The abused little sister

Grandfather

VIVIAN'S P.O.V.

We pulled up at a fairly large horse ranch. An old man, about sixty, came out of the house. He seemed to be in good shape for his age and was pretty tall. I followed as they got out of the car and walked to him. "Hey, grandpa." Alexis said hugging him. I stood back as they all hugged. "Grandpa, this is Vivian," Jessica said walking over to me, "Vivian, this is your grandfather, Jack." He walked over to me and looked me over.

"You look just like your mother." He said wrapping his arms around me. "Do you girls want to go for a trail ride?" He asked pulling away. "Yes." They all answered. "Vivian, do you know how to ride a horse?" Jack asked me. I shook my head. "You don't talk much do you?" I shook my head again. He placed a hand on my shoulder which of course caused me to flinch.

We walked into a barn and Jack led me to a stall with a jet black horse in it. "This is Pirate. He's to lazy to want to run off so you'll be ok on him." He led the horse out of the stall and saddled him. Once he was done he handed me the reins and walked to another stall. "Do you want me to help you up?" I looked up and saw Phoebe standing next to me. I nodded. She kneeled down and cupped her hands.

I grabbed the saddle horn and put one foot on Phoebe's hand. She lifted me up and I slung my other leg over the saddle. She handed me the reins and showed me how to hold them. "So just pull the reins to the right to make him go right and left to go left. Gently kick him to make him start walking and pull back on the reins to make him stop."

Jessica and Alexis rode up next to me on their horses. Once Jack and Phoebe were ready we followed Jack out of the barn and up a hill that led away from the ranch. Jack was in the front followed by Phoebe, Jessica, Alexis, then me. Alexis slowed down until she was riding next to me. "Do you like the ranch?" She asked. I nodded.

"Hey, you can talk to me."

"I know."

"You know we're trying. We just need you to try back."

I shrugged and looked away. Why are they trying so hard? Maybe they're different. No. If I let myself trust them I know i'll get hurt.

I rode in silence for the rest of the trail ride. Once we got back and put the horses up Jack led us into the house. "Do you girls want lunch?" Jack asked walking into the kitchen. "Can I cook it, grandpa?" Jessica asked following him. Alexis rolled her eyes, sitting on the couch, "That girl is obsessed with cooking."

Jack walked back into the living room a few minutes later, leaving Jessica in the kitchen. "Vivian, will you come with me?" He asked. I nodded and got up to follow him. He led me outside and back into the barn. "I wanted to give you something. Stay here." I stopped walking as he went into what looked like some kind of storage room.

He walked back out with something black and white wiggling around in his arms. "I already talked to Jessica and Phoebe. They said you could have him." He handed me a border collie puppy. I held him up to my face and he licked my nose. He kept squirming and wagging his tail like crazy. "I've never had a dog before." I said mostly to myself. My last foster parents did. It was a huge german shepard and any time I got near it, it tried to kill me.

"Well now you do." He placed one hand on my shoulder and used the other to scratch behind the puppy's ear. "You have a family too." He led me back into the house where Jessica was placing plates of chicken strips, cheese burgers, and seasoned fries on the table. "Grandpa, this is all you had to make." She said. "You gave her the puppy." Phoebe said walking over to us. She scratched  behind his ears and he turned to lick her hand.

"What are you gonna name him?" Alexis asked. "Scraps." I answered. When I was thirteen I had a boyfriend named Scraps. He was my first kiss but when I switched foster homes we lost touch. "That's a cute name." I sat him down and sat at the table beside Phoebe.

Once we finished eating I began walking back to the living room when Jack stopped me. "Will you come with me one more time." I nodded and followed him upstairs. He led me into his room. Am I in trouble or something? I didn't remember doing anything wrong. "I thought you might want this." He handed me a picture of two people. A woman wearing a wedding dress and a man wearing a tuxedo.

The man had blonde hair and deep blue eyes and the woman had dark brown hair that went down past her shoulders. The man had his arms wrapped around her and they were both smiling. "Those are your parents." Jack said. I did look like my mom. "They loved you," He continued, "When your mom was pregnant with you they were going through a tough time. Your sisters were actually staying with me for a while. Your parents said they were just going to put you into foster care for a little while until they got back on their feet. They were close to having to give Alexis up when she was born.

"But they loved you as much as they loved your sisters. By the time they were back on their feet their was a car accident. And it took so long for me and your uncle to find out where you were."  He walked over and hugged me, causing me to tense up a little. Something pulling on my shoes caused me to pull away. Scraps was chewing on my shoe. I smiled and scooped him into my arms.

"That dog might be a handful." Jack said as we walked back downstairs.

ALEXIS'S P.O.V.

I was sitting on the front porch when grandpa came and sat next to me. "So how are you getting on with Vivian?" He asked. "Pretty good," I answered, "She doesn't like to talk much."

"I've noticed."

"Grandpa, I don't really know what to do."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, i've never had a little sister before. I don't know how to be an older sister."

"I can't help you much there. You just have to...be her sister."

I rolled my eyes, "Thanks."

"Alexis, she's been hurt, pretty badly. All she needs is for us to care for her."

"We do."

"I know," He stood up, "We should get to bed."

"OK." I got up and walked to the guest room me and Vivian had to share. She was lying on the bed with Scraps, scratching his back. "I never got to ask why you named him Scraps." I said lying next to her. "He was my first boyfriend," She told me then blushed a little, "And first kiss."

I smiled. "I wish i'd been there to make you to tell me about it."

She smiled and moved her hand to scratch Scraps's belly. He playfully nipped at her wrist, wagging his tail about 50 miles an hour. I pulled myself under the covers, "I'm gonna go to bed." I closed my eyes and almost immediatly fell asleep.

*

What is that? I asked myself as I opened my eyes. The sound of whimpering had woken me up. I looked over at Vivian and saw she was whimpering and trashing around. Scraps was whinning and licking at her face. "Vivian, wake up." I coaxed slightly shaking her. It took a few minutes of shaking her before her eyes fluttered open.

"Wha-what happened?" She asked rubbing her eyes. "I think you were having a bad dream." I answered. I saw a tear was sliding down her cheek. "Was it bad?" I asked wipping it away. The look of fear she'd had on her face was replaced with a tough one. "No. I've had it before. I'm used to it." She laid back down, stroking Scraps's fur.

"Sure you're ok?" I asked lying back down. She nodded then closed her eyes. I did the same and soon fell asleep.