Emily's POV:The next day, I woke up super early to avoid my brothers; I didn't want any of them to see me like this.I looked like someone heading into depression with dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep and too many tears.I grabbed Tony's purple hoodie and my black pants, then put them on.I made sure to open the door slowly, so as not to attract anyone's attention.It was currently 6 am, and everyone usually wakes up by 7 or 7:30 am.When I noticed the coast was clear, I quickly rushed towards the door, then opened it slowly.Biting my lips, I prayed in my head that our house camera didn't catch me before running out of my house.I looked at the house one more time before letting out a sigh; with that, I walked away before pulling out my phone.I texted Emma, asking if I could come over to hers. I was really happy when she said it was okay, and she was coming to pick me up with her brother.I sat down on the chair next to the main road, looking around with my hands in my
Austin's POV:When morning finally came, I went over to my baby sister's room to annoy her, as I always do. My breath stopped when I didn't see her there, and to make matters worse, she had packed a bag—some of her clothes were missing from her closet.Without thinking, I rushed downstairs, yelling and crying that Emily was gone. The others came out, Chris and Xender holding guns in their hands, looking around as if we were under attack. They stopped me from running, attempting to calm me down, but all I could do was cry.It was Kelsey's fault; now it's happening again. If only he could be a good brother like the rest of us, my baby sister wouldn't have left.When I explained to the others what happened yesterday, Xender was pissed and even beat Kelsey up until he ran out of the house, but he never came back after that. It's like he just ran away from us because he knew he hurt Emily again."What do you mean she's gone? Calm down, boy; you're a grown-ass man," Xender said, but I said
Emily's POV: Emma and I sat in her living room, enjoying some chocolates, when I felt my phone ring for the 11th time in my pocket. Rolling my eyes, I left it there. I knew the boys were all up by now, and they probably wanted to ask where I was, but I needed space from all of them. Emma glanced at me before grabbing her phone and pointing at mine. "You know you can't stay away from them forever, though." "Yeah, I know, but girl, it's hard. I'm tired of fighting with Kelsey, and I'm tired of crying." Emma knew the details of the relationship between me and my brothers. I had shared everything that happened last night, and it felt nice opening up to someone. She hugged me and patted my head, giving me that older sister vibe, even though she couldn't speak. Her actions showed that she cared. "Alright, later let's get home, okay? You and Kelsey need to talk things out. You guys are family, and family always sticks together, so stop fighting like children and work things out." S
Emily's POV:When we got home, I was surprised to see everyone sitting in the living room, looking dead. Emma even giggled at their state, making them look our way.They all stared at us for what felt like hours, and no one said anything until Austin let out a scream and ran toward me, crying. The others followed, and the funny part was they were crying, actual tears rolling down their eyes.After explaining where I had been for the past hours, Xender and Chris thanked Emma and her brother for keeping me safe. With that, everyone started going to their homes, leaving me and my crazy brothers alone.When Emma was leaving, she gave me this look like, "Don't mess this up," before waving to the others. When the door closed shut, my brothers turned towards me slowly. No one said a word until Chris opened up.''I think Kelsey should move out for a while; maybe he needs some time to get used to Emily being around now.'' He said softly while the others nodded in agreement with his decision.I
Emily's point of view; As the school day wore on, I found it hard to focus. Emma noticed and pulled me aside during lunch. "What's wrong, Emily?" she asked, her usual cheerful demeanor replaced with concern."It's Kelsey. He hasn't come back, and I'm worried. I feel like it's my fault," I admitted. Emma frowned, searching for the right words. "You can't blame yourself for everything. Families have problems. They'll work it out. Just give it time."Her words offered some comfort, but the worry gnawed at me. By the time school ended, I was exhausted from the emotional toll. When we got home, I hesitated before entering the house, a part of me dreading what might happen next. Would Kelsey be there? Would things be the same? Austin noticed my hesitation and gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze "He'll come back, Em. Don't lose hope."Stepping inside, I was met with the same heavy silence. I dropped my bag and went to my room, needing a moment alone. As I lay on my bed, stari
Emily's point of view;Jumping out of the window, I took a deep breath when I landed safely. The thrill of sneaking out was exhilarating, yet a tiny part of me questioned the sanity of my actions. "Crazy how I’m leaving my house for a man," I mumbled softly before laughing at the absurdity of it all. As I walked towards the lake, my phone in hand, my thoughts swirled around the mystery of why Angelo wanted to see me. It had been a while since I saw the boys, and the curiosity gnawed at me. Angelo’s sudden text had ignited a mix of excitement and apprehension. Why now? What did he want to talk about? As I neared the lake, the dim light revealed a solitary figure in a black hoodie. My heart did a little flip when I recognized him."Angelo?" I asked softly, my voice barely above a whisper."Sup?" he replied, raising an eyebrow in that infuriatingly charming way of his. My heartbeat quickened, and I felt a confusing mixture of emotions swirling within me. I still had no idea why I had th
Emily's point of View;I woke up to the soft light of dawn streaming through my bedroom window. The events of the previous night with Angelo played over in my mind, bringing a smile to my lips. But today, I needed to focus on visiting Emma. I stretched, feeling a mixture of anticipation and apprehension. After a quick shower and getting dressed, I headed downstairs to find my brothers, Chris and Tony, in the kitchen."Morning," I greeted them, grabbing a piece of toast from the table."Morning, Em," Chris replied, looking up from his coffee. "What’s on the agenda today?""I’m going over to Emma’s place. Haven’t seen her in a while, and I thought it’d be nice to catch up," I said, trying to sound casual.Chris glanced at Tony, who was munching on a bowl of cereal. "That’s fine. But I want Tony to go with you."Tony looked up, a mix of surprise and annoyance on his face. "Why do I have to go?""Because I want Emily to be safe," Chris said firmly. "You know things have been tense lately
Chris's Point of View;The sun had barely risen, and I was already feeling the weight of another day pressing down on my shoulders. Emily's stress was palpable, and it was eating me alive. Kelsey was still missing, and each passing day without word from him was like a knife twisting in my gut. Tony and I had done everything we could to keep things normal for Emily, but the worry in her eyes was a constant reminder of our failure.I sat at the kitchen table, staring at my phone, waiting for any news. The rest of the house was still, the calm before the inevitable storm. Xander and Austin arrived, their faces etched with the same concern and frustration I felt. "We can't keep this up," Xander said, slamming his fist on the table. "Emily's falling apart, and so are we."Austin nodded, his expression grim. "We've exhausted all our resources, Chris. We need to try something different, something drastic."I knew what they were getting at, but it was a step I had hoped to avoid. "You mean c