The next day I walked out of my room and headed to the living room, which held four sleeping boys. Jake was the only one I understood why he wanted to stay the night, because he always does whenever he had the chance. He practically lived here ever since Jack moved to New York and hadn’t stopped since he came back three months ago. But, what I couldn’t understand is why Jack, David, and Ricky insisted that they stayed the night as well. But my father didn’t seem to have a problem with it when he found out about it when he came home from work. Just as long as they all stayed in the living room.

They were all still sound asleep when I checked on them and all looked completely adorable in their sleep. I could watch all four of them sleep all day long. But, food was more important to me right now and I headed into the kitchen to find something to eat. My father, upon his return from work, brought in two paper bags full of groceries. It wasn’t much since I was the one that usually did the shopping, but he made sure to get things Jake and I liked.

Pulling out a breakfast sandwich from the freezer, I wrapped it with some paper towel and placed it in the microwave. The microwave roared to life after I put in the amount of time I wanted. I leaned against the green counter as I waited for my sandwich to be finished. Suddenly noticing the note on the small island. I grabbed it, seeing it was from my father. I let out a small sigh as I read his message saying that he had left for a business trip out of state and wasn’t expected to be back for a few weeks. It felt like I didn’t see him enough already with him working as much as he could. Things were so much better before.

“Great,” I said to myself with an annoyed tone as I crumpled up the note and threw it away in the trash. I like how he didn’t even bother lecturing me about any of the boys that ended up sleeping over last night. You would think that he would have.

The microwave let out three squealing loud beeps, letting me know that my sandwich was ready. Walking over the microwave and opening it up, I grabbed my sandwich. Unwrapping it as soon as I closed the microwave door. I took a bite finding out that it was still a little cold in the middle, but it was to be expected out of our old microwave. I didn’t even give myself time to savor the taste as I took another bite of the sandwich. I was too hungry to focus on what I was eating.

Jake came walking in the kitchen, rubbing his eyes as he let out a small yawn. He went straight to the black coffee machine and started to make coffee. He didn’t talk much when he first woke up, but I watched him as I ate the rest of my sandwich in silence. Waiting for him to wake up enough to feel like he could function a little bit better.

After he turned on the machine he went to the small island and sat down and rested is head in his arms on it. He stared at me with such sleepy eyes. Part of me actually thought he was going to go back to sleep. But I knew better. Once Jake was up, there was no going back to sleep for him. It was something he hated about himself the most.

“Your microwave is loud,” he complained, turning his head to face me.

“Sorry for waking you up,” I told him as I offered him the last bite of my sandwich. Knowing fully well that he would turn it down, but it was still worth a try.

“You eat it. You need it more than me,” he said as he sat up straight. The room even started to fill up with the smell of fresh coffee. It was waking him up more but still not enough for him to talk much. That won’t be until he started drinking it. It will be nice once he wakes up more, then I can talk to him about what is going on right now.

I opened my mouth to ask him the first question on my mind that related to who the guys were in my living room. It was even to the point that I don’t even think I knew Jack as well as I used to anymore. He’s been hanging around these guys without me even noticing. But the phone rang before I could even say a word. Making me walk over to answer as soon as Jack came walking into the kitchen, stretching his arms above his head.

“Hello?” I answered into the phone as I smiled at Jack as a way of greeting.

“Hey Leah. It’s Jared,”

Shocked didn’t even cover what I was feeling at the moment. But confusion on how he got my number was a for sure emotion I was feeling. The whole situation had just caught me off guard. Making my mind go completely blank and I had no idea what to say because I never knew that something like this would ever happen. Didn’t Jared have a wedding to plan? Why was he calling me?

Jake stared at me with a confused look. I ended up mouthing the word ‘Jared’ to him. His eyes widened in complete understanding as Jack looked at us confused. Unsure on what the heck was going on at the moment.

“Leah?” I heard Jared’s voice say. Sound unsure as if the shock had made me hang up the phone. Which is probably still a good possibility of happening.

“I’m still here. What’s up?” I asked, trying to act like I wasn’t internally screaming with excitement like a little school girl. We may not still be in high school anymore, but this was the guy I had the biggest crush on back then. I may still have one right now, but that was only because I convinced myself that I had to be in love with Jared.

“I wanted to know if you wanted to talk today. I’m sure you heard the news by now,” he said on the phone, “I feel like I need to explain some things or I will feel bad about all that happened.”

There really wasn’t a reason for him to feel bad. Its not like he promised me a future of marriage and kids. I was the one with the crush, not him. I remember the day that I told him how I felt on graduation day. Back then he didn’t say anything. He had just walked away after I was done telling him how I felt. Then I never saw him until we both graduated college and became good friends. There were no hard feelings between us, but I may still have a slight crush on him. But it was starting to look childish at this point and probably will die out very soon.

“I’m not busy. You can pick me up when ever,” I told him and then hung up before the conversation became a guilt fest. He can tell me everything later on. He probably wanted to do it that way anyways. But it still didn’t make it easier.

I let out a small sigh as I walked away from the phone and went to sit at the island next to Jake. Jake just stared at me as David grabbed a cup of coffee. When did he come into the kitchen? I didn’t even see him walk in and I was pretty close to the door way. Jack was gone too. I started to think that I needed to put bells on these boys, so I can hear them come and go. They were all too quiet for me to keep track of. I wouldn’t want one of them to magically appear next to me. Which is what Ricky did by leaning against the island. I saw this as an opportunity to mention what had happened yesterday.

“So does anyone want to explain to me what the hell happened in my house yesterday?” I asked not so subtly. Might as well be blunt or they won’t tell me anything.

Ricky stared at the ceiling holding a cup of coffee, looking like he wasn’t going to say anything. David looked like he didn’t approve the behavior. He ended up glaring at Ricky while he leaned against he counter by the coffee maker. I watched Ricky glance at him before he let our a sigh and turned to face me.

“My brother and I don’t get along much,” he told me as if that was a good enough explanation. Obviously they don’t get along since they couldn’t stop looking at each other with so much hate yesterday, “It’s a long story on why. I don’t feel like explaining it this early in the morning.”

“Is there a short version?” I pushed. Needing something to make me feel a little bit sane. Something needed to make sense or I was forever locking myself in my room because that was too much for me to witness, “One of my best friends almost died. He could have if you guys didn’t show up. I need some answers.”

“Ricky is the head of our family. Donny didn’t like it when it was announced and ended up killing their father,” David answered like it was just a normal conversation. Continuing to sip his coffee like what he just told me was kind of messed up, “Ricky and Donny have hated each other ever since.”

“Gotta love family,” Ricky said standing up straight, taking a sip of coffee. He then walked to lean against the counter next to David. Reminding me how much they looked alike, “This idiot is my cousin and personal body guard.”

I liked Ricky. You didn’t have to ask him questions. It was as if he could read my mind and knew how to answer the questions that I wanted to ask. Also it appeared that he was pretty honest with me. David even was willing to give me some more information. Probably because he noticed that Ricky didn’t say anything about him revealing the fact that his brother killed their father.

“I only got stuck as a bodyguard because my father was the bodyguard of the former head of the family,” David sounded like he was complaining. I would be too if my father made me to be a bodyguard like him. But it didn’t look like his job is all that hard to begin with. Well, once you look past the fact that there is a killer brother out there planning to kill the rest of his family and kidnap me in the process.

Which reminds me, “Why is Donny after me, by the way?”

“That is what we are still trying to figure out,” David answered going to place his now empty coffee cup into the sink. Ricky followed his example. As soon as they were done with the action, a cell phone went off. David quickly pulled it out and left the room.

“Looks like Mikey has arrived,” Ricky said all excited as he followed David out of the kitchen. Making me give Jake questioning look, but he was just as confused as I was. That was when Jack poked his head into the kitchen to tell Jake that is was time to go. Leaving me alone in my house with some guy after me for some unknown reason. Part of me felt like I was going to die. And, I probably will.

Deciding that there was nothing better to do, I headed to my bed room. The advantage of this house was that I had everything I needed on the first floor and my father has his own space upstairs. It was like the house had two little apartments built into it. Except for the fact that we had to share the kitchen, which was fine by me.

Before my sister died and my mom went south, my room used to be upstairs where my father’s office was now and my sister was in the bedroom that I was currently in. It took a while to get used to. Honestly, I wanted my father to have his room on the first floor but he insisted. I guess he just didn’t want to leave the room that him and mom shared during a happier time.

When I got to my room, I went straight to my closet. Opening up my closet I surveyed my clothes. The temptation to just stay in my pajamas was tempting, but I would have to pass up the offer. There was no knowing if I had to leave the house for something since everything has been so unpredictable. Also I had my meet up with Jared later today. I had no idea what to wear for that.

I ended up grabbing a pair of light blue jeans and a light blue short sleeved shirt. It was the most decent outfit I could come up with for the day. Plus I wanted to look my best for Jared, even if he was to be married to the high school slut, Katelyn. It’s not like I was going to try to steal him from her. I wasn’t that kind of person.

I let out a small sigh as I headed for my bathroom, carrying my clothes with me to change into. David stood in the doorway of my bedroom, scaring the crap out of me because I had thought he had left with everyone. His sudden appearance was not something that was very appreciate. But it seemed that he was everywhere I looked.

If he supposedly liked me, he didn’t have to be such a stalker about it. Maybe announce that he was still around. Instead of standing quietly watching me and making me wonder how long he had been standing there. He even had a new cup of coffee in his hand and acted like this was an everyday thing. I was kind of finding it a little bit annoying.

“Can I help you?” I said annoyed, placing a hand on my hip as I faced him. He just continued to watch me with his dark brown eyes, drinking his coffee. Not saying a word. Making me more angry with him, “Whatever.”

I continued my trip to my bathroom. Locking the door behind me. There was no way David was going to get the chance to be a pervert and walk in while I was getting dressed. But, yet a part of me wanted that to happen with him. I leaned against the closed door, lost in my confusion. My clothes was forgotten on the floor. I could sense him on the other side of the door, listening. Listening to my every movement as if he was hoping that I would give him a chance. That is if what Ricky said was true, but I had a feeling that it was. But the image of pulling him in the bathroom and forget everything. Letting him touch me in ways that I’ve only dreamed about, but I can’t seem to let myself do it. I wasn’t that bold, so I just ended up keeping the door locked and got dressed for the day.