You guys are so nice. All of your reviews are positive and make me feel better about my writing. So thank you for your loveliness! Water vs. Fire- Are you going to review on every chapter? 'Cuz if you do, I will be looking forward to hearing from you every time I post a chapter. Thank you Anyone else who reviews every chapter will be loved just as much. You'll get your favorite snack food (because I know not everyone likes cookies, for some reason.) I have some ideas written down, and I don't know which ones will be in the story and which won't be. I'd love your input. Message me, and I'll let you know what I'm thinking. Thanks again!

Jenny's POV

It was three am when I heard the doorbell ring. I reluctantly got up from my bed and went to answer it with Scotty. What I saw upset me.

Benny was standing there, bleeding from the forehead, in a white wife beater, out of breath, with fear in his eyes. I immediately brought him in. Scotty and I overloaded him with questions about what had happened to him as we brought him to the bathroom. Then I took charge.

"Scotty, go get Dad. Benny, sit on the counter, and take your shirt off. You don't want to get blood on it. What happened to you?"

Scotty went to get Dad, and Benny did as I said. And I should say this now: baseball had been good to him. I'll let you figure out what that means ;) I tried really hard to focus on what he was saying, but it was a tad difficult in this current situation.

"Uh, well, my step mom…wanted me to…uh, clean the house."

"At three in the morning?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say she's OCD about, uh, cleanliness." He tried to chuckle, but I could tell it was forced. I wanted to hug him SO bad.

"So what happened?"

"She always gets what she wants, okay? My dad…when he found her… After my mom ditched us for her junkie lover, uh…she…"

Oh, God. Now I almost couldn't control myself. My maternal instinct was kicking in. Benny was so sad. I was on the verge of tears. He couldn't even look me in the eye. I went over to the, for lack of a better word, toilet, and sat on the lid. I took hold of his hand and said, "You don't have to tell me, you know, if it hurts to talk about…"

He looked me in the eyes (I was going to die, I swear), and he told me he wanted to tell someone. I nodded encouragingly. Then he went on.

"My mom got addicted to drugs when I was two. My dad tried his best to help her, but she pushed us away. She fell in love with her…dealer, I guess you'd call him, and she left. I was three and a half.

So then, my dad got involved with this woman, who I think is a hooker, but he swears against it. But I mean her name is Misty. Come on! Long story short, they got married. She lives like the queen of England, or something! Never does ANYTHING she doesn't want to. And Dad works triple shifts at his shit job, so he's never home. So that makes me her slave boy. Whenever she wants me to do something, I have to. 'Cuz if I don't…she gets mad. She gets drunk and starts throwing things. Like tonight, I didn't move fast enough, so she threw a desk lamp at me and hit me in the head…I-I don't…"

At this point, he was crying. I didn't know what to say or do, so I just hugged him. For what seemed like a long time. And right until the end of that time, he was crying into my shoulder. I wanted to cry, but I wanted to be strong for him at the same time.

When he calmed down, I held him at arm's length by his shoulders. "You can come here anytime you feel the need to get away. You know that, right?" He nodded, thanked me, and then Scotty came back with Dad.

"Benny, son, what happened to you? Let's get you cleaned up, shall we?" I love my dad, you know? "Jenny, why don't you and Scotty go sit on the couch. We'll be done soon."

We both said, "Okay," and left them in the bathroom. We sat on the couch, and I told my brother what Benny told me. As I looked at Scotty's worried eyes, I knew something had happened inside of me.

"Scotty, I think I like him."

"Yeah, no shit, Sherlock. I can totally tell," Scotty replied quietly. He looked confused and unsure. We just looked at each other until the bathroom door opened and Dad and Benny came out.

Dad said, "Benny, I think it would be best if you stayed here tonight. I'll take care of your step mom. You can stay in Scotty's room, can't you?"

"Sure thing, Mr. Smalls."

"Son, call me Bill," and he smiled. He looked at us and told us to go to bed, and he looked back at Benny and patted him on the shoulder. Then he went upstairs.

There was an awkward silence as we took in what had happened tonight. It was Benny who broke it.

"Jenny, nice jammies."

I blushed, realizing that I was wearing a black tank top and gray short shorts. My hair was falling out of my ponytail, and I was wearing bunny slippers. I stuttered and said, "I'm gonna go to my room now. Night night!" I ran from them, horrified. What the hell was I thinking? Those weren't the kind of pajamas I wanted Benny to see me in. Ever. Good luck trying to get back to bed now!