Life; For Dummies

[Ryan's POV]

As I locked the door behind me, I stood there, looking around my trashy house. There were papers and beer bottles and cans everywhere. Dirt everywhere you stepped, on the tile, the wood floor, the carpet. Don't even get me started on the carpet, huge ass stains everywhere. Some were from vomiting, some beverage spills, some blood, and I gag to say it, but even cum stains from my whore of a mother and her damn boyfriend. Looking away from the carpet, I drop the two bags on the couch in the tiny living room. Jade is already running to the kitchen, screaming, "Mommy, mommy!"

I hear a sniffle and a, "Hey baby girl."

I walk into the kitchen after my baby sister, stopping at the sight in front of me. My mom looked like a wreck. Her blonde hair was tousled and gross, her make up was running, and she looked bone thin. She finally looked up, after hearing me come in.

"What the hell are you staring at?" she asked, her Louisiana accent thick.

My mom comes from Louisiana. She met my dad on a trip to the city with her family. They ran away, got married in Vegas at the age of twenty. They had me nine months later. At the age of thirty-one, she conceived Jade Elizabeth Stone, my baby sister. My life. A little before my sister was born my dad walked out on us, leaving me alone to be the "man-of-the-house". If I ever saw him again I'd probably knock him out. And then came along-

"Nothing momma," I said, sitting across from her at the table.

She sniffled again, "Jimmy and I got into another fight."

I sighed, rolling my eyes and then saying, "You don't need him mom."

She instantly bolted up, the chair tipping over making a loud crash, "You don't know anything! I need him Ryan more than I need you!"

I rolled my eyes again, "Whatever momma."

Jimmy is my mom's boyfriend. He's a lazy, good-for-nothing, alcoholic. My sister calls him daddy, I still get sick to my stomach every time she does.

I got up, pushing the chair in, "By the way, you need to sign this."

"What?" she asked, with attitude.

I pulled out a piece of paper from my pocket, throwing it down in front of her, "It's a field trip that Jade wants to go on."

She looked it over, then at my little sister. She looked up at me, "You know we don't have the money for this."

I looked at her like she was stupid, "You don't have fifteen dollars to spare?"

She glared at me, "No, I don't, actually. If you want to keep this roof over your head, that is."

"Oh, but you have enough money for that coke you were snorting before we got here, right?" I asked, using a smart-ass tone.

"Yeah, well! What are you doing with your life that's so great!?" she screamed.

I saw my little sister look up from her drawing pad, a scared expression on her face. I tried to keep my voice at a normal level as to not scare her more, "I take care of my sister. That's what I do. Because half the time, you can't."

"GET OUT!" she screamed, pointing towards the door.

I blew Jade a kiss before walking towards the door, taking a cigarette out on the way. Opening up the door, I lit it up with my black BIC lighter. Slamming the door, I made my way onto the sidewalk. I started my walk to the Jonas household.