"Nathan and I saw you rush into the break room. He told me to come check on you," I nodded and he nudged for me to take the ice pack so I did. I put it behind my neck. He then leaned forward –-too close-- and I nearly blushed. I stared at him as he examined my nose.

"Let me see."

"But--"

"Right now you're under my care at the office. If anything happens to employees here, I'm responsible..." there he goes mentioning responsibility again. This guy didn't have a sensibility to him in these situations... a lack of EQ? Or wanting to make sure I knew exactly where the line was drawn between us...

"It's not that bad..."

"Let me see."

"It's fine."

"Let me..." he tried moving my hand away, but I grabbed his hand. When I did that the tissue I was holding fell down. While I grasped onto him he stared at me directly and then looked at my nose...

"Who did this to you? Do I need to make a report?"

I pushed his hand aside while thinking about how awful it would be if he knew the reason why this happened: I was thinking about him... no, that sounded wrong. It wasn't because I was thinking of him that caused me to have the accident. I was just thinking about certain events leading up to the moment when I...

"Miss. Rose... Miss. Rose...?" I looked up at hi, and he was still bent forward. I then stood up abruptly. He followed my pace, standing up.

"It was an accident. It was my own fault. I just need a few more minutes to myself so the bleeding can stop..." I checked to see if there was any more blood and while I did Kai gave me a tissue from his pocket and then walked away.

I couldn't believe how embarrassing this was... I pinched the bridge of my nose after putting the ice down. I sat down again thinking about how I could forget about this...

*

I didn't think I would be seeing Kai again so quickly but after a few more hours I accompanied them back to the mansion. Coincidentally because my 'driver' was now on vacation. Nathan told me with such joy in his expression. I couldn't understand what about this was entertaining.

Or if he thought it would drive us closer together? Even if he was trying to help us form a bond it felt a little suffocating.

When we arrived at the house Kai and I parted ways. I walked over to Mackenzie's room to help her study. I promised I would help her earlier today and I was greeted by Apollo at her door.

About an hour into our studying session she placed her pencil down. I must have been half asleep beside her at the desk.

"Hazel..." I moved my head upwards and shook myself awake. I smiled at her anticipating her questions. "Are you... planning on staying here after the year you spend with us?"

I wondered where this was coming from?

"Why do you ask?" she looked away and sighed. She seemed to be thinking about how to reply next...

"I just was wondering..."

"Hmm..." I said, trying to be as honest as possible. I took hold of her hands and cupped them together with mine. "That would be... quite impossible at this point, Kenz..." she pouted a little, and then looked up at me very disappointed.

"But... if you leave... I'll be lonely..."

"Where is this coming from sweetie? Why would you be alone? You have your family and Apollo now..."

"It just... doesn't feel like a family... mom is always out with her friends a lot and dad is... working or travelling..."

"But still, you have a family."

"It just... doesn't feel like that..."

She was incredibly perceptive and compared to other people in this household, especially considering her age, she was sensitive to her surroundings. I could see how Charlie lost confidence in himself and in his brother's because he didn't know how to communicate with a family he wanted to protect, but in turn, didn't know how to rely on those that he saw as relatively absent or didn't want to disturb because of everyone's own paths in life...

When I realized how much they were truly missing out on each other's lives, I thought about the old man. I thought about what he told me about certain voids evident in his family... I could now see how Mackenzie felt about the people in this house. She probably cared a lot about them but didn't know how to interact with them.

It was already difficult to begin with. When you have these idiotic and oblivious guys to begin with... I could see she just wanted a family to spend time with. To feel protected and supported. Just like any human being would crave touch or feelings of another person.

"Alright, I have an idea... sometimes you have dinner with your mom and dad, right?" she nodded and I continued. "Then how about this... how about I arrange a family dinner here for you guys? The whole family, I mean? As soon as possible...?"

She smiled and I laughed nervously to myself... just what was I getting myself into now?