Innocence

I sat in my dark living room after just getting off the phone with my mom. We knew the end was coming soon, but we didn't think it would be this soon.

My dad and I have always been close. Even when I would get into some kind of trouble, he would help me out. I could probably commit murder and he would say that I didn't do it. He never wanted to see his little girl in trouble.

When I was younger, I would always want to help him with things. Whether it was making a bird house for Momma, or doing a handy job around the house, like fixing the sink. I was always there by his side. I still remember when we planted a whole new flower bed in the front yard one year for Momma. I never minded getting dirty... Of course much to my mother's dismay.

When the boys came along, Dad wasn't worried. He knew they would take care of me. Instead of giving me the third degree of going out with the guys, he would do it with a girl friend of mine that he'd never met. But when he met Val, he soon came to look at her as a daughter, same with Michelle.

I felt like I had failed my father when Momma had called me and told me I needed to come home. It was just a few months after my graduation from University. When they had come down to see me, I thought something was wrong, but I didn't question it. Now I regret not questioning it.

"Well excuse me, Miss Thing. So sorry that I forgot how to pick a lock!" Was that Jimmy?

"It's called a spare key."

No fucking way...

"Guys, maybe the point of her locking the door was to keep you out and away from her." Okay... Kenna was with them too?

"How cute, the eleven year old is trying to be all smart and sensitive. How is she your sister?"

"Shut up, Jimmy."

Oh, they weren't...

"Amanda fucking Sheffeld!"

Was it too late to run?

"Don't act like you can't hear me."

Yes it was...

"Hey, Jan," I said, smiling softly.

She stood there, hands on her hips and glaring at me. "I could kill you, I hope you know."

I sighed, looking down at my lap. "I'm sorry, Janie. I was going to call you, but everything just got so mixed up. Now-" Tears started to come again and I knew I wasn't going to be able to hold them in.

"Shh, it's okay." In a flash, she was sitting next to me on the couch and pulling me into her arms. "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. We're going to get through this."

"What about Craig?" I asked. He was her boyfriend of the last two years and inseparable.

She scoffed. "There's no need to worry about him."

I pulled out of her arms to give her a confused look. "What happened?"

"Don't worry about it. We don't need to talk about it," she said, waving it off.

I then noticed the boys looking at us with weird looks. "Care to introduce?" Jimmy said, holding up his hand and shrugging.

"Sorry, guys. Um, Janie, these are the guys. Boys, this is Janie."

"You guys are all she's talked about for the last four years. I feel like I already know you," Janie said, laughing and shaking her head.

"She has, has she?" Brian asked, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Don't let it get to your head," I said, glaring playfully.

"Are you feeling any better, Manda?" Kenna asked, ignoring everything else, and climbing into my lap.

"Now that you're here, I am." I smiled, wrapping my arms around her.

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah right, you're totally lying."

I looked up at Brian with wide eyes. He just nodded. "I know. When she started that with me, I just about flipped."

"Like I said, when the hell did she become so smart and sensitive? She is clearly not related to you," Jimmy said, crossing his arms over his chest.

I shook my head as the two started up an argument, and the rest watched in amusement. "Just like those two to pick a fight at a time like this," I heard Zacky mutter as he sat behind me and pulled me against his chest. I sighed contently and closed my eyes. Zacky was always a nice pillow.

He softly sang to me as he ran his fingers through my hair, putting me to sleep.

*Brian's P.O.V.*

"You're such a freak," I sighed exasperatedly and throwing my hands in the air.

"Look who's talking," Jimmy mumbled.

"Are you two done with your lover's quarrel?" Janie asked, smirking.

I could already see she was Manda's opposite, and that's what connected them. Maybe she was what brought Manda out of her shell. I would have to thank her later...

"Wait, when did she fall asleep?" Jimmy asked, pointing to Manda who was now sound asleep on Zacky.

"While you two idiots were bickering," Zacky said.

"She needs the rest anyways," I said, looking at her as the worry spread through me again.

Her father was her life, and vice versa. I knew how this was going to affect her, and I couldn't help but worry. She's been one of my best friends since we were old enough to play outside together.

"Manda's going to be okay, right?" Kenna asked sadly, still in Manda's arms.

"She'll be fine, Sweetie. We just gotta take care of her," Janie said, smiling softly. Kenna nodded and lay down on Manda's chest.

We just had to keep telling ourselves that... Everything was going to be ok. Well it would if one muscle-headed friend of ours would pull his head out of his ass...