The apartment above Mama Rosa's Coffee House was not what I was expecting at all. We'd all traveled through the cramped, awkwardly arranged kitchen until we'd reached a staircase situated towards the back of the place. After hiking up the staircase that never seemed to end, we'd reached a faded and cracked wooden door that Victoria had promptly unlocked with a jangling set of keys.

The room beyond the front door was bathed in darkness, so I couldn't see anything. But when somebody flicked on the lights, I wasn't ready for the sight that greeted me.

We were all crowded around in what was definitely supposed to be the living room. There was a particularly beaten down leather couch shoved into the tiny space between a coffee table and a battered looking stand that held a TV that was probably from the 70s. There was also a fireplace situated off to the side that looked as if it had seen better days.

Beyond the small yet entirely cozy living room was a surprisingly large kitchen with linoleum countertops and appliances that looked a little out-of-date. Situated in the middle of the kitchen was a dining table that looked original to the building with a long white table cloth stretched out on top of it.

"Do me a favor and get out of my way, Hadley. You're blocking the doorway."

I quickly stepped to the side before Archer could shove me out of the way, shooting him a nasty look as he marched past me.

If we hadn't been in the presence of three very young children, I most likely would've cursed at him. It wouldn't be the first time it'd ever happened.

Victoria and Regina bustled into the kitchen, debating on what to make for dinner, while April, May, and June immediately tossed themselves onto the couch in the living room and turned on the TV.

I sort of just stood there, wrapping my arms around my middle, wondering what I was supposed to do. I felt sort of ridiculous, standing around like a bumb on a log or something while there was something I probably could have been doing.

Of course I could have followed after Archer, but he was currently stomping his way up a circular flight of stairs that lead up to another floor, and I'd rather not face his wrath. Or be pushed down the stairs. That, too.

"Uhm...is there anything I can do to help?" I asked awkwardly, walking into the kitchen.

Regina looked up at me from dumping what looked like a leftover dish of pasta into a pot on the stove. Victoria was currently banging around in the cupboards.

"No, you've done enough, Hadley," Regina said with a smile. "You really were a great help today."

I smiled and shrugged awkwardly. What else was there for me to do?

"You could, however, keep up watch on those three in there," Victoria said in an undertone, waving a finger towards the living room. "The Lord only knows what they get up to."

Funnily enough, I'd heard that about little kids.

I stepped back into the living room and took a seat on the edge of the couch where April, May, and June were fighting over the TV remote.

"Hey!" I was 83% sure that it was May that had shouted at me, but I could've been wrong. I still was a little unsure about which triplet was which. "Tell April that we need to watch Dragon Tales!"

"Dragon Tales is for babies," April snapped, wrenching the remote out of her sister's hands.

It probably would have been highly inappropriate for me to burst out laughing.

The quiet one named June merely sat back against the couch with her arms crossed, shooting furtive glances in my direction. I tried to give a reassuring smile. I think I just ended up scaring her instead. Her cheeks flushed bright red and she dropped her head again, but I could've sworn she was smiling.

"Hey, you two. What're you fighting about?"

Archer stomped his way back into the living room with no hesitation at all and promptly plucked the remote out of May's hands.

May and April thoroughly objected at that.

"You're going to watch Spongebob and I don't want to hear any more fighting. Understood?" Archer asked his little sisters after flicking through the channels.

April and May ducked their heads, mumbling quiet, "Yes, Archer."

Clearly Archer had no problem discipling anybody. He probably had a great career ahead of him as a drill sargent.

"Kids! Come set the table, please!"

All five of us jumped up from the living room and headed to the dining room at Victoria's orders.

Well, if there was one thing that could be said about dinner with the Morales family? It was downright hilarious. April and May clearly stole the show with their loud, cute voices and their tendancy to slap their hands on the table whenever they were saying something particularly interesting. But then there was June, who threw out random, quiet comments that were enough to have me gasping for air through my laughter.

April, May, and June Morales were freaking hysterical.

Victoria and Regina kept up a string of conversation about how old the building was and a little history about the different types of coffee they sold. I did my best to reply with comments that made me sound somewhat intelligent.

Archer remained quiet just about the entire dinner. His hand was clenched on the table beside his plate of pasta and it looked like his jaw was locked just as tight.

Of course, my being Hadley Jamison, I started internally freaking out just about the entire dinner.

Had I said something to piss him off? Did he not like the fact that I helped out his Mom at Mama Rosa's? What if - ?

Of course Archer was mad or something. This was Archer Morales we were talking about.

I just had to figure out what was going on in that mind of his. He certainly was the living definition of the word enigma.

When June's head started drooping dangerously low towards her half finished plate of pasta and April kept yawning after every other word, Victoria all but threw her fork on the table and shouted, "All right! Bed time!"

I didn't really know how to describe the feeling that tugged at my heart when Archer scooped up June in his arms and carried his sister to the stairs. Her head drooped on Archer's shoulder and it seemed as if she was fast asleep within a few seconds.

At some point in time I always found myself wishing that I had a little brother or sister. I didn't like being alone by myself all of the time. It made me feel kind of unwanted, in all honesty. I always thought that having a sibling would be pretty fun. But yet here was Archer and he had his mother and grandmother and three little sisters with him? Didn't he know that for people now a day, he had it pretty freaking lucky?

Don't judge him too harshly, a quiet voice in my head cut in. You don't know that much about him.

The voice was right, sadly.

Victoria ushered April and May up the stairs while they tried to reason with her about the conditions of their bed time, but to no avail.

"Here, let me help you with those," I said quickly, jumping to my feet when Regina started gathering up the dishes on the table.

"Oh, thank you, Hadley," Regina said with a smile.

A comfortable silence fell between the two of us while we washed the dinner dishes in the large sink in the kitchen - no dishwasher.

I didn't really feel the need to make conversation. Just because you were with some one didn't mean you really had to talk, right? It was just...rather nice.

"You know, I'm sure we wouldn't have trouble finding you a waitress job at the coffee house, if you want," Regina said out of the blue as I was placing a plate back in the cupboard.

This was a good thing, considering I very nearly dropped the plate in shock.

"Uh...seriously?" I squeaked, my eyes widening to the size of saucers. "You really want to give me a job?"

Regina shrugged, trying to seem impassive, but there was a big smile on her face. "Sure. Why not? You did great today and I'm sure it wouldn't be so bad for you to get out of the house every so often."

Well, she had a point there. But still. A job?

"Sure...that sounds nice," I trailed off awkwardly, not really sure of what to say.

Regina smiled even wider. "Wonderful! I'll have Archer give you a call later and we can add you to the schedule."

Oh, great.

"Yay," I said weakly, trying to seem enthusiastic.

I'm pretty sure I failed at it.

I was saved from saying anything else when Archer appeared in the kitchen a moment later. He didn't look so angry, but you always had to be cautious, right?

"It's almost ten," Archer said, gesturing towards the clock above the stove. "Are you ready to leave?"

"What?"

Archer raised an eyebrow, giving me a look that he probably would have given a criminally insane person. "Your curfew is at ten, isn't it?"

I stared at him with a blank look on my face.

Archer Morales had remembered my curfew. Archer Morales had remembered my curfew.

"Y-Y-Yeah," I stammered, my face flooding with color. "I-I'm...yeah. Let's go."

Archer gave a resigned sigh, shaking his head, before walking towards the front door.

Regina gave me a tight hug as a goodbye and another smile while Archer waited impatiently by the front door. I stumbled my way out of the apartment on legs that felt like jello, trying to keep up with Archer.

He slammed the door shut behind us and led me back down the long flight of stairs, but instead of heading back through the coffee house's kitchen, he opened a back door that I hadn't noticed on our way out.

Now the silence between Archer and me was a little more than uncomfortable.

What was I supposed to say?

"Look, about earlier..." I began nervously, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...to sneak up on you like that."

Archer snorted. "Yeah, whatever, Hadley. You went to visit my mom. Because that's not weird or unusual at all."

"Archer! I'm trying - "

My words fell short when Archer started laughing.

His laughter was deep and rich and unlike anything I'd ever heard before. Hearing Archer laugh, I could understand why he didn't laugh more often. His laughter was amazing.

"I'm just messing around with you, Hadley," Archer said with a smirk. "Learn to get a sense of humor."

Under normal circumstances, I would've replied to Archer's comment with some come back that wasn't twice as witty or smart as his, but I couldn't right then.

Because right then my heart was pounding erratically against my chest and I felt like I might pass out on the spot. Taelor had been right. Taelor had totally been right.

I had a crush on Archer Morales. I had a very big crush on him.

" Hadley, why are you staring at me like that? It's almost ten. You have to go home."

Well, wasn't this just fantastic?

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Soooo....this is kind of just a filler chapter, but I think it's important to the story. It was kinda fun writing, anyways, haha. So tell me what you guys think! Thoughts, anybody? Reads, votes, and comments are always greatly appreciated!! :D