Saturdays. Although it was weekend I almost loathed them. Not only did I have no reason to escape the house when my father and stepmother were there I also had to go to Jers soccer match. My father and the bitch he married were on a holiday of some sorts but the soccer match was still on. Therefore I stood along the line of the field on this Saturday morning instead of sleeping in my perfect bed.

Not that I totally hated this. It was nice seeing Jer so happy and when he wins he instantly runs to me for a hug. Normally he would hug me first and then give Beck a high five. For obvious reasons Beck wasn't here last week and he still isn't here this week. Jer didn't seem to miss him, but when I wasn't looking I could see a flinch of hurt in his eyes. With a sigh I decided that I would force Beck to the next match. That would at least make one of us happy.

I forced myself out of my thoughts and focused on the match again. Jer was running towards the ball when a kid from the opposing team got it.

"Come on Jer! Steal the ball from that little brat!"

On the other side of the field the soccer moms of the opposing team were shooting me hateful glares while a mother of one of Jers teammates just laughed.

"You're always so competitive Jade."

I snickered a bit. No one at school could guess that the parents of the kids in Jers team actually liked me and I wasn't even being someone else then me. Maybe a little more laid back but when I was with Jer I softened up a bit.

"You know as well as I do that the kids are competitive to Janine."

On the field Jer finally got the ball and passed it immediately to a teammate who had an excellent position. The kid only needed one good kick and the ball flew into the goal.

"Yes!" I jumped into the air. "Well done Jer! We're gonna beat those little suckers!"

Next to me Janine laughed. "You're worse than the kids Jade. So much worse."

I just shrugged my shoulders. "Maybe."

"For sure."

We smiled at each other and were silent till the signal for the end of the match was given. On our side of the field everyone was cheering and when Jer ran to me I hugged him as tight as possible and mumbled in his hair.

"You sure beat those little losers, munchkin. You were awesome. The man of the match."

"Thanks Jade." He smiled up to me. "Do you really think I was good?"

"The best." I ruffled his hair. "You know I only take the best kid to McDonalds."

"Are we going to McDonalds?"

"Go change." I gave him a little push towards the changing room. "Celebrate with your teammates and afterwards we're going."

In a blink of an eye he ran away, yelling something to the son of Janine. I would bet my favorite scissor that we weren't going with just the two of us. The whole team and their parents will be invited in a few minutes if Jer has his way.

A ghost of a smile touched my lips till someone laid a hand on my shoulder. "Jade?"

Of course. With a growl I turned around. "Vega, are you stalking me now?"

"No." She took a little step back. "My nephew is on the other team."

"Well, that sucks for him. Don't you think?"

A little glint of something passed by in Vega's brown eyes. "Losing a game isn't something bad, Jade. And he certainly didn't deserve to be shouted at by you when he got the ball."

"Aah. Your nephew is the kid who Jer stole the ball from." I cocked my head a little bit. "Right?"

"Yes." Vega folded her arms. "And you called him a brat."

"It's a soccer game. Not the UN or something. Everyone yells at a soccer game. Don't you watch television?"

"Those players aren't ten years old! I didn't think you could be meaner then at school. Apparently I was wrong."

"Apparently you don't know me at all." I mocked her with my fifties voice. "Now run along Vega before I get my scissors."

"Ugh Jade! I don't understand why Beck wants you back so badly! You're a gank."

Ooh now she had crossed a line and by the looks of it she knew it. She lifted her arms and stepped backwards. "Jade…"

Before I could do anything someone kicked Tori in the shin and she fell down. "Don't call my sister a gank, you…you…"

"Bitch." I offered the word to Jer.

"Yes, you bitch!"

I grabbed Jer and pulled him towards me. "Thanks for defending me, munchkin."

Tori picked herself up and glared at us. "You are a rotten family."

Before Jer could kick her again I put him behind me. "Vega, if you've got half a brain you'll run."

"And why would I? You can't hurt me in public."

"Ooh you don't know what I can do." I smiled one of my creepiest smiles. "But I'm not planning to hurt you." She sighed relieved with that statement. "The parents behind you are."

"What do you mean?" She turned around and saw Janine and her husband Frank. "Can I help you?"

"You could apologize for what you said, young lady." Janine gave her one of those mom glares. "She didn't do anything to you."

"Yes she did!" Vega was quick to defend herself. "She called my nephew a brat!"

"That was in the heat of the game. Jade didn't mean it. What you're saying is straight out hurtful. Your parents should teach you manners."

"B..but..She.."

I would have paid to see this show. It was magnificent to see how little miss Vega was lectured on hurting me and not the other way around.

"You should rinse your mouth with soap. Jeremiah, Jade, are you coming? Everyone is waiting on you."

"We're coming Janine." I smiled at Vega. "See you Monday. Come on Jer." With his hand safely in mine we walked towards the other parents. "You were amazing Janine."

Frank gave me a little pat on the shoulder. "As were you. That girl doesn't know you."

Sometimes I wondered how life would have been if Jer and I had parents like Janine and Frank and in these moments I knew it would me so much easier. But I shouldn't complain. I've got Jer and when it was needed people who stood up for me. What more could I ask for?

A bit out of character I bowed down a little and put a kiss on Jers hair. He looked up at me with surprise on his face. "What was that for?"

"Nothing." I ruffled his hair. "Just don't want to be predictable." For a moment I was silent. "And I wanted to thank you for being such an amazing brother."

We stopped walking when he hugged me so tight I almost couldn't breathe. "You're also an amazing sister/mother/father. The best sother ever."

After standing like that for a moment I pushed him away. "Get in the car, munckin. Then we can go to McDonalds."

He just smiled at me and climbed in the car. I shot one worried glance his way and then followed his example. He shouldn't know that I was replacing Mom and Dad in his life. But he did know and there was nothing I could do to change that.