GAZEBO

“Little sister!”

I thought about the word and repeated it in my head, but it never felt authentic. It was weird listening to him call me ‘little sister’ when we were not siblings.

While it was true that our parents got married, I never gave much thought to that new relationship. Frankly, I didn't know if I wanted to because I wasn't blood-related to them. The whole idea of being part of a family I barely knew still felt foreign.

“Yeah, that’s Katherine,” Dev replied, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. He then turned towards me and added, “And this lazy guy over here is Neel.”

Neel sat up, rubbing his brown eyes before offering me a lopsided grin. “Welcome to the madhouse, Kat. Can I call you Kat?”

“Y-yeah,” I said hesitantly, feeling a bit awkward under his sleepy gaze.

“Relax, we’re not murderers here—well, apart from Ian.”

“Neel,” Dev warned, glaring at his brother, who looked exactly like him. They had the same facial structure, height, complexion, and eye colour. The only difference was the permanent tired look on Dev’s face and the curly hair of Neel.

“What? The guy doesn’t talk with any of us. We hardly know anything about him,” Neel said, falling back on the couch he was previously occupying.

“Come on, I’ll show you to your room,” Dev said, steering me away from his sleeping brother and the sudden awkwardness.

I followed him gratefully and as we climbed the stairs, Dev turned to me with a reassuring smile. “Everyone in this house is a character, so sometimes it might feel overwhelming. Also, some of my siblings don’t have the concept of personal space, so just tell them directly if you’re uncomfortable.”

I nodded my head, though I wasn’t so sure what he meant by that.

We stopped in front of a large wooden door, and Dev pushed it open, revealing a spacious bedroom. It was just as luxurious as the rest of the house, with a king-sized bed in the middle of the room, a massive balcony overlooking the forest, and a walk-in closet that seemed larger than my old bedroom back in Texas.

“This is your room,” Dev said, stepping aside to let me in. “I hope you like it.”

I walked in, feeling the plush carpet under my feet, and took a deep breath. The room was beautiful, but it felt foreign, like everything else in this house. I didn’t know how I was going to fit in here, how I was going to adjust to this new life.

But as I turned to thank Dev, I saw the kindness in his eyes, the warmth in his smile, and it gave me a small glimmer of hope. I told myself that maybe, just maybe, I could find a place for myself here if others were anything like him. And from what I saw, Neel wasn’t that unbearable.

“Thank you, Dev,” I said sincerely, feeling a bit more at ease. “This is all… it’s a lot, but I appreciate it.”

He shook his head, his smile widening. “Don’t thank me, it’s all Dad. He asked your mom about the things you like and dislike and furnished the room accordingly.”

“Derek?” I questioned in surprise.

“Yeah,” Dev chuckled. “He always wanted a daughter but instead got seven sons. I guess he’s happy to finally have a girl in the house.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that,” I said honestly. I had met Derek only once during my grandmother’s funeral, and back then, I was not in the mental state to notice anything about him. I wasn’t even sure how he looked. “I-I have to thank him when he returns.”

“Don’t worry much about it. Now, I’ve got some work to do. You can rest or unpack. I’ll be downstairs. Call me or anyone if you need any help.” With those words, he left me alone in the room, and I stood there, taking it all in.

The room was painted in different shades of violet and grey, my favourite colours. A lot of potted plants were scattered throughout the room, and a black-framed glass wall separated the bedroom and the closet. There was also a white chaise lounge, exactly like the one I had at my dad’s in London.

He actually tailored the room according to my liking, and I was surprised to find out that Mom knew those things about me.

My bags were by the bed, but I didn’t feel like unpacking them. I wasn’t tired either; I just wanted to be alone for some time. I walked up to the balcony to look at the forest. It wasn’t raining anymore, but the clouds still covered the sky.

I noticed a gazebo nestled in the forest and decided to see it, alone.

I made it out of the room, making sure not to make any noise, and went downstairs, looking around to be safe. I would have taken the back door if I knew my way around; instead, I had to follow my steps back.

I passed the family room, the room in which Ian was still playing video games, and made my way to the entrance hall. I was happy with the fact that no one saw me and slipped out of the front door. The cool breeze touched my face, and I instantly felt relaxed. The smell of nature invited me into its arms, and I made my way toward the wooden structure.

There was a trail that led directly to the gazebo. I assumed it belonged to Derek and went inside, taking a seat on the wooden bench. Surrounded by nature, I found myself relaxing.

I spent hours just sitting there in the woods, enjoying the noise of birds and watching tree squirrels running around. I didn’t know that Washington had squirrels. It was peaceful to not think about my new living conditions and just enjoy the outdoors.

I looked up when I heard a horn blow and saw a car pull up in the driveway. The sun had already set, with only the last rays lighting up the evening sky. A man in a suit walked out of the car and went inside the house. From the distance, I couldn’t see him properly, but somehow, I knew he was another one of them.

I once again closed my eyes, but within two minutes, I heard someone approaching.

I looked in the direction and saw a figure about my height walking toward me. I groaned and sat up more appropriately when he came near. He was wearing a huge smile, and when he entered the gazebo, I noticed he had light brown hair. He looked fragile with his small frame, wrapped in a pair of shorts that were shorter than mine and an oversized sweater.

“Hey, Katherine,” he said happily, extending his hand. “I’m Leo.”

Awkwardly, I took his hand in mine to shake and stood up. “H-hey, nice meeting you.”

“What are you doing here? Dev is looking for you inside. He’s quite worried, and Caspian is eating his head for not looking after you,” he said, standing way too close for my comfort.

“Oh, I didn’t know he would be in trouble,” I said, feeling terrible for causing him problems. “W-we… I should go back.”

“He’s not actually in trouble,” Leo said, following behind me, but I was already on my way back, speed walking. “Caspian just acts like he’s in charge, but we hardly pay him any mind. Jesus, girl, can you walk slower? My legs aren’t made for running.”

“I-I never asked you to follow me,” I said, slowing down as I reached the driveway.

He walked by my side, breathing heavily. “You’re a bitch, you know that?”

I ignored him and rang the bell, waiting for someone to open the door. Leo leaned against the wall, breathing with his mouth open. I was about to ring the bell again when the door opened, revealing another one of my stepbrothers. I looked at him and froze.

“Katherine?” he questioned, staring at me in confusion.

I stood there in silence, my body frozen in place. I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, couldn’t even breathe. The room seemed to tilt, the walls closing in as my mind raced. The only question that cut through the fog of confusion was: Is Lucas my stepbrother?