"So how long do you reckon you'll be staying? I mean I'm not saying you can't stay here, I'm just wondering. My parent's are cool with it too, they love having you here." Miranda told me. I had been staying at Miranda's for the past few days, and I was going to stay there until things got sorted out at home. But with Isabella there, I didn't think it ever would. Everything was always her, her, her and no one else and I was sick of it.

"Look, I really have no idea how long I'll be staying. Hopefully I'll be going soon cos I feel so bad about invading your space."

"Hey, don't worry about it, its fun having you here. I'm always bored by myself." Miranda said. I smiled at her and was really glad I had a friend like her. Then, my phone starting ringing and I answered it. It was Matt.

"Lizzie, when are you coming home?" He asked. He sounded very upset and lonely.

"Why? What's up Matt?"

"I'm all by myself and Isabella is driving me crazy. Mom doesn't even know I'm here any more and I'm always getting in trouble for things I didn't do!" He answered.

"Can't you just play some practical jokes like you use to play on me?" I asked him. I remembered all those old times when we absolutely hated each other and never got along. But now it was like how a brother and sister should treat each other. We were kind, caring and helpful to each other. And we actually learned to respect one another which was a miracle.

"No way! Do you have any idea how smart Isabella is? I tried to put honey on her phone like I did with you, but she had this camera thing in her room and caught me. Mom was crazy at me! Please come home Lizzie. You can't leave me here on my own!" Matt said desperately.

While hearing how desperate he was for me to come home, I felt sorry for him.

"Well, okay. I'll come home. I think I better get out of Miranda's parents' face now since I've been here for days. I'll see you tonight, okay?"

"Thanks Lizzie! You're the greatest." Matt hung up and I began to pack my stuff. Of course I didn't want to go back home to more chaos, but I was going to do it for Matt. He stood up for me that night of the huge fight. Even though it didn't really work, it still meant he cared about me so I was really grateful for that.

I walked through the front door of my house and Matt came running up to me like a 5 year old coming to greet his dad that had been away for ages.

"Hey Matt. You okay?" I asked as he hugged me.

"I think so, knowing that you're gonna be here now." He whispered, hoping mom would not hear him. I walked past the kitchen where my mom was and completely ignored my mom. Isabella was watching TV and didn't even seem to notice me which didn't surprise me.

"Lizzie?" My mom's voice echoed from the kitchen. I kept walking for a moment but then I stopped. I thought maybe this would be the time where I could fix things and solve our problems. I was going to give mom another chance for what she had been doing to me and maybe we could be a happy family again. Maybe even I could get along with Isabella, but I knew that would take some time.

I walked over to the kitchen and stared at my mom, wondering what she was going to say to me. Matt stood next to me.

"Hi Lizzie. I didn't expect you home so early." She said.

"What, so you didn't want me to come home?" I asked. Hopefully I would be able to keep my temper down this time instead of ending up grounded for a year.

"No! No, I didn't say that. I'm glad you came home and-,"

"I only came home for Matt," I interrupted. "He needed me, and felt left out and rejected from this family."

My mom slowly looked over at Matt. "Matt, is it true?" She asked him.

"All you care about is Isabella now! You don't give a crap about me and Lizzie, it's like we don't exist!" Matt said. It looked like he was going to burst into tears.

"What? That's not true! You know that I love-,"

"Well if you did love us, why did you treat us like the way you did?" I asked.

"Treat you like what? I believe that I treat all of you equally!" My mother said.

"Pft! Sure! You don't even know how you've been treating us lately!" I snapped.

"Let me guess. You're just jealous that I get to go to more parties than you. Well, it's not my fault you're some irresponsible cow that's not even mature enough to not except drugs from spastic people!" Isabella laughed. I turned around and saw her standing there. I felt like I could punch her until she was just one big bruise but I held myself back.

"Isabel was not a spastic! She was a good friend!" I yelled back at Isabella. She snorted at me and laughed.

"So this is what it's all about? You being jealous because Isabella can go to more parties than you?" My mom asked surprisingly. "I thought you were more mature than that Lizzie!"

"You think this is what it's all about? Well I came here to give you another chance for what you did to us, but looks like you just stuffed it! Oh and, since no one wants to look after Matt anymore, he's going to have to depend on me from now on. And for me? Well, I'm just gonna have to take care of myself." I walked off with Matt trailing behind me.

I walked into me room and Matt was still following me. I notice that everything in my room seemed to have been moved and it looked different. I never remembered leaving my room like this when I left.

"Hey, what happened to my room? I'm positive I didn't leave it like this when I left." I said suspiciously.

"Oh...um...I don't know. Maybe you did leave it like that." Matt said. I was very convinced about his answer but I decided not to worry about it. I just hoped that Isabella hadn't been wondering in here while I was gone. Otherwise she would be dead.

"This room is so small I can hardly move! I'm really gonna have to remove all of Dad's stuff." I told Matt as I put my bags on the ground.

"Well my room is like 3 times as big as this dump. Why don't you share my room? It'll probably have more room anyway." Matt offered.

I smiled at him. "Gee, thanks Matt. Maybe not cos I'm gonna need some privacy after all that's been happening. But thanks anyway, I appreciate it." And I really did. I never thought he would ever ask me that.

"Hey, why don't we talk to Dad about what's been happening?" Matt asked me. "Maybe he can sort things out."

"I don't think so Matt. Dad is hardly home anymore since he has to work so much. We need the money cos we now have a third child. So he won't have a clue what's been going on over the past few weeks."

"Well he noticed that you weren't here for a few days and he asked Mom about it." Matt said.

"And what did she say?" I asked curiously.

"She said that you needed time off cos you and Isabella were having trouble getting along."

"Is that it?"

"And that she was kinda glad that you weren't around cos you were over reacting on the slightest thing and you were jealous of your sister..." Matt wasn't making eye contact anymore and was staring at his feet. I felt my temper rising again.

"Me? Jealous of Isabella? I'm going to have a with mom right now and-"

"No! You can't! I was eavesdropping when mom and dad were talking in their room! If you tell her I'll be dead meat!" Matt said desperately.

"Okay! I won't say anything!" I sighed and walked out to go to the bathroom. Matt followed me again.

"Matt, I don't mind if you follow me around, but if I'm going to the bathroom, I'd prefer it if you stay outside." I said feeling a little annoyed.

"Sorry." He muttered.

As I went to open the door of the bathroom, I looked down and saw the golden handle turn from the inside. I jumped back in fright and wondered who on earth it could be. Dad was still at work, Matt was with me and Isabella and my mom were downstairs. I watched as the door opened and revealed a tall, skinny looking girl. I couldn't recognize her as she had a green face mask on and her hair wrapped up in a towel, like she had just washed it.

"Lizzie?" said the girl. I gasped as I completely recognised the girl's voice.

Kate Sanders.

I screamed as I wondered what the hell she was doing in my house and wearing my dressing gown. Then she screamed too and we looked like totally idiots.

"Matt! What the hell is she doing in our bathroom?" I asked.

"Um...well, she's been staying with us for a few days. I guess I...kinda forgot to tell you." He said. It looked like he was on the urge of running away.

"Forgot? How could you forget to tell me?" I asked as I held on to the sleeve of his shirt. He shrugged helplessly and I sighed.

"This is a nightmare! I'm going to talk to mom about this right now!" I stormed downstairs and stood right in front of my mom who immediately stopped talking to Isabella when she saw me.

"Why are you having a fit Lizzie? We haven't done anything wrong." Isabella said sarcastically. I ignored her and turned to my mom.

"What is Kate Sanders doing in this house?!?" I said, raising my voice.

"Well, Isabella met her at a party and they became good friends. Kate's parents have gone to Ohio for a week and asked if she could stay here."

"So is this why my room has been fully changed? Her grubby fingers have been touching my stuff? Her revolting things have been in my room?" I asked. I felt like a volcano that was about to erupt.

"Yes!" Mom said impatiently.

"And you did this without consulting me first?"

"Well, you weren't home and I thought it would be okay with you!"

"It's not, okay! I don't approve of her lingering around in my room! First Isabella takes over my old room and now Kate is going to move into this one! Where am I going to sleep soon, outside?" I asked sarcastically.

"Oh, we'd all prefer that!" Isabella said. I glared at her.

"Isabella, that's enough!" My mom sighed. "Lizzie, I am your mother! So that means you can't tell me what I can and can't do! If I said Kate could stay, that meant she could stay. It's not your decision!"

"But it's not your decision to let Kate stay in my room!" I answered.

My mum sighed again rubbed her temples with the tips of her fingers. Isabella just stood there staring at me with a look of disgust.

"Just go to your room, we'll deal with this later." She said. I was going to bite back but I just didn't have the strength. I was fed up over everything and felt exhausted for some reason.

"You don't act like my mother, do you?" I said.