Fighting For Family

FOUR

JAKE

I programmed the GPS in my car to take me to Bella's house. I normally ride my bike to school but it's in the shop right now so I took my black mustang.

The GPS says that her house is 10 minutes away. That's good.

I pulled into her driveway then got out of my car. As soon as I knocked on the door, somebody answered it. It was a boy. He had the same eyes as Bella and a little bit darker hair. I'm assuming it's her brother. "You must be Bella's brother?" I questioned.

"Yeah. Who are you?" He asked. "I'm Jake. A friend of Bella's. I'm hanging with yall today." I said. "Oh ok. I'm Elijah. Come in dude." He gestured. I walked in.

The house looked very lived in. Like it was clean but there was toys in the livingroom and shoes on the floor. "Oh yeah don't mind the mess. We've got kids here."

"It's fine man. How many of yall live here?" I asked. "10." He answered. "Dang dude. I live alone." I said. "That must be cool. Like I love my family and all but you know it's kind of cranped." He said. "Its not that fun. Lonely." I said and followed him to the kitchen.

"Want a drink? We have apple juice, grape juice, sweet tea, and water." He chuckled "I'm guessing the kids like juice so I'll take sweet tea." I said. "Ok. I need Kat to make more." He mumbled the last part to himself.

Just then a little kid comes running through the kitchen naked. With another boy who looked close to Elijah's age chasing him. "You can't catch me." The kid taunted.

Then the kid saw me and his face went red. "Who's this Eli?" The kid asked while hiding behind Andrew. "This is Bell's friend. Now go let Andy give you a bath or you're getting a whippen." Elijah threatened. 

The kid ran back in the bathroom. "He is the only one that we have to threaten to whip. The others are good." Elijah shrugged. "Wait so he's never been whipped?" I asked. "Oh he has. Only once though. Now all we have to do is threat and he is good."

He gave me the glass of sweet tea and I took a sip. "Hey this is good." I said. "Yeah. Kat makes the best." He said. Then another kid came in. "ELIIIIII." A girl screamed. We turned around fast.

"What is it bay? Are you hurt?" He ran over to her and picked her up. "I ok Eli. When will Bray be home?" She asked. "Gosh bay your so dramatic. Did kat and Bell teach you that?" Elijah asked her. "Yup. When will bray be home?" She asked again.

He put her on the bar stool, "In a couple hours why?" Elijah asked. "Mine and Ed's light bulb is out." She said. "I can change the bulb." I chimed in.

"Are you sure man. I can do it." Elijah said. "Nah it's fine where are the extra bulbs?" I asked. He reached up in a cabinet above the fridge and got one.

"What's your name?" The little girl asked. "I'm Jake. Whats yours?" I asked as she took my hand. "I'm bailey." She said sweetly. "Ohh. That's a pretty name." I said as she led me into the room. "Thank you. Bray tells me that he picked the name because it was the prettiest name for the prettiest girl." She smiled big.

I changed the bulb. "Brayden named you?" I asked. "Yeah. My mommy and Daddy didn't care so Bray named me and Landon." She said with a frown.

"Oh that's sad." I said. "Yeah. But thank you jakey." She hugged me. I chuckled at the nickname. I haven't been called that in forever. "No problem Bailey." I said and walked out.

"Where's Jake?" I heard Bella say as soon as I began to walk in. "Right here." I raised my hand.

"Oh hey. Sorry it took a little longer than expected. Aiden was napping and I had to wake him up." She said and put a kid down. "It's fine." I chuckled. "BELLAAAAAA." The kid from earlier screamed. "Ryyyyyyyy." She squated down to his level and hugged him.

"Bell. I tried to make Ryan take a bath, but he jumped out of the tub and ran around the house naked." The blonde haired boy said. "Ryan. From now on if you don't take a bath when we say, you will be put in time out. Got it?" Bella threatened. "I'm sorry Bell." He said. "Its ok. Now apologize to Andrew for giving him a hard time." She said.

"I'm sorry Andy." He hugged Andrew's leg. "It's ok kiddo."

"Bella." Two more kids walked in and said her name at the same time. "What kids. Landon you first." She said. "Eden wont quit bugging me." Landon said. "Eden why are you bugging him?" Bella asked calmly.

I love how patient she is. She is really cute too. Gosh Jake stop thinking like that. "I'm bugging him because I'm bored." She answered sweetly. "Gosh yall are just like Kathryn and Brayden." Bella shook her head.

"Yall stop fighting and either go outside and play or shower." Bella suggested. "Wait. Who is that?" Eden asked as she pointed at me. "That's my friend Jake. He is here to hang out with me. Now yall go." Bella said calmly.

Both the kids finally walked away. "Sorry about that. They are always fighting." Bella giggled. That's cute. "Its ok. Do you want to go to your room and hang out?" I asked.

"Sure." She said and we started to go upstairs. "We better not hear moaning." Andrew said. Elijah smacked the back of his head. Bella flipped him off as we made our way to her room.

When we got inside her room she grabbed other clothes and went towards her bathroom. "Be right back." She said.

While she was gone I took the time to study the room. White walls, a grey comforter on the queen size bed, a white vanity right beside the window, a decent size closet, a dresser, and a balcony.

She came back out wearing black shorts and a grey sweatshirt. Her hair was out of her face in a messy bun which made her look more cute.

"Nice room." I said. "Thanks." She answered. "So why did you want to hang out?" She asked as she sat on her bed criss cross with a pillow in her lap.

"Well. You and Kathryn and Brayden are not like everyone else. Especially you. Yall ain't scared of me. And you and Kathryn don't completely gawk over me like the rest of the girls in school. Yall are all just chill. I guess I just wanted some chill friends." I answered 99% truthfully. The other 1% is because I'm really intrigued by Bella and hope she remembers me.

"Oh ok. But you do know that if you're friends with me, Kat, and Bray, then you got to be friends with the rest of the family. Because those kids are our number one priority." She said. "Ok. That's great. I'm already cool with Elijah. And Bailey let me change the light bulb in her room." I chuckled.

"Bailey must trust you already. She normally wont even talk to people she dont know." Bella said with a shocked tone.

We just talked for the next two hours or so before I got a call from one of my gang members and had to leave.

I honestly had a great time. I like their family. I wish i wasn't lonely.