I went to my room after that, not knowing how to feel about my mom coming back. It was such a relief to be with her family, still not be with her. I started to like the new living arrangement, but I knew after she's back it would start to go down. She had a tendency to control my life, to make me whatever version of her she had in her mind. I stopped questioning that a long time away and tried playing friendly whenever she visited me in Texas, which wasn't much, and I liked it that way. Grandma was an additional support to the whole thing, and she was always on my side, against Mom. She knew Mom, inside and out, and that was a huge plus point whenever there was an argument about me being moody or rebellious. Grandma would bring things from her past and that would shut her up. I missed her in moments like that. Stepping inside the room, I locked the door and pulled out the black pair of jeans I was wearing. They were too tight and made my thighs itch the whole day. I pulled a p
A flicker of vulnerability broke through Lucas's frustration and want, but soon they were replaced by something serious. I went forward and tried to grab his belt to unbuckle it and pull his pants down, but he grabbed my hand before I could do anything. His expression was different, and I should have stopped right there but I didn't. “Kat, please stop,” he said and there was a heaviness in his voice that went unnoticed to my ringing ears. I pushed forward and instead of his belt, I grabbed his zip and pulled them down, forcing my hand inside his pants, taking him by surprise. My finger brushed over his semi-erected dick and tugged behind his brief before Lucas threw my hand back and walked away. “WHAT THE FUCK!” he screamed at me, pulling his hair while he kept putting more and more distance between us. “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU, KAT?” ‘What is indeed wrong with me?’ I thought, still kneeling on the floor. My hand was still suspended in the air, fingers trembling as the weight of
A gentle knock at the door brought me back to the present.I was laying on my bed, thinking about calling Camilia, but couldn't bring myself to do it. The reason was the same once again, I didn't want to bother her with my problems. Besides, judging from her Instagram pictures, I knew she was visiting Miami with Phineas. “Kat?” Dev’s voice came softly through the door. “Dinner’s ready, we will be serving soon, so come downstairs.” He didn’t come inside and I was thankful for that. I wasn't feeling like talking about what had happened. It was one of those things I never wanted to think about ever in my life again. I wanted to forget, to remove the memory for good, but I knew it wouldn't go away easily. I called out a quiet, “Thank you,” and heard his footsteps fading down the hall.I got up slowly, feeling the weight of my conversation with Lucas still lingering like a fog. I went to the bathroom, splashing water on my face, letting the cool liquid soothe the leftover heat from my
The morning light stirred me awake, and I yawned, blinking at the warm haze filling my room. It was a Saturday, meaning no classes. Thus, I was planning to sleep till the afternoon, or at least stay in bed. But, that changed when I heard muffled sounds coming from below—voices, laughter, and some shuffling. I sat up, listened closely, and felt a slight tug of curiosity gnawing at the edges of my sleepy mind.After brushing my teeth and splashing some cold water on my face to wake up, I quietly made my way down the hallway, the gentle hum of conversation growing louder with each step. As I descended the staircase, I slowed, catching a glimpse of the scene unfolding in the entrance hall.There, sitting together on the long couch, were Derek and… my mother.I stopped short, taking in the sight of her. It felt like ages since I’d last seen her. She looked different, almost like a stranger wearing my mother’s face. She seemed… lighter somehow, more carefree. Her features were softened b
Mom was talking animatedly to Dev, her laughter light and carefree, while Derek engaged Caspian in a conversation about work. I sat there, feeling like an outsider, as Mom and Dev talked about the places she visited with Derek. It hurt me to see that Dev knew more about her than I did, and the way she talked with him showed how strong their relationship was. However, she read my mind because her eyes lit up all of a sudden as she forced the conversation towards me. It was a hollow try, but I let her, to see what she had for me. Just ten minutes ago, she commented about us making plans for the day, but she already forgot about it and made plans with Leo to check out a local spa and then cook dinner with Dev and Derek. “Kat,” her voice drew attention, her manicured hand on my arm. “Do you need anything, sweetheart? You’ve been awfully quiet.” I shook my head, managing a small smile. “No, I’m fine. Just a little tired, that's all.” Derek glanced over, his brows furrowing. “Y
The moment I stepped back into the house, I felt a sense of relief. The cool air brushed against my heated skin, and I felt the shift in energy. My earlier interaction with Caspian still lingered in my thoughts, but as I walked toward the kitchen, I noticed Ian standing near the counter. He was pouring a glass of water, his shoulders stiff and his movements looked almost robotic. His silver hair was slightly dishevelled, and when he turned briefly to glance at me, I caught the telltale redness in his puffy eyes. My heart tightened. Ian rarely showed any vulnerability, preferring to stay quiet and blend into the background. Seeing him like this sent alarm bells ringing in my head. I forgot about Caspian almost instantly and walked towards him. “Ian,” I called gently, trying to understand what must have happened. He froze, his glass of water clutched tightly in his hand. He didn’t meet my eyes. Instead, he turned to stare at the counter as though it might give him an escape. “I
Harry’s eyes looked for answers when he stepped into Ian’s room. His gaze was bouncing between the two of us like he’d stumbled upon something scandalous. “What’s going on here?” he asked his tone light but carrying the curiosity of someone who definitely knew something was brewing between them but wasn't sure. “Is everything alright? Ian?” I glanced at Ian, who had stiffened at the question. His fingers were fidgeting with the edge of his shirt, and the nervous energy radiating off him was almost visible. He didn’t want to talk about what had just happened, and I couldn’t blame him.I knew I couldn't leave it to him to answer because if he was socially awkward, there was also a huge possibility that he had trouble lying. I never had that difficulty, maybe because I was born to two of the biggest liars in the world. “It’s nothing important,” I said quickly, offering Harry a small smile. I stood, brushing imaginary dust off my jeans. “I was just asking him if there was something he
The dining room was alive with chatter, the brothers bouncing between casual banter and stories while Mom and Derek listened with amused smiles. The long table was set with a spread that smelled heavenly—roast chicken, fried rice, creamy mashed potatoes, spicy crabs and grilled vegetables. Normally, the warm, lively atmosphere would have made me feel comfortable, but things were different that night. While I was extra cautious with Ian sitting beside me, nervously scratching his knuckles, I also had to deal with Caspian, who was directly across from me. He wore a dangerous smirk, and every so often, he would run his toes along the length of my legs. On the other hand, since the start Lucas had been quiet. He wasn’t talking like the others. Even Ian made a few comments when Derek addressed him, but Lucas just shrugged whenever someone asked him something. Instead, he’d been watching me. More specifically, he’d been watching Caspian, whose occasional glances my way seemed to int
“She wouldn't play with Dad like that, would she?” His question made me uncomfortable because Mom was doing exactly that. She was with Derek because of his money and she claimed he knew that too and was fine with it, but I didn't know if I could pass that information to Leo or not. Whatever agreement they had was between them, and I believed it wasn't my place to share that with his sons. Thus, I hid the truth but didn't tell him lies about Mom either. “I don't know her enough to comment about that. She hasn't been around much and you know she dated a lot of men between my Dad and yours.” “Still, she's your mother,” Leo tried to pull out any information, it was understandable that he was worried about Derek. “You must know something.” “I know that she's not the most responsible person on the planet, and didn't care about her daughter for years,” I said, remembering how I wanted to leave with her when Dad and her divorced. “Apart from that, she's just a stranger to me. I guarant
“Leo likes Kat's friend, and we just had a little disagreement about it,” Derek explained to Mom while she came to stand behind him. He was still sitting on the stool idly tracing a pattern on the marble top while trying to gather his thoughts. He looked older that morning, weighed down by the events that took place the night before. His brows were furrowed, lips pressed into a thin line, and his eyes were fixed somewhere far beyond the kitchen. “Oh! you didn't tell me about him?” Mom turned to look at Leo with curled lips. “Wait, is he the guy you've been texting recently.” Leo looked away, embarrassed. “And you told me it was someone from the class.”“You knew about it, yet didn't tell me anything?” Derek said suddenly and his voice carried that heavy, parental mix of frustration and concern. Though he didn't sound angry. “You should have told me earlier.”“I wasn't sure about it myself. Besides, I thought he was someone Kat was interested in,” she said, turning to look at me. “I
“Actually, Dad, I like Diego.” “No, you don't!” Derek almost laughed as he said those words. “You are too young to understand love.” “I'm an adult, and I'm talking about liking him and not being in love with him.” Leo walked to give Caspian a side hug and stood by his side instead of looking at Derek while he spoke. “I can do what I want.”“You don't have my permission to date some random guy you picked from the roads.” The kitchen felt like a pressure cooker, the air around us suddenly became too thick for comfort. I could feel it—the tension that hung between everyone, and how each breath sounded heavier than the last.I was standing by the island, pretending to look at the coffee mugs lined up on the shelf, but my mind was a swirl of thoughts. I could feel the shift, the quiet unease. Something was wrong, and it wasn’t just the way Derek responded to Leo, but something else was going on. I didn't know what it was, but I could feel it in my bones. The moment had been creeping u
My eyes fluttered open slowly, and I saw the sunlight streaming through the balcony in my bedroom. I groaned tiredly, my whole body was heavy with exhaustion from the previous night. For a brief, disoriented moment, I wondered if it had all been a dream—the party, the argument, the fight, the tension hanging so thick in the air it almost made me feel suffocation. My heart lurched as a thought shot through my mind. Caspian. ‘Is he still here?’ I questioned myself and turned my head quickly, scanning the room for any sign of him. The bed beside me was empty. No lingering warmth, no trace of his presence anywhere. I once again melted under the covers as a wave of relief washed over me. Though it mingled with a strange, inexplicable disappointment. I wasn’t sure which emotion was stronger; the relief of not being caught with him or the disappointment of not waking up in his arms. I touched my lips, remembering the way he kissed me in the tree house. His hands tenderly played with my
Caspian’s hand was warm as he took mine in his own and led me through the creeping shadows of the forest. The branches of the trees above us whispered secrets to each other. And our only companion in that dark night was the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the branches that swayed under the spell of the wind. The sounds of the birthday party faded behind us; the hum of voices and the music became a distant murmur that we couldn't hear anymore. I felt a strange sense of anticipation, like we were sneaking away to a place that existed just for the two of us. He stopped in front of a large oak that stood tall near their house. Its branches stretched in all directions, and the trunk was so wide that it would require at least seven people standing hand in hand to fully encircle it. The bark of the tree was rough and weathered, telling stories of countless seasons that had passed. A ladder was nailed into it, and it disappeared into the darkness above. Caspian’s lips curled
The music from the sound system thumped gently in the background, blending with the laughter and chatter that floated through the cool, soothing air of Lake Willow.The fairy lights strung along the trees cast a warm, golden glow across the boathouse and the surrounding clearing. Everything was perfect, in a way I hadn’t expected it to be. But then again, it wasn’t the beautiful decorations or the tasty cake that made the night special. It was the people—my brothers, my family—finally feeling like they had a place to just be.I watched Harry moving through the dance floor, surrounded by his friends, with joy in his eyes. He was laughing; his arms were flailing in a carefree rhythm that made me smile despite the fear of what Dad might do tomorrow, eating away my brain cells. If he decided to throw us out, I had to take care of my brothers and provide them with necessities. To most of their cards, Dad still had access, and he could freeze their account whenever he wanted; thankfully,
I already knew about the surprise party; Harry did too. The way Kat, Dev and others had tried to be subtle, sneaking around and exchanging knowing glances, was almost comical. Leo couldn't be sneaky, even if it cost him his life. I heard him speaking about the surprise on the phone more than once, while Harry guessed it seeing the way others interacted with each other. Both me and Harry figured it out days ago, but neither of us said a word to anyone. Pretending not to know felt easier than watching their faces fall, realizing all their hard work would go to waste. They wanted the day to be special—for us. Despite everything—the strained dinner conversations and the silences that cut sharper than words—we didn’t want to ruin it for them. We didn’t want to ruin their mood and take away the one thing they thought would make our day special. They were already going against Dad by planning the surprise. As we walked toward the boathouse, the air was still dense due to the argument
“A surprise?” I nodded my head, forcing a small smile. “Yeah, a surprise for you and Harry. Come with us and I promise you, it will be better than this.” He laughed, “Anything in this world is going to be better than this.” Dev looked down to lock eyes with Ian and, in a soft, love-filled voice, said, “I am sorry for not doing anything and letting you go through all of this; let me and the others show how much we love you.” “Y-you don't have to show me anything, I know,” Ian took a shaky breath and nodded before wrapping his arms around Dev. Just then, Caspian and Lucas appeared with Harry in tow. They were laughing about something, but when they noticed Dev and Ian, they stopped. A veil of confusion covered their faces as they tried to figure out what happened. “What’s going on?” Harry’s brow furrowed, and his eyes flickered between us. “Are you okay?” “Yeah, it was Alaric, forget about him,” Ian said, pulling away from Dev and then turned towards the others. “Did they
I saw Diego standing near the entrance with a small bag in his hand as I tried not to look at the people checking me out. He had a tense smile on his lips and looked lost, I almost laughed seeing him looking for me. He pulled his phone out and stepped to the side, hiding away from the stolen glances he received from ladies near him. He looked sharp in the blue suit he was wearing and had his hair slicked back. My phone started to ring and I realised he was calling me. I was about to pick up the call when he looked in my direction, and our eyes met, I waved my hand, and with a faint smile, he walked towards me. He had a little jump in his steps that he was trying to hide, but when he looked at me completely, his jaw was on the grass. All the nervousness due to being in an event like that and the unease from before was gone. His eyes sparkled and I felt Caspian turning towards him. “Wow,” he said, mesmerized as he looked up and down. Weirdly, with Diego, I didn't feel creeped out li