"Milo Jaycee Houston!" Mom yelled through the phone. You could imagine her face flaming with anger.

"Yes, dear Mother," he answered, trying to smother her down and make her forget... Like he did with his anniversary. Nice try brother, but that ain't going to work. Not with Mom at least.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a girlfriend?" she asked in an angry tone, and I then decided to add the fuel to the fire. I was innocent all right.

"They have been together for a year and tomorrow is their anniversary, but guess who forgot it?" I exclaimed, with a wicked smile, then waited for her sweet reply. I stole a glance at Jude and saw him trying so hard to contain his laughter.

"Milo..." Mom began in a calm but scary tone. You know how moms are when they're angry and about to go all ape on you.

"Yes, Mom?" Milo waited while looking at me with the ′I'll kill you′ face.

"Is Theo around?" she asked, and Theo came closer to the phone with a smile on his face.

"Hola, Mom," he sang in a cheerful tone. His gray eyes were dancing, obviously enjoying his brother's misery. So was I. I'm evil by nature, but that will teach him to say hi when he talks to me on the phone. I didn't forget.

"Sweetie, I want you to take Milo's car keys and keep them with you for two weeks," Mom ordered. We all gasped and looked at Milo, even Holden, and Jude. I guessed they knew that Milo adored his car to the point of shifting it abroad to here. I don't know what was so special about it. He even named it Mard. Don't ask me what name that was because I, myself, didn't know. No one did. I hope he doesn't get to choose his kid's name when he gets married.

"No! Mom, please, no. Mom!" Milo cried, then quickly grabbed the phone. "How can I take my girlfriend out, if I don't have my car with me?" he asked, clinging to the last bit of hope he might have owned. Mom laughed, obviously with something in her mind.

"Does she own a car?" she asked him.

"Yes," he replied.

"Good, then she's the one who's going to take you out for the next two weeks," Mom decided, then ended the call like a cool boss. Savage mom, my idol.

~~~

"Why did you do that, Lexi?" Milo asked. Frustration was evident on his face. He fell on the couch like an obsessed and desperate girl who lost her food. Like me. And yes, people could lose their food when it's all wrapped. Such as snacks. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Because you are a jerk. How could you forget your anniversary? You just told her that you love her so much. Milo, that is messed up and unrealistic," I replied while shaking my head in disapproval. Like a disappointed mother.

My brothers copied me. "She's right," they said, and Jude whistled, then smirked at him.

"You're ruined, man," Jude told him, with an encouraging smile. His Australian accent was so on point; it made him sound hotter.

"Don't state the obvious, please." Holden slapped Jude's back. "But that is messed up, bro," he added, then shook his head at Milo. Milo let out an anxious scream.

"Come on guys, what can I do? I've been busy with the final project that will get me my degree to finally move to a hospital, and I completely forgot about it. What should I do?" he asked, then put his hands on his head. Frustrated was an understated word to describe his condition. Okay, he had had it. I should stop and help his poor soul.

"I'll help," I pointed out, then sat next to him. "Let's go to a nearby mall, and we'll see what she might like. Get up." I grabbed his elbow and dragged him out of the room. Then I stopped. I turned my head to the boys. "Theo, come with us," I ordered, and he appeared with a scowl.

"Why?" he whined, and I rolled my eyes. It was my first day and they returned to acting like children around me. Joy.

"Because he's grounded. You'll drive," I stated, then continued walking forward.

I let go of Milo's hand to open the door when he muttered quietly, "Twenty-three years old and I'm still grounded. Fair world, my butt!" I chuckled, then stepped out of the door and stood outside, waiting for my brothers to get ready.

"Well, hello there, beaut," someone said in a deep Australian accent, and I turned my head to the side. I saw two guys smirking down at me. Wow, they were too tall. It was not normal.

"Hey," I replied. "And what does Beaut mean?" I asked, thinking about the word.

"It means beautiful," the redhead replied, and I nodded, not wanting to talk with them anymore. I don't know, but I felt uncomfortable around them. As they started approaching me, with weird smiles, Theo came out of the dorm. When he saw the two guys, he glared and quickly wrapped his arms around me.

"Did they do anything to you?" Theo whispered in my ear, and I shook my head.

"Well, well, well, she's your girlfriend? Because she's a catch," the brown-haired guy commented, and I raised my eyebrows at him. Excuse me?

Theo tightened his grip on me. "She's my sister!" he declared in a raised voice. "So, don't you dare come near her," he added, with a firm tone. His voice attracted my other brothers, as well as Jude and Holden. They all stood next to us when they saw the two guys in front of me. Their glares assured me that they were not that kind and polite.

The brown-haired guy raised his palms in surrender. "Chill, man, we get it... But we can promise you nothing. She's hot and sexy," he exclaimed, with a smirk. Does he have a death wish?

"Do you have a death wish?" Milo asked. I was impressed by the similarities in our thinking.

They chuckled. "No. Bye for now. We'll see you around, Houstons' sister," they said to me, then entered their dorm, which was next to us. Now I know why they were against me going on around their dorm.

"Next time, they're dead," Arlo commented, with clenched fists and an angry face. His knuckles were turning white. All the boys were angry, even Holden and Jude.

"Guys, let's forget about them and go have Starbucks," I suggested. and they all turned and looked at me. Theo had a sad expression showing on his face.

"Lexi," he began, then put his hands on my shoulders. Breathing deeply.

"Yeah?" I waited, suddenly feeling uneasy. Why?

"Um, ah... Milo, you tell her." He looked at Milo, then smiled.

"Shit, me? Ah, okay... No, let Arlo have the honor and tell her." Milo gazed at Arlo, with a nervous smile. Arlo's eyes had gone wide.

"Damn it... Maybe Jude?" He patted Jude's shoulder and Jude nodded, with a sigh of defeat. He looked me right in the eyes.

"We don't have Starbucks here in this area." He stated the awful truth that made me lose it.

"Say what now?" I asked in disbelief. No Starbucks? My worst nightmares.