So, all week, the boys have been decent to me. Even Nolan had stopped stealing my bras. Living with them wasn't too bad. They still had their moments, but I got used to them.

Watching them with each other was even better. It was interesting to watch them bicker over everything or threaten to hurt each other. Better them than me.

I decided I needed a break from the boys, so I hung with Kat and Marcy. Sometimes, we need more estrogen when we're stuck in a house full of testosterone. One girl can only take so much of farts and burps.

While I spent the day with my friends, the boys had other plans.

"Do you think she will like it?" Noah asked his brothers.

"Well, gee Noah, we won't know until we do some work," Nixon snapped.

"Dude, you need to chill. You're worse than a chick on her period," Nathan said to him, earning a look and a punch.

"Leave Nix alone. You know how sensitive he can be around that time of the month." Nash walked by carrying stuff.

"Nash, he's always sensitive. The dude cries at chick flicks," Noah said.

"I do not!"

They stopped and looked at Nixon.

"That was one time! Geez, you cry at an emotional scene, and everyone loses their freaking minds." He threw his hands up in exasperation. They rolled their eyes and shook their heads. Yep, Nixon was a drama queen.

They carried stuff to the attic to clear out the room. Once most of the boxes and items were clear out, they found a bed.

"Ma likes to put things anywhere," Noah said.

The five of them looked at the bed.

"Well, let's get some clean sheets and blankets. Nathan, strip the bed, and the rest of you finish up. She'll be here in an hour," Nash ordered.

"Why do I have to strip the bed?"

"Because I said so, or I can always give you a wedgie. Your choice." Nash gave Nathan a look.

"Bed it is," Nathan said with a chipper tone.

Nash had no issue doling out punishment to his brothers. He brought in sheets and a blanket, along with pillows for the bed. They made the bed and got the hell out of there.

I returned to the house, wanting a nap. I like Kat and Marcy, but it was Saturday, and I like my sleep. I walked up the stairs as they all closed their doors. I walked to the storage room and opened the door. My eyes widened at sight. The clutter was gone, it was clean, and there was an actual bed.

They opened their doors and stuck their heads out before sneaking over to the room to watch me.

The room wasn't big by any means, but at least it was something.

Nolan looked at Nash and whispered, "Do you think she likes it?"

"I don't like it."

Their faces dropped.

"I love it."

A smile curled upon all their lips. They stepped from behind the doorway as each of them walked into the room.

"You can decorate it however you want," Nash said.

I turned and looked at them.

"Yeah, we're not good with that girl stuff," Nathan said.

"I think I can manage," I said. "There is one slight problem."

"What's that?" Asked Nash.

"I need to go shopping, and I need someone to take me."

The brothers shoved Nash towards me. He turned and shot them a glare as they looked around and whistled. He exhaled a deep breath and turned to me. "Fine, but let's not make this an all-night project."

I grabbed his hand and led him out of the room.

"Nash will kill us," Nixon said.

"Considering he hates shopping, yep," Noah said.

"Sucks to be him." Nathan shrugged.

Ten minutes later, Nash pulled into a parking lot. We got out of the car, heading into the store. Since my parents abandoned me, I used their charge cards. It was for emergencies, but a nice room is an emergency. Well, for me, it is.

We grabbed a shopping cart. Nash leaned it as he pushed it while I looked around for some things. We didn't talk while I looked at different things. It's Nash. He's three years older than me, having graduated from high school. Well, we have never really spoken unless I was younger, and that was basic stuff.

"So, what things do you like?"

"Oh, this and that." I was looking at stuff, trying to ignore the fact he was trying to make conversation.

"Anything in particular?"

"Not really."

I looked at some pictures and picked a couple I liked. "What do you think?" I held up the pictures.

"They're doable. Not what I expected."

"And what did you expect?"

"I don't know. Anything girly like pink items, bunnies, and some shit like that."

"Contrary to popular belief, just because we're born with a uterus doesn't mean we gravitate to pink stuff and cutesy animals." I placed the pictures in the cart. "Why is it that if you're certain sex, people automatically assume stuff? If you don't live up to those assumptions, then you get labeled with other things."

"Because it's how society has always been, well at least in the States it is. Do you know that in Europe they don't care about half the things we do? Sure, they have problems. But they're way more cultured than we are." He pushed the cart as we went down the bedding aisle.

"I'd like to go to Europe one day."

"Let me guess. Paris, France?"

"Nope, I want to go to Austria or Germany because of the food and the beauty of it all." I let out a sigh. "But I don't think that will happen if it's up to my parents."

"Why do you say that?"

I gave him a look. "They took a sabbatical and left me with the neighbors. Their excuse was they didn't want me to miss school. I think they didn't want me to tag along."

"That's harsh, don't you think?"

I turned and looked at him. "These are the same people who prefer money over spending time with me. When I was little, my babysitters were more like parents to me than my parents. The best part was when I had birthday parties. They would hire sitters to be them."

"So, the people we saw in your yard weren't your parents?"

"Nope, they were my babysitter."

"That makes more sense than what we thought was going on."

"What did you think was going on?"

"We thought your dad had many wives," he said, causing me to laugh.

"That would be so much better and sordid story if it were true." I smiled.

Nash couldn't help but laugh.

We finished up and went back to his house to put the few pieces up in the room. It was much better after I got done.

Pat stopped by to see the bedroom. "The boys did a great job."

"Yeah, it surprised me when I came back to see it all cleaned up."

She walked in and looked around. "Well, be happy because the boys have never done something like this for someone."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know if you haven't noticed, but my boys aren't the easiest to deal with, and outsiders don't last around here. Consider it a gift."

"Should I worry?"

"God, I hope not." She giggled.

That didn't make me feel better. I felt like the other shoe was about to drop when she said that. I wondered if this wasn't some game with them. Be friendly to the outsider, then gain their trust and make them look like an idiot.

Pat left the room as I stood there. I didn't want to get too close to them. Heaven knows what they have planned for me next. I wasn't even sure I wanted to stay in the room. Come to think about it, what if they pull a prank or steal my clothes or invade my privacy? Ugh, I needed to find a different place to sleep.

Yep, that's what I'll do. I'll sleep on the couch. At least, if I were out in the open, the brothers wouldn't do anything to me because their parents would notice.

I packed up all my stuff, along with the blanket and pillow I bought, and went down to the living room. Nope, I won't fall for the brothers' kind act. The Gray brothers were never nice for no reason. There were always strings attached. Not today, boys, not today.