shieldslaveofjustice01220 well it's a long story let's just say that lol. I know I love sweet Jon don't worry he won't change…or will he? (evil laugh)

Jon had gone home to change, Snowie was sitting on her bed finishing a pop tart when her mom came in. Snowie didn't know if she had seen them last night or if Matt had said something about what he had told her so she stayed quiet and chewed more than normal.

"Hey Baby. I know I don't have to tell you about boys, because we already had that talk but…"

Snowie was mortified to say the least. "Mom! I'm not into Jon like that and he isn't into me at all like that. Nor is he like that like that."

Hope Davison knew her daughter well and she laughed. "Honey all boys grow up to be the same when it comes to things like sex."

"Mother!" Snowie jumped up. "Oh. My. God! No. No. And more no. I'm only twelve and just no! Like I said Jon and I are just friends."

Hope laughed again. "Okay. Okay. Chill out kid. But you know the rules. As for him staying over I really don't mind so much I've heard stories at work." She smiled. "Never mind. Any ways I talked to Matt and he's agreed to drop the subject of you being friends with Jon."

"I know mom. No dating until I'm sixteen." Snowie replied. "Wait! You're fine with a boy staying here in my room alone?"

"Yes. As I said I've heard stories and if they are half as bad as what I'm told then the boy needs a better place to stay. Not saying it's heaven on earth here but better. Oh and if you want to invite him to come with us to the haunted houses, when we go to celebrate another grade push, you can." Hope hugged her daughter when the doorbell rang. "Okay that would be Jon and we both have to get going. Want a ride?"

"Sure." Snowie picked her backpack up from where she'd laid it the day before. A small note fell out of an open pocket. She picked it up and put in her jean pocket.

Her mom drove them to the school. Jon actually looked so grateful he wanted to cry. Snowie asked him if he wanted to go with them and after he accepted the offer they talked nonstop about which ones they could go to and which ones he thought were better. They were still talking about it when Hanna and Toby came in. Toby was just a hare taller than her with a flat personality, like he would either stab and laugh or crack a joke any moment.

"Hey you're the new girl." He said almost without emotion.

She stayed quiet debating how to address him.

"Oh I forgot you didn't meet her yesterday." Jon helped her out. "Snow this is Toby. He's good people."

"Hi."

"What are you too all chatty about?" Hanna asked taking her seat.

Snowie decided to ask if they wanted to come too, the haunted houses were either free or cheap and she didn't think her mom would mind two extra tag alongs. She looked at Jon and he gave her a wink that said he knew what she was thinking and smiled. So she asked them. Hanna was gong ho for the idea and after Jon told him just to say yes because he was going whether he wanted to or not, Toby agreed.

Once again the day passed in warp speed. Until it seemed to come to a standstill five minutes before last period. They were all let out ten minutes before bell so every student could get to the auditorium in time. What the teachers hadn't counted on was all most all of them actually showing up on time.

"Ugh! I'm so bored." Hanna whined. "Can't they just hurry up already?"

"Do you actually think whining will help the time pass?" Came a voice behind them.

"Yes Jon. Yes I do." Hanna said without turning toward him.

Toby hopped the seat on the other side of Hanna and Jon set in the aisle seat beside her. "How's it goin'?"

"You're really asking that?" Snowie looked at him like he was crazy.

Jon looked at her and his eyes grew wide. He leaned in so he wouldn't embarrass her. "Oh my god! You're so into this right now!" She stayed quiet. So he pressed. "Admit it you're going to be a little bummed if you don't get the part. Aren't you?"

She giggled. She really had no idea how he knew her so well. "Yes. Yes, okay? I happen to like the original play and maybe I'll disappointed if I don't get the part." He laughed out loud. "Shh…"

"I'm sorry but that is just cute." He playfully pushed her. "You little acting nerd."

"Really? You're a jerk." She pushed him back.

The speakers shrieked shutting everyone up and they all looked to the stage. Where the Choir and Theatrical teacher. Mrs. Williams stood. "Hello students. Ok here's how this is going to work. We had a bit of trouble last year with everyone actually picking their own parts, so this year we have decided to divide the room evenly. So boys on the left girls on the right." They all moved in order. "Now then one boy and one girl will come up and read for the part of Romeo and Juliet. Then from that we will pick the other parts and the leads."

Half the room had gone. Snowie, Hanna and Lisa, who'd she'd met in English, were quietly making fun of the others. Then it happened Jon's name was called. "Oh this is going to be good! Funny part is he'll mess up but in truth he's really good at speaking. He just doesn't do plays." Hanna told her.

"Um…Snowie? You're up, hon." Mrs. Dover said beside her.

Her eyes were as big as saucers. "Oh God." She whispered as she walked to the stage.

"Here's your lines." Mrs. Williams handed her a piece of paper.

Jon leaned in. "I thought you were good at this."

"I said I liked it not that I was good." She snapped. Her stage fright came out as anger.

He took her hand and winked. "It's in the scene." He explained. "You're okay. I'm right here and you want the part remember? Breathe Snow white."

"Whenever you're ready." They were prompted.

They said their lines and Jon actually did a really great job as did she. They took their seats and watched the last of the students repeat the same thing they had. Mrs. Williams got back on stage and asked the students to all stay seated while the teachers discussed and then they would be told their parts.

"I can't believe he actually did it!" Hanna exclaimed. "I mean really freaking did it! What did you say to him?"

Snowie laughed at her dramatics. "Nothing. After you told me he goofed it up on purpose I expected him to too."

Lisa chimed in, "I think he likes you, Snowie."

"No way!"

The speakers went off again. "Okay we have the results. I just want to say I was very pleased with all of you." Mrs. Williams rambled off her list. "For the role of Juliet, Snowie Davison."

"What?" Snowie tried to keep herself from screaming.

"And for Romeo, Jonathan Good."

"What?" Snowie clamped her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing at Jon's sudden outburst.

"If the actors will please pick up your scripts. That is all and you can all leave. First dress rehearsal will be in a week and we will go over details then."

Jon was standing petrified outside by the water fountain. How had he ended up with the lead in the play? Why him? He'd only done it right for Snowie now he was stuck. At least if he had to do it, it was with someone he liked. His mind tried to reason but the teenage in him rebelled.

"Ugh!" he said closing his eyes.

"Hey Jon." He jumped at Hanna's voice. "Sorry. So why didn't you mess up? You always have before."

"I know but Snowie actually wanted to try for the part so I decided to read the lines right. If it hadn't been for that I wouldn't have said anything right, you know that, I didn't even do it for you in the fourth grade…."

He didn't really want to do it, she had known that much but hearing him say it kind of hurt. She tried reasoning with herself Hanna had told her he usually messed up on purpose, why was it such a big deal?

"…Who'd have thought they'd actually choose me." He said. "Where's Snowie anyways?"

She tried to stay out of sight but she knew when he'd seen her because a smile replaced the frown on his face.

"Hey Snow White!" He waved her over.

"Hey." She said trying not to sound distant.

"Hey Snowie." Hanna greeted her. "You guys want a ride home? My dad is picking me up today."

"No thanks." She said and felt bad when it came out sharper than she meant it too.

They heard a honk. "Okay then. See ya tomorrow!" Hanna said running off.

She and Jon didn't talk on the way home. When they got to her door she told him she would see him later and walked in her house. She didn't slam the door she didn't really know if she was mad at him, hurt or just what she was. She ran to her room and watched as he walked to his house and looked back at her house. She could see him and the look on his face was confused but hurt. She let the tear that had been trying to fall since her mom told her they were moving, yet again, to fall down her face.

She fell on her bed and sniffled her pillow smelled like him which only added to the guilt. "God. He's the only good thing about this place and now he'll probably never talk to me again. And I'm the one who sent him back to that place." Her mom had finally broke and told her some of the things she'd heard. She cried into her pillow until she fell asleep.

Someone was shaking her. "Snowie?" Came the whisper again. "Come on wake up."

She opened her eyes. Her light was still off. She had a moment of panic set in. She set straight up in bed and looked around there was a figure standing by her bed. She almost screamed until the figure spoke at an almost regular tone.

"Snow it's me. It's me." Jon said trying to calm her fear.

She had already jumped off her bed. Hitting the light switch and flooding the room with light she said, "Jon? Oh my god! You almost gave me a heart attack! What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry." He said guiltily. "I…well…" There was a loud crash from across the street and he jumped a little.

"No explanation needed." She knew that sound well had heard it in her own house a few times. Her mom couldn't keep Matt happy all the time or she was keeping Snowie from being hit.

She set back on her bed then looked at what she had on. If she was going to have to go back to sleep there was no way it would be in these clothes. She got up and went in her closet. When she came back out in black pants and a pink tank top Jon was resting back in her chair.

"Oh no that's not going to work. You can't sleep like that you won't rest."

"I've slept in worse." He replied.

She stared at him for a long moment wondering what that meant. "Come on. The bed is big enough for the both of us. It was last night and I'm sure it hasn't shrank." She got in under the covers. "Come on Jon."

He didn't say anything as he turned off the light and slipped into the bed beside her. Then he let out a sigh. "Hey Snowie?"

"Hmm?"

"Why were you mad at me earlier?"

She turned over and faced him. "I don't really know. I'm sorry I was a jerk."

"Oh I thought it was because of what I said to Hanna."

"Oh." She tried to think of something to say but failed. He could read her like a book.

"It was wasn't it?"

"I might have over thought the whole you not really wanting to do thing." She admitted.

Jon stared at her for a minute. "Snow, did you not hear the-I only did it for you part?"

"You said if hadn't been for me." She quoted.

"Yea as in anyone else and I would have goofed the whole thing off."

Now she just felt more guilty and stupid. "I'm sorry. I should have been thanking you not acting like a total jerk. Forgive me?" she threw her arm across him and laid her head on his shoulder. "Please."

"Of course." He hugged her back. "Besides who else would I run lines with?"

They laughed and picked on each other about the whole thing and then he got serious. "Don't ever cry for me, Snow."

How did he know she had been crying? "I…I…"

"You're a horrible liar, you know that? I couldn't go home this afternoon so I decided to come over here and find out why you were mad. I heard what you said through the window." She stayed quiet a little embarrassed. "Like I said don't ever cry for me. And never feel sorry for me."

"I'm sorry." She felt like the apology was not only coming from her but from every bad thing that he had had to deal with in his life. It weighed heavy and hung in the air.

"Come on, get some sleep." He rolled over to face the wall. Snowie thought about turning toward the door but heard him sigh and decided instead to face him and put her hand on his back.

Jon awoke the next morning to the smell of pancakes and bacon. He stretch out and felt a foreign object on his chest. He looked down to see a mop of dark hair. Snowie. He smiled and shook her. She mumbled about it being Saturday.

He couldn't help it he laughed out loud. "Yes and today is the day we go to the haunted houses."

She woke up instantly. "Oh gees! You really are trying to kill me!"

"Hey you were the one asleep on my chest. Not my fault." He laughed when she hit him. "I smell food."

"You could smell food from a yard away." She said standing up. Her foot hit a black bag. "What's this?"

"Oh it's my incase I have to stay away for a few days bag." He said in proud but simi-embarrassed voice.

She looked at him then picked the bag up. "Well now it's your at Snow's house bag." She smiled and tossed it to him. She noticed he actually looked relieved. "Come on. Let's go eat. Good thing is Matt is at work the whole day and mom didn't tell him our plans so he couldn't take off and ruin the day."

They ate and showered an hour later they were headed to Hanna's house. Jon got out to go get her but came back without her. "She has a stomach bug and can't go."

"Well maybe next time." Hope said with an encouraging smile. "Where to next?"

"Um…if you turn left up here and go down the street three blocks you'll turn right and Toby's house is on the left." Jon gave her the directions.

Toby couldn't go with them either. He had gotten grounded so he was house bound for a week. "Looks like it's just the two of you then."

They spent the day running around town going to every haunted house in Cincinnati and even in a few little towns around the area. Jon was playing the navigator for the places Hope didn't know how to get to. By the end of the day when they were eating dinner at a place he swore had the best food, she'd decided her daughter was right and he was a good kid. When they pulled into the drive way Jon thanked her and started to walk toward his house.

"Hey Jon, wait." Hope called after him. Snowie stood petrified not knowing what she'd say. Jon mirrored her fear. "It's nothing bad I promise. But if you are going to sneak into the house at night maybe use the front door? There's a spare key under the plant to the right."

With that she walked away leaving the two of them alone and staring at each other in shock. They simply looked at each other, neither of them knowing what to say or do.

Jon spoke first. "I can honestly say that's a first. Nobody's ever given permission to sneak into their house before."

Snowie laughed even though she could tell he was dead serious. "Jon my friend, welcome to my world."

"You mind if I stay over tonight?"

"Nope but if we're going to make this a regular thing. You might want to get more clothes." She suggested.

"Sure thing."

He ran across the street. She stayed there watching him go. Then turned and walked into her own house. She knew her mom and hoped Jon knew how sincere she was that it wasn't just a hand out to a poor kid. She went into the kitchen where her mom was putting dishes away.

"Thanks for that." She hugged her.

"It was nothing. I don't want people to think something bad and call the cops and him get in trouble and like I told you the kid needs a better place. And he really is a good kid." The doorbell rang out. "Go see who that is."

Snowie ran to the door when the ringing continued. A woman, Jon's mom stood there and Jon stood behind her with a red mark on his face. "Hi." Snowie greeted her in what she hoped was a nonthreatening way. She looked at Jon and a silent I'll tell you later past between them.

"Is your mother home?" Kathy asked.

"Um…yeah. Come in." Snowie moved from the door. Kathy stepped around her and into the living room. Jon stopped by her. "You okay?" She whispered.

Hope came around the corner to see a new face. "Hi I'm Hope. And you are?"

Snowie jumped in to save the day…maybe. "Mom this is Kathy, Jon's mom."

"Oh hi. What can I do for you?" She looked at Jon's face but didn't say a word only looked at her daughter.

"Um while you talk I think we're going to go run lines in my room." She grabbed Jon's hand and pulled him along behind her.

They were finally in her room with music going and the door firmly shut when he broke his silence. He jumped off her bed and Snowie Jumped at his sudden outburst but hoped he didn't see. "I…" he flexed his fingers. "I hate them all."

She didn't know what to say but she understood perfectly well. She hated Matt so much it'd probably be her ticket to hell alone. She said the only thing she could. "Jon what happened?"

"My sister is a turn coat. She told my mom where I've been going at night and that I've stayed here more than once. Just because I forgot to cover for her yesterday. So I got yelled at I yelled back and that asshole hit me."

"Your mom?"

"No. Her boyfriend." He ran his hands through his hair. "I'm sorry I know I shouldn't say anything to you."

She balked. "Say anything? I've been dying to ask about the other day and why you tried to hide me when we were walking home and what took you so long that night. Jon, I have one of the worst step dads in history of parenting I understand." She stood in front of him to make him stop pacing. "Never apologize for anything, if it's not your fault and you for sure didn't do it then never apologize."

He grabbed her in a hug. "You're wise beyond your years, Snow White."

She hugged him back. "What did you ever do without me?"

He was dead serious when he answered. "I don't know."

A few minutes later her mom knocked on the door. "Yeah?" she turned down the music.

Hope opened the door. "The coast is clear." She winked at Jon. "I settled your mother down and she said to tell you to at least clean your room and she'd be back later." He smiled at her. "Are you sure you're okay?"

His eyes darted like he was trying to think of a good response. "Yeah I'm fine. Had…" He stopped but Snowie and Hope shared a knowing look the words he didn't speak were he'd had worse.

Hope let it go, she wouldn't push the kid. "Okay then yell if you need Ibuprofen or something. As for now I think you'd better go clean your room. Snowie can go with you and help." What she meant was Snowie could go so if they were still home maybe he'd catch a break.

When they walked into the house it was trashed. Beer bottles and other paraphernalia littered the living room. There was the remains of a glass table that looked like someone had been put through it. She didn't say anything she just stayed close to Jon. They got to his room the cleanest part of the house she'd seen yet today. She found herself wondering who had cleaned it the other day when he'd snuck her through it.

"Sorry about the mess. I gotta change shirts though this one is driving me nuts."

"No biggie." She heard a small ping and looked at the floor. A piece of glass landed from the hood of his jacket. "Jon, you were what broke that table weren't you?"

He looked down and refused to meet her eyes. "Yeah. Don't tell anyone okay? Not even Hanna." He had tried to keep Hanna out of the ugliness that was his home life. Snowie was too far deep to turn back now. He told her everything from the beginning to the end. She set there on his bed taking it all in. Once he'd finished he just set there looking at the floor.

Snowie had never heard anything so horrible. Sure there were always news reports but those weren't of somebody she knew. "I know you told me never to feel sorry for you but I can be mad for you?"

He looked at her and there was a small smile on his face. His one fear; that she would walk away after she found out how much of a screw up he was, hadn't happened. "You know I can't actually tell you how to feel, right?"

"I know. But while I want so badly to say I'm sorry I don't want you mad at me and at the same time I really want to hit your mom." She put her hand on his. "If we can survive shit parents alone, surely we can do it together."

They sped through cleaning his room and she convinced him to pack at least one more bag. They were back in her room just in time for Saturday night wrestling to come on. During a commercial break they went down to get food and cokes. Matt was sitting on the couch and said hi but that was it. She could live with that. They rushed their goods back up stairs. Later after showers that her mom insisted on they curled in bed watching Tales from the Crypt. They talked about wrestling, music, TV, and whatever else that came up. Both trying to forget the horrible truth he had told her earlier. It seemed to work because sometime around two am they fell asleep.