Hello my readers! Here is the second chapter( or should I say flashback) that I churned out of Take me back to the Start while listening Lifehouses' "broken" came onto my radio! This chapter takes place with Mel and Jax now being sixteen years old. Let me know what you think!

The arguing has gotten worse between my mother and father.

What were they constantly arguing about, you ask?

What seems to be the root of all evil in every relationship.

Money.

We were living paycheck by paycheck and it has pushed them to their breaking point.

My mom states she's more than willing to pick up extra shifts at the Pharmacy she currently works at to give them some breathing room.

My father would immediately shut the idea down, and said she works hard enough already ( she works a minimum fifty hours a week) and it's his responsibility to take care of his family, and he'll just pick up a third job.

I moved my heavy bookbag up and over my body, resting the strap on my right shoulder.

I walked over to my dresser, yanking out the small drawer located on the far left.

I set the drawer on top of my dresser's cluttered counter top and pulled out my growing wad of money that I've made from waitressing at the local diner and helping out Gemma with the bookeeping at Teller-Morrow.

I shoved the money in the back pocket of my jeans and opened my bedroom door, heading down the hall that eventually led to the kitchen.

Thankfully, the arguing has now subsided.

Dad was sitting at the kitchen table on the house phone with the electric company while my mom continued to make breakfast for the three of us.

"Morning," I greeted with a forced smile.

"Good morning Mel bear," my mom replied, returning an equally forced smile.

"Can you just give me until Friday? I'm tapped until then," my father pleaded into the phone.

The reply wasn't what he wished for.

He hung up the phone shortly after, holding his head in his hands.

"Hey dad.."

He looked up at me, giving me a grin.

"Mornin' baby girl."

"I want you and mom to have this."

Linda turned away from the stove to look at her daughter.

I reached into my back pocket of my jeans, pulling out the rolled wad of money that was secured with a rubber band, placing it standing up in front of him.

"No Mel, that is your money. We are not taking our daughter's money," my dad shook his head repeatedly, attempting to hand me back the money.

I refused to take it back and closed his hand around the cash.

"I'm not taking it back. What I have there should help cover some bills. You and mom shouldn't have to carry it all."

"Yes we do, Mel. Because we're the adults," he replied with tears forming in his eyes.

" Well, even adults need help now and then. Please dad, just let go of your pride a little and let me help."

Linda covered her mouth in shock as tears rolled down her face.

How could their financial struggles gotten this bad to the point where their own teenage daughter felt the urge to intervene?

That's her money she has worked for.

She's supposed to do what she wants with it.

"Mel, your dad is right. We can't take your money."

"Exactly, it's my money and this is how I want it spent."

My dad stood up from the head of the kitchen table, pulling me into a firm embrace.

He pulled away from me, brushing my long locks behind my right ear.

"You're a good girl, Melanie," he stated, kissing my forehead.

"I'll begin to pay you back Friday."

"No need. I'll always make more."

The sound of a motorcycle placed their heavy conversation on hold.

My dad closed his eyes and sighed.

"What's he doing here this early?"

"The tires on my car needed rotating. It won't be ready till later this afternoon. He's just giving me a ride to school. I promise you, it's just for today."

"That's how it starts. You may not see it, but I do."

" See what, dad?"

" The way he looks at you. "

I started to laugh.

"No disrespect dad, but I think your sight is off. Jax is with Tara."

"Tara or no Tara, I know what I see. Wait, if Tara is his girlfriend, wouldn't she be the one on the back of his bike? Unless you plan on riding on the god damn handlebars."

"No, Tara's dad won't allow her on the bike."

"Smart man. Sounds like a rule I should start enforcing."

Jax knocked on the front door, causing my father to close his eyes and sigh once again.

I shook my head, making my way to the front door.

"Hey, are you ready to go," Jax asked with a smile and the spare helmet in his hands.

"Yeah."

"Hi Linda, Hi Mr. Torres," Jax greeted as he looked past me, giving my parents a small wave.

"Hi sweetheart," my mom replied.

My dad didn't respond and just continued to glare at Jax.

Jax looked away from my father and looked back at me.

"Can we go now before your father beats the shit out of me?"

"Yes."

"Wait Mel, you can't go yet. What about breakfast?", Linda asked, jogging to the front door to prevent us from leaving.

"We have to. First period is in twenty minutes," I yelled as Jax and I mounted his brand new motorcycle.

I was one of the first to finish the pop quiz my history teacher Ms. Taylor just delivered to each one of our desks.

I turned my quiz over to its opposite side and set my pen along side of it.

Jax, who sat next to me due to assigned seats, hit me lightly on the arm to get my attention.

"Flip your quiz back over," he whispered.

"You didn't read the chapter last night, did you?"

"No."

"Jax.."

"I know, I know. But, you have no idea how fucking hard it is being a prospect. It takes up every minute when I'm not here."

Ms. Taylor stopped pacing back and forth in front of the classroom, adverting her eyes to Jax and Melanie.

"Mr. Teller and Ms. Torres, this is a pop quiz, not a group assignment. No talking."

The intercom that was hooked up in the classroom came on, causing everyone to look in the direction of it.

" Attention all students, Melanie Torres, please report to the principal's office immediately."

Everyone "ooohed and ahhhed" at me, wondering what kind of shit I got into this time.

Jax, who sat next to me, looked away from his quiz, giving me his full attention as I gathered my belongings.

"Hey, let me know what goes down."

" I always do," I smiled before I abandoned my desk.

Tara and her good friend Connie exchanged glances since they were sitting in the same row as one another.

Connie leaned foward to get close to Tara.

"You still believe nothing is going on there?"

As I came closer to the principal's office, I could see my mom talking to the receptionist through the large glass window.

I opened the office door, touching my mom on the shoulder.

Once she turned to face me, I could now see she was crying.

"Mom, what's going on?"

"It's dad, honey. He collapsed on the construction site today, complaining about chest pains. "

I swallowed harshly, feeling my emotions begin to get the best of me.

"Is he.."

"He's at St. Thomas. I don't know much else, but the doctor assured me he should make a full recovery. I just wanted to update you on what is going on. If you want, you can head back to class."

"No, I'm going with you."