…" Roxy said as she went to lean forward to hold the girl's hand. The girl flinched and hide her arm.

"I told you to leave me alone" Ineta said looking down.

"Ineta, you do know that you can talk to me?" Roxy said and Ineta didn't move her head.

"I'm sorry that I haven't been very supportive but I promise you that I am here for you. Anything you want to talk about you can. I know that a lot of things are going on when you are this age and sometimes you can't really speak to your dad about them. And well I want you to know that I am here for you" Roxy said and Ineta smiled looking up at Roxy slowly.

"Now, your arm" Roxy said looking down at the girl cradling her arm.

"Please, let me have a look. Come on" Roxy said as she gently unfolded the girl's arm.

"Show me" Roxy said as she held the girl's arm in her hand. Ineta froze and allowed Roxy to roll up her sleeves revealing two very large bruises.

Roxy was shocked, she couldn't believe that the girl had been hiding this. Their eyes met for a moment before Ineta broke the contact and looked down again.

Ineta didn't look like she was going to say anymore. Roxy sighed and walked away.

"Do you want a hot chocolate?" Roxy asked and Ineta nodded.

Roxy went into the kitchen and made herself a coffee and Ineta a hot chocolate. She took it through to the living room and handed it to Ineta.

The girl was sitting nervously on the sofa. She wasn't lying down like she had previously been. Roxy sat down next to the girl.

"You know you don't have to talk to me if you don't want to" Roxy said looking at Ineta. "I can't force you to tell me where you got that bruise although they don't just appear like magic"

Ineta looked at Roxy. She really wanted to tell Roxy but she couldn't. She knew that it would get her into trouble and she really didn't want Roxy to send her away.

"But it's fine – I won't say another word" Roxy said. Ineta looked down.

"Thank you" She said relieved that Roxy was going to leave the issue alone. Roxy smiled at the girl's manners.

"On one condition" Roxy said. "Get your coat"

Roxy knew that she needed to do something to get the girl to trust her. She really wanted to know what was going on with this girl. Ineta looked up at Roxy and sighed.

"Come on" Roxy said and Ineta sighed. They got their jackets on and headed to the shops.

"Come on, what do you want?" Roxy asked as they entered the shop.

"You can buy whatever you want. We can go clothes shopping if you want" Roxy said.

"Can I get some more of these?" Ineta asked holding up the loom bands.

"Fine then" Roxy said and they bought them.

"Are you sure you don't want to go clothes shopping" Roxy asked and Ineta shook her head.

"Okay, then let's head back home" Roxy said.

They arrived back home and sat down on the ground making loom bands.

"Come on" Roxy said getting frustrated at the bands.

"Can you remind me again why we didn't just go clothes shopping" Roxy said and Ineta smiled. Before she even had time to say another word Roxy was speaking again.

"Cos Amy tries to get me to do these the whole time and they're just so fiddly" Roxy complained and Ineta watched her step mum carefully.

"But they're so easy!" Ineta said laughing at how her step mum found this so difficult.

"Have you seen my sausage fingers? Look" She said holding her hand up and Ineta laughed.

"Is it that boy? Is he calling you names again?" Roxy asked. She just couldn't help herself. She really wanted to know what had happened to Ineta. She just wanted the girl to tell her. Roxy could feel Ineta starting to get more comfortable with her.

"Is it PE?" Roxy asked knowing just how horrible it could be. She thought that maybe something had happened with the girls during PE. She knew how mean some of the girls Ineta's age could be.

"Cos you know, I actually used to get winded just thinking about PE" Roxy said. She could sense the girl started to close off from her again but she really wanted to help her.

"Thinking about cross-country, I did" Roxy said and Ineta looked forward. She was desperate to tell someone what had happened but she didn't want Roxy to get angry with her.

"Sorry, okay – I said I wouldn't say anything" Roxy said. "Right, I guess I'm just trying to say, I know I'm not your mum, but you can talk to me, you know"

Roxy realised that she really needed to be there for the girl. She was at a very difficult age where she needed a female figure in her life and Roxy was the only person Ineta could rely on to do that role. Roxy sighed as she noticed Ineta turned away again. She really wasn't going to break.

Roxy started getting up. She started walking out the room.

Ineta was ready to crack. She had to tell Roxy.

"It's this girl" She said and Roxy stopped turning around and walking towards the girl.

"Thea" Ineta said.

"Is she bullying you?" Roxy asked leaning down onto the sofa.

"No, it's not like that" Ineta said. Roxy sighed and kneeled down slightly. She grabbed the phone unsure as to what Ineta was meaning. Surely the girl was bullying her and Ineta just won't admit it.

"Right – I'm calling your school" Roxy said and Ineta sighed.

"Please don't" Ineta begged. "It was me. I hit her"

Roxy sighed and rolled her eyes slightly. She couldn't believe this little girl but was sure that there was more to the story.

"Come here" Roxy said as she encouraged Ineta onto the sofa. The girl sat up.

"So what happened?" Roxy asked.

"She pushed me over and was being mean to me so I punched her in the mouth" Ineta said.

"Right let me get this straight" Roxy said. "She pushed you over"

Ineta nodded.

"Then she grabbed me and wouldn't let me go" Ineta explained.

"And so you punched her in the mouth?" Roxy asked and Ineta nodded. Roxy was slightly surprised. She hadn't expected Ineta to do something like that.

Ineta was trying not to smile. She was slightly nervous as to how Roxy would react.

"What did the teacher say?" Roxy asked.

"No-one else knows" Ineta said.

"Right well, if that Thea was my daughter, I would sort her out" Roxy said.

"I've seen her mum. She's scary" Ineta said.

"Please. Look, you did the right thing. You stuck up for yourself" Roxy said. In all honesty she would have done the exact same thing. Ineta nodded holding her head high.

"Although remember "hitting is wrong" so no matter how tempting it might be but you've got to be the bigger person" Roxy said realising that she needed to be the adult here.

"But you lose your temper all the time" Ineta said.

"No, I don't" Roxy said and Ineta laughed. Roxy could be very moody when she wanted to be.

Ineta smiled. She felt so much better now that she had spoken to Roxy about it all.

"Look, if it happens again, you come and you tell me" Roxy said. "I will deal with it, okay?"

Ineta nodded. She realised that she could know speak to Roxy if she ever had a problem.

They sat together for a bit longer before Roxy got some work down and Ineta played with the loom bands.

Soon it was time to go and collect Amy and Ineta wanted to go with Roxy. Roxy was glad as she didn't want to leave the girl alone.

"Ineta, get a wiggle on. We're going to be late to pick up Amy" Roxy shouted as she walked out the house on her phone.

"Oi, are you Ineta's mother" A woman said coming storming up towards Roxy.

"Sorry, do I sound Latvian? Who are you?" Roxy asked checking behind her to see that Ineta was there.

"I'm Thea's mum" She said. Ineta snuck behind Roxy for security.

"See you – touch my daughter again and I'll smack you myself" She said. Roxy was shocked as to how she had just spoken to the girl.

"Oi, oi, oi, oi!" Roxy shouted. "What's the matter with you, threatening a little girl?"

Roxy couldn't believe the way that she had just spoken to Ineta. She became very protective of the girl.

"She may look like an angel but she's poison inside" She said.

"Yeah? Really? What about your Thea? Although I can see the apple don't fall far from the tree, does it?" Roxy asked. This woman could not speak about her step daughter like that and get away with it.

"At least my daughter ain't a bully" She said.

"Yes, she is. Ineta was sticking up for herself" Roxy shouted. She couldn't deal with this woman bad mouthing the girl anymore.

"You wanna teach her some manners. They obviously don't teach them that wherever she come from" The woman said. Roxy couldn't believe what she had just heard. She checked that Ineta was okay behind her before launching forward and punching the woman. She was really doing her nut in.

Ineta was shocked. She couldn't believe that Roxy had just done that.

"They didn't teach me any manners either" Roxy shouted down at the woman before storming off.

Ineta ran after her linking her arm through Roxy's.

"You're alright – you're not that bad" Ineta said and Roxy smiled down at the girl. From that moment on, Ineta knew that she could speak to Roxy about anything.

They walked all the way to Amy's school and chatted happily as they walked.

"I can't believe you punched her mum. Everyone is going to think you are so cool" Ineta said and Roxy smiled.

"Do you think I'm cool?" Roxy asked. Ineta shrugged.

"Maybe" Ineta said smirking. Roxy knew that it was a yes but the girl just wouldn't admit it. Roxy smiled.

They arrived back at the house and Amy went up the stairs to finish getting ready.

"Do you have any homework?" Roxy asked and Ineta nodded.

"Go and get it" Roxy said and Ineta nodded running up the stairs to get her work. She came back down the stairs to do the homework. Amy sat next to her and did her's as well.

"Are you feeling better now?" Amy asked and Ineta nodded.

"I bet you weren't really ill" Amy said and Ineta nervously looked at Roxy.

"Amy, will you leave Ineta alone. She is fine now" Roxy said as she walked over to the girl's and put her hand on Ineta's shoulder. She watched what the girls were doing for a while before going off to make tea.

While Roxy was making the tea, Aleks walked in from work.

"Is Ineta better?" Aleks asked and Roxy nodded.

"She wasn't ill" Roxy said.

"What do you mean? She wouldn't lie to me" Aleks said.

"We had a little talk and it was a bit of drama with another girl" Roxy said. She didn't want to tell Aleks in case Ineta didn't want him to know.

"What happened?" Aleks asked.

"You can ask her if you want. She took long enough to tell me" Roxy said. She finished making tea and called the girls though. They could eat it on the breakfast bar. Both girls came running through and sat up at the bar. They grabbed their food and started eating.

"So Ineta, what happened today? Roxy said you weren't ill" Aleks said and Ineta looked up at Roxy. She had trusted her.

"Hey, I just said that there was something going on and we dealt with it" Roxy said.

"Do you want to tell me?" Aleks asked and Ineta shook her head.

"It doesn't matter, I told Roxy" Ineta said and Roxy smiled.

"Okay, but" Aleks said.

"Dad, stop it. It was just a fight between me and a girl" Ineta said before looking down. She was getting annoyed at her dad.

Roxy walked over to the girl and rubbed her back before mouthing to Aleks to leave her alone.

After the girls had eaten, they started getting ready for bed. Roxy bathed Amy and then Ineta went for a shower. She came down the stairs with her wet hair and pyjamas on.

"Shall we watch a film?" Roxy asked and Ineta smiled.

"Come on, I'll put Amy to bed while you choose one" Roxy said and Ineta nodded and smiled. She looked at all the films that Roxy had and found The proposal which looked quite good.

She sat back and waited until Roxy was back. Roxy came down the stairs and sat on the sofa.

"So what are we watching?" Roxy asked.

"The proposal" Ineta said and Roxy nodded.

"Are you okay about going back to school tomorrow?" Roxy asked and Ineta nodded but Roxy wasn't completely sure.

"Sweetie, I want you to promise to tell me if something happens like this again" Roxy said and Ineta nodded.

"I know I can speak to you now" Ineta said quietly.

"Good girl" Roxy said before pulling the girl into her arms. She cuddled up with the girl as they watched the film. They both found it very funny but Roxy did find it slightly inappropriate to be watching it with the young girl.

Luckily Ineta wasn't like Amy and didn't ask a lot of questions, Roxy guessed it was because she knew what most of it meant.

Once the film ended, Ineta went up to bed.

"You have been so brave, Ineta but please don't hold it in. I want you to speak to me about anything that is worrying you, okay?" Roxy said and Ineta nodded before giving Roxy a hug and going up to bed.

Hope this is okay :) Please review and tell me what you think :) Would love some reviews! I think it is just going to be a one shot unless people want to hear more or have any ideas as to how I could continue this :)