Song: Brave- Sara Bareilles

My mom helps take off the cast and they get rid of it before taking me to the doctor's office to replace it with a new one. This woman amazes me with all the skills that she has. Like seriously you would never know what she is capable of doing .

"You're sure it's not going to hurt?" I keep asking her. I so dread pulling it off all the way.

"Violet I would never hurt you; you know that." She gets the saw and starts cutting the cast away. Within no time she gets all the way through and pops it right off. "See I told you it would be simple. Now let's go get you a new one." I watch as she tosses the bloody cast away in the trash to be destroyed later.

Atticus picks me up and carries me to the car. Once in my mom gets in and then he climbs in.  Ashton drives us there, while my dad stays at home. We get there and Ashton opens the back door for us. Atticus picks me up again and carries me into the office. For some reason I think back to when I was a little girl and he would hold me close like this.

My mom talks with the doctor and the good thing is, is that the doctor never asks what happened to the old one. He never asks me what happened either. My parents always takes care of everything. I never had to worry about anything growing up. Even now, they are taking care of everything.

When we get back home, I just want to be left alone but that doesn't happen because the moment we sit down the front door swings open and my Aunt Meagan walks in like she owns the place. She is a diva that is for sure. I have always loved her personality. If she turns the right way you can see a resemblance of my dad in her.

My cousin Rylan strolls in behind her and then little Amaya. Wait, this girl looks nothing like Amaya but I know it is her because she is a spitting image of her mother. However this teenage girl is wearing solid black, her hair is even dyed to match and let's not even mention the jewelry and everything else about her. I almost didn't even recognize her. What the hell happened in such a short time. I have to do a double take again.

Rylan walks over and leans in to give me a fist bump. "What's up cuz. We heard you kicked ass dancing and now this." He gestures to the cast. "What the hell?"

"Yeah...well...things happen." I give this screwed up facial expression and then gesture over at Amaya, who is in her own little world with her ear buds in her ears, then look back at him raising my eyebrows.

He gives me this strange look and  throws his hands in the air like he has no clue.  "Yeah...I know right. She has been like this for a while. I don't know what happened to her. One day she was fucking normal and now this shit."

Meagan walks over and pops him on the back of the head. "Hey...what did I tell you? Your sister is just expressing herself and watch that mouth of yours." She turns back towards me and gives me a bright smile.

He rolls his eyes back at her and I can't help but smirk.

Her arms come around me. "Hey sweet girl, so your mom hear tells me that you will be home for a while."

"Unfortunately," I sigh. "Yes."

"Hey, it's not all that bad here you know. Besides maybe we all can catch up with each other and have fun some before you decide to leave us again."

My mom tunes in, "Uhm...I hope she stays for a long while. At least till we can get her fully rehabilitated and walking again because I really don't want her trying to get around in New York limping around."

"Mom...I'm a big girl. I think I can handle myself just fine." She stops and gives me this look. I know exactly what she is thinking, if I could take care of myself why in the hell am I here. The room goes creepy silent as we stare at each other.

Rylan jumps up off of the stool and slams his hands together to break the silence. "I think we should take this outside. I so love the pool here. Come on, Vi...you can at least sit by the pool and keep me company, while they talk in here." It's like he knows exactly what I am thinking that we need to stop now while we are ahead.

I grab my crutches and hop out behind him. When I get to the door, I turn back to look at Amaya, who is still ignoring the world around her. "Hey...you coming?" I ask her.

When she doesn't respond, Meagan jerks the ear buds out of her ear. "Hey!" Is all she says and points in my direction. Amaya looks super pissed and rolls her eyes in annoyance however she stands up and stomps out the door to the patio.

By the time I get out to the pool, Rylan is already undressed in just his swim trunks. I watch as he runs and jumps in. I wish that I could dive in with him but that is not happening anytime soon. Amaya is on the far side of the pool laying in one of the lounge chairs on her stomach. I hop along over to her and sit down. The moment I put the crutches down beside me, she turns and looks the other way.

"Amaya...I'm not here to judge you. I just wanted to say hi. How is everything going?"

"Like you care," she says sarcastically.

I huff, "Well excuse me. You don't have to be so rude. What the hell is your problem?" I say very rudely back to her. Hell two can play this game.

"Everything...can't you tell." She stops to take a deep breath. "She is constantly on my case and my fucking dad could care less what I do and that dickhead in the pool is told to watch my every freaking move. Do you really think anyone at school wants to hang out with me with him watching me and threatening to kick people's ass if they bother me."

"Wow...I'm sorry I had no idea all that was going on. So why is Rylan watching you for?"

She looks super annoyed at me and huffs again. "It's all my mom's doing. I came home a few nights late and I guess she is just worried about me getting knocked up or something."

"You guess." I pause for a moment to think about how it was like when I was younger. "God I remember what it was like at your age. I only got to go out if Atticus was watching over me. It's so hard to smoke weed, drink or just having fucking fun. They were always over protective of me. I was shocked when they said I could move to New York and you want to know what, I think they are still watching over me. Being in this family that is one thing you are going to just have to get over...that someone is always watching you."

"Seriously, aren't you like twenty-five or something?"

"Twenty-two but who is counting right." I roll my eyes. "They think that I am coming back home to stay or at least hope that I will change my mind but you want to know what, I love New York. Maybe one day you can come join me there."

Her eyebrows raise and she looks at me with wide open eyes. "Really...you want me to move to New York."

"Well...I mean if you want. Hell I don't care where you go as long as you are happy. Which by the way, you don't look so happy right now. What is the deal with all the black anyway?"

She looks over at me and then back out at the pool. She shrugs. "Black makes me happy. No one gets that."

"Sorry." I fold up my arms and lean back against the chair. I close my eyes and drown out my surroundings.

A few minutes later I hear her moan, "Agh...fine...if you must know this is the style now alright...all my friends dress this way and it's really no big deal."

I don't bother opening my eyes. "Well if it makes you happy then I guess that is all that matters. Hell I remember going through that phases as well...so be it. So these so called friends of yours, I guess your mom doesn't like them or else she wouldn't have Rylan watching after you."

"They don't like them because they are different. They just don't get them. Hell they don't even get me."

I open my eyes and have to blink a few times because the sun is so freaking bright. When they finally focus clearly I look over at her. "You want them to stop watching you as much?"

"Hell yes. Hell I can't breathe most days with them up my ass everywhere I go."

I sit up and mover over closer to her. "Spend time with them as a family; include them from time to time. I'm not saying all the time just a few times during the week. Do things that they like doing and maybe open them up to your world a little."

"How the hell do I do that?"

"I don't know...maybe invite friends over. Let them see how they really are."

"Are you crazy?" She hisses. "Seriously Vi that will never happen. They will never understand them or me."

"Yeah well you will never know until you try. How about this; I will request a coming home party this weekend for myself for my family and friends. I will request that anyone can bring anyone that way you can bring your friends here. Everyone can mingle and get to know each other. You can introduce me to your friends and I will smooth everything over with the rest of the family."

She jumps up and sits back down with her legs folded up underneath her. Suddenly she seems really excited. "Vi...you would do that for me. Oh my God... you are like the fucking best ever." She leans over and wraps her arms around me.

 As I am hugging her, I see Rylan get out of the pool and walk over towards us all dripping wet. "So what are you two up to...by the looks of it I'm not sure that I even want to know."

She claps her hands together and squeal again. "Vi is going to throw a party this weekend here and we are all invited."

"A party, that is what all of this excitement is about?" He flops down beside her, getting her wet.

She scoots over and wipes her arms off. "Ewe...seriously Ry and yes. Come on Rylan we haven't had a get together in a while now, maybe this is what we need."

"Yeah if you say so, if you ask me the two of you are planning something more than just a party."

She reaches over and places her hand on his shoulder and then taps him a few times. "It's just a party Ry." She smiles sarcastically back at him and then gets up to leave the two of us sitting by the pool.

Once she is gone Rylan turns back towards me. "You really want to have a party this weekend...really is this for you or is it really for her. I know how your mind works Vi so do tell."

I stare off towards the pool. "It's for both of us. I would love to see family and friends and the two of you can invite your friends as well. I would love to see who you guys hang out with. After all we are all family."

"In other words you want to meet her friends. Mom will not like this; she hates the people she hangs around. You will regret inviting her friends."

I look over at him. "Thanks for the warning but really I can handle this."

He smirks, "Yeah...I know you are so much like Aunt Scarlett and Uncle Mekhi."

"Well they are the ones who raised me...so."

"Yeah well just be careful."