ok, here's the next chp. Sorry it took so long. My bad. Anywho...hope you guys are liking it so far. R and R

CORRECTION: i was reading through the other chapters and i noticed that in one place i said Jon was a Sophomore and in another spot i said something about him being a Freshman. my bad! he's a Sophomore. I reapeat, he IS a Sophomore (10th grade). Just so ya know. I'm fixing it now, but just in case someone noticed.

Anyway...on with the story

DAD'S HOME

I pulled up to the school and Jon came right out to the car and got in after throwing his bag in the back.

"How was practice?"

"Not bad. Lots of running and whatever...but I did good"

"Good for you. When's your car gonna get done?"

"Probably next week...I think...I hope"

"Sweet. Then we'll have to go down and get your license so we get you driving right away."

"Yea, tell me about it. I cannot wait"

"Me either. You think I like carting your ass around all the time?" I laughed.

"Whatever"

"Hah. I like picking you up from football though cuz I get to see all those hot guys..."

"You just like looking at Trey," he said knowingly.

"Yep. But at least I admit it."

"Yea you do. You have no shame"

"Nope. None whatsoever"

Jon just chuckled and turned up the music.

We were home a little while later and the whole Toretto team was back home by then.

"What do you want for dinner Jon?" I asked, rummaging through cupboards while he was getting ready to go up and take a shower.

"Whatever you wanna make is fine. But I'm a hungry boy so make a lot of it"

"Hmm...ok..."

He ran upstairs and the shower started a few minutes later. I seriously had no idea what to make and I'm not the world's best cook, so I didn't have a lot of things to choose from. A knock at the door saved me from having to decide.

I opened the door and Vince was standing on the front porch.

"Hey..."

"Hey. Dom and us were wondering if you and Jon wanted to come over for dinner. We have plenty of food and...yea."

"Umm...I don't know why not"

"Heck yes we're coming," Jon's voice came from right behind me, making me jump. I turned and he was standing with just a towel around his waist. "Whatever it is will be better than what Jairyn cooks."

"Shut up...and go get some clothes on," I scolded him, but couldn't help laughing.

He shrugged and ran back upstairs, holding the towel in place. He'd done this before and the towel had dropped halfway up the stairs. Needless to say it was funny, but he was a quick learner so nowhe always held it in place going up and down the stairs

I shook my head and turned back to Vince, who was laughing. "We'll be there as soon as he comes back down"

"Ok, see ya in a few then"

I nodded and Vince walked away.

I went back to the kitchen and left a note for Joyce that we were across the street, in case she came home. Jon was down a few minutes alter, in jeans and a red t-shirt, and we headed across the street.

"Hey Jairyn. Sup Jon," Jesse greeted us when we walked up.

"Not much"

"Hey Jon, give me some skin brotha," Leon laughed and smiled when Jon walked up. Leon had helped Jon with Jon's car before our dad was stupid and sent it to some other garage. I guess they were kind of close now.

"Hey Jairyn, could you help me and Alex bring out these bowls?" Mia asked through the window.

"Sure"

We sat down to eat a few minutes later and it was nice just sitting and hanging out with them. After dinner we all helped bring in the dishes and then Vince and Leon went in the livingroom to pick out a movie.

"You two wanna stay?" Dom asked. "We're just gonna watch a movie or something."

"Sure, I don't know why not," I shrugged. We didn't have anything to do.

"I know why not," Jon said suddenly.

"Huh?"

"Dad's home," He said and pointed across the street, where out dad's black Escalade was parked.

"Shit...yea, she would go," I agreed and headed for the door, trying to figure out when he would've gotten home that we wouldn't have noticed.

"Why? You're just right across the street," Jesse pointed out.

"Yea...but he's been gone for a while so we should just go. Thanks...see you guys later," Jon explained and lightly urged me towards the door.

"Aiight...next time then"

We nodded and made a quick exit.

"Think he'll be pissed?" Jon asked.

"Dunno...hard to say, really"

He nodded and we walked in quietly.

"Hey dad," Jon said cheerfully, spotting him in the kitchen.

"Where were you two?" My dad asked. He didn't have to raise his voice or anything, and he was already intimidating. He was a little taller than Jon, and bigger. He had the beginnings of a gut, but I wouldn't call him fat. He had dark brown hair and had a bald spot starting. His eyes were cold and the way he acted you'd never even know he used to be a cheerful, loving guy. Not since my mom first got sick though. That's when it all went south.

"Across the street. We had dinner with the neighbors," I explained quickly.

"Why?"

"Because they invited us"

"Don't talk smart to me young lady," He pointed at me threateningly.

"I wasn't. I mean, they just asked us so we went"

"MmmHmmm...aren't they older?"

"Yea but their cousin's living with them now and she's my age. She moved in a couple days ago and they wanted her to know someone"

"So you're not acting like some whore or something, right?"

"Dad!" Jon said in shock and disgust.

"You shut up. If I find out your slutting yourself out, you're going to regret it, do you understand me?"

"Yea, but dad I'm not. It's not like that"

"I'll believe you for now. But if I hear differently...it's your ass, hear me?" He threatened, in a deadly calm voice that was almost worse than his yelling.

"Yea dad, I hear you," I said quietly.

"Good. I'm going out"

He turned on his heel and left. There was no point in him telling where he was going. He was going out to drink and we knew it.

"You ok?" Jon asked quietly after a few minutes.

"I'm pretty sure I'll live. He's done worse"

"Yea...we could go back to Dom's now..."

"We probably shouldn't"

"Yea, I know..."

"Ok, pick out a movie then. I'll be right back"

He nodded and I ran upstairs to throw some sweat pants on. I leaned against the wall for a minute and took a deep breath. As much as I hated to admit it, my dad scared the shit out of me. Inside a freaked out whenever he was around, and him just being anywhere around me got me panicky.

After a calmed down, I went back downstairs and sat by Jon on the couch.

"What movie?"

"Planes, Trains, and Automobiles...thought some humor would be good"

I nodded and we stayed up until the movie was over. Jon went up to bed and I almost went out to the porch to see if Jesse would come over, but I didn't really feel like talking. Sleep sounded much better, so I went upstairs and crawled into bed.

Sleep didn't come right away though. Thoughts about my dad did though. I couldn't help it. After being around him, he was just kind of stuck on my mind. I used to wonder if it was something I did wrong. Deep down, I had always known that it wasn't, but why then? Why me? Hadn't I been through enough since my mom died? Sometimes I wondered if I deserved it, even though I knew I didn't. I never did anything to get what I got. I guess it's just the hand I was dealt, and I had to play it the best I could...but man, it was hard.

She knows, she's so much more than worthless,

But she needs to find her purpose,

She wonders what she, did to deserve this...

This is a Call - By Thousand Food Krutch

R and R