At the age of 7 I found how easy it was to blend in to my surroundings. I never bothered with other people or wore anything that could possibly make me stand out in a crowed. I had so many siblings that sometimes my parents didn't even remember me. But this was okay because this was the way I wanted it to be.

There are 8 children all together in the Howe family, my oldest brother Garson 24 , my second brother Raed 22 , My oldest sister Dera 21 , My third brother Tate 20, My second sister Jewel 20, Me Winter 17 (I know dumb name right?), My little brother Omar 16, and then last my little sister Pennie 9. That's a lot of kids right? My mom likes kids, my dad likes my mom that's why there are so many of us.

My father is the CEO of Howe's Hotels. Which means people would call us rich. My siblings love this, they love the parties, they love the gifts, they love the fame. Garson is the one who is most in love with this and he can be because he will be taking over the business.

Garson has been taught how to handle business ever since he was young, along with Raed who would become second in hand with Garson. They always had our father's attention the most, after mom that is. Dera, Jewl, and Pennie had his attention and affection they were the girls of course they did. Then Tate got his respect for joining the military and Omar was a star athlete in our school my dad was proud of him. I however never got noticed by my father I never knew if he even remembered my name, but it was kind of peaceful in a way I didn't have to strive for excellence. I guess I was content.

However when my blending in somehow failed me at one of my father's parties I had found out that my father actually remembered me. But let's not get ahead of ourselves let's start with the day of the party.

I woke up by the sound of my alarm clock echoing in my room. My room was small and didn't have much in it just my bed, dresser, and a desk in the corner where my computer sat. The bitter yellow walls had some pictures Pennie had made for me hanging up and a poster Jewl gave me on my birthday of My Chemical Romance.

I sat up rubbing my eyes walking into my bathroom my short brown hair was sticking up everywhere from not drying it before bed and my green eyes where blood shot from reading late last night. I splashed water on my face and picked up my tooth brush squeezing what was left of my tooth paste out of the tube and throwing it in the trash. After brushing my teeth I sprayed my hair with water and combed down the parts that where sticking up.

I left the bathroom and pulled open my dresser drawer, I had tons of clothes but they were mostly bought by Dera or Tate not knowing what else to do for me. I grabbed a pair of light jeans and pulled them on over my boxer briefs then I dug in my dresser and found a long sleeve gray v-neck shirt and pulled it on. I looked at myself in the mirror and it wasn't a bad outfit not to flashy but not ugly either.

There was a small knock at my door before in flew open and Pennie walked in her blond hair had been curled, probably by Jewl, and she was wearing a pink shirt with a white skirt.

"Good you're up!" She smiled up at me with her big brown eyes then sat on my messy bed kicking her feet back and forth. "Can you drop me off at school? Jewl has a early class and can't take me."

"Sure." I smiled sitting down to slip on my navy blue Converse.

"Thank you!" She kissed me on the cheek then ran out of the room.

My siblings where mostly the only people that ever paid any attention to me, well most of my siblings Garson and Raed never talk to me much and Omar was just an ass to everyone, But still road to school with me in my car. Pennie was the one who hung around me most. I had to watch her a lot when she was little so I guess she just started to cling to me. Tate was very fatherly towards me and would praise me when I did something good, I guess it was because I was his first little brother and he knew dad didn't pay much mind to me, And for some reason Dera and Jewl loved to fawn over me.

I walked down stairs and grabbed a muffin off a plate on the counter and my keys from the bowl by the garage door. Pennie was outside swinging with her butterfly backpack sitting on the ground beside her.

"Come on Pennie!" I shouted to the little girl. She looked over to me then jumped off of her swing. She grabbed her backpack and ran over to my green Ford focus sitting behind many other cars in our drive way.

I unlocked the doors and hopped in the front seat.

"Do you know where Omar is?" I asked looking in the back seat at Pennie.

"No." She shook her head and I sighed pulling out my cell phone.

"We leave at the same time every fucking day." I mumbled under my breath.

"Awe you said a bad word!" Pennie cried from the back seat. I laughed and put my phone up to my ear.

"Hello?" The voice on the other end asked.

"What do you mean 'Hello?' I have to take Pennie to school so get your a...." I stopped, glancing back at the girl in the back "Butt down here."

"I'll be out in a sec I need to finish my hair."

I sighed loudly in to the receiver. "Come down now or be late to school and have Mr.Gardener give you detention again and not be able to go to the party tonight."

There was a short pause before Omar agreed hanging up the phone.

*************

A few minutes later after dropping Pennie off at her school I pulled into a parking spot at my high school. Omar quickly got out and walked over to some girls that had been waiting for him to get to school. I grabbed my brown messenger bag from the back seat and got out of that car locking the doors.

I walked into school and made my way to my locker. I looked around making sure the close was clear before turning my back and entering in my combination.

"WINTER!!!!" I heard a squeaking voice come form behind me as a small girl jumped on my back hugging me by my neck.

"Hey Issy." I said prying her off of myself. "Can't you be a bit quieter in the morning?"

Issy is my best friend we've known each other since 8th grade and have been friends ever since. She's a good looking girl I guess she has long dark brown hair with big brown eyes and she's 5 feet tall which is 4 inches shorter than myself.

"I just missed you so much!" She said hugging me again.

"Issy we just saw each other yesterday." I wigged out of her hug. She knew I hated to be noticed and was acting this way to draw attention to us.

"Hey." A manly voice chimed in from behind me. "If you wanna hug anyone Issy it should be me." I turned around and to look up at a tall tan guy with with black hair buzzed down to wear he was almost balled and small blue eyes, It was Kenneth my other best friend he had a thing for Issy and because of this we all just started to hang out together.

Issy stuck her tongue out at him and grabbed onto my arm making my lean to the side.

"So what are you doing tonight Winter? Let's go see a movie!"

"I can't." I prayed Issy off once again and went back to getting the books out of my locker.

"Why don't have money? Kenneth will pay for us right Ken baby?" Issy looked up at Kenneth batting her eyes.

"Sure dude. I'll pay for you if you're short on cash. It has been awhile since we hung out."

Oh right that was another thing Issy and Kenneth had no idea I was rich. I didn't want them to know. They were my only real friends after all.

"It's not money, I have umm a family thing I gotta do sorry guys." I pushed my books into my back pack and slammed the locker closed.

"Awe man!" Issy slumped over "Fine but we have to do something it's going to be graduation soon and we hardly hang out. Kenneth will go to some stupid college and we'll never get to hang out!"

"Hey why is my college the one that's stupid?"

"Because you're stupid."

"Alright, Alright guys I can probably hang out tomorrow night." I said laughing at their bickering Issy clearly liked Kenneth but was playing hard to get. "Anyway we gotta go to class Tate will have my head if I'm late again." I said waving goodbye to my friends and walking to first period.

*************

During lunch Issy, Kenneth, and I ate outside in the courtyard, It was just the three of us. We were never bothered by anyone never bullied. We were just left alone. I guess we weren't unpopular, people knew Kenneth and Issy because they were smart outgoing and good at a lot of stuff and because I was friends with them people knew me as well. But we weren't so popular that absolutely everyone knew us. We were just there. I loved it like this.

"So, Winter." Issy said with a mouth full of sandwich. "What are you going to do after we graduate."

"I have no idea." I replied looking down at my half eaten pizza I got from the lunch room.

"What do you mean you don't know we have less than a month before we graduate. Even dumby over here knows what hes doing." Issy nodded towards Kenneth.

Kenneth glared at Issy and her rude comment then over to me. "Although I'm not an dumby Issy's right we'll graduate soon you should have at least some idea about what you want to do."

"I don't know it's not like it matter's what I do anyway." I picked up my pizza and took a bite it tasted like shit. I made a disgusted face and threw it back down on my plate.

"What do you even like to do?" Kenneth asked ignoring my random action with the pizza.

"Umm I don't know."

"Ugh Winter you have got to think of something!" Issy placed her hand on my shoulder. "What if you don't get a job and end up living with your parents 'till you're forty?!"

"I don't think they would notice." I replied looking the other way.

"Oh Winter.." Issy began the bell interrupting her.

"Guys don't worry I'll do something with my life!" I got up quickly and walked away from the table mumbling "I just don't know what."

************

The bell rang indicating that 8th period was finally over and it was time to head home for the weekend. I got up slipping my note book in my bag and slipping it over my shoulders.

"Winter, can I talk to you?" My 8th period advanced English teacher Mr.Dixon asked me from the front of the room.

"Umm yeah sure." I walked up to him and stood in front of his desk. "What do you need?"

"I just wanted to know what you planed to do after high school." Great this again first Issy and Kenneth now Mr.Dixson

"Oh, I haven't given it much thought." Mr.Dixson looked at me surprised.

"Well, I guess that's good because I have something you should look into." Mr.Dixon opened one of his desk drawers and handed me a paper. "It's about a college that asked about you."

"Me?" I looked at the paper surprised. "Why would they ask about me?"

"Well." Mr.Dixson pushed his chair out and got up walking over to the green cabinets that lined the walls. "I sent in a paper you wrote, It was one of your many spectacular papers and they seemed to agree with me that you have talent." He pulled out a folder and handed me a paper I wrote for him in the past. "I hope you don't mind."

"Oh not at all." I looked at my work then back at the College paper.

"Please look into it, you could make it big as a writer." I nodded tucking the paper into my bag.

"I'll talk to my family when I get home." That was a lie of course I would probably maybe mention it to Tate or Jewl but no one really cared where or if I went to college.

Mr.Dixson nodded in approval then put his hand on my back walking me to the door. "I really hope you do consider it." He gave me a soft smile before waving me off telling me to have a safe weekend .

************

Omar was leaning against my car when I got there.

"What took you so long?" He asked sounding pissed off that I made him wait.

"College stuff." I said unlocking the car so we could get in.

"Oh yeah you're graduating this year."

"Yeah..." I sighed, putting my key into the ignition "Wanna stop anywhere before home?"

"Nah, We have to get ready for that party tonight."

"I guess."

"What don't you wanna go to the party?" Omar asked looking at me.

"Of course not I hate parties"

"Dude if you hate these parties I wonder how you would be at a real party."

"I don't know." I sighed again "I've never been invited to one."

Omar laughed. "Figures."

***************

Finally we arrived home. Omar got out slamming the door and walked inside. Did he really need to slam my door? I grabbed my bag from the back and got out of the car locking it as I walked inside.

I threw my keys in the bowl and looked around for Jewl or Pennie were around before darting up to my room. I swung open the door to see my clothes scattered all over my floor and my sisters looking threw my dresser. This happened every time there was a party I guess I should be used to it by now.

"He can't wear that one he wore it last time!" Pennie said looking at a shirt Jewl had in her hands.

"He did? Well what if he put this over it?"

"No they would know. We have to find something different."

I knew that they knew I was in the room but they chose to ignore my presence and continue to bicker about the outfit I would be wearing tonight. I guess it was good they never chose anything to flashy and it was better if they picked it than myself because I wouldn't have any idea what to wear.

I stepped over the clothes and sat at my computer desk pulling out the paper for the college and turning on my laptop. If I went here Issy would get off my back and I could do something with my life. I thought before entering the name of the college into the search bar.

"Oh looking at colleges Winter?" Jewl asked standing behind me.

"Oh uh just one. They asked me to go there." I showed the paper to Jewl and her eyes widened as a huge smile grew on her flawless face.

"Do you know how big this is Winter?" Jewl looked at my still smiling. "You must really have talent."

"No uh not really." I blushed and rubbed the back of my neck.

"Wait until I show Tate. No Dad! He'll be so proud of you."

"No!" I said grabbing Jewls arm. "Don't tell dad."

"Why?"

"Because he wont care I'm not even sure if I'm going so just don't tell him please."

"Fine." Jewl handed me the paper. "But I'm telling Tate."

"What are you guys talking about?" Pennie asked from my bed where she had layed my outfit for tonight out.

"Nothing. I'll tell you later." I said standing up and shutting my computer.

No one in our family has left the house except for Tate who would always come back and with Pennie being so close to me I was scared to tell her in case she would possibly be upset.

I looked at the outfit they had picked out for me on the bed It was a white dress shirt, with a gray vest, and pink tie then a pair of gray dress pants. I would probably wear a pair of my converse with them seeing as how I wore them with everything and owned them in almost every color.

"I'll put this on. Why don't you guys go get ready too? Mom will have your heads if you're late for the party." I tried to get the two girls out of my room.

"Okay." Pennie said looking up at me "But if you don't tell me later I'll just keep bugging you about it."

"I promise I'll tell you." I kissed Pennie on the head then closed the door behind them locking it so no one would barged in on me while I was changing.

****************

A few hours past and it was time for us to go downstairs for the party. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. My outfit wasn't flashy. So I was safe and didn't think it would be a problem.

I opened the door and walked down stairs to see Omar flirting with a girl he was wearing a white dress shirt no buttoned the whole way and jeans he had is blond hair styled so it looked spiky. I quickly walked past him and over to the corner of the room where I always was during my mother's get together.

I could see Garson from where I was standing he was the only other kid with brown hair like mine everyone else had blond. He had his hair pushed back with styling gel and had on a gray suit no tie. He looked very professional and grown up as I saw him talking to a few men and women with a glass of champagne in his hand.

I heard a squeal and looked over to where my mom was standing with my father's arm wrapped around her back He blond hair had been curled and put up she was wearing a long strapless red dress that looked like it had been cut to the thigh of her right leg. My father looked normal with a gray suit on and his blond hair was brushed but left as it was. You could see his Brown eyes threw his glasses and he was smiling at my mother. He brown eyes sparkling as I found the reason for her squealing.

It was Dera, she was showing my mother a diamond ring that was hugging her finger. My only guess was that Rex, Her boyfriend for 3 years, had finally popped the question I could see Dera her hair was pulled back into a bun and she was wearing a silky purple dress I tried to look over to where Rex was but a man stepped in front of me blocking my view.

"Hello." I heard a dark and husky voice say to me.

I glanced up at the man in front of me he looked to be about 6'2 his black hair was spiked up in the front and he had stubble on his chin around his mouth and up to his side burns. He had on an all black suit with a white dress shirt under it and a plain black tie, he was also wearing leather gloves which was rather odd because he was inside. I glanced back up and noticed his blue eyes were staring intently at me as I examined him.

"Are you done examining me yet?" He asked with a light laugh.

"Oh. Sorry." I looked down at my feet and heard him laugh again.

"I'm Axel Keeler." He stuck out his gloved hand to me. I looked at it then back up to his smirking face before shaking it.

"I'm Winter Howe."

"I know." The man smiled again. "Would you accompany me out to smoke?"

"Um well." Before I could answer he tightenedd his grip around the handshake and lead me outside.

He walked over to the wall and leaned up against it take a cigarette out of a small black case he had in his suit pocket. He then reached into the other side of his suit jacket and pulled out a lighter. Shielding the flame from the wind he lite his cigarette. Why was it that all men that looked like this always seemed to smoke?

We stood there in silence for awhile until I decided it was too awkward and tried to break it.

"Um." I looked up to see him staring at me with his cigarette in his mouth. I slowly felt my cheeks turn red. "What?"

He smirked then dropped his cigarette on the floor.

"Nothing." He blew out then walked over placing his hand on my shoulder. "Shall we go back inside?"

"That was quick." I said standing up.

"Yes well it was only an excuse to get you out of that party, you looked like you needed some air."

"Oh, no." I looked down, "I'm just not very good with parties. I hate going to them."

"Then why go?" Axel asked stepping towards me.

"I have to. My parents host them and my mom gets mad if we don't attend."

"So you're a son of Harris?" Axel asked in a curious tone.

"Well yeah, but he has 7 other kids."

"Seven? Sounds like your house is exciting."