It's a Love Story

She nodded and started walking back wards. "Alright. I'll blame you too. Whoever You is." she smiled.

he chuckled. "Very funny, madam. Good night."

"Good night Pavo." she said. "And by the way, that's my cell number." She added, getting to her car and getting in.

"Ohh, aren't you the naughty girl," Rose teased her little sister.

Mike didn't comment, but he didn't look happy about his baby girl talking with a senior boy.

"Why?" Roman smiled. "I invited him to dinner like you said."

"I thought you'd be all shy with him, but you weren't! You surprised me," she smiled, hugging her.

She sighed and smiled. "I surprised myself."

"Can Aiden and Ren come to dinner tomorrow, too," Rose asked their parents.

"Ren's always welcome," Mike smiled back at them. "I don't know about Aiden, though," he teased.

"Aw, dad! Come on..."

He chuckled. "He's welcome to dinner, too."

Jon smiled over at Ren. "Do you want me to take you home after you change?" he asked. He didn't want her to leave. She was smiling for probably the first time in years, he didn't want to take that waya from her.

Ren smiled a bit sadly. "I guess I have to go home, don't I?" She sighed, not wanting to face her drunken parents after she'd just been suspended. Three days alone with them? Hell on earth.

"Dad, can she stay?" Jon asked, looking up at the front seat.

Mike smiled, remembering a similar situation with his wife. "I dunno... What do you think, Lilli," he asked her with a smile.

"Only if she sleeps in the guest room." She said, looking back at her son.

He nodded, smiling slightly. "Alright."

Ren blinked. "You'll really let me stay?"

Mike smiled back at her as he pulled into the driveway. "Do you want to?"

She nodded.

"Then why ask," he teased. "You're welcome in our home whenever you need a place to stay."

Jon smiled, being one of the last out of the car. He took Ren's hand and led her inside. "My parents are going to need to know your situation." he told her. "Do you want me to tell them myself or do you want to be with me?"

"Uhm... I want to tell them... But could you sit with me," she asked.

He nodded, holding her shoulders. "Of course."

"Thank you, Jon," she smiled and hugged him. "I've never been so happy as I am with you."

He smiled and hugged her back, holding her close. "Good. i'm so glad I can make you happy. You deserve it."

She smiled and hugged him tight. "Let's go talk to your parents..."

He nodded, kissing her forehead then taking her hand and walking to his parent's bed room. "Mom... Dad... Can we talk?"

Mike nodded. "yeah, sure. Have a seat," he motioned for them to sit on the bed with him and Lilli. "What's up?"

Ren blushed. "Uhm... The reason I don't want to go home... Uhm... Ever since I can remember, my parents have always been.. drunk. They have tons of unpaid bills because all they buy is alcohol..."

"They don't hit you, do they," Mike asked her gently.

Ren shook her head. "No, no, no. They yell a lot. I have a tree in my backyard that I stay in when they get mad."

"Do you have enough of what you need? Food, clothes? Girl items?" Lilli asked, reaching out to take Ren's hand.

"I eat the neighbor's leftovers and they give me the girl things I need. I wash my own clothes, though half of them are too big.

"Well, tomorrow, since you can't go to school, I'll take you out and get you some clothes. And you can eat dinner with us everynight if you want. Or we can give you a little money to buy what you want." Lilli said.