Ocean's POV

It's Saturday an I'm still grounded. I'm in my room doing some homework and I can't hear Janet outside. I look out of the window an smile watching her playing tea party with her dolls "you still grounded too?" I hear Michael giggle. I look over and smile as he's climbing on his window and sits on the edge "yup" I say climbing onto mine. "Michael can't come out to play.. He's in, trouble" we both giggle looking down at Janet who's looking sternly at us folding her arms. then continues playing and we turn back to each other "so how long did you get? I got a week" Michael says "same" I sigh

We sit talking for a while throwing a ball to one another. This is our only way of hanging out together since Our parents said we couldn't go outside, but they never said anything about sitting on the edge of the window playing catch. Even though he seems OK I can tell Michael is worried about something. "something on your mind?" I ask and he looks down and signs "did you get your report card this week?" 

"sure why?" I nod and we carry on throwing the ball "I got mine an I'm kinda worried about showing my parents" 

"they can't be that bad" 

"trust me" he widens his eyes "we had all these tests this week and I tried really hard, but just couldn't concentrate" I've never seen him this worried about his report card before "how bad did you do?" he looks down at Janet, even though she's playing we know she's listing "hold on" Michael climbs back into his room and I watch him go into his dresser and tape something to the baseball we've been throwing then climbs back out onto the window "this bad" he throws the ball back to me. I open it up and look at it surprised "what happened?" I asked concerned "I don't know, I studied real hard, but on the day I just couldn't concentrate" I'm about to say something but I see my aunt Sherri pulling up in the drive "I should probably go back inside" I sigh and Michael nods.

Before I go I tape the report card back to the ball an throw it back. Michael catches it but it falls out of his hand an hits Sherri's car. "fuck!" I mutter seeing her getting out of the car. "you little brat!" she screams charging over at Janet "hey!" Michael yells, climbing down the tree between our house and I get back into my room and run downstairs to the front door (I'm not even attempting to climb down a tree).

I get outside Michael and Sherri are yelling at each other "don't ever scream at her again!"

"I'll scream at who I like! I'm not having some little brat throwing things at me!" I run into their yard putting my arms around Janet who is now in tears watching them screaming at each other "it's OK sweetie" I say softly to her and Sherri looks over at me frowning "your supposed to be grounded. get back inside!"

"it wasn't Janet" I stand up walking over to her "don't try to defend that little..." 

"I threw the ball not her!" Michael cuts her off  "I dropped it from the window" she looks over at me "it's the truth we were playing catch and..." I get cut off when Michael's door opens and Joseph steps out "what the hell is going on?" He frowns and Sherri picks up the ball walking over to him "Mr Jackson your son has just attacked me!" Michael and I look at her confused "he threw a ball at me from his window then came charging at me screaming like a lunatic!" she walks over to him with the ball and the report card "and he's been writing  secret notes to my niece"

 "what kind of notes?" Joseph looks at Michael confused "notes! Here I haven't read it myself" Sherri hands it to him and Michael and I look at each other as he starts reading and I can see him getting more and more angry "that boy of yours is a menace" he looks up after he's finished reading and Michael looks at him terrified "I'm so sorry Ms Thompson, this won't happen again" he says calmly then grabs Michael by the collar, violently dragging him inside and we hear yelling and banging from their house and Sherri smirks proudly walking back to the house "he didn't attack you. it was an accident" I say an she looks at me frowning "you just be grateful your parents aren't here"

** ****

Michael's POV

I'm about to run a bath an my mother walks in "can we talk?" She says softly and I nod as she walks closer sitting on the edge of the bath "about this report card" I sit down and next to her at the edge of the bath "I tried really hard I promise" 

 "I'm sure you did" she says putting her hand on my shoulder "but It also says you seemed distracted alot this week?" She says and I just nod "and what was all that about earlier? Is it about Ocean? Is that what's distracting you?"

"no, I've just had trouble concentrating that's all" 

"it's nice you've got a friend like her but you need to be concentrating on your school, not chasing girls or.." 

"I've not been chasing girls.."

"or fighting with people and yelling at people in the street. That's why your father.." she sighs heavily "that's why he does.. What he does, because he loves you" she smiles pulling me in for a hug "an you know I love you too" we sit talking for awhile longer.

After she leaves I take my bath thinking about what mother had said. About how they do love me even when Joseph beats me he still loves me. I understand why he was mad about the whole grades things but what happened with Sherri wasn't my fault. I was sticking up for Janet. I love Janet. she's my baby sister that's why I'm always sticking up for her. Joseph and mother think she's this sweet innocent little girl who can do no wrong, but the truth is she does a lot of stuff. I just take the blame for her so she doesn't get beat just like Jacki and tito used to do for me before they moved away.

After my bath I sit and wait by the window. I waited for along time but Ocean still isn't there and I really need someone to talk to tonight. she's the only person that gets me and makes me feel better and I really wanna see her tonight.

I look at the clock and it's 10:30pm she's always here by 9:30. I wait a little longer and start feeling really agitated, so I climb down from my Window along the tree and make it to hers. The window isn't locked so I climb in. Once I get there I hear a car pulling up and Ocean talking with her parents and Aunt, I guess they went for dinner or something. I sit on the bed and wait for Ocean, there's no point climbing back to my room just to talk to her.