My New Family (A Haters Back Off Fanfic)

Welcome home!

Bethany's POV

It's strange. Before now I'd never thought about my situation too much. I just got on with my life. But now that I'm really thinking about it, I'm realising that this is my story, no one else's. I never thought about it properly. Now I'm realising how unfair I'm being treated by my own family. The people who should love me most. The people who should care for me most. I don't have fibromyalgia. Look at what my own family have done to me. They've changed me as a person. I've failed. I was desperate for a family who love me, where everything would be perfect. I was so desperate to find happiness that I was blind to what my own family was doing to me. They are slowly breaking me. Now is the time that I fall under the cracks. All I need is someone to help me get back up again. I looked at Colleen. She smiled at me. I felt so happy. I finally found a friend who I trust and who listens. That's so hard to come by these days: a friend who's good at listening. People don't seem to understand how much it helps to just have someone listen to your problems. Hopefully Colleen sees the same thing in me that I do in her: a fresh start. An open door to a better life. But most importantly, someone to help me through life's crap.

"Well, welcome to my house!" I said as I unlocked the front door.
"I can't thank you enough for this. This is just what I needed; a place to stay, just while I get my life back on track. Thank you." said Colleen.
"Oh it's nothing, really. I'm just grateful that I've finally found a real friend. A real friend who cares. Thank you."

Just then, my youngest came in from the garage.
"Hey Mom!"
"Hi Emily. How was school today?"
"Umm... Great..." she replied as her facial expression changed. She'd seen our guest. "Umm... Mom? Who's this?"
"Oh, um, this is Colleen! She's going to be staying with us for a while!"
"Oh, is she a friend?"
"Well, yes, she's my friend." I said, looking up at her and then back at Emily.
"I'm sorry, I just don't remember you ever mentioning her before."
"Oh, I just met her."
"What!?! Mom, you can't just-"
"Emily..."
"Mom." Emily said, gesturing for me to come to the living room.
"Excuse me." I said to Colleen, before following Emily into the living room.

"Mom, what do you think you're doing!?!"
"Well, she needed a place to stay, so I-"
"You don't know her! How can you trust her?"
"I trust her!"
"Why?"
"I... Well..."
"Exactly, you can't!"
"I trust her! And she trusts me! She's my friend!"
Emily just sighed and walked away.

I walked back over to Colleen.
"I'm so sorry about her." I said.
"It's fine, I totally get it." Colleen replied.
"Why don't I introduce you to my brother, Jim?" I suggested. I walked over to the stairs. "Jim!" I called. "There's someone I want you to meet."
"I'm coming!" Jim called. He ran down the stairs.
"Jim, this is my friend Colleen."
"Hi." Colleen said.
"Who is she?"
"She is my friend and she is going to be staying with us for a while."
"Oh. Can I go back upstairs now?"
I sighed. "Yes, Jim."
Honestly, what is his problem?