BEWARE C.G.

01. Since Always

Bella Leticia Zambada-García sighed as she sat on Carl Gallaghers bed. She was separating the fruit snacks she had brought over. Red for her and the other colors for Carl. Bella only liked the red flavors and Carl would eat anything she gave him. When he walked up the stairs he had a blowtorch in one hand and a stray cat he had found wandering the streets in the other. Bella gasped at the sight before shaking her head.

"No Carl!" The nine year old warns and Carl sighs loudly as if his whole day has been ruined. Girls are difficult.

"Why the hell not?!" He asks, displaying his missing front tooth that he had gotten from falling out of a tree.

"Because what did that cat ever do to you?!" She asks and he looks at it before throwing it on the bed.

"Fine but you let it out" Carl throws the blowtorch on Ian's bed and steps forward, rubbing his hands excitedly before reaching for the fruit snacks. Bella smacks his hand away, causing him to look at her. "What is it noww?" He whines.

"Wash your hands first" Bella says, picking up the cat and Carl groans loud enough for the whole house to hear on his way to the bathroom. The girl walks down the stairs, almost walking into Debbie.

"Bella! Where'd you get this kitty from?!" Debbie 'awws' petting the cat and Bella shakes her head.

"Carl brought it" She continues walking down the stairs and opens the back door, releasing the cat out back into the streets. Fiona looks at the fourth grader, raising an eyebrow as if to ask 'where the hell did you get a cat?' "Carl" Bella says and Fiona nods understandingly, knowing her brother it was a blessing to that poor cats life when Bella set it free. Lip walks down the stairs with Liam in his hands and sets him in the High Chair.

Bella had become a part of the family. When Fiona realized that the girls dad wasn't really a "truck driver" and had instead left a little girl to fend for herself, she insisted that Bella can come by and spend the night any time she pleased. It also made things easier because she could sort of control Carl and keep his craziness down to a minimum. Fiona gave Bella a jar of baby food and a plastic spoon for Liam. The younger girl opened it, setting it on the tray of the high chair so he could eat.

"Tell Carl that you guys need to leave now" Lip tells Bella and she nods, making her way up the stairs.

Bella comes upstairs to find that Carl had eaten all of the fruit snacks. "CARL!" She yells and the rest of the family knows what's coming. A crash is heard, followed by a couple more crashes and one of the kids yelling 'ow' every few seconds. Bella is on top of Carl, punching him in the sides before he grabs her hair and brings her down. He punches her a few times as she tries to hit his shoulder to get him off. Ian walks in and ignores the wrestling nine-year-olds, getting his uniform before leaving.

"KIDS SCHOOL NOW!" Fiona yells up the stairs and the best friends get off of each other. Carl clutches the spot that Bella had punched the hardest and Bella whines.

"You took out my braid!" She complains, grabbing her backpack and he did the same. They walk down the stairs but the fighting continues. Carl tries to trip her, causing Bella to shove him. He punches her in the arm and when they reach the bottom of the stairs Bella swings her backpack off and hits him with it. Carl finds a plastic bat thrown on the floor and hits her foot. Bella jumps back, clutching her foot and takes the bat from his hands. She's about to hit him when Lip grabs the yellow bat from her and raises it up high.

"Carl!" He scolds. "What did I tell you about hitting girls?!" He asks and Carl shrugs.

"She's not a girl!" He accuses, pointing at her. "She's a monster" Bella tries to jump up and get the bat from Lip but her little arms don't even come close.