Michael's POV

I come down for breakfast and Joseph is staring at me squinting his eyes "there's something different about you" I look at him confused. "Your acting different" my mother turns to me "you do seem cheerier these days" she smiles "why wouldn't I be?" I smile back, Joseph doesn't say anything after that and I hurry eating my breakfast "I'm off to school" I say heading for the door and Joseph comes over to me stopping me in my tracks "why you in such a hurry" he frowns suspiciously "I'm not, I'm gonna call for Ocean first" he chuckles under his breath "so that's what it is? You finally gone an got yourself a girl" I shake my head "we're just friends" he raises his eyebrow at me "don't treat me like your mother boy, I was 17 once remember" he chuckles again and I head out to meet Ocean.

*
Sherri's POV

Ocean seems a lot better this morning but there's something about the way she's been the last few weeks that doesn't seem quite right and I can't place my finger on it "Have you noticed anything different about Ocean?" I ask Carson and he shrugs "seems the same to me"  Jessica turns to me "now you mention it she does seem...more cheery these days" Carson rolls his eyes "so...she's a happy young girl" he chuckles getting up from his seat "it wasn't that long ago she was locking herself in her room for days" Jessica points out "and the way she was as Kingdom Hall, she hardly spoke to anybody even when that boy next door tried to talk to her she just hid away" I point out "now all of a sudden she's larger than life! Can't wait to get out the door"I add and Carson chuckles again putting on his coat "your both worried because Ocean is happy?" I shake my head "no, I'm worried about her behaviour" he looks at me confused "depressed one moment ecstatic the next? I think we should have her checked out...it could be bi polar , depression, multiple personalities...(he cuts me off) "Ocean is fine!" He sighs rolling his eyes "in case you forgot she didn't lock herself in her room, she was grounded and as for Kingdom Hall, her and Michael probably had and argument or something...you know what kids are like" I shrug not saying anything. I know Carson is probably right but I'm not going to admit it

**
Ocean's POV

I'm sitting in class and Carla leans over to my table "what was all that about at the movies?" She whispers. I look at her confused "the way Michael dragged you off like that!" I shake my head "oh it was nothing" I smile "didn't look like nothing to me, he just grabbed you and dragged you off" she looks at me confused "the movie was about to start so we had to hurry" I lie "well as long as you ok" I smile and nod. And she smiles back sitting back at her seat.

**
Michael's POV

I'm sat eating lunch with Ocean and my brothers and I see Carla and Tony a few tables away keep looking over at me "what's up with them?" I snap and Ocean turns to where I'm looking then turns back and shrugs "no idea" I frown staring back at them, they turn away and from the corner of my eye I can see them looking over at us. I know Tony had a thing for Ocean but I don't get what's Carla's issue is. "Just ignore them" Ocean says snapping me from my thoughts. "Do you wanna come over an babysit with me tomorrow?" I ask turning away from them "everybody's going to visit Jermaine and Janet's not feeling to good" she smiles and nods "sure, I'll have to check with my parents first though ...that's sweet of you to stay home with her" she smiles making Randy chuckle "he only offered because he doesn't wanna see Jermaine" I shrug "that too" Ocean tilts her head to the side "you don't wanna see your brother?" I'm about to speak when Marlon interiors "him and and Jermaine don't get along...never have" she nods and drops the subjects seeing the look on my face telling her I don't wanna talk about it. There not much really to say we've never got along so now we just don't bother trying.

**
Ocean POV

When I get home I ask my mother about the babysitting "why do you need to be there if Michael's there?" Sherri points out before my mother can answer "he's never babysat Janet for that long and he asked if I'd help" I explained "the poor thing" my mother sighs "what's wrong with her?" She asked "it's nothing serious, just a cold and a bit of a fever" Sherri folds her arms "you had a fever the other night, you must have past it on" my mother looks at her confused "Ocean hasn't been anywhere near Janet" she points out "no, but she's been hanging around with her brother." I've only continued to let Sherri think I had a fever the other night because I can't exactly tell her that I was only hot and sweaty because I was having sex with my boyfriend (we she almost walked in on) "but that would me Michael would have gotten sick" my mother says to Sherri bringing me from my thoughts. "he probably was, he just didn't show any signs" she looks at me "see? Your fault" I roll my eyes getting bored with Sherri's theories on how Janet got sick. For a nurse Sherri is really clueless "so...can I babysit tomorrow?" I turn asking my mother "sure, but I will be checking in on you both" she says sternly "fine by me" I smile.

*********"

Jessica's POV

"I'm not sure about this anymore" I say to Carson worriedly. Even though I told Ocean I was Ok with her babysitting with Michael at the time, I'm starting to wonder if I made the right decision to trust her alone with Michael unsupervised. "They'll fine, their only next door, If there's an emergency they'll come straight here" Carson shrugs "it's not an emergency I'm worried about, what if they're..." I mark a pause trying to think of a polite way to say it "up to stuff?" He shakes his head and laughs under his breath "hunny, she's only over there to help Michael look after his sick sister while his parents are visiting family"

"as long as that's all he's helping her with" I mumble "Ocean's not like that, she's a good girl we raised her good" I sigh "but we raised..." Carson cuts me off "don't even say his name in my house" he snaps "I'm just saying he was a good boy and..." He cuts me off again "If you think Ocean's a slut who can't be trusted then why did you let her go huh? Their over there taking care of a fucking kid that's it!" He snaps, frowning "I never said that! Of course I don't think she's a slut! I just meant...I mean that we can't always be sure what's going on. you know what kids are like at that age they can get confused and curious" he shakes his head "she's not confused about shit! Ocean is a normal girl....is she curious about boys? Maybe but she definitely not confused" I sigh taking a deep breath "Carson I wasn't suggesting she's like Robert..." I stop mid sentence. The second his name came out of my mouth I instantly regretted it.

****

Ocean's POV

Michael and I are playing snakes and ladders with Janet and I hear screaming and yelling from my house "HOW MANY FUCKING TIMES DO YOU NEED TELLING??? DON'T EVER MENTION HIS NAME AGAIN!!!" I hear my dad screaming. I feel myself burning up with embarrassment "your turn dunk!" Michael smiles pretending not to hear anything. We carry on playing then we hear a loud Smash making us jump slightly "I'M SORRY I DIDN'T MEAN IT" I hear my mom scream "what didn't she mean?" Janet asks innocently Michael and I look at each other for a moment not sure what to say to her "their just playing a game" I fake a smile "anyway it's time for bed" Michael tells her standing up "aww but we didn't finish the game" she pouts "we can finish tomorrow" I smile "pinkie promise?" I laugh slightly "pinkie promise" I say wrapping my little finger with hers before giving her a quick cuddle goodnight "I'll be right back" Michael smiles taking Janet up to bed. I sit on the sofa and wait for Michael still hearing loud bangs and arguing "WHY CAN'T YOU BE A GOOD WIFE AND DO AS YOUR TOLD??" I hear my dad screaming again.

**

Michael's POV

I get back downstairs and Ocean is sitting on the sofa looking at a blank TV screen "it's won't work unless you turn it on" I giggle sitting next to her putting my arm over her. She doesn't say anything but rests her head on my chest "don't feel bad, parents do this kinda stuff all the time...I'm sure you've heard us enough times" I laugh sightly under my breath "it's not that" she says sitting up "they were fighting about Robert" she looks at the ground and I can see she's trying to fight her tears. "Who's Robert?" I ask stroking a stray hair from her face "my brother" she mumbles "you never mentioned a brother" I look at her confused we've talk about our families many times and she's never once hinted at a brother "I'm not supposed to talk about it" she shakes her head "baby, you can talk to me about anything" I say, gently stroking the side of her face with my thumb "why didn't you say you had a brother?" She sighs heavily and wipes a tear falling from her eye "because he's gay! And when my family found they disowned him and my father said we weren't allowed to mention him again and that he was dead to us" I wrap my arm around her and she start crying "that's why my dad made us move here because he said Robert had brought so much shame on our family that we had to move to a place where nobody knew us"

"You haven't spoken to him since?" She shakes her head "I have no way to contact him, my dad changed all our cellphone numbers and got rid of all addresses an contacts we had for him" I pull her it tightly not saying anything and she cries into my chest. I feel so bad all the times I've sat complaining to her about my family and about Jermaine especially this whole time she's been grieving for her lost brother and she's not been allowed to talk to anybody about him. I'm about to speak when the phone starts ringing "hello?" I whisper so I don't wake Janet "Michael, it's your mother, I'm just checking how things are? Is Your sister ok?" I smile down the phone "Janet's fine she fast asleep" I tell her "Ok, well we're gonna be home around midnight ok?" I Smile to myself excitedly "ok, see you soon"

I end the call and go back over to Ocean "everything ok?" She asks "mhm" I nod sitting back next to her on the couch smiling, wrapping my arms around her waist "why are you so happy?" She smiles and I pull her in close to me "my family won't be back until midnight" I smirk "so we have 4 whole hours alone?" She smirks back at me putting her arms around my neck and we kiss deeply as I lead her down onto the sofa