Chapter 2

Sonny walked towards Carly, he was not looking forward to this and the fact that Carly didn't know Jason wasn't picking her up, Jason would defiantly owe him.

"Spencer", he called out.

Carly turned around and saw Sonny; she had been waiting for Jason to come. It was starting to scare her actually. Jason was never late.

"Corinthos," Carly replied disdainfully, "where's Jason?"

"He had to go to the garage, something was up, and he asked me to drive you home." Sonny said walking right past Carly heading for his car.

"Oh I bet that just thrilled you." Carly called out after him.

Sonny stopped where he was, turned and said in as much of a calm voice as he could muster "Jason asked me a favour, I said I'd do it. Now do you want a ride or not?

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Carly was sitting beside Sonny in his car. If you could call it that. She couldn't believe Jason had just left without a word. She knew he had to pay his rent but this was ridicules, the guy belonged to the richest family in Port Charles.

Sonny looked over at Carly; she was driving him insane.

Sonny finally broke the silence " You are aware that you're officially pouting?"

Carly turned to Sonny her anger clear on her face. "Listen Corinthos; I am NOT pouting, for all you know I have a very good reason to be upset."

Sonny looked from the road back to her, "And that reason would be?"

Carly looked away from Sonny, he was the last person she wanted to know about why she was upset. Sure on the surface it was Jason, but underneath it was more. She was never enough for anybody and Jason was just the next in a long line of people who lost interest in her. Bobbie had put her up for adoption when she was born, but when Bobbie's daughter B.J. had died, Bobbie had decided it was time to find Carly. Bobbie claimed she would have looked for anyway but Carly still felt like a replacement daughter. She'd spent her childhood in foster homes and had only been with Bobbie for the past four years.

Sonny sighed Carly was staring out the window again, what did he care though that girl had issues written all over her. Sonny pulled up in front of her house and looked over at her again expectantly. "We're here,"

When Carly didn't move Sonny turned towards her. "You don't expect me to carry you to the door, do you?"

With that Carly opened the car door and got out in one swift motion, she speedily walked towards the house, she had almost made it inside when she heard Sonny yell

"Your welcome, Spencer"

Carly turned hoping to be able to glare at Sonny but he had already peeled out of her driveway in that heap of his.

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Sonny made his way to his apartment, how did Jason put up with her, all Carly cared about, as far as he could see, was herself. Not that Sonny really cared, or at least most of the time he didn't. When he wasn't being forced to spend time with her. He let himself in the front door and sighed, as much as he hated to admit it, Carly was the least of his problems. He had enough to deal with trying to live on his own and stay in school. If it wasn't for Jason's part of the rent, Sonny would be out on the street, or have to quit school. No matter what though he would not go back to that hell of a home they wanted him to live in. He had tolerated it as long as his mother had been alive, but after she'd died his stepfather had upped the amount of abuse he bestowed on Sonny, physically and emotionally. Deke, his stepfather thought it was funny that Sonny was now alone in the world and was dependent on him. So the first chance Sonny had he left. Sonny had been 16 and Deke hadn't put up any protest but he never left him completely alone, he would show up when he was in the mood and it was all Sonny could do not to kill him. What little money Sonny did have came from his job at Luke's and the small amount he got from welfare.

Sonny hadn't thought it possible to get a break, but he had, when he met Luke Spencer. It had been before he'd left Deke's house. He tried to be out as often as possible, the less he was home the less he saw of Deke. He'd been sitting outside Kelly's at one of the tables. He'd just finished talking to some friends, when they left Deke appeared in front of him. He'd grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out of the chair. Sonny remembered that he hadn't even asked Deke what was wrong, he knew by then that talking just upset Deke even more. Deke was mad as hell about something, he hit Sonny on the side of his head, his ear, it was an old wound and Deke knew that. So he always hit him there. When Deke had seen the blood he had began laughing, he was about to smack Sonny on the other side of his head when Luke Spencer had appeared out of nowhere.

"I don't think that would be wise," Luke said in a threatening voice.

Deke turned and looked at Luke disdainfully. "What business is it of yours?"

Luke smiled menacingly at the man in front of him. "I own this fine establishment, and I don't like guys who beat up kids, it upsets me. Now I know you don't know me but you don't want me upset."

Deke reluctantly released Sonny, they were in public. He smiled and tried to make nice. "I think you misunderstood the situation." He turned to Sonny; "I'll see you at home Sonny boy." Deke turned and walked away whistling.

Sonny wanted to thank this guy but was embarrassed; he turned and tried to walk away. But Luke quickly caught his arm.

`Hey partner, you ain't going anywhere."

Luke had made Sonny go into Kelly's, where Luke's sister Bobbie had looked at his ear. They hadn't said anything but Sonny knew what they were thinking. He couldn't stand people pitying him. Luke had not let him go home that night. He'd taken him back to his house where he met his wife, and kids. Luke and Laura had insisted that Sonny stay with them till he had somewhere to go, he even gave Sonny a job and once he started working he began looking for a place to live. Everything was too expensive, that is of course when he'd met Jason. Jason was just recovering from his accident. He'd been going nut's in the Quartermaine household and wanted to move out. No one would rent to two kids though, every time they seemed to find a place the landlord would change his mind at the last minute. Sonny knew Deke was responsible but he couldn't do anything. Finally Bobbie stepped in and rented on of the apartments in her brownstone to him and Jason. Bobbie didn't live at the brownstone anymore. She had acquired a house in her last marriage and moved out.

Sonny let himself into the brownstone; he went into his bedroom and sighed. He pulled out his schoolbooks, he hadn't gotten much homework it being the first day but he knew that once they started to pile it on he'd have a hard time keeping up with it and working.

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Jason walked into the apartment and sat down at the kitchen table. He was tired and he knew that Carly was going to be mad for not going over to her house but he couldn't leave the shop. Overtime was a bitch but it was money he needed. Carly never seemed to understand that fact. He looked up as Sonny came into the kitchen.

"Hey man,"

Sonny looked at Jason and saw how tired he looked. "Hey"

"Thanks again for driving Carly home,"

"Your welcome, but next time tell her yourself, she pouted the whole way home."

Jason sighed and nodded.

Sonny couldn't hold himself back any longer. "Why do you put up with her man? She only cares about herself,"

Jason looked at Sonny; he wanted to explain Carly to him, hell he wanted someone to explain Carly to him. Carly had told him certain things about her childhood, Jason suspected there was a lot she hadn't told him and as much as he wanted to and as much as it would help the situation he couldn't tell Sonny.

"She's not that bad; she's been through a lot."

Sonny snorted, "What? One Christmas she didn't get everything on her list?"

Jason got up from his chair so sick of the situation. "She's not that shallow man, you guy's are a lot alike."

Sonny rolled his eyes in disgust. "How?"

"You guy's didn't have it so different when you were growing up." Jason said walking out of the room. "Night," He called over his shoulder.

Sonny sat in the kitchen thinking "Night" he replied.

What in the hell did his childhood have in common with Carly Spencer's. She had an amazing family. She'd probably fed Jason a whole bunch of lines to get him to feel sorry for her. Carly Spencer was a first class brat.

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The next morning Carly didn't bother waiting for Jason, she walked to school. She knew she'd probably late and she didn't care. Carly liked Lucas, he was a sweet kid, but Bobbie acted like Carly was some nanny. Bobbie never tried to spend time with her or Lucas really, but at least Lucas's father Tony spent time with him. Carly didn't even know who her father was. Bobbie spent all her time working or with Roy, and to make matters worse Roy spent plenty of time with Hannah, the perfect daughter, cheerleader, student. The perfect everything.

By the time Carly did get to school she was late for her first class. Something she was in grateful for, she didn't want to hear Jason apologize for not calling. She knew exactly what he'd say and it wasn't that she didn't understand, she did, she just didn't like it. Carly actually envied Jason, she wished she could walk out on her family and not care what they thought about her, but the truth was that she needed Bobbie to approve of her and it simply wasn't happening.

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It wasn't until lunchtime that Jason caught up with Carly, he saw her sitting at their table and he quickly joined her.

"Hey,"

Carly turned to look at Jason, she put on a smile, she loved this guy and love wasn't easy. She had to give him some slack.

"Hey you" Carly leaned over and kissed Jason.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't call, I didn't get home till late and I didn't want to get you in trouble."

Carly nodded and put her head on his shoulder. "I know, I just wish I could spend more time with you."

Jason sighed and looked down at Carly. No matter how much he gave her it was never enough. She was like an emotional vampire. "So do I, so do I."

"Well, ain't this cute."

Jason and Carly both looked up at the sound of Sonny's voice, Carly quickly sat up, not wanting Sonny to see her upset.

Sonny and Hannah sat down. Hannah flashed Jason an apologetic smile. She didn't know why Sonny and Carly were so mean to each other but she could tell it tore Jason apart.

Jason gave Hannah an understanding look and nodded at Sonny, "Hey Sonny,"

Sonny tried to eat and not make any comments, he tried to distract himself with Hannah. "So Hannah, do you want to go to that concert in the park on Saturday?"

"I can't, I'm going camping with my dad his weekend," Hannah gushed excitedly.

Carly rolled her eyes and tired to keep he lunch down. "Roy's taken you camping?"

Hannah turned and looked at Carly, "Yeah we go every year, after the first week of school, I love it."

That meant Bobbie would be around more this weekend, which meant fighting, Carly thought.

"Great," Carly said sarcastically.

Sonny's eyes narrowed. "You got a problem Spencer?"

Carly gave him a sarcastic smile. "No, I don't have a problem camping with your dad just sounds like something you do when you're nine." Carly looked at Hannah condescendingly "No offence Hannah,"

Carly saw the hurt look on Hannah's face and the angry look in Sonny's eyes and knew it was time to leave. She got up, grabbed her garbage and leaned over and kissed Jason.

"Bye, all"

Carly quickly walked down the hall way and out the front of the school. She could not take her afternoon classes today. Roy had been dating Bobbie for almost a year, of course it would never occur to him to invite her. Not that she wanted to go, being in the woods all weekend with Hannah and Roy was not appealing, still... Carly laughed out loud at how stupid she was being, she continued walking home. She'd have the house to herself, Bobbie wouldn't be there and Lucas would be at school. She'd have a bubble bath and curl up with a magazine. Her escape, for the time being at least.