"Everyone can go home." Coach Kemp yells. Thank goodness. After I get out of the shower three cheerleaders approach me.

"Are you going to the homecoming dance?" a beautiful girl with dark brown hair asks me.

"I wasn't planning on going." I say as I put my practice pants in my football bag.

"Come on you have to go." A red headed girl says.

"The football captains always go." The brunette that talked first says.

"I don't really go to school dances." I say.

"It'll be fun." A blonde says.

"I don't know-" I start.

"please." They start to say. It reminds me of that moment in 'Finding Nemo' when the birds start continuously say 'mine' over and over.

"Okay, okay." I say. They cheer. "But I don't have money to buy a dress."

"We have that covered." The red head says.

"Let me inform my mom then I'll meat y'all at the mall." I say.

I walk in the mall with the three cheerleaders. I found out the red headed girl's name is Mackenzie, the blonde is Tara, and the brunette is Jessica. We walk into a store with dresses.

"One rule," I say, they nod, "no pink and no sparkles and nothing that my but or my boobs." They nod again and start picking out dresses.

The first dress I try on fits my waist but is too big in the boobs.

"Girl," Tara says, "you need more boobs."

"And more but." Jessica adds. Mackenzie nods her head to agree. They make me try on more dresses.

After two hours we move onto another store and try on dresses.

"I'm tired." I complain. "My feet hurt." I continue. "I'm hungry."

"I swear you are worse than a guy." Tara says.

"One more dress then we will go eat." Jessica says. Then they hand me a dress. I try it on. It fits perfectly. I never in my life thought I would fall in love with a dress, but this dress is just... wow. I step out of the dressing room. The girls gasp.

"Wow." Tara says.

"Oh my god" Jessica says.

"Holy cheese and crackers." Mackenzie says.

"It's perfect!" they squeal at the same time.

We buy the dress and we walk to our own cars.

"Come to my house three hours before the dance starts." Jessica says then gets into her car.

When I get back home it is almost dark and one is there. I put my dress in my closet and go down to Dean's room. I groan when the doorbell rings. When I open the door I see Zack. His face is bruised and bleeding.

"What happened?" I ask. As he walks in the door I notice he is limping. I help him to my room since the couch in the living room is uncomfortable. I lay him down on my bed then run to the bathroom to get the first aid kit and a damp rag.

"What happened?" I ask again.

"My dad." He whispers.

"Your dad did this to you?" I ask. He nods. I start to gently wipe the blood away from his face, he winces every now and then.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" I ask.

"My side." He says just above a whisper. I lift up his shirt to see his rock hard abs. 'Dylan!' I yell at myself, 'now is not the time to droll over him!' On his side I see a huge bruise. After I finish cleaning the cuts I kneel next to the bed.

"Zack," I say. He doesn't look at me. I gently put my hand on his face and make him look at me. "We need to call the police."

"no." he says and takes my hand off his face.

"But-"

"I said no." he says.

"Tell me why."

"Because he is all I have left of my family."

"I'm your family." I say. He looks at me.

"Really?" he asks.

"Forever and always."

"Thank you." He says.

"Get some sleep." I say and walk towards the door.

"Will you now stay with me?"

"Of course I will." I say. "Now move over."

"What?"

"I'm not sleeping on the ground." I say. He then moves to the other side of the bed. I slip in under the covers next to him. After a few minutes I can hear his soft snoring then I drift off to sleep.