“Mom, Dad. What are you doing?”

“Supporting you. You looked like you needed a wing woman,” Mom said elbowing me, I turn to Dad looking for him to say something to get this stop.

“Oh, uh yeah actually I came up with the wingman idea,” Dad said smiling widely as he put his hand on my shoulder.

“What-”

“Jasmine, why don’t you come on in,” Mom yelled waving her over. I watched as the girl of my dreams slowly walked towards the porch. 

“Mom, please don’t embarrass me.”

“Don’t worry I won’t embarrass you in front of your girlfriend. Hi, Jasmine, I’m Taylor’s mom but you can call me Mom-”

“MOM-”

“-Ma bear.” Mom smiled devilishly as she shook Jasmines' hand.

“Nice to meet you Mamma bear.” 

“Ooo, a friend with manners? Wow, I figured no one taught manners these days.”

“Heh, uh well we’re not really friends. I just gave your daughter a ride home. But thank you.” I say with a small smile, out of the corner of my eye I see Taylor’s face drop a bit before she catches herself and puts on a polite smile.

“Oh, then a future friend?” Mamma bear asked with a huge smile.

“Uh, probably not she’s in the popular group and I’m…not,” I mumble hoping she’ll stop asking questions.

“Oh, well. What will be will be.” Taylor’s mom smiles a smile that makes me feel like I’m going to see a lot of Taylor and her family, especially her Mom. I’m not sure whether that’s good or bad. Her mom seems scary like a…Mamma Bear. 

“Uh hi, I’m Papa Bear.” Taylor’s dad steps in, a red-headed man with a gentle smile like…oh what's that redhead kid's name from Harry Potter? Ron. Yeah, he seemed like he’d be your normal ginger. Nice and sweet unless you pissed him off. Seems harmless. 

“Nice to meet you…Papa Bear.” He seems like he’ll be just like a Papa bear, laid back and unbothered by much but kills you if you hurt his baby girl. He gave a polite nod before stepping back. “Uh, sorry…I really have to go. My parents will want to know where I am. Basically presume I’m dead if I’m not home by 4.” 

“Oh, of course. Remember you are always welcome here.” Mamma bear says as I step off the porch. I wave good by before speed walking to my bike and get out of there as fast as I can without making it look like I’m speeding off. “My parents will want to know where I am. Basically presume I’m dead if I’m not home by 4?” Psht, I’d be surprised if they haven’t already ODed in the living room or died of alcohol poisoning. Still surprised their dealer hasn’t killed them yet. 

I try not to think too much about it and try to keep my eye out for trouble as I got closer to the bad part of town. You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve been caught in the middle of shootouts just by entering the bad part of the town. I sigh as I see my “parents” left the front door open again, I pull my bike into the garage making sure to lock it before opening the door that connects the house to the garage. The smell of iron hits me. Iron? As I round the corner to the kitchen I see my Dad passed out on the couch blood dripping down his arm as it hangs off the couch.