I ran to the front door expecting it to be unlocked, but the tight doorknob immediately set something off in my head. Mom was always home before me, especially since my carpool was always twenty minutes late. I pulled out the emergency key and unlocked the door then walked inside.

The second I stepped into the house the phone rang, it was as if I stepped on a button. I carefully stood up on my toes and grabbed the phone giving a tiny hello in the receiver. "yes, is there an adult around?" the mans voice on the other end asked. "um no, my mom is out." the man's voice changed from alarm to panic, "is your mothers name Nichelle Andrews?" 'yes." I whispered, I knew something was wrong."well honey there has been an accident...her car was smashed by another car, she was killed instantly." his voice sounded full of sorrow now.

"well what about my brother?" I asked, terrified he shared the same fate as my mom. "he..um died too." his voice didn't sound too convincing but I didn't dare question him.

"do you have a father?"

"no..he left two years ago" I didn't know my dad that well, he was always gone even before he left. "well sweetie, somebody will be over to pick you up and take you to a foster home. Pack things you want and stay at your house." then the line went dead.

I woke up from my dream and stood up from my bed and ran downstairs to start on my chores, tomorrow was my birthday then I was gone.

"Spencer do you know how to mop a floor?" Hallie screamed the second she saw me. "yes I do." I said, it was the wrong thing to do. She immediately began attacking me, don't fight back it'll just get worse if you fight back, I reminded myself over and over again while she started hitting the back of my legs with the broom handle I was once holding to sweep the floor.

"no wonder your father left your sorry ass and your mother killed herself, you're a pathetic excuse for a person, nobody will ever love you." she boomed and she finished beating me.

No no no, that was not true, my mom loved me and did not kill herself, it was an accident! And if she would have killed herself she wouldn't have dared take jack with her. Her words really crawled under my skin.

"No!" I screamed and ran up to my room with her closely behind, I grabbed my brown sack I kept my cherished items. She was in the doorway when I came at her full speed and pushed her down the stairs and jumped over her as she toppled down. "you whore!" she screeched I ran for the front door and ran up the street until I heard her yell from their house "fine you bitch leave you wont survive anyways!"

I did it, I escaped her grasp and now I was free. Then reality hit me I was alone, with no money, no food, and no shelter. I wandered into the city, with no idea where I was suppose to go I let me feet take me where they wanted to go.

Hours went by and I became tired and hungry but I continued to walk until I spotted a park then dragged myself over to the swings to take a break. I looked at the 'artwork' of past swingers on the pole next to me. I chuckled at some pictures or sayings then I stopped breathing for a moment.

This couldn't be true could it?

I looked towards the bottom of the pole again I saw it, two sloppy names floating above two stick figures, one with a ball next to it's feet the other was in a tutu on her toes. I got down on my knees to examine further, "Spencer and Jack Andrews 8/15/95" I read to myself with a smile. That was carved two months before the accident, when we feared nothing and everything was our playground.

I stood up and walked behind the playground to the soccer field where I attended so many games to cheer on my brother. I hadn't been to the town of Lutherville in thirteen years, I still was in shock I had walked this far. Images of him danced behind my closed eyelids.

"Whatcha looking at?" a voice asked that caused me to jump three feet into the air. "the field" I answered rather embarrassed by my response. I turned around to look at the mystery man and I couldn't believe it. This boy looked just like my brother except thirteen years older. He had the same big dark chocolate eyes, large nose, dark hair, and lanky body. It was if my dream was becoming reality and he never left me in the first place.

"Jack?" I whispered still in awe of this...angel. He rolled his eyes slightly "what do you want signed?" he asked putting on a clearly fake smile.

Signed?

Was this boy some sort of celebrity?

"nothing?" I said in more of a question then a statement. "then do you want a picture? A phone call? Anything?" he asked amazed by my lack of attention he expected. I simply shook my head no which obviously boggled his mind, "wow..you're the first fan Ive met who hasn't asked for anything!" he emphasized anything.

"fan?" I was getting more confused by the second.

His cheeks turned red and the look on his face was similar to a child's who had just gotten a answer wrong in front of the entire class. "sorry..you just knew my name and I assumed you knew about my band" he was now looking down at the grass we were standing on.

Then I realized his name was Jack... could he actually be my brother? "have you ever met a girl named Spencer?" I asked, assuming he wouldn't recognize me since I was twenty pounds underweight, had scratches and bruises covering my body and I wasn't five.

He thought about it for a moment then mumbled my name a few times as if he might have known someone by the name but couldn't place where. "no I don't believe I have." he admitted. "well whats your last name?" I quizzed again hoping he would give me the answer I was looking for. "Barakat" he stated. I felt defeated, this boy was in fact not my brother.

"oh" I whispered looking off in the distance, I could feel the tears threating to spill and the gathered at the brim of my eyes. "I'm sorry..." his voice was full of sorrow, I felt his large hand place itself on my back. I had a feeling he knew my story with the way he looked at me. I gave him a weak smile, brushed his hand off and began walking back towards the playground.

"Spencer" he called out and jogged towards me. I sighed and came to a halt to wait for him. "I know you barely know me but you look tired and famished, why don't you come over to my house for a little bit?" I would have objected, I didn't want to be around this boy who reminded me so much of my beloved brother but I was starving. I gave him a nod and began following him down the familiar streets.

We arrived at a house that looked similar to others on other roads. We walked in and Jack introduced me to his mother. She looked as if she knew me then brushed it off and acted like she has never seen me before. We flew down a flight of stairs into the basement.

Then I saw him, Alexander William Gaskarth.

He and my brother had been the best of friends, he was even on Jack's soccer team. I gasped at the sight of the old friend, my noise caused him to glance in my direction. He took a double take then his eyes popped out of their socket.

He walked over to me cautiously as if I were a mirage. "Alex, this is Spencer. Spencer, this is Alex." Jack introduced then left them room. The simple name sent shivers down my spine.

"Spencer..." Alex whispered then reached out to touch my to make sure I was real. I stood there dumbfounded, all I could do was nod. "does...does Jack know who you are?" he asked with amazement in his voice. I cocked my head to the side as if I were a confused puppy. "that isn't my brother." I replied coldly. "Spencer...he is"