Her Protector

New Life...

Three Weeks Later....

Nobody knows about the creepy old neighbor at Nana's. I kept my mouth shut, I didn't want anybody to know and for some reason he didn't say anything either. I thought he would tell that I was a bad girl, but he said nothing which I'm thankful for, I wouldn't want to be in trouble again. I wanted to start off my new life on a good point.

It's nice here, we live in a small town in Texas. It's right in the middle of three major cities but far enough away from each that it stays mostly quiet save for the race track on the weekends. People here seem to love the races and I must admit it's quite thrilling. The roar of the engines, the crowds cheering in the stands, the smell of stadium food and the sticky ground from spilled sodas.

Joseph, my new step dad, loves the races. We go every weekend to cheer on his brother Johnathan, the 17 year old heart throb that even soccer moms swoon over. I have to admit he is a quite beautiful man. He's already at least six feet tall, lean, muscular, tawny skin, eyes like amber, and silky chestnut hair that hung at his chin shaved on the sides. I even noticed a few piercings in his ears, one on his eyebrow, and two in his tongue. Yes I've been crushing on him since the day we met, but I'll never tell.

Johnathan is older than me at seventeen whereas I only just turned thirteen. He graduated early and is taking the next year off, something he and Joseph fought about but reluctantly agreed to. I don't know all the details and I'm not one to pry but apparently Johnathan was a troubled youth. He got into a lot of fights, skipped school, was caught smoking in the bathroom, all the usual things teen boys do when they're rebelling. Joseph sent him away to an all boys school, said it would be good for him and I guess it was. I mean, he graduated early and with honors, he's pretty much set for any college he chooses. He says he may not go though, he has other plans, he wants to travel and explore. I've only known him a few weeks but I sure will miss him, he's nice to me.

Joseph, my step dad, isn't a billionaire but he's not exactly poor either. We have a huge two story home on the nicer side of our small town in a gated community. I have my own room, an actual room, that mother let me paint. I chose to do something fun and painted it half and half to look like a sunset on the beach, my favorite place in the whole world. She even said I could hang posters and took me to buy a few of my favorite band The Pretty Reckless and some dancers that I admire plus some of my own art pieces. I hung a portrait I did of my Nana, mother says it's beautiful, she's never said she liked my work before, it warmed my heart to hear. We have a pool in the back yard with a small pool house and a connected guest house. Johnathan stays in the guest house.

Mother hasn't had an outburst since I've been home, it's been great. We get up early to work out as usual except now we do yoga instead of jog. She doesn't push or yell at me about doing better anymore, I wonder if it's the yoga. Then we sit down for a light breakfast of yogurt, dry toast, and orange juice but I don't want to push my luck so I settle for just toast and juice, at least the carbs will make me feel a little fuller. We shower and get ready for the rest of our day. They have a maid to prepare meals and take care of the house so unless mother has plans there's not much for me to do. School doesn't start for another month so most days I sit out on my balcony painting or dancing. Sometimes I'll go for a swim or help mother in the garden. She has a gardener but she likes to work in the flower beds, says it relaxes her. She still hasn't snapped at me so I guess it's working. I like to hang out with Johnathan when he lets me. He's funny, we listen to a lot of the same music, and I love listening to him and his friends talk about the upcoming races.

I think I'm going to be very happy here. Scratch that. Thought.