Just a little note before you start reading, anything in italics represent the past, or a memory. Ok Happy Reading!

Chapter Three

I sat in the bed with tears running down my face. It had been two days since I was reunited with my brother, and here he was packing his bags. Jon had become a big hit in the world of wrestling. He informed me of his weekly schedule, and a few appearances, and interviews in-between he would have to go to. Where did that leave me? Back on the streets, alone, no family… again? I didn't want that. I was tired of what life had dished out to me.

"Come on Nikki. Don't be like that. It's only for a few days. I'll be back." Jon insisted.

"But what about me? Where do I go? Where do I fit into your life now?" I asked choking on my tears. Jon came over, and wrapped his arms around me, shushing me, "Look Nikki, I know life hasn't been good to you, it hasn't been good to me either. I've tried my best, and worked hard for what I have now. Don't think for a second I'm going to loose you now that I found you. I looked for so long to find you. I don't know how annoying I was to the cops, and how many buttons I pushed to find you. I didn't think I would ever find you, but here you are, right now. Do you think I would let you go again?"

"No." I said sniffling.

"I wouldn't do that to you. I lost you once because I couldn't take care of you, and I was stupid enough to leave you alone. I'm not going to do that again. All I'm asking you is for you to stay here until I get back." Jon pleaded.

"But I want to go with you. I don't want to be here alone anymore." I whined. I could tell Jon was getting fed up with how I was acting, but I couldn't help it. I was so afraid I would lose him all over again.

"Please, Nikki. I'm going to go for just a few days, I'll leave you more than enough money until I get back. I promise I'm not going to leave you, it's my job. When I come back I'll see if I can pull some strings and you can come with me next time, ok?" Jon said rubbing my back.

"You promise you won't forget me?" I asked, I know how much of a child I must have sounded like, but I couldn't help it. Jon was my only family left now. The only one that I knew would really care about me, I couldn't just let that go, not when I just got him back.

"I'll only promise, if you promise not to leave me again. You see Nikki, you weren't the only one hurt. I know I asked you to stay in that house, and that was only because I couldn't take you with me. We both got through that time, now we are back together. Just trust me one more time, and I promise I will take care of you properly this time. I'm not going to let anything happen to you this time." Jon said wiping the tears from my eyes, and kissing me on the cheek. "I'm leaving now. Take this, make it last until I get back." He said, handing me an envelope, before he walked out the door. I cried the rest of the day away, terrified that he wouldn't come back.

The next morning seemed to come too soon. I rubbed my eyes, and rolled over so the sun wouldn't blind me. It was the first time in a very long time I had slept in a real bed. I looked around the hotel room wondering what I was going to do. First thing's first, I'm going to take a shower, I had decided. I only had one other clean outfit to wear, so I laid that one out on the bed. I stripped down, and turned on the warm water. I hadn't taken a shower in years, the only contact with water I had on my body was with a damp old rag that the girls and I shared. You make the best with what you have.

My body seemed to relax almost instantly at the feel of the water cascading down my body. It felt so good, as I began to scrub my body of all the dirt, and germs, and just everything from living on the streets. It was the first time I had felt clean in a very, very long time. When I was done with the shower, I dried off, and slipped into my clothes, and put my hair in a bun. I picked up the envelop Jon had left me, and smiled to myself at the possibilities. First things first, I have to go get my friends. I knew where they were staying, so I called a cab, and went to find them.

Almost thirty minutes later I found both of my friends asleep, huddled together. I decided to have some fun, and took a few steps back, before jumping and landing on both of them. "What the hell?" Came Alyssa's voice. My friends' embracing me once they knew who it was that jumped on them, "Where have you been?" Sam asked, wrapping her arms around me. "It's a long story, but you guys have to come with me. I have a taxi outside waiting for us. Hurry up." I told my friends, pulling at their arms, as I stood up. Reluctantly they listened, and in minutes all three of us were in the back of the taxi, headed back to my hotel room. I explained everything that happened, from being arrested, and then being reunited with my brother, and him leaving again.

"So let me get this straight.." Sam started, "Your brother comes back into your life after you've been arrested, brings you back to his hotel room, gives you an envelope full of money, and leaves again."

"Are you sure you didn't get wasted, and someone didn't …."

"Don't even go there." I told Alyssa before she could finish. The rest of the car ride was comfortably silent. We all enjoyed the ride back to the hotel, for once enjoying the scenery around us, looking at the buildings, and at the people walking past us on the streets, just for a moment forgetting about our painful lives.

Nikki paid for the taxi fare once the driver stopped in front of the hotel. The girls took in a deep breathe, before bursting with smiles, as Nikki lead the way back to her room. Sure the girls had lived places with a roof over their heads before, but it was never quite like this. For Nikki, the memories of living in a home like setting was far from pleasant, at least up until her brother left.

I made my way home from school ever so slowly, not wanting to face my reality of my home life. There wasn't a single day that passed by that I didn't think about my brother, and what he was doing. Life had gotten rough, I didn't realize until now how bad Jon had it, now I know how he felt through all those years of abuse. I never understood until now, because I was never abused, until now. I held my breath as I walked into our home, the smell of alcohol, and cigarettes. I thought that maybe I could make it to my room without anyone noticing me, however plans never go the way you want them to go. Harper came around the corner from the living room into the kitchen holding an empty bottle of beer. "Where the hell have you been, girl?" He yelled at me. I flinched at his harsh words, "I just got home from school."

"Harper, who are you talking to?" I heard my mother's voice from the living room.

"Your useless, good for nothing daughter of yours." Harper yelled. His black eyes peering down at me, "Now don't lie to me girl, I know you didn't just come from school. It's late, now where the fuck were you?" He spoke again. I knew I couldn't rely on my mother coming over to help protect me, and I knew very well this would turn into another beating.

"I'm telling the truth. Please, just let me go to my room so I can do my homework. I have a paper to write." I begged trying to step past the tall man. It was no use, as I was almost past him, he pulled me back by my hair. I struggled to keep my balance as I was pulled backwards, and shoved against the wall. Harper was now in my face, his smelly breath on my face, as his soulless black eyes bore right into me. "You may think you can get away with lying to your mother, and don't think for one minute because your stupid fucking brother isn't here to protect you that you can just walk away like nothing matters." With those words Harpers large hand connected with my face, "Now, one more time, where the hell were you?" He asked, pulling my hair back. I felt blood trickle down the side of my lips, and down my neck, before I took another slap across the face. My so called mother came into the kitchen, a cigarette between her lips, as she sported the bra and panties with her cheap silk robe lazily wrapped around her thin frame, "Are you lyin again?" My mother asked, grabbing my jaw with her sharp tacky red nails. "No mom, I swear. I'm not lying." I pleaded in my defense, however it did me no good, because my own mother joined in on the beating.

"Hey, are you ok?" Alyssa asked.

"Yeah, you kinda zoned out for a minute there." Sam chimed in.

"Oh yeah, sorry, just thinking that's all. Why don't you two go shower, and then we can go shopping, and grab some dinner?" I asked with a smile on my face. I watched my friends eyes grow big, as they scrambled towards the shower. I laughed watching them, I was determined to make this week the best week I've ever had.

Yay! Another chapter written, working on the next one, and will post again next week. Hope you all enjoyed it? Let me know what you think, Review!