Troubled Times

I let my pink hair fall in front of my face, as I smiled, and tried to keep myself from laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Rilee asked, looking at me, not noticing Zacky’s appearance.
I looked into her eyes, and flickered mine towards the door. She glanced over, and slowly she turned her whole head.

“Hi.” She smiled, sweetly.

“Hi.” He said, staring at her.

“Zacky, this is Rilee, my bestest friend, in the whole wide world, Rilee, this is Zacky my second
bestest friend in the whole wide world.” I smiled.

“Yeah, that’s right.” Zacky nodded, trying not to laugh.

Rilee smiled at him, and I shook my head, looking away. I heard advancing footsteps, and I
smirked, at the kitchen doorway. Brian appeared, and he smile warmly at me, before his eyes
slowly traveled from Rilee, to Zacky. He groaned, but said nothing, as he sauntered across the
living room, to sit with me.

He pulled me onto his lap, and I snuggled against him, as he started the movie, again.

“So, what’s up?” Brian asked, glancing over his shoulder at Zacky.

He shrugged, and sat down next to Rilee, watching Role Models with us. Through the entire movie,
I could hear Zacky and Rilee talking, but I continued to watch the movie.

I got up off the couch, and padded into the kitchen. I reached into the cupboard for a glass, but of
course, me being me, I dropped the glass, and it shattered against the floor, causing me to jump.

“Jayden, what’d you break?” I heard Matt call.

“What you think just cause I’m black, I did it?” I demanded.

“No, because you’re the only one in the kitchen.” He laughed, walking in.

“It’s cause I’m black, you racist motherfucker.” I laughed.

“If you say so.”

Sighed, I walked to the closet, and pulled out the broom, and started sweeping the glass into piles,
picking up all the larger pieces.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll get it.” Matt smiled.

“I did it, it’s fine.” I protested, sweeping up the little pieces, into the dustpan, before walking to the
garbage.

When I turned to walk, a pain shot through my foot, through my leg.

“Daddy.” I said, plopping to the floor, and cradling my foot.

“Oh, honey.” He cooed, rushing over. “Brian, get me a towel!”

He didn’t ask, he just walked upstairs to the linen closet, grabbed a towel, and came back. He
dropped to his knees beside me, and laid the towel under my bleeding foot. They were both
staring at the piece of glass, unsure of what to do. After multiple minutes, of my clenching my teeth,
I watched Rilee walk in, and kneel by my foot.

“Hold Brian’s hand.” She ordered.

Brian laced his fingers with mine, as she gripped the glass. Like I knew she would, she ripped it
out, quickly, making me gasp in pain, and grip his hand tighter. His lips captured mine, making the
pain dissolve immediately. I melted into the kiss, and I barely felt dad, and Rilee poking and
prodding my foot.

“Can you feel any of this?” She asked.

“Yes, and it hurts!” I complained, breaking away from Brian.

“That’s a goop thing. That means your foot is still in full working condition.”

“I’d rather it fell off!” I exclaimed.

“Basketball.”

“FIX IT!!”

Rilee chuckled.

“That’s what I thought.” She snickered.

“Shut up.” I told her, before turning back to Brian, to press my lips against his.

“You’re my daughter you know.” Matt cleared his throat.

“Oh come on, and I’m your best friend.” Brian groaned.

“EXACTLY! That’s my daughter!!”

“She was my girlfriend before she was your daughter!!” Brian yelled back.

Matt narrowed his eyes at him, but didn’t say anything. Rilee patted my knee, and stood up, silently
telling my that she was done.

“I’m tired.”

“Alright. Bedtime. You’ve got school tomorrow.” Brian said, picking me up.

He carried me up to my room, and crawled into bed with me. I fell asleep with his arms around me,
and his quiet snoring drifting around me.

When I woke up, Brian was still there, and I glanced at the clock to see it was 6. I slowly slithered
out of his embrace, and went to my bathroom, jumping into the shower. When I was done there I
blow dried my hair, straightened it, and did my make-up, before picking out some clothes, and
turned to my bed. Brian lay sprawled across it, with the covers tangled around him.

I smiled lightly, walked over, kissed his forehead, and turned to walk out, when he grabbed my
hand.

“I’ll drive you to school.” He muttered, sitting up, rubbing his eyes.

“It’s fine. I’ll walk.” I shook my head.

“No. I wanna.” He yawned.

“Your tired, go back to sleep.” I whispered, pushing on his chest, but he wasn’t having it.

He stayed sitting upright, and kissed my lips. Making me groan.

“I don’t need to go to school, with bruised lips.” I smirked.

“To late.” He smirked back.

“Shut up, Brian!” I complained.

“Oh, your awake!” Val exclaimed, walking in.

“Yeah. I woke up about half-an hour ago.” I smiled.

“Brian can you drop Jay, off at school today?” She asked.

“Why, yes, Val. I certainly can.” He said, smirking at me.

I groaned, and slammed my hand against my forehead.

“Alright, get ready. I’ll make breakfast.” I sighed, turning towards the door.

“Oh, it’s already on the table.” Val smiled, before walking away.

“I don’t like this whole family, thing. It’s changing my whole life style.” I muttered.

“Families take care of each other. Mother’s make breakfast. Not 16 year old daughters.” Brian smiled, kissing me, before turning to my bathroom, for a shower.

I walked out the door, and trotted down the stairs, to the kitchen, where I sat next to Rilee, who was
already eating.

“This is delicious.” She mumbled, through a mouthful of food.

I nodded, shoveling the eggs, and sausage into my mouth.

“Slow down there, or you might choke.” Matt laughed, coming in, kissing Val, and turning to the
fridge, where he held up a jug of orange, and apple juice.

“APPLE JUICE!!” I yelled, swallowing the rest of the food that was in my mouth.

Matt laugh, and turned to the cupboard.

“Now. . .watch how your supposed to get a cup down.” He said, slowly reaching for a glass.

He grabbed it, and set it on the counter, before turning to smile at me.

“Shut up.” I blushed.

He poured me some apple juice, and set it on the table in front of me, as Brian came into the
kitchen, with wet hair. He bent down, and kissed me, before sitting on my other side, to eat his
breakfast.

“Morning, Brian.” Val called.

“Morning, mom.” He smiled.

“Hey, you guys aren’t married.” She scoffed.

“So? I’m dating your daughter.” He laughed.

He took my hand under the table, and squeezed, slightly. She rolled her eyes, and turned to us.

“Get her to school.” She ordered.

Brian stood up, saluted, and tugged on my hand, so we could go to the Escalade.

“Hey, uh, guys?” Rilee called.

“What up?” I aske.d

“Umm. . .can you give me a ride to school?” She asked.

“Yeah, course.” Brian answered.

We all climbed in, heading off to school. I heard my ring tone, for Jimmy, and I held my phone 4
inches away from my ear as I answered.

“Have a good day at school!!” He yelled.

“Thank you! I will!! Have a good day, doing nothing!” I screamed back

“I will!!”

I laughed, and said goodbye, as we pulled up to the school.

“Love you.” I whispered, smiling at Brian.

“Love you, too, babe.” He smiled.

I kissed his lips, and opened my door. I hadn’t really realized that Rilee was already out of the car,
until I saw the door close behind her. I waved to Brian as he drove away,, until he drove out of the
parking lot. I put my earbuds in, and blasted Practice Makes Perfect by Cute is what we
Aim for.

“I’ve become what a mother wouldn’t want in a son,

And I have done, a few things I regret.

I’ve become what a mother wouldn’t want in a son,

And I have done, what a mother wouldn’t want,

What a mother wouldn’t want in a son.” I sang.

I did the air drums, banging my head, as I walked down the hall.

“Freak.” Someone called, loud enough for me to hear.

Since I was in such a good mood, after Brian dropped me off, at school, I just ignored it, and
decided to not bneak her plastic. God, knows, I could, and would do it.

I pulled my phone out, and started texting Bri.

Me: Hey, baby. What’s up?

Bri: Nm. Just sitting with Jimmy. Missing you. :D

Me: I miss you, too! :’( I wanna be with you! They’re being mean to me, again.

Bri: Want me to come in and kick some ass, babe?

Me: Nah, I think I’ve got a better shot then you do. ;)

Bri: Josh put that up on YouTube. :P

Me: What?!

Bri: I thought you knew! Do you want me to tell him to take it down?

Me: No, it’s fine, everyone’s probably seen it by now. I sighed.

“Hey, where’d you get your phone?” I heard someone ask.

I looked at the back of my phone, and was assaulted by a picture of Zaciky, ad Bri.

“Ummm. . .I don’t really know. Brian bought it for me.” I shrugged.

“Oh.” The girl sighed.

“Sorry. I’ll ask him, and maybe get back to you tomorrow.” I sighed.

Bri: If you don’t want it up, then it shouldn’t be up, Jay. I’ll make him take it down.

Me; I said it’s fine. I don’t care. I’ll survive.

“So, do you and Brian hang out a lot?” The girl asked.

“Umm. . .well, we’re dating. . .” I said, confused.

“Brian Johnson? I thought he was single.”

“Oh, I don’t know! Not that Brian. My Brian doesn’t go to this school.” I laughed.

“Oh, ok! Your Jayden Cotrell, right?”

“No. I’m Jayden Sanders>“ I smiled.

“So then, who’s Jayden Cortell? They said she had pink hair and. . .you’re like the only girl with
pink hair at this school. . .well the only one named Jayden.”

“I was Jayden Cotrelly, but the Sanders’ adopted me.”

“Oh, so it’s true what they said, about your parents not loving you.”

My eye twitched.

“I didn’t love them either.”

“That must be pretty harsh, I mean your parents are supposed to be the one people that love you
unconditionally. I mean I can‘t imagine what it would be like if my parents put me up for adoption.”
My whole arm twitched upwards this time.

“They didn’t put me up for adoption. I put myself up for adoption.”

“Well, what reason would you have, besides the fact that they didn’t love you enough to care.”

I didn’t just twitch this time. My whole body flung forwards, and my fist attached to her eye, again,
and again. She didn’t have much time to fight back, because after 10 punches her face was
covered in blood, and she was unconscious. I don’t think I even would have stopped then, if
someone hadn’t grabbed me from behind.

I looked forwards and saw Jenna standing there, staring at me with wide eyes. I broke away from
whoever was holding me back, and whirled around.

“Don’t touch me!!” I screamed at Dustin, as tears started cascading down my face.

I ran past him out the door of the school. I slid down the wall, and called the only number I could
think of.

“Hello?” He answered.

“Jimmy?” I whispered.

“What’s up?” He aske,d alarmed by my tone.

“I’m in trouble. Can you come to the school?” I asked.

“I’ll be there in a second.”

“Please come by yourself. Don’t tell them where you’re going.” I pleaded.

“I won’t.” He promised.

I held my quivering knees against my body, staring straight ahead of me, as more and more tears
trailed down my face.

I saw the hummer pull up, but I barely registered it.

“Jayden?” Jimmy called, walking over.

“Jimmy?” I whimpered.

“What happened?” He asked, when I pulled out of the hug.

I drug him into the school down a couple hallways, until we saw a big crowd of people. I pushed
past to where I saw a nurse tending to the girl.

“What happened? You didn’t even his Brian, and Johnny that hard.” He gasped.

“She. . .she was making fun of me for being adopted. I tried to stop myself. I really did. Maybe now
you guys know what your getting into.” I said, backing aginst the wall, sliding down it.

“Jay, Matt knew what he was getting into when he signed those papers. Maybe she didn’t deserve
it that bad, but we’ve seen Matt do worse for far less.

“Really?” I whispered.

“Of course honey, now I’m sure your principle wants to see you.” Jimmy sighed, helping me to my
feet.

He wrapped his arm around me, and kept me pinned aginst his side, securely, as we walked to
the principles office.

“Now, Jayden, what triggered this? You were always a good student. You never cause any
problems. What set you off?” The principle asked right away.

“She was making fun of me cause I’m adopted.” I whispered.

“She was, what?” I heard someone demand from the doorway.

I turned and Brian was standing at the open door.

“Jimmy, you promised.” I said, looking up at him.

“I didn’t bring him, I swear.” He shook his head.

“I followed him. It’s a damn good thing I did, too.” Brian growled, stor,ing out of the office, no doubt
to beat up some minors.

“Damn it!” I wailed, running out after him.

He had long legs, long strides and he was taking some fucking fast steps, but I caught him
eventually.

“Brian. . .stop.” I begged.

“They shouldn’t do that Jayden. It’s not your fault.” He said, pursing his thin lips, as he stared down
at me.

“I know. . .I don’t like it either, but I ignore it. Do you know how many people would be in the
hospital, if I beat up everyone that made fun of me?” I asked, gently.

“If you did it a couple times, they’d be to scared to fuck with you.” Brian explained.

“I’m sure she should kick my ass, huh, Synyster?” A girl demanded, from behind Brian.

“Don’t start Chickie, I’m not in the mood. You saw what I did to her.” I growled.

“I bet you couldn’t lay one hand on me.”

I glared at her, boring holes in her head, praying that I could silently make her vocal cords fail,
because God forbid, I didn’t want to kill her.

“What? Bat got your tongue? Or do you not want to get humiliated in front of Syn Gates?” She
asked.

My self control wasn’t enough, and the pain shooting through my foot, only seemed to make me
run faster, as I plowed her over. Fuck MMA, let’s just go with fucking street fighting. My fists
pounded into her face and guy, before she even had time to see me running at her. Her friends
seemed to be to scared to do anything, something I was thankful for, because if they had come at
me, I think I might’ve killed them, before Briam had gotten to me.

“I have to get out of here.” I told Brian, trying to control my breathing.

I ran to the office.

“Just expell me.” I told the Principle, taking Jimmy’s hand and dragging him out of the school.