"Of course you can! But tomorrow we'll have to go to your house to be sure...Well, Vicky can be...Well sometimes she doesn't tell the truth..." Mrs. Valentine was speaking quietly, like if Vicky heard her she would have to run far away. I nodded, "Thank you..."

Mr. Valentine smiled, "Everything will be alright, what's your name?"

I sighed, "Alex Cox...I turned ten this morning..."

The look on their faces made me want to run, I know this is sad...But it's nothing I can't handle, "...Today was your birthday...My wife and I will go shopping for some stuff to celebrate your birthday..." He didn't sound too excited about this, but it was his idea. I shrugged, "You really don't have too...I haven't celebrated my birthday in years."

Mrs. Valentine put her hand over her mouth, "W-Well, we'll get going, there's some food in the fridge and some drinks also...We'll be back later on tonight." She was trying to be nice, I looked at my feet, "Okay..." I don't care about my birthday...First my scumbag of a dad walks out on us on my sixth birthday and then that...Witch, walks out on me on my tenth...As if it couldn't get any worse than this.

The valentines left and a little girl came walking down the stairs, "Hi! My name's Tootie! What's your name?" She's energetic, "Hey...I'm Alex Cox..." I don't need to tell her everything. She tilted her head in confusion as I stopped talking, "Why're you here?" She asked, my emotions got the best of me, I stared at her blankly and thought, why am I here? Vicky doesn't owe me anything, her parents don't owe me anything either, "Good question." I said and was about to leave, "Leave him alone!" Vicky cackled evilly while coming down the stairs.

Tootie simply turned and screamed, "I-I'm sorry!" I watched her run into the living room and hide behind the couch, I guess Vicky's parents aren't the only one's afraid of Vicky, "Follow me smartass." She said coldly, I sighed, I guess when she hugged me it was only because she felt bad for a second, she led me upstairs into a room, "So it's your birthday, huh?" The tone in her voice changed, "Uh...Yea...Great way to have a tenth birthday, don't you think?" I said jokingly, but there was sadness in my voice.

The look in her eyes changed, her pink irises shined we were the same in some ways, "For what's its worth, happy birthday."

Seeing her true nature and seeing this side of her, I don't know if I should be afraid or happy...I nodded, "Thanks..." I don't know what else to talk about with her, I rubbed my arm nervously, she glared at me, "calm down, I'm not evil enough to mess with someone on their birthday, especially when their...Never mind." She said and noticed I started to frown, despite her being mean, she still tries to make me feel better, "Wanna watch something until my parents get back?" She asked me, I stared at her skeptically, "Not too long ago you were...Trying to get me to be afraid of you...So why are you trying to cheer me up?"

"You seriously are a dumbass, tell anyone about this and you're dead." Vicky sneered and pulled me into her room and threw me on her bed and sat next to me, "Let it all out or keep it in until you explode on someone you might respect someday. Your choice." Her voice is cold and so are her words...But she's offering me her support.

I slowly let my head fall on her shoulder, I won't cry over this...I'm not trying to hold it in, because it's not sadness...It's not, it's more like anger. Despite what I think it is, tears still fell down the sides of my cheeks, "Why..." my voice broke, "Just Why?!"

For the last half hour I silently cried into Vicky's right shoulder, she patted my head, "They're back, go down there and enjoy your birthday, even though I don't like them, doesn't mean they're bad people. They're just extremely annoying, but they'll care for you and protect you."

"I don't get you..." I whispered and nodded, I got up and walked to the door, once I reached it I turned and said, "Thank you..."

I think with her here...Just maybe...I can feel what it's like to care, to love, to be happy, to miss someone when they're gone...Maybe.

I wiped my eyes on my sleeve as I walked down, Mr and Mrs. Valentine smiled when they saw me, they look unsure about this, but maybe when they see that my old house is empty they'll be certain that they can look after me...What if it's not empty ? What will I do? What will Helen do? I guess I have to wait till tomorrow to find out. Mr. Valentine was holding two boxes of pizza in one hand and a cake in the other. "You like meat on your pizza?" He asked, I nodded and looked away, I can't stand the false sympathetic look on their faces.

Maybe I should do what Vicky does, hide my emotions...I've been doing that most of my life, but these people might actually care about me. And what's the point in hiding my emotions? I mean showing didn't do much and hiding them was pretty much the same as before. They led me into the kitchen and started to take out some plates and cups, "What would you like to drink?" Mrs. Valentine asked, I looked at all pop, I'm not a big fan of pop, it makes me cough too easily and a lot, there was Pepsi, 7up, root beer, and orange crush, "Uh, do you have anything softer? Like iced tea? Or actually water will do." I said.

They looked a little shocked by my answer, "Don't kids your age usually drink these kinds of drinks?" Mr. Valentine asked, I wouldn't know...With my family circumstances, I ignored everything and pretty much everyone. I shrugged, "Kids my age don't get along with me...So I don't know what kids usually talk about."

She smiled and went to pour me a glass of water, "So...Tell us something's about yourself." Mr. Valentine asked and grabbed a slice of pizza. Something about myself, huh? "I guess...I'm unusually strong for someone my age, even though I look skinny, and I'm pretty tall as you can see...I don't talk a lot and when I do it sometimes comes out as a scowl or an insult...Heh." I said and scratched my head, "That's how..." he stopped short and looked past me, "V-V-Vicky, Uh...You want some pizza?" Mr. Valentine is really afraid of her, "Shut up, but I'll have some and go back to my room." She said coldly, at the same time it seemed like she enjoys how scared her family is of her.

She walked past me and grabbed four slices of pizza, she also poured herself a cup of Pepsi, at the corner of her eye she caught me staring at her. I blushed and looked away. I'll admit she's cute in my eyes...Even though she's crazy. She went back up without saying anything else. I have to wonder why her parents are still around...Way to depress yourself...I grabbed a slice and sighed, Mrs. Valentine brought me my water and we sat down, a couple minutes later that little girl joined in, Tootie was her name, I think..."Happy birthday! Uh...Alex!" She had look of panic for a second, "Thanks...I guess." To be honest this is a horrible birthday.

We talked for a while and then we watched some movies, after an hour they closed the lights and made me sit at the dinner table, something was tugging at my heart strings. Mr. Valentine was standing behind me with a smile on his face and his hand on my shoulder, Tootie was sitting across from me, after a few seconds Mrs. Valentine started singing happy birthday. The other two joined in and there it is again my heart is happy but...My vision started to go blurry, once they were finished they saw my face and they smiled and said, "Welcome to the family." And then I burst out in tears.

They were quiet as I cried, I haven't had a decent birthday since I was three years old. All those birthdays were me in my room staring at the ceiling wondering what my parents were arguing about and why they looked at me blankly, like they were hiding something. I blew out the candles and they started clapping and hugged me.

Before they put away the cake I stopped them asked for one last slice, "Sure, here you go." Mrs. Valentine said and handed me the slice of cake, "Vicky...Doesn't like sweets..." Mr. Valentine told me, I felt a little sad and flustered as he said that, "I wasn't going to give it to her...I'm still a little hungry." I lied.

Mr. Valentine chuckled and went into the living room, "The guest room is next to Vicky's. She may be a little...Mean, but that doesn't mean she hates you..." he didn't sound too sure about that. "It's okay Mr. Valentine. I don't mind that she's like that, I've had it worse..."

He sighed, "I'm sorry, and you can call me Jerry."

I nodded and made my way upstairs, I looked at Vicky's door, it had a sign with skulls that said 'DO NOT ENTER' and below it was another note, 'OR FEEL MY WRATH!" Which I thought was unnecessary. I knocked quietly, what the hell am I doing? What if she gets mad at me? What if she stops being nice to me because I'm pushing it? I tried to turn and go to my room. "What do you want smartass?" She said with irritation in her voice, now that I'm here. Now what? "Uh…Just a little thank you…" I offered her the cake, I looked at her, she's good at hiding her emotions, but I can tell when someone is happy, I've seen it a thousand times at my school.

She grabbed the cake with a little too much force, I fell forward and my face was covered in her cake, "Why did you-

She started laughing, it wasn't that evil laugh from before, she actually thought that was funny, not in a you deserve it way, but a 'you're so silly' way…Uh I hate that word, silly, but it's true. I blushed and said, "Sorry…I'll get another one for you…" she stopped laughing and sighed in disappointment, "Leave it, I don't like sweets anyway." Her voice went back to being cold. I gulped and went to the washroom to wash my face, I looked in the mirror once I finished washing my face, I found myself frowning, why am I upset that she's mad at me?

I went to the guest room that will be my room from now on, and feel on the bed and coughed, "Dusty…" I sighed and went to sleep anyway.

The next day I slept in until three in the afternoon. "Alex!?" Jerry knocked on the door, "We have to go now!" I groaned and stretched, I looked at my surroundings, "why did I expect it to be a dream…? I really am a dumbass for actually thinking they'll be back…" I muttered and got out of bed.

When I went down stairs, Jerry and Mrs. Valentine were waiting for me. Once we got in their van, I told them where I lived, ten five minutes later, I was back at the house that was abandoned, still looks as empty as before…I got out and walked up the path and went to the door, the Valentines were right behind me. I turned the knob and pushed the door open, the lights in the kitchen were still on, and so was the upstairs light, I went into the kitchen first with the Valentines, they started to realize I was telling the truth.

We searched all over the first floor and went up to the second floor, Mrs. Valentine had a sad look on her face, "Alex…Get your things…I'll keep coming back, just in case." Jerry told me. I nodded and went into my old room. It took me ten minutes to pack what I needed, "I'll take them to the van, check what else you want to take…" Jerry said, and his wife followed him, I frowned and went into Helen's room.

The hole I made was still there and the note was still on the ground, I picked it up and looked for a pen, once I found one I wrote, 'No you aren't.'

I turned on the lights in her room and in mine, the washroom, the two guest rooms, the closets, and then I went downstairs and opened all the lights in the living room and the kitchen, I went to the basement and did the same thing, if she ever comes back, at least she'll go broke…

Once I went outside, Jerry was waiting for me, "I know it's not my place…But, why not show her that she made a big mistake, show her that you're better off on your own then with her, show her you're better than her. But it's your choice." He said.

"My choice…" She deserves it…But maybe he's right. What should I do?

So what do you guys think he should do? Ha, I got an idea for both, but I'd like to know how he should go about this from you guys.

Thanks for reading! I hope you all have an awesome day!

Rilurz ~