Life; For Dummies

[Ryan's POV]

When I got home, I noticed that my mom was gone and that Jade was by herself coloring in her pad on the table. I instantly felt bad about leaving because I knew my mom would do something as stupid as leaving my baby sister in a house alone.

"Hey baby girl," I said, kissing her forehead as I came into the kitchen, "What are you drawing?"

She just continued coloring, her tongue poking out between her lips as she finished coloring in a persons jeans. I placed the food down in front of her, taking a look at the picture she was coloring.

It was a family of four. They were standing on green grass and the bright yellow sun was shining bright under the thick line on the top of the paper that was the blue sky. The smallest of the four had yellow hair and was wearing a pink shirt with blue pants. It was obviously a girl. Next, I noticed a tall figure wearing black pants and a black t-shirt. He had yellow and black hair. Standing next to the figure that was so obviously me, I noticed a taller figure with a big gut. His hair was colored brown and he had on a red shirt with blue pants. He was holding onto the next figures hand, that was so obviously my mom. Jade drew squiggles for the yellow hair that was coming out of her head, my mom's pants were blue and her shirt looked huge. It looked like Jade had taken the time to place little red squares and black lines through the shirt to make it look like the long sleeved plaid shirt my mom has. Under the grass, my sister had wrote names of the people. It went Jade, Ryan, Daddy, Mommy.

This image made me want to cry. I looked away, placing a kiss on my sister's head again, and going to open up the lasagna that was still hot. I fished out a fork from one of the drawers. I cut the lasagna up into to small pieces before sitting back down next to her.

"Hey," I said, getting my sisters attention.

She looked up at me with big blue eyes, she mumbled, "What?"

"I brought you some food," I said, pushing the plate towards her.

She placed down her crayon, picking up the fork and stabbing one of the many pieces of the lasagna I had cut up. She had a couple of pieces in her stomach when I heard the front door open and loud booming laughter make its way into the once silent house. I looked towards the door, wishing I hadn't. There stood my mom, as plastered as ever with her arm slung around her boyfriend's waist. I shot a glare at Jimmy, and then turned my attention back to Jade.

"Aye buttercup," Jimmy said, making his way into the kitchen.

He ruffled my sister's hair and then shot a glance at me, "Oh sweet Jesus! You dyed your hair to look even more like a fag?"

I sent him another piercing glare as he took the fork from my sister's hands. I thought I was going to fucking rip his balls off.

"Can I have some, baby girl?" he asked Jade, not even waiting for an answer as he stabbed a couple of pieces of HER food and placing it into his disgusting mouth, "Oh, that’s good!"

My mouth must have been on the floor because he was giving me an odd look while he chewed. "What're you starin' at?" he asked, mouth full of food still.

I stood up from my chair, getting right in his face before letting out in a low hiss, "Are you kidding?"

"Hey whore, you might want to control your kid!" Jimmy called to my mother.

"Are you fucking SHITTING me?!" I screamed, not caring that my baby sister was in the room right now, watching as her brother and "daddy" got into another fight.

He back up a bit, "What the fuck is your problem?"

"I can deal with you being a bum. I can deal with you coming into our house and drinking OUR beer. But don't you FUCKING DARE take food from my baby sister. You fucking got that, bub?" I spat in his face.

He dropped the fork in the Jades plate, getting close to my face, "And what are you gonna do about it?" he sneered.

Before I even realized what had happened, my right fist was connected with his mouth. He stumbled back a little, my mom let out a shriek.

"You little fucker!" Jimmy hissed, his hand instantly going to his bleeding mouth.

I think I was so in shock that I actually punched him, that I didn't see or hear him come up to me and pick me up by my shirt collar. He threw me against the fridge. Once I fell to the ground he took his left foot and started to kick me in the ribs. Jade let out a scream, instantly got out of her chair, letting out a sob as she took refuge underneath the table.

My mom came to the doorway, letting out a cry and a string of curses leave her mouth before she ran over to her boyfriend, screaming, "Stop it! STOP! Jimmy! Damnit! Please!"

He finally stopped and started to walk away before I jumped on him, instantly bringing him to the floor and beating the shit out of his face. I could here my baby sister crying hysterically from under the table.

My mom had her hands under my pits trying to pull me up off of him, screaming, "Fucking A! Stop it! Stop it Ryan!"

She finally got me off of him. Blood was trickling down my face from my right eyebrow and my ribs were killing me. The only thing that was screaming in my mind right now though was my baby sister hiding underneath the table. I freaked out.

"Baby girl," I tried, getting the chair out of the way so I could reach her.

I heard Jimmy get up and leave, the door slamming behind him as my mom ran after him. My sister let out another hiccup as I reached her. She kept shaking her head at me, and backing away.

"Jade, it's okay," I said, opening my arms for her to come into.

She stared up at me with her big silver-blue eyes. Her hands were over her ears. I moved in closer to her, "It's okay, come here baby."

She slowly took her hands away from her ears and inched closer to me.

"Come on, it's okay," I kept trying to coax her.

She crawled out from under the table, got up, and walked a step into my awaiting arms. I shushed her and ran my fingers through her hair in order to calm her down. Her heart was beating so fast I could feel it against my own chest. Finally, once her heart rate got back to normal she stared at me with big glossy eyes.

"I'm tired," she whimpered.

I kissed her forehead, picking her up as I got off the ground and carried her to our room. I laid her down in her tiny bed. After placing the covers up to her chin, I started to get up to turn off the light.

"Sing to me?" she asked quietly.

I smiled down at her, "Of course."

I kissed her forehead once again before starting my song, "I know this girl. And her name is Jade. And its past her bed T-I-M-E. She goes to sleep, and she can just dream. And not have to be - in a stinky house with me. So when I feel blue, and don't know what to do, I look at you. And I just say..."

I blew a raspberry, crossing my eyes while doing so. She giggled, holding onto the little teddy bear she always sleeps with. I laughed, kissing her cheek and saying, "Goodnight cutie. Get some sleep."

With that, I turned off the lights and went into the bathroom, cleaning up the blood. After that, I went back into the room I share with my sister, climbed into my own shitty bed, and fell into a quick sleep considering that my body was aching.