Jenny and I stayed with mom for hours, I felt myself smiling each time Jenny would tell mom about her little stories about school, or her little adventures with her best friend, Dean.
I loved how easily Jenny was able to talk about her life, even if it was to a headstone in the ground. She seemed so comfortable as though she was just a young girl sitting on her bed, ranting to her mom about how 'boys suck because they have cooties'.
When it finally started to get dark, I decided we had to wrap things up. "I'm sure you're enjoying talking to my mom, but we have to get home now okay?" I told Jenny, she pouted as she stood up. "Goodbye Julie, it was really nice to meet you. I hope I can visit you again soon." Jenny said, patting the headstone slightly.
I smiled as I crouched back down, placing my hand on the dirt above where her heart would be in the coffin. "It was great talking to you again mom, I'll visit you again soon, I'll bring some flowers next time too. I love you mom... I'll see you soon." I said, standing up and taking Jenny's hand as we made our way home.
~~
I arrived at school the next morning, a coffee in one hand while the other sat in my hoodie pocket. My head, hands and knees still ached from yesterday, I've still got the bandages on them but I couldn't really do much about my head.
I went to our table in the cafeteria, seeing Ella, Mia and Noah there, where the fuck is Mark? I shrugged it off as I sat down, Noah glanced at my hand the second I was seated. "What happened?"
"I dropped a glass, cut my hands open." I replied, taking a sip of my coffee. Something about the slight bitter taste was absolutely amazing to me, I'm not sure why... "You okay though?" Mia asked, I nodded my head, ignoring it completely.
"So, for History we have to get in a group of four. I was thinking us four?" Mia suggested, before I could protest, Noah nodded his head. Mia and Ella stood up and left, leaving me and Noah sitting there while I watched them walk away like a gaping fish.
"I'm fucking sorry but since when have you made my choices for me?"
"Ever since I knew you weren't capable to make your own choices." Noah sassed back, looking at me with a specific look, the look he gave me whenever he knew the truth. "Now what really happened?"
"I dropped a glass, I cut my hand okay? That's what happened. Let's just get to class, I want to get today over and done with." I grumbled, standing up and making my way towards my first class.
~~
"He got me this really nice bracelet, it had the letter 'J' on it and it looked really pretty! And after that we had some ice cream at the beach, we found some crabs and one of them pinched me... so Dean threw it back into the ocean!!" Jenny giggled as she told mom one of her stories about her and Dean.
It was so cute seeing her so animated when she talked about Dean... she spoke of him with such passion and happiness, it was the cutest thing I'd ever seen... The way her eyes lit up, how her smile widened... God, it just melted my heart-
"Mr Parker!! If you could please pay attention in class, that would be appreciated." The teacher sneered at me, I jumped slightly, not quite aware of where I was.
I looked around the class, noticing everyone was looking at me. Noah, Ella and Mia looked slightly concerned.
I glared at the teacher, I stayed quiet though, lounging back in my chair as I motioned for him to continue with his lesson.
I ignored what he said as I once again began to zone out. My mind drifted back to Jenny, about how she spoke so happily to mom... I'll be sure to take her there more often.
"How about we start the project today?" Mia asked as her and Ella spun around to face Noah and I, I didn't say anything but instead Noah just agreed, again.
"Well... it's raining so we can't go to our bench... what about the library?"
"Too loud." I responded, Noah, Mia and Ella glanced at me, a confused look on their faces before they turned back to each other. It wasn't that it would be too loud for me, it's that it would be too loud for Jenny. Like fuck I'm going to have her scared!
"What about my house, we have a massive study room we could work in, and mom won't be home till late." Ella suggested, as much as I hated her... that might be better. I nodded my head in agreement, Noah and Mia also agreed and so it was settled.
~~
"Okay sweetheart, we have to go out for a few hours okay? But I've got some things in my bag that will keep you occupied, come on, let's go." Jenny held my hand as I slung my bag over my shoulder, sliding my phone in my pocket before locking the house and leaving.
Jenny and I walked down the road, I got a few stares but I ignored it. We met Noah halfway there, he led us to the house since I didn't have her address.
My jaw dropped as I saw the house, a three story, white panel and black shingle roof in front of me. There were tall palm trees out the front, roses littered neatly around the front garden, and just to top it off, a fancy ass fountain sat in the middle, a gravel path around it leading to both the street and the house.
So she's a rich bitch...
"Come on, she said to just walk in." Noah said, leading us towards the house. When we stepped inside, I expected quiet... not loud children running around the room.
I felt Jenny squeeze my hand, I looked down and I could tell she was tense and scared. I crouched down, pulling her into a hug. "I know you're scared sweetheart, but they won't hurt you okay? You don't have to interact or talk to them but just sit where they are. I have a photo book if you want to look through it? Or a coloring book."
"Can I have the coloring book?"
"Of course sweetheart." I pulled my back off, grabbing the coloring book and the pencils I had brought. "There you go sweetheart, I'll be done in a few hours okay?"
I stood up, following Noah upstairs towards the study. Mia and Ella were both in there, both of them had books and paper, ready to work.
Once we entered, both Ella and Mia looked up at us. Mia sent me and Noah a smile, while Ella gave us a small way.
I walked over, sitting down as I pulled out my stuff. "So, What are we doing our history project on?" I asked, flipping onto a blank page. "World war 1." I couldn't help but smile slightly, I closed my book as I leaned back, Noah let out a small sigh as he new what was about to happen.
"World war 1! Also known as the Great War began in 1914 after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The war lasted for four years until 1918, the was two main sides to the war. The first side consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungry, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire which were the 'Central powers'. They fought against the other half, which was against Great Britain, France, Rusia, Italy, Romania, Japan and the United States, and they were the 'Allied powers'"
"You know all that?" Ella and Mia asked shocked, I nodded as I smiled. "I have a soft spot for history, I learnt a lot of it whenever I got bored."
After that, we began actually doing the project. We were maybe an hour in when I heard a glass smash and a loud scream sound around the house. My instinct kicked in as I shot to my feet, rushing downstairs to see Jenny cowering in the corner and a boy way older than her standing above her with an angry face.
I stomped in front of him, putting on my angry face as I clenched my fists. "Step. Back. Now." I growled out, his face quickly turned to fear as he backed away slightly.
I turned around and crouched down in front of Jenny, pulling her into my arms as she cried quietly.
I remembered a lullaby my mom had made, which I found when I watched an old video of her. I always listened to it to calm myself down whenever I was scared of upset.
I rocked Jenny back and forth as I began to sing he lullaby, not caring who was around me.
"When the stars fall from the sky
And the moon falls to the ground
Oh don't you start to cry
It all will be alright
When the sun doesn't rise
And the birds don't sing
Hold in your cries
There's hope for you and I
Look up to the sky
It's gonna be alright
Cause the sun will always rise
The moon will stay way up high
Oh please don't you cry
Cause there's hope for you and I" Jenny had calmed down, small sniffles leaving her as she huddled into me.
"Would someone care to explain why my sister was crying and why you were about to hit her?" I seared out at the boy, his face turned back to one of anger as he glared at Jenny. "She drew on my art project! I had worked on that for ages!"
"So you were going to hit her?" I asked, my anger only rising as I looked at this kid. "Y-Yeah..." I let out a sarcastic laugh as I stood up, glaring at the boy as I advanced on him. "And I should really hit you for even daring to think about hurting my sister... if you ever touch her again, I will hurt you so bad." I growled at him, picking Jenny up and made my way back upstairs to the study.
I sat down, placing Jenny in my lap as I held her tightly. "I'll never let him hurt you sweetheart... no one will ever lay their hands on you okay? I promise." Jenny nodded her head as she held onto me, Noah, Mia and Ella walked back in. "I'm sorry about my brother, he has bad anger issues."
"Well he needs to learn to control it." I responded, still rather pissed at that little runt for even thinking of hitting my sister. "I have to go, we can work on the project some other time." I said, shoving my things in my bag before grabbing Jenny's hand and leaving.
No one hurts my sister...