"Sheri! Hello" sue said standing up from her crouched position on the grass. She eyed kendall and his shabby looking appearance with an amused eye.
"Hi" I replied quietly to her, feeling incredibly shy.
"Can I get you a drink?" She smiled looking at Kendall as he neared death by exhaustion at her feet.
"That would be amazing! Thank you" Kendall replied.
Janice, Kendall and I followed sue in to her home. The kitchen was nice. expensive looking oak cabinets furnished most of the walls. Black shiny tiles sparkled on the floor.
It was lovely to not see beer cans and crap all over the place like at my old home.
I sat down at the larger than average dining table. Kendall helped me. Taking my crutches for me as I sat.
"What can I get you to drink?" Sue asked.
"Just water thanks" Kendall replied looking like he would drink out of a puddle if he had to, he was so thirsty.
"Sheri?" Sue asked me.
"Water will be lovely thank you" I replied.
Kendall sat next to me. The little girl from the front garden ran in to the house.
"Are you Sheri?" She questioned me, placing her little elbows on the table top.
"I am Sheri" I smiled at her. Her hair was as black as night. She had a curious look on her face.
"What's your name?" Kendall asked the little girl.
"Phoebe" the little girl answered. She didn't have an ounce of shyness about her.
"How old are you Phoebe?" Kendall then asked.
"4. How old are you?" She asked him.
"17" Kendall replied.
Phoebe raised her eyebrows on hearing Kendalls ancient age compared to her tender years. "Did your daddy do that?" She asked him, poking her finger in to one of the fading bruises on his face.
"No my daddy didn't do this." He replied softly.
"You have a big nose!" she then told Kendall.
I had a little chuckle at his expense.
"Phoebe don't be so rude please! Go and wash your hands and you can have a snack" sue said to her.
Phoebe gave Kendall a smile then walked out of the kitchen. Sue delivered our glasses of water.
"Sorry about her she doesn't know when to shush sometimes" Sue said to Kendall.
"It's fine" he chuckled.
"Are you looking after Phoebe too?" I asked.
Sue gave me a smile. "Yes... yes Phoebe comes from a background not so different to yours im afraid. she has been here for 3 weeks. I also have Helen who has been here for a week. She keeps herself to herself though" sue replied.
I nodded. I hadn't thought that other children might be here.
"Who is this then?" Sue asked looking at Kendall who had finished his glass of water already, after running 12 miles to catch up with me.
"This is Kendall" I explained. "Logan... well... Logan won't be around anymore" I said and looked at the table.
"Well as long as you have one person to make you smile... that's all you need" sue replied.
I looked at Kendall and smiled. I saw his cheeks flush red.
"Is that all the belongings you have Sheri?" Sue then asked looking at the plastic bag that Janice had brought in with her.
"For now... the rest is in LA or at my dad's" I replied.
"Well if there is anything that you need just ask. Help yourself to snacks in the fridge... did you want to see your room?" Sue then asked.
"Yeah that would be great" I replied, feeling nervous.
"Sheri if you feel okay here I'm going to leave you to it... is that okay?" Janice asked.
I nodded. "I will be fine... thank you Janice. You have been brilliant!" I said honestly.
"My pleasure sweetheart. You have my number if you need me. I will be in touch daily." She replied. "Oh this is for your friend to get back to his hotel... can't believe he ran 12 miles!" she said with a smile handing me twenty dollars cab money for Kendall.
"Thank you Janice! That's too kind of you" I said smiling at Kendall.
"See you soon.. take care" she said. Sue saw Janice out, Phoebe then came back in to the kitchen and grabbed my hand.
"I will show you your room. It's next to mine!" She said in her little cherub like voice.
I felt sorry for this little girl if she has been through similar things to what I had.
"Can my friend come too?" I asked her.
Phoebe looked up at Kendall. She gave him a real hard look before deciding. "Sure!" She eventually said.
I saw sue still chatting to Janice on the door step. Phoebe pulled me up the stairs, which was no easy task with a broken bone. She pointed in to her room which was a complete mess. Toys scattered about every where.
"This one is yours." She said going in and jumping on my bed.
The room was nice. It was big. The walls were a very light green colour. There was a crisp white bedspread waiting for me and a selection of nice pictures on the walls. There was a small bedside cabinet and a matching set of drawers in the same oak color as the kitchen cupboards had been.
"It's nice huh" Kendall said to me.
I nodded as I took in my new surroundings.
"Phoebe get off that bed!" Sue nagged as she walked in to the room with us. "If you need anything, just let me know. Just one rule! when boys are around... the door stays open!" Sue said with a smile looking at Kendall.
"no problem" I replied.
"Phoebe, come on! Let Sheri settle in then you can play with her later maybe" sue said holding her hand out for the little girl.
"Bye, big nose" Phoebe said chuckling to Kendall as she walked passed.
Kendall poked his tongue out at her.
I sat on the bed once they had gone.
"How you feeling?" Kendall said trying to sum up my thoughts.
"Erm... bizarrely okay" I said with a smile. "These people are so nice Kendall"
"They are really nice. I wasn't sure how I would feel leaving you here but I think I can go away feeling happy you are safe" he replied.
I looked at him, his green eyes looked stunning. "I wish I could just stay here forever. I don't want to be moved around all over the place" I said looking out to the large back garden.
"I wish you could come back to LA still. I'm going to miss you when I go back" he replied. "The show airs in a couple of days. I'm going to have to head back for publicity shit"
"It's not shit Kendall. It's a shame things aren't different but I know we can cope with this. I am going to miss you though... heaps" I said reaching for his hand.
Kendall smiled at me. This was our first contact on us being... I didn't even know what we were to be honest. I could feel the electricity once again though.
"I don't know about you, but a hug sounds good about now" Kendall said looking at our hands.
I leaned over and hugged him. The smell of his hair so lovely. compared to the rest of him at least.
"Why the hell did you sing that song huh?" I asked.
"It felt like the right thing to do." He replied.
"Where do we go from here Kendall?" I asked, rubbing his face with my thumb. He needed to shave. His stubble scratching at my skin.
"We get to know each other again." he replied enjoying my touch. Moving his face toward my hand
"But how do we do that if im here and you are in LA?" I asked.
"I'm not sure Sheri, but I know I'm going to enjoy finding out. Long distance doesn't bother me... how do you feel about it?" He asked.
"I feel... I'm not sure. I feel like it's going to be tough... I guess we just make the most of being together when we can" I said feeling emotional.
"Don't get upset Sheri. Everything is gonna be great! Let's face facts; a distance between us is the smallest problem either of us has had to face compared to everything else that's been going on" Kendall said with a reassuring smile.
"Yeah your right. I know your right. Kendall... what are we? I mean I want us to be more than friends but I don't feel it's right to go back to how we were" I tried to explain. I looked at the brightness of the white bed cover, not wanting to make awkward eye contact with him.
"I'm not sure either. I want to be yours; you know! I want to know that your mine... I'm scared stiff that if im not clear on that then maslow is going to come along and sweep you off your feet." He said with a nervous chuckle.
I shook my head. "James is lovely and I'm probably stupid to not make a go of things with him but he is too perfect. I don't feel I can ever be good enough for James... I'm comfier just being his friend" I said honestly.
Kendall smiled at me as he looked up from his hands. "Not sure if I should take offence to that."
"Well we both know your not perfect Kendall but it doesn't mean I can't love you... I do love you, I meant what I said last night" I replied looking in to his perfect green eyes.
Kendalls smile widened. "I love you too... so James can be told we are more than friends!?" He asked.
I giggled. "Yes James can be told we are more than friends; but Kendall this time I need-"
"I know! You don't have to say anything... I know Sheri" he interrupted.
I searched his face. "Thank you Kendall... you sure your okay yeah? You look terrible"
"I'm fine. I'm going to have to get going soon though I need to have my insulin" he replied.
"I think I have a play date with a 4 year old any way... you will need this though..." I said rummaging through my carrier bag and giving Kendall his cell charger back. "And this" I said giving him the twenty dollars that was in my pocket.
"That was really nice of her... really didn't fancy the long walk home!" He chuckled.
Kendall put the charger and the money in his pocket. "I will try and get the car going again. Come back and see you later?" He said.
"I would love that! Maybe we could go out? I'm so sick of being indoors. Just a walk through the park or something, I'm not really in the right state to do anything too crazy" I smiled.
"It's a date... for just more than friends!" Kendall chuckled.
"Can't wait!" I replied.
"Did you want me to help you down stairs?" He then asked.
"No I will stay up here, if you help me down then I will need more help getting back up here" I explained. "I might just hang in here for a bit anyway" I said looking around the room.
Kendall nodded. "Maybe get some rest! You were up late and you need to get 100% again" he said sternly, drumming it in to me that I need to take it easy.
"You be okay seeing yourself out?" I asked.
"I will be fine... your phone battery okay? I will charge mine and bring the charger back later" Kendall said.
"I have half left" I replied.
"Okay... well... I guess I will see you later then?!" Kendall said taking my hand in his.
"I guess so" I smiled, not entirely sure what to do.
Kendall took the awkwardness out and gave me a hug. "Call me if you need me!" He said in to my ear.
I pulled out from his hug and ran my hand along his face once more. "Your not perfect Kendall but your perfect for me" I said.
He smiled and kissed my cheek. "I'm happy with that!" He replied. "Have a lay down... I will tell the nose obsessed girl to leave you alone for a bit on my way out" he chuckled.
"Thanks... see you soon. Don't forget to take your meds" I reminded him.
Kendall gave my hand a little squeeze then left my room clicking the door shut behind him.
I let out a big sigh as I flopped my body down on to the bed. I stared up at the ceiling. It didn't take long before my eyes wanted to close.
My consciousness came back to me with a rustling sound. I couldn't figure it out at first.
I was drowsy and not properly awake, but I opened my eyes to see a blonde haired girl in my light green bedroom.
I sat up, not really knowing what to do or say. She was blatantly going through by bag. "What are you doing?!" I asked in a croaky voice.
The girl turned and looked at me. "What does it fucking look like I'm doin!" She answered back, then emptied the contents of my carrier bag out on to the bedroom floor.
I saw her pocket a bracelet that Logan had once given me for my birthday.
"Hey! That's mine" I said not quite believing my eyes.
"Mine now!" Said the blonde, she had a sour look on her face.
I sat up swinging my legs around from the bed. "I don't think you're understanding me! Give me back my bracelet!" I said through gritted teeth.
The blonde stood up, she was skinny, around 14 or 15 years of age, but had a hard look on her face. Her blue steel eyes bore deep in to me. She walked over to where I sat defenseless on the bed with my visible injuries.
"I don't think you understand!" She hissed at me then pushed her foot in to my cast, bending my foot back in to the bed.
I cried out in pain but she wasn't about to stop.
The blonde put her face right in to mine. "Your gonna wish you had never come here!" She replied as she jabbed a finger in to my ribs.
My eyes winced at my pain. "Fuck you!" I said slapping her hand away from me. "I get beaten up for most of my fucking life, I come here and get you! You piece of shit; up in my face!" I snapped, pushing her back and standing up best I could on one foot.
She was tall for a girl of her age. Bigger than me. But she wasn't used to people standing up to her.
"Oh you got the balls huh?!" Blondie spat back.
"Fucking try me!" I replied limping towards her. My heart was beating so fast. Never had I acted like this.
"I'm gonna fuck you up!" The bitch yelled at me then smacked me in the cheek with a thump. I fell back on to the bed with this crazy bitch on me.
She was right though, she was going to fuck me up. She currently had her knees on my chest, I couldn't breath through the pain of my ribs as she yanked at my hair.
"What is- HELEN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" I heard the frantic voice of sue, as she entered the room wondering what the noise was.
Sue managed to get the blonde bitch off of me. I heaved in deep breaths. As the shock of what just happened sunk in.
"What the hell is going on in here?!" Sue demanded.
"I woke up to find her stealing my things!" I said rubbing my chest, staring daggers at the girl.
Sue held her hand out to the girl. "Give it back, Helen!" She said sternly.
The girl named Helen reluctantly handed my bracelet to sue. Then my cell phone came out of her back pocket and also got handed over.
My eyes narrowed. "You thieving fucking bitch!" I said to Helen.
"ER.. SHERI!" Sue snapped. "I won't have that language in my home"
Sue handed me my belongings. "I suggest you two get to know one another or you will be making your lives completely miserable if your going to be hating on each other" sue said. "Helen this is Sheri. Please make an effort you never know you could be friends" she said sounding exhausted.
I glared at Helen as I caught my breath from being attacked.
"I want you two to sort this out... Helen tidy that mess away!" Sue said pointing to the contents of my bag.
Sue then left the room, although I didn't hear her footsteps go far. I wanted her to know I was trying. Sue was nice, so I thought I would make the first move.
"Your Helen then?" I asked the blonde.
"What's it to you" she spat back as she chucked my things back in my carrier bag.
I shrugged. "How come your here then? What did your parents do to you?" I asked nervously.
Helen looked up to me. "What makes you think it was my parents?" She asked.
"It's always the parents that screw their kids life up" I replied honestly.
Helen sat on the carpet with a sigh. "That's true, but my mom didn't do anything really. She just left me"
"I wouldn't call her leaving you; not doing anything. Did she run off with a guy?" I asked wondering if her story was similar to mine.
"no she died of cancer" Helen replied.
I gulped down my saliva. "I'm sorry"
Helen shrugged. "It was years ago. I didn't cope too well, the people that take me in don't seem to cope too well either." She explained.
"You have a slight temper?" I said with a smile, trying to not accuse.
Helen returned my smile. "You noticed then?" She laughed. It was then I heard Sue's footsteps walk away from the landing outside my room. "What about you? Why are you all beat up?"
"I got sacked from a tv show in LA, came home to my abusive dad, he beat me up, I stole his car... this is the result" I replied.
"Yeah right! A tv show in LA.. bollocks!" Helen replied.
"It's true... look" I said finding a clip for the premier of big time rush on YouTube, on my cell. I found it and let her watch it.
"Holy shit! That is you!" She replied looking at me in the brief clip on my phone.
I smiled. "That one there is my boyfriend" I boasted pointing at Kendall.
Helen looked suitably impressed. "Your lucky! My boyfriend broke up with me. Got fed up with the hassle of me moving around. It wasn't just him; my friends soon followed." She said sounding depressed.
"Kendall loves me, I don't think we would break up because I was in care... same goes for my friends" I said thinking of Logan and James... heck even Carlos checks in with a text once a day.
"I hope so" Helen replied. "Sorry about hurting you" she added. "You never know who your going to get placed with, it's always better to be known as the one to be frightened of or they will drag you down"
"Well im pretty harmless" I confirmed.
Helen just looked me over, assessing if I was telling the truth.
"How old are you?" She asked.
"16, you?" I replied
"16" she answered with a smile. "I'm going to the skate park later to hang out... there is this guy I like, did you want to come with me?" She asked.
"I have a date with Kendall... maybe another time?" I replied.
"Sure sure... well sorry about the bracelet and shit" she said.
I nodded, "it's fine honestly.. I get why you did it. But I'm not out to make anyone's life hard." I said honestly.
"You want me to carry one of those down for you... Sue is a cunt, but she makes really nice cakes... if you want one?" Helen said.
I raised my eyebrow at the thought of delightful sue ever being a cunt, I just couldn't see it. But the thought of some food sounded great. "That would be amazing... thanks" I replied.
For the first time ever in my life I sat in a pleasant kitchen, with Sue, Helen and Phoebe while we ate cakes and had a chat about our days.
It was the closest I had ever come to a family life, john was at work, he worked in an electricity plant a few miles from town.
Phoebe was adorable and Helen although was crude and obnoxious, she was nice. It wasn't her fault she had ended up the way she was.
I looked at sue and the look we shared was one of contentment. She was happy with her make shift family and so was I.
Helen and I played with Phoebe in the garden. I think I was bringing the normal person out of Helen as Phoebe had not played, or really spoken to her before. Phoebe was wary of people she was unsure of. I could tell she was unsure of Helen.
Come late afternoon my phone rang.
"Hey you!" I said answering to Kendall.
"Hi, Sheri, you sound cheery" he said sounding pretty cheery himself.
"Yeah its been a good day" I smiled away on the phone. Phoebe handed me a pretend cup of tea.
"I'm glad! Listen I've got the car in the garage but it's not looking good, I'm not going to be able to make it to you tonight but I promise tomorrow we will spend the entire day together... I promise. I love you... miss you heaps" he said.
I blushed slightly at his declaration of love. "It's fine, I told you that car was rubbish!" I laughed.
"Yeah I know, I've been looking online for something nicer... got to have a nice ride for my girl to sit in huh" he said. His smile so audible.
I blushed again. "I don't care about the car Kendall... as long as I sit next to you" I replied.
Kendall chuckled at my soppiness. "Everything okay there then?" He asked.
"Yeah... it's really good kendy..." I replied looking at Phoebe as she fed her doll a slice of cake. "..Really good" I added.
"Okay, I'm so pleased... I'm gonna let you go, coz I still have the God damn charger. Turn your cell off and call me before bed yeah?" He said.
"Okay... speak soon.. love you... miss you Kendall!" I said.
"Miss you more" he replied.
I hung the phone up and sighed.
"Lover boy not coming out to play then?" Helen asked.
I shook my head. "No his car is in the garage... he is coming tomorrow" I replied.
Helen looked to her feet as she sat on the immaculate lawn in sue and Johns garden. "That's how it always starts" she said.
"What starts?" I asked her.
"Being alone... just you wait, today it's the car not working, next week it's he didn't have time, week after that he will need some space" she said miserably.
"Kendall wouldn't do that. His car really is broken" I explained.
Helen gave me the look to say she had heard and seen all this a million times over.
It made me worry in the back of my mind. What if I did lose Kendall? Logan was practically gone now and James... well he knew nothing was ever going to happen with us. He could give up on me any time he pleased. I didn't want to be alone.
"Is it cool if I hang out at the skate park with you later?" I asked now having my time free.
Helen smiled. "Yeah sure" she replied.
I returned her smile. A back up plan was always a sensible idea. I couldn't survive on my own. And Helen was the kind of girl who would look out for me...
Author note: thanks to everyone who is reading. And thanks to guest, jenno2 oxybtrswag and sophie17 for the reviews on last chapter.
Thank you sophie17, lol yes James did have 4, I loved all those little maslow babies like my own, haha.
Jenno2, hump Logan like a bunny? WhAt?! haha! logan is a piece of fine ass. The more stories about him the better! I have started (only very briefly) on your logie fic.
Guest, thank you!
Oxybtrswag. Between you and me, I have severe Kendall feels at the moment so a Kendall story could very much be a possibility. I always tend to think of Logan as my second fave but I think he is tied with Kendall. (Sorry Carlos). Im trying frantically to write a dustin one at the mo, with a few others in the pipeline, but what kind of story are you after?
So this chapter we met Helen, just so we are all clear; what happens with Helen and Sheri is a basic insight in to what happened to myself when I was a Similar age. I do try to do a "let ppl learn from error" shit in my fics. So what is about to happen is a classic example of that.
Although I have been slated before for "advertising" the things I write about, namely the bitch that left the reviews on Florida Flings about bulimia. Im doing the complete opposite and making people aware of the dangers of doing certain things.
So if you read it and learn from it I'm a happy girl.
Hopefully update tomoz 23rd, but I am trying to finish off my dustin story for Kelli... then it's James. (Oxybtrswag, I do have a Kendall fic already up, if you haven't read that one yet)
Thanks for reading, nat x x
