A/N: Yes, I live! Heres a long chater. Contains flashbacks or Roger's childhood. Hope you like it!
" Jackie, should you be smoking on school ground?" Mel asked, looking around the schoolyard nervously. Jackie shrugged her shoulders.
" Eh, as long as no one sees." Jackie said. " Want one?" Jackie said offering Mel one. Mel's eyes widened through her thick glasses.
" N-no, I don't smoke." Mel said in a scared voice. Jackie looked Mel. Her eyes softened as the little girl began to blush.
" Well, that's good. You don't want to be like me." Jackie said throwing her cigarette on the ground and stepping on it.
" No, I wish I was like you. You're so…so confident in yourself and your not intimidated. And everyone has been scared of you ever since your first day here." Mel said looking at Jackie with awe. Jackie laughed.
" You have to make a good first impression." Jackie said. Just then, the school bell rang for the students to come inside. Jackie grinned. " Hows about me and you skip today." Mel's eyes widened again.
" S-skip school? Now? But what if we get in trouble?" Mel asked hysterically. Jackie chuckled at the small girl.
" Whats the worst thing that could happen? So what if they give you a detention or two. Its nothing." Jackie answered. Mel looked down at her books and then at the school. Jackie grinned again. " Well?"
" A-alright. I'll go with you." Mel said. Jackie threw her backpack over her shoulder.
" Good. We can go to the Life Café. I think Mimi's off today. But if she isn't, that's ok too." Jackie told Mel as she headed out of the schoolyard. Mel picked up her pace to catch up with Jackie.
" Mimi's the one who works at the Cat Scratch Club?" Mel asked.
" Yup." Jackie answered.
" And she's your brother girlfriend?"
" Yea, and she's more like my sister then my brother's girlfriend. Hey, after we go to school," Jackie said making quotation marks with her fingers, " you wana come to the loft?" Mel smiled widely.
" Oh that would be so much fun! Then can I meet everyone?" Mel asked happily.
" Sure." Jackie responded. The two girls walked down the streets of New York City, until they reached the Life café. They walked in to find it practically empty with the exception of a couple of people drinking coffee. Jackie led Mel to a booth where they sat. Jackie took off her jean jacket and picked up a menu. Mel did the same.
" What can I get you two?" the waitress asked. Jackie looked from behind the menu to see Mimi standing there. Mimi saw Jackie and let out a deep breath. " Jackie, aren't you suppose to be at school?" She asked with her eyebrow raised.
" Its my day off. Besides, I work to hard too hard at school." Jackie said grinning. Mimi shook her head.
" Roger isn't gonna like it when he hears you skipped." Mimi said.
" What Roger doesn't know, won't hurt him." Jackie said smiling.
" You know I have to tell him. Even though I love you, I can't lie to Roger." Mimi said. " And if he found out that I lied, then we would have some major problems sweetie."
" Boo." Jackie answered. Mimi rolled her eyes.
" Well since you're here, what do you want?" Mimi asked.
" A Pepsi and fries, Meems." Jackie answered. " What do you want Mel?" Mimi gave Jackie a confused look before turning to look down at the girl that she didn't even realize was there. Mel looked at Jackie and then at Mimi.
" Um, I-I'll have the same thing as her, please." Mel asked shyly. Mimi smiled then turned to Jackie.
" At least your friend has some manners." Mimi said sarcasticly. Jackie grinned.
" Yea, I left mine back at the loft." Jackie answered. Mimi fake laughed at Jackie and headed to back to the kitchen to place their orders.
" So, Mel how's your family life?" Jackie asked. Mel looked up at her.
" I live with my Mom, Dad and little brother. Mom works at some Doctors office and Dad sells houses. My brother, Danny is 4 so my grandma watches him when everyone is gone." Mel paused. " I may have a regular family, but it seems that my mom and dad fight with each other more everyday. They fight about the stupidest things like who was suppose to bring home milk or who was suppose to cook dinner."
" Well, I know from experience that parents ruin everything. Fucking everything." Jackie said bitterly. Mel looked down at the table, not knowing what to say. A few minutes later, Mimi came walking with their orders. Mel picked apart her fries bit by bit while Jackie pigged out and finished her fires in 5 minutes flat. By the time both Mel and Jackie were done it was 12:00 and Mimi was done working.
" You coming back to the loft Jackie?" Mimi asked putting on her coat. Jackie nodded.
" Yea. Do you think Mel can come and hang out for awhile?" Jackie asked.
" Sure, I have no problem with it and I don't think Roger will care. As long as she is aloud to go." Mimi responded. Jackie looked at Mel who nodded in return. The 3 of them walked down the streets until they reached avenue A, where the old lofts stood. Mimi pulled out her keys and opened the door to the building and headed inside. Jackie followed Mimi and lead Mel into the building. Jackie looked behind her shoulder to see Mel gazing in amazement through her thick glasses. Jackie rolled her eyes and smiled.
" This girl needs to get out more." Jackie thought. They finally made it to the top door of the building where Mimi opened the door. Roger was playing his guitar on the couch and looked up to see Mimi walking in. He smiled.
" How was work today, baby?" He asked. Mimi let out a deep breath.
" Fine. I found something of yours when I was working." Mimi said smiling slightly. Roger gave Mimi a look of confusion at first. Then Jackie came walking in.
" Hey big bro." Jackie said. Roger let out a breath of frustration and shook his head. " Aren't you happy to see me?" Jackie asked pouting her lip sarcastically.
" I'm having a migraine." Roger mumbled through his hands. Jackie grinned. " Jackie, aren't you suppose to be in school?" Roger asked, running his hand through his blond hair.
" Naw, today's go out and do something fun for once day." Jackie said looking behind her to see Mel standing shyly in the shadows. Jackie waved Mel to come up closer.
" Rog, this is my friend Mel." Jackie said to Roger. He looked at the little girl and grinned.
" She dose look like a girl version of Mark." Roger thought, quoting Jackie's earlier description of Mel. She waved shyly at Roger and he nodded in reply. Jackie led Mel to an empty armchair near the couch and Jackie sat on the other side of the couch next to Roger. Mimi followed and took a seat in the other empty armchair.
Roger glanced at Jackie. " How's your eye?" he asked. Jackie shrugged.
" Fine, I think it's getting better." Jackie replied.
" Here, let me take a look at it…" Roger said reaching for his sister's face. Jackie allowed her brother to look at her eye and winced when he gently ran his finger over he bruise. He took his hand off her face. " Yea, it feels like the swellings going down." Roger told her. Jackie nodded and looked at Mel.
" Come on Mel, I'll show your our roof." Jackie said getting up. Mel followed Jackie out the door of the apartment. Roger looked at Mimi and smiled.
" I'm glad she made a friend for once." Roger told her.
" What do you mean? I thought she had friends back in Philly." Mimi asked.
" Well they weren't really her friends. Jackie got in fights and skipped school a lot. She had a pretty bad reputation at school and it didn't help that I was just as bad as her." Roger answered. " She went solo most of the time except when she was with me."
" Well didn't you have your own thing to do with your friends? I mean, you didn't always want to be hanging around your little sister at that age, did you?" Mimi asked.
" No," Roger hesitated. " It was more of the fact that I would rather her be with me then at home with my parents." Roger said looking into his palm. His palm was scared and brought back painful memories. Mimi noticed him looking down at his palm.
" Roger?" She asked. Roger snapped out of his trance and looked at her.
" Sorry, its just…I was remembering a time when I did leave her alone with them." He said shrugging his shoulders.
" Please tell me." Mimi said. Roger looked at her and took in a deep breath…
Sixteen-year-old Roger Davis was out on the streets of Philly with his band members. He didn't feel like going home so he decided to hang out with his friends at a nearby park. It wasn't like they were doing anything fun or special. They were just hanging out and smoking, whistling at girls who passed by.
" So Roger, did you finally get your sister to stop following you?" Roger's friend Frank asked grinning. Roger shrugged.
" Yea, I left her at home this time." Roger said distracted.
" Yea, no offence Roger but she's a little young to be around us all the time." Roger's other friend Louie said. It was around 9:00 when Roger started to head home. He would have stayed later if he weren't so discratted by his thoughts of his sister. He walked onto his street and walked up to his little, dirty brown house. The blinking porch light was on and was flickering madly. Roger opened the door and heard a high-pitched scream. He ran into the kitchen where his father, who was obviously drunk again, was standing over Jackie with a broken beer bottle. He looked down at his crying sister to see many tiny pieces of glass jammed into her right arm, dark red blood running onto the floor. Roger's eyes widened as he charged for his father. He grabbed his arm and pushed his onto the ground. He kneeled down next to his sister to try and calm her down. Roger's dad got up again, stumbling in his attempt.
" What do you think your doing boy! Your sister needs so know…how to respect…her parents." His dad slurred. " Damn bitch, too stupid to know when she's suppose to get me my beer." Roger's dad said grabbing the broken glass again. Roger didn't move.
" Dad, she's a little girl! How the hell do you except her to know when to get your fucking beer!" Roger screamed. His dad's face crumpled up, his eyes grew hard.
" Boy, you don't ever talk to me like that! Looks like you need to be taught a lesson too!" His dad screamed as he threw the bottle at Roger. Roger put his hand up in prevent the bottle from hitting his face. He screamed in agony as the glass shattered into his hand, cutting at his skin. His dad smiled in satisfaction and headed towards the living room, where he sat down and passed out. Roger looked at his hand and saw tiny piece of glass wedged into his skin and dark blood dripping out. Jackie was whimpering quietly on the floor while clutching her bleeding arm. He quickly picked her up and took her to their small bedroom. He cleaned out her cuts and picked out as many glass pieces as he could. He did the same with his hand and bandaged both of their wounds. After he was done, Jackie was still whimpering in fright as she held her knees to her chest and rocked back and fourth. Roger sat down and hugged her, trying to calm her down.
" Shh, its ok Jackie. Rogers here and I won't let them hurt you again." Roger said, soothing his sister. Jackie's whimpers faded, as she quietly feel asleep in her brother's arms. Roger continued to hold her, afraid if he did let her go that his dad would hurt her again. " I promise, I'll never leave you alone again."
Roger finished his story and looked at Mimi. She walked over to him and sat down next to him. She took his scared hand and gently ran her finger over it.
" You're a great brother, Roger Davis." Mimi said looking up at him. Roger smiled slightly and kissed Mimi. Just then, Jackie came walking in with Mel by her side. Jackie noticed both of them looking at her.
" What?" Jackie asked. Roger looked at Mimi and shook his head.
"Nothing. We were just talking, that's all." Roger answered. Jackie looked at Mel and rolled her eyes.
" Whatever, bro." Jackie said heading towards the small table with Mel. Just then, Mark walked in with Collins. They were holding some groceries that they had gotten before they came.
" Hey guys, we got some food." Collins said placing the food on the table where Jackie and Mel were sitting. Collins saw Mel and grinned, knowing this was the friend Jackie told them about. " Hey there, you must be Mel. The names Collins." Collins said extending his hand. Mel smiled and shook it. Mark was filming then again and Jackie's face fell.
" Cohen, if you don't stop filming me I swear on my grave that I'll…" Jackie started. Mark grinned.
" What's the matter Jackie? Don't you like being filmed?" Mark said circling the table. Jackie got up and headed towards Mark. He quickly ran behind Roger and Mimi, trying to get away from the very mad Jackie. She walked fast to where Mark was standing and tackled him to the ground. His camera fell on the ground, unharmed. Jackie picked it up.
" Well, well, well. Look what I have, Mark's camera." Jackie said observing it. Mark's eyes widened.
" Jackie! Give me back my camera!" Mark pleaded. Jackie grinned.
" Aw, poor Marky wants his camera back. Well why don't you come get it?" Jackie asked. Mark charged for her but before he got close enough to get it, Jackie threw it over to Roger. He caught it and smiled.
" Hey, its Mark in the middle!" Roger stated as Mark ran towards him. Roger threw it to Collins who caught it and held it over his head. Mark attempted to get it but Collins was a good foot or so taller then him. Everyone laughed at the sight of Mark jumping up and down for is camera. Collins finally gave it back to him after awhile. He looked at everyone and walked to his room angrily. Everyone laughed again.
" He'll get over it soon." Jackie told Mel.
" I don't know about that Jackie. Mark gets pretty mad when someone messes with his precious camera." Mimi stated. Roger and Collins looked at each other and grinned.
" Yea, we know that from experience." Collins said. Roger laughed. While everyone was laughing, Mel tapped Jackie on the shoulder.
" Do you know what time it is?" Mel asked. Jackie went over to Roger and held up his wrist to read his watch.
" 3:03." Jackie answered. Mel's eyes widened once again.
" Oh, its already that late? Sorry Jackie, but I have to go home. My parents get angry when I'm not home on time." Mel said franticly. " Bye everyone." She said waving. Everyone waved back and watched the small girl leave the loft.
" I like that girl. She nice, but she needs to relax more." Roger told Jackie.
" Don't worry, I'm working on that." Jackie said smiling.
" Well I'm hungry and I'm going to eat something. You guys want anything?" Collins asked then, reaching the in bag of groceries. The rest of the gang went up to the table and started to eat.
A/N: Ah, there you go. A nice long chapter. Hope ya like.