Later that night, I was discharged from the hospital. My cast, which was red, was big and clunky. It seemed that every time I would walk on the crutches, I would hit my leg and end up swearing like a sailor. Of course, Emily thought it was funny since she never heard those words come out of my mouth.

Getting into the car was another challenge. For some odd reason, Emily decided that she wanted to drive a really big truck. It even had steps on the side to help someone get in.

"Let me help," Jasper offered as he bent down as if to pick me up.

"Don't touch me," I snapped as I whacked him in the leg with the crutch.

"Ow," he said as he backed off. "Fine. You do it."

I give him a death glare before I toss the crutches into the front seat. Above the door was a handle, and the moment I grabbed it I realized I had made a mistake. I couldn't jump a foot in the air. Even if I didn't have a cast on I would still miss. Jasper, clearly annoyed, took it upon himself to scoop me up, and in the process of doing so he ended up hitting my leg against the door. I let out a small cry and my hand squeezed his shirt.

"Sorry," Jasper apologies. He moves more carefully this time as he makes sure I didn't hit anything else.

When I get in the seat, Jasper closes it before hopping in the back. Emily was still inside the hospital getting the pills I was prescribed. Jasper and I only left earlier because walking anywhere on crutches takes five years and the sooner I get home, the better. I haven't eaten since this morning and that leftover lasagna was calling my name.

"Hattie?" Jasper asked from the backseat of the car. Just because Jasper felt sorry for what he did doesn't make up for the past torment. "Hattie. I'm really sorry."

"You're not sorry," I say flatly.

"I am. Really," he said as he shifted and poked his head in the space between the front seats. "If there's anything-," he tries to say but I cut him off.

"Don't you fucking dare finish that sentence," I say as I turn in my seat. "If there's anything I can do? Are you serious? After all the things you have done to me since we were kids, this is the one you feel remorse for?"

"That's not-," he tries to say again but I don't let him.

"Stop talking," I yell. Tears began to form in my eyes and they were going to fall any minute. "You don't get to say those things to me."

"Hattie," Jasper said softly as if he were trying to comfort me, but that wasn't going to happen.

"Don't," I say bitterly at him. I felt as if my throat was closing up.

The drivers side door opened up and Emily climbed in. In her hand was a white paper that was full of the pills I had to take.

"I talked to your father," Emily said, which caused my heart to fall.

"What?" I asked in disbelief as I straightened myself up.

Emily looked at me and smiled. "Jasper's father. Sorry sweetie," she said as she put the truck in drive and pulled out of the spot. "We came up with a few punishments that you won't like."

I couldn't help but chuckle at his misfortune. "What are they? Waterboarding?"

"Well, torturing minors is against the law but I like where you're going with it," Emily says with a smile. "We'll talk it over during dinner alright. Hattie, you're gonna stay with us tonight."

"Oh, no. Its alright Emily. I'll be fine on my own," I try to sway her.

"Too bad. Besides, the doctor wants us to keep an eye on you since you did hit your head pretty hard," Emily explains. I decided not to fight her on this. Besides, Emily always took care of me when my mom was away. This will be no different. However, there goes my plans to have a romantic night with that lasagna.

The hospital wasn't far from where we lived. After ten minutes or so, we pull up on the street and into the driveway. On our way back, we had stopped at Burger King since we were all to tired.

I push open my door and swing my legs so they were dangling out. Somehow I managed to slither out and land on my good foot.

I grab my crutches and followed Emily onto the porch. It had finally stopped raining a short time ago, so I didn't rush myself while going up the stairs. With my luck I would fall and break my other leg.

Emily walked besides me as she made sure I didn't slip, and Jasper, apparently Mr. Helpful now, was standing behind me with his arms outstretched in case I end up falling back.

I knew what Jasper was doing was all an act. He was putting on a show for his parents in the hopes they would lessen his punishment if they thought he knew he made a mistake.

"Hattie," Gerald said kindly as he opened the front door to let us in. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright. There's a little pain, but I think I'm going to go for a run tomorrow," I say as I try to lighten the mood.

Gerald smiled as he gave me a hug. He was like a father to me growing up. Since neither one of my parents were around much, Gerald and Emily became my second family.   Gerald was the one who taught me how to drive, and Emily, well she taught me everything else.

"I'm glad to see my idiot son didn't break your sense of humor," Gerald said as he shot Jasper a look of disappointment.

"Dad," Jasper started to say but was caught off when his father held his hand up.

"I don't want to hear it," Gerald says as he shook his head and walked into the house. "I set up the couch for you, Hattie. Stairs and crutches don't mix very well so this will be easiest for you."

"Thank you," I smile as I walk into the house. The sound of the crutches hitting the hard wood floor echoed throughout the house. 

Normally, whenever our families would have little get togethers, it was always at my house. Emily walked past me and set the food down on the table as I looked around.

"Come sit, Hattie," Emily said as she pulled out one one the dining room chairs for me.

After we all sat down, we ate in silence. I was never one to start a conversation, and I wasn't going to start now. As I nibbled on my burger, I could feel everyones eyes on me.

When I was halfway through my burger, a dull pain in my leg started below my knee and worked it's way around. The medicine they gave me at the hospital was probably starting to wear off. I tried to move my leg to a more comfortable position, but it didn't work. The pain only got more intense, but I kept quiet.

I didn't touch the rest of my food while everyone else finished theirs. The thought of eating made me feel like I was going to throw up, or it might have been because of the pain.

"Hattie? Are you alright?" Emily asked as she reached over and touched my cheek. "You're sweating."

"I'm good," I say as I try to smile through the pain.

"You must be hurting," she says as she gets up and grabs the paper bag she left by the front door. "Take some," she tells me as she hands me the bag.

I take the bottle out and take one of the pills. I wish they were fast acting since I was uncomfortable, but it's never that easy.

"Ready Emily?" Gerald asks as he motioned to Jasper. Emily nodded and all the attention turned onto their son.

I looked at both of them in confusion. Where they really going to say his punishment in front of me? Not that I minded, I mean. I can't wait to hear it.

"Jasper," Gerald started to say as he put on his tough face. "As you know, Hattie is on her own for the next three weeks since her mom is in Europe."

Jasper nodded his head. "Okay," Jasper says slowly as he looked at both his parents.

"And since Hattie has a broken leg, there are somethings she isn't able to do," Emily says as she glances at me.

Something must have clicked in Jasper's mind since his eyes widened and jaw dropped. I, on the other hand, and no clue what was going on.

"No," Jasper said as he straightened in his seat. "No. Nope. Not gonna happen."

"Uh, you guys mind explaining what going on here or am I left going to be left in the dark?"

"Well, sweetie," Emily said as she grabbed my hand that was on the table. "Since your mom won't be home to take care of you, Jasper is."

I felt as if I were punched in the chest. Apparently, the guy who got me in this situation was going to take care of me? We both are getting punished?

"I don't need him," I try to sway them. "Really. I can take care of myself."

"Why can't she just go with Frank for a little bit," Jasper said casually, and the whole room when silent. "What?"

"She isn't going with...him," Emily said with a fire in her eyes.

"Look guys, I don't need a babysitter. I can take care of myself. Can you please just give him a punishment that won't make my life a hell?"

"Hattie," Emily said softly. "Just think of Jasper as your personal butler. He has to do everything you say without a complaint, or we will be forced to go to plan B."

"Plan B?" Jasper asked in confusion. "If plan B doesn't involve me taking care of her, I'll do it."

"Okay," Gerald said as he clapped his hands together. "How do you feel about boot camp?"

"Boot camp?" Jasper yelled as he abruptly stood up, causing his chair to topple to the ground.

"Well, it's more of a reform school with a military style," Gerald said as he pulled out a folded piece of paper that was in his pocket. "Yep. You'll spend your whole senior year there, and if you're lucky, we can enroll you in summer classes."

"But, I'm your son," Jasper said as he pulled out that card.

"And Hattie is like our daughter," Emily said as she flashed me a smile.

"But what if I vote for boot camp?" I asked as I chime in.

"Hattie," Jasper said as looked me in the eyes. "Stay out of this."

"Wow. Rude," I say as I lean back in my chair. The pills were starting to kick in and my pain subsided.

"Jasper," Gerald warned in a rough voice. "If I were you, I wouldn't be acting so arrogant right now."

"But I don't see why I should be the one who has to take care of her," he shouted. There was no way he was going down without a fight. I guess that whole nice guy act was just a lie and his true colors were starting to show.

"It's because you are the one who did this too her," his father shouted as he slammed his fist in the table. "You think this is all a game? Hattie nearly died and you think it's all about you. Well let me tell you something. I've seen the videos you posted on YouTube when your mother told me about them. Every mean thing you have done to her, I know about it. I've seen you egg her car, shout degrading things at her at school and you even got the other kids to join in. I wanted to send you off to boot camp, but your mother thought you helping Hattie would be better. Now, let me ask you again. Butler or boot camp?"

Jasper looked completely dumbfounded. For the first time in his life, he couldn't weasel himself out of the hole he was in. I sat there silently. There was nothing I could say, and even if there was, my mouth would remain shut.

"Butler," Jasper crumbled as crossed his arms on the table in defeat.

"Wait, don't I get a say in this?" I asked as I looked around. "I don't want to be around him. Even being in the same room as his makes me sick. I don't want to spend the rest of my break with him.

"Hattie, you two are almost adults. Sooner or later you two are going to settle this feud. Hopefully this will help," Emily says as she gives me a warm smile that tells me everything will be alright.

I let out a sigh before nodding my head. It was no use fighting them. Both Emily and Gerald looked pleased that I was on board.

"That settles it," Gerald says as he claps his hands together. "Butler Jasper will start tomorrow full time for three weeks, and when Elenore comes back, you'll be there when she's at work."

I keep my eyes focused on the table as I nod. This was going to be a long three weeks.