"A divorce? Fine with me! That's the most sensible thing you've said today!" My Dad screamed back at my Mom, throwing his plate onto the floor, the china shattering across the wood.

Jett jumped at the loud bang; tears sliding down his frightened face as he clung to our Grandma harder than before.

"Go upstairs Jade and take your brother with you. Go on now." My Grandma handed me Jett's hand. She smiled sympathetically at me; her hand stroked my cheeky gently before turning back towards my parents as I obeyed her quietly.

We stopped at the tops of the staircase making sure we were both out of sight, both of us acting like small children; vulnerable and scared. We pushed our faces through the banisters trying to catch every word uttered by our parents. Jett held onto my sleeve and through the fabric I could feel him shaking in fear.

"I've wanted a divorce ever since the day we said I do!"

"Charming!" Mom laughed, rolling her eyes at him. "I knew you only married me because I was pregnant with Jade! That and you wanted my family's wealth!" Her hands closed into fists and she crouched forward, daring him to repeat once more the words that had torn her heart into fragments.

My Dad scoffed. "I have my own money, darling. And yes, I did the right thing and married you for our kid but god what a mistake that was! I never even wanted kids."

"You can't hold down a single job, never have been able to Roy!" My Mom laughed at him. "I own this house remember."

"Why don't you two calm down and get some fresh air and talk about this all later. You're scaring the children." My Grandma added quietly.

As she spoke my Dad turned to face the staircase, rolling his eyes back. "I don't want a lesbian for a daughter. I won't have it. No child of mine is a dyke!" His jaw stiffened; a deep crimson began to overtake his visage like climbing ivy. A lightning bolt-shaped vein slowly manifested from the top of his forehead down to his pulsating temple.

"Roy, why does it matter who she chooses to date? She's only young; it might even be a phase. We live in Hollywood it's no big deal to be gay anymore. But phase or not that's who she is and that's okay." My Mom replied as calmly as she could.

"Because she is MY daughter and I am against it. It's wrong. She's always been fucking weird but she's really topped herself this time."

My throat went dry, my heart pounding around my body hard and fast as I listened to every word he was saying about me. I felt ashamed; my heart breaking even more as he uttered every word about me. I could tell that both my parents were getting really angry, their voices growing louder every second, so I ushered Jett to go upstairs and play with his toys, to avoid him having to hear anything else that would be said. They'd already inflicted enough damage on him for one day.

"Stop talking about my children like that!" My Mom said, taking a step toward my Dad. She opened her eyes and gave him a death stare. Her face was glazed for a split-second and then she frowned, her lips pursed together and her eyes unblinking. At that moment, if her eyes were a weapon, the piercing look in them could have caused serious destruction.

Standing up, my Dad replied, "What business is it of yours how I talk about my children?"

"It's my business if you're emotionally abusing my children." She said, raising her voice as she said it.

"Abusing?" He yelled, "I do not abuse my child, it's called honesty, something you know nothing about!"

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Call it what you want if it makes you feel better."

"I do not abuse the kids, Tiff. I don't use anything, no belt, no whip, no fists, nothing."

"You're still hurting them, with your words."

"Hardly." He scoffed. "So now you're mother of the year are you?"

She shook her head at him. "You can also do physiological damage."

"Physiological?" Dad asked, continuing sarcastically "I'm sure a telling off every once-in-a-while will cause them to grow up an angry child."

"Oh my god. YES!" My Mom screamed back. "Just look at Jade. She couldn't even tell us who she was dating! She lives her own secret life and we have no idea who she is and that is down to the way she's been treated growing up!" Her voice started to shake, the pain in her voice clear.

"This is such bullshit. I'm done with this fucked up family. Have a lesbian daughter and a bastard son for all I care. I'll pack my bags and I'll be gone by tonight." His eyes were fixed on hers, dark and furious. His brows were furrowed into a line across his forehead. The anger seemed to be radiating off of him.

"For the final time, Jett is your child!" My Mom screeched at him as he headed for the staircase.

I ran up the rest of the stairs quickly, almost tripping over the last step as I raced towards Jett's room. Jett was curled up on his bed, his arms wrapped tight around an old teddy bear he'd had since he was born. His face was puffy, his eyes blood shot from where he'd been crying.

"Freeway?"

With that one word his attitude changed, he raised his brows at me in approval as a small smile stretched across his lips.

….

We sat for hours just watching the freeway together. The whole world flying by as we stayed still. I'd finally got what I wanted and revealed my secret, so why did I feel so numb? I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience; like looking at yourself in a movie. My mind goes from racing thoughts to an overwhelming feeling of guilt. It begins to become too much for me to get a hold of, so I end up zoning out, crying and then zoning out some more. Jett holds my hand, not knowing at all what to say he keeps his distance and just holds my hand in his own. I should be the one comforting him, not the other way around.

"I'm sorry." He eventually said letting out a deep sigh.

"Hey, don't you apologize. This is not your fault. It's Dad's." I wipe my eyes gently, forcing a smile on my face.

"I didn't mean to."

"I know."

Before he could say anything else, a shadow formed over us both. Warm, tanned arms wrapped around my waist, a sweet smell filling my airways as I felt a head rest on my shoulder; Tori.

"I went to your house and it was just your Grandma there and she told me kind of what happened and that you and Jett had gone out hours ago and no one knew where but I knew and I'm sorry it took me so long to get here. Are you okay?" She said quickly, becoming emotional herself.

I cocked my eyebrow at her. "What did she tell you?"

"She told me your parents were getting a divorce. She was so sweet to me. You have her eyes."

"So I'm told." I paused. "So she didn't tell you anything else?"

She shook her head. "No?"

I took a deep breath in; knowing what I was going to say next was going to change everything. "My parents know." Was all I could manage. I knew this was going to change everything about our relationship. We'd never told anyone and now my whole family knew and it had destroyed them. I watched as her face dropped, brooding as she listened to my every word.

"What do you mean?" She replied quickly, her voice panic ridden.

"As in they know about me, they know about us, they know it all." I sighed pointing between the two of us.

Tori looked over at Jett who was sat quietly playing with his favorite toy car across the ground.

"It wasn't his fault." I sighed. "It all happened so quickly and they know now. It's done and I can't change it."

Tears began to form in her saddened eyes. "What happened?"

"My Dad freaked out, said he didn't want me as a daughter and my Mom was the total opposite and defended me totally."

Tori sat silently, hunched over and with a sense of loss so powerful that her muscles wouldn't respond to commands. Her gaze was into the far distance, unseeing but fixed on some imaginary future of a life so much different from the one she was living now. A tightening of her throat and a short intake of breath forecast the explosion of emotion which to date, she had managed to keep buried deep inside. Not any more though, all the pent-up hysteria and dread of loss was let loose in a fit of choking and sobbing, so powerful in its intensity that it shook her body till she could barely breathe.

My body crashed into hers as I hugged her so tight I thought I might be causing her sobbing. Her whole body was shaking as she broke down. Salty tears fell from her face and dripped onto my skin. "I'm so sorry." I whispered again and again, just wishing I could make it all better.

It took a while but slowly she calmed; her breathing slowing and the last of her tears drying onto her red cheeks. "I don't want my parents to know."

"They don't need to. They won't find out."

"You don't know that." She ran her fingers through her hair. "God, I'm so sorry. I'm such a shit girlfriend. I should be there for you right now in your time of need and instead I'm making this about me instead. I'm sorry."

I laughed slightly. "It's fine. It took my mind off my problems for a bit." I kissed her forehead. "We'll fix this. I promise."

"Promise?" She held her pinky finger out to me.

I rolled my eyes jokingly at her. "Pinky promise." I pulled at Jett. "Get your finger in here too. I pinky promise to fix this for everyone. Okay?"

…

We headed to the beach, mainly to entertain Jett but it was also to try and relax slightly. The sand was hot and fine against our bare feet. Half crushed seashells of different sizes were rocking against some mini bays formed in the sand. The sun was dizzy and the air humid yet you could tell the day was going to be ending soon as the sun lay low in the sky. The sea was calm, it was peaceful to watch. The noise of the public being drowned out by waves crashing against the shore.

Being only seven, Jett was able to bounce back from serious situations easily. His carefree mind brushing off all of today's events he rushed into the water; going knee deep in seconds and soaking his shorts. Splashes and laughter filled the beach as his little feet rushed in and out of the water, the sand burning his toes slightly.

"Do you want to go in?" Tori questioned. I could tell by her body language she was dying to get in the cool water. She was dressed in denim shorts and a green tank top; she was ready for the warm weather unlike me. I was dressed in a long sleeved red and black plaid shirt and jeans. The only bit of sun to touch my skin was from the holes in my jeans.

I shook my head. "I don't go in the ocean."

"Why not?"

I felt stupid before I even opened my mouth. "Because I'm afraid of dolphins."

Tori giggled. "Seriously? You were fine at the aquarium?"

I crossed my arms across my chest, a serious look on my face. "That's because they were in a tank not in the wild."

"Dolphins are supposed to be super friendly to humans though, Jade!"

"Look, I had a traumatic experience in 3rd grade and I refuse to talk about. Okay?"

Tori threw her head back laughing again at me. "Baby."

"You'll regret saying that, Vega." I cocked my eyebrow up at her, a smirk on my lips.

"Well I'm going in because unlike you, I'm sweating like crazy!" She pulled at the tank top, throwing it over her head and onto the sand beside me. Her body was as always; flawless. She stood there in her immaculate form with a seductive smile. Her brown hair flowed down to the middle of her very tanned back, her caramel eyes punctured mine as they travelled up and down my body multiple times. "Sure you won't join me?"

I shook my head. "I like your bikini." I smirked, eyeing her up and down very obviously.

"I like you." She bent down and kissed me quickly before turning and running straight towards Jett. Her hair bounced as she ran. As cliché as it sounds, she looked like she was out of Baywatch and I couldn't take my eyes off her. Small, insignificant moments like that reminded me that being with her and all this drama it's created are worth it.

As usual, Tori went into maternal mode as she played with my younger brother. They splashed each other and she let him dunk her fully underwater, acting all surprised as if he had actually had the strength to take her down. She emerged out of the water totally soaked; gasping for air as she giggled loudly and pulling at Jett, dragging him into the water with her. I'd never wanted children until I'd met Tori. I didn't want them for me; I wanted them for her, because she would be such an amazing Mom. I watched in awe of them.

When they returned they were both drenched head to toe. Salty water dripped off both of them and soaked the warm sand beside me.

"That was so much fun. Did you see me take Tori out?" Jett exclaimed, shaking like a dog to remove the excess water on his body.

"I sure did." I laughed at him, winking at Tori. "You best dry off before you put your proper clothes back on."

He looked around. "Did you bring towels?" His cheeks and nose had begun to turn pink from the sun.

"Does it look like I did?" I replied bluntly. "We should get you home soon. You're getting burnt kid."

Tori picked her shirt off the sand and handed it to him. "Here, dry yourself on my t-shirt." She began helping him, starting with his drenched and sandy hair before gently patting his burnt face.

"He'd have been fine. It's like 90 out he'll dry out in minutes."

"It's fine. I can walk back without a shirt on."

"I'll drive you home. But you can still be shirtless." I eyed her up and down again. Following water droplets that were slowly making their way from her neck down to her stomach.

"Its fine I don't mind walking-"

Jett interrupted. "Can we go to Tori's house?"

"Not today kiddo." She ruffled his wet hair, wiping her hand on her shorts.

"Why?"

"Because I said so." She stuck her tongue out.

"We never go to your house." He sulked.

"I know." I laughed, agreeing with him. "One day we'll go to yours, you know that right? Don't your parents wonder where you go half the time? Do they even know I exist?"

"I guess. They just assume I'm out with friends and they know I have a friend called Jade. They're too busy worrying about Trina and what trouble she's getting herself into to worry about me. I'm the good kid." She beamed, smugly.

"Pleaseeeee, can we go to Tori's?" Jett persisted, whining each word.

"Tori said no, now stop going on."

"How about this, Jade can drop me home and you can see the outside?" She compromised.

He nodded eagerly. "Okay!"

"The only reason you don't want me over is because of your parents, right?" I never minded that we didn't go to her house, but it did cross my mind more than once to why that was.

She chewed on her bottom lip. "Yeah." She mumbled.

A silence fell upon the three of us briefly.

Breaking the silence, Jett coughed quietly. "What's a dyke?" He asked, wide-eyed.

If we'd been drinking it would have been one of those comedy moments where we both spit our drinks out in unison. Both our eyes popped open, shock followed by hysterical laughter.

"Well, what is it?"

"It's a naughty word that people call lesbians. But you shouldn't ever say it." Tori said slowly, not sure if she should be explaining herself.

"Oh." Jett scrunched his face up. "Are you dykes?"

Another set of giggles left our lips. "No. Don't let me hear you say that word again." I deadpanned.

"But you're lesbians?" His forehead crinkled in confusion.

"We're just two girls in love." I poked at his ribs, causing him to relax his face and laugh along with us. "Stop with the questions, little one."

His grin reached ear to ear. "I love you." He wrapped his damp arms around my neck. "I'm glad you're my big lesbian sister."

Tori's laugh was contagious, and sounded more like an evil cackle than an expression of amusement.

I tried to suppress my giggling, but ended up bursting into loud laughter along with her. "I'm just your sister."

Jett joined in with our laughter with a confused look on his little face. "Whatever you are, I love you!" He replied sounding fed up between chuckles.

A/N - Sooo next update they'll finally be going to Tori's house... well the outside ;) R&R 3