When I finally came to a stop I was utterly lost, sweaty, and exhausted. The sun was low on the horizon, well low on the wall. I figured it was nearing dark and that I should head back.. but I wasn't quite sure where "back" was. I had taken so many thoughtless turns and shortcuts that I just gave up trying to keep track of where I was.

I kept walking along the sidewalk, knowing that if I stopped now my legs would feel like mush and I would likely not want to get up again. As I let my heart beat slow down I took a glance around the place. It was much like where the boys lived. Big houses in really good shape, with decent yards and the occasional fence. I was fighting back a yawn while stepping off of a curb when I heard a voice shout behind me.

"Hey! You!"

I stumbled and just barely caught myself from falling off the edge of the curb. I swiveled around to look behind me but I couldn't see anyone. There was a deep, masculine chuckle. I froze.

Was it those goons who had caused Chester to kiss me? Was I in danger?

The questions shot around my brain in rapid fire and I pressed my hand over my heart to keep it from beating out of my chest. I looked around again and relaxed a little when I saw the person. He was sitting on the porch steps of one of the houses, and he did NOT look like one of the goons. I bent over a little trying to get my racing heart to calm once more.

"You scared me," I panted, having come to a stop. My legs felt like goo and it took all I had to not just roll over and fall asleep in some of the green grass. I was still pretty hot from the run so the cool air didn't really feel cold yet, it just felt nice on my heated skin.

"Sorry!" the boy said and then grinned softly as he stood, "I'm Evan.. you must be one of the new girls? Mabel's sister?"

I nodded, "Kodi," I murmured while trying to figure out why his name sounded familiar, then it clicked, the boys had been on the supply mission near his old house, which meant at one point he had been my neighbor and we didn't even know eachother.

I blew out a breath as he walked over, before he reached me I gave an inward sigh and sat down on the curb, stretching my tired legs.

"Looks like you've been out here for quite a bit?"

I nodded, "I was running."

The boy, Even, was about a few years older than me, and he seemed to study me. He had a buzz cut brown hair and brown eyes, he sat next to me and rested his elbows on his knees, letting his arms hand between his legs, "running from what?"

I gave a shrug, "Everything, I guess. It just," I gestured around me, "got to be too much and I needed to go clear my head."

He nodded, "Well did you?"

I looked out across the street, biting my lip in thought, "Yeah, I think I did. I also think I should be getting home," I said and rubbed my hands across my thighs, preparing to stand.

Even looked over at me, "You already have a house?" he asked.

I shook my head slowly, I didn't fully know Evan but from what I could tell he was a nice person. He hadn't broken in my window or made me uncomfortable, and I was sure he wasn't going to harm me, as he just seemed to kindhearted to do that, I wasn't sure if I could trust him but I had a feeling he wasn't someone to worry about.

"No," I replied and undid my hair before putting it back up, into a messy bun, "I'm living with Cody and Chester and them until they can set up a house for me. Something about getting the water and electricity hooked up and moving some furniture around?"

He nodded, "Well, that makes sense. The utilities are unhooked from unused houses so they don't take up energy, and the supplies in your house has to accommodate how many people live there, but not over accomodate. They also have to find a relatively small house if it's just going to be you and your sister in it, that way space is used up as smart as possible. You'll probably end up with three rooms and two bathrooms, or possibly one bathroom, this neighborhood didn't really have two bedroom one bath tiny houses."

I nodded my understanding and stood, "Yeah, they say I should be getting my house either tomorrow or the next day," I said, not wanting to be rude about leaving but already feeling bad for being upset with the guys without a fair conversation with them.

Evan nodded and then scratched his jaw, "Well I'll-"

His farewell was cut off by the sound of Mabel's voice from across the street, "Kodi? What are you doing here?"

I turned to look, and realized just how gross I felt with my sweat starting to dry on me, "I went for a run," I said as I found her, walking down the front walk of a house across from Evan's, "What are you doing here?" I asked.

She sneered but caught sight of Evan behind me I guess, because the sneer turned into a grimace and then a blank expression, "I was visiting friends," she said, not unkindly.

"I didn't know you had friends," I said allowed, curious as to why she hadn't mentioned them before.

She stopped mid stride on the street and I could tell in her eyes that I had said something wrong, but for the life of me I couldn't figure it out as I went over my words in my head. Did I look at her wrong?

"We're going home now, sorry to bother you, Evan," Mabel said, and looked at me as she finished walking over, she grabbed my arm in a death grip and I winced slightly, "see you later," she said to him over her shoulder as she started walking, dragging me along with her.

"Uh, yeah sure, see you girls later," I heard Evan walk away behind us and I waited until I heard his door shut and until we had rounded a corner to rip away from Mabel.

She gave an irritated sigh and looked over at me, crossing her arms, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

"I could ask the same," I said, letting my words come out as a hiss.

She shook her head at me, "Kodi, you're naive. You don't understand shit, and you've got your head so far up your ass that you never will. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to the house. I'm hungry and those boys mentioned something about mexican food."

She bumped her shoulder hard into mine as she walked past. It was a few seconds of fuming before I remembered that if I was going to get home, I'd need to follow her. I wanted to smack myself when we literally went onto the next block and I could see the boys' house. The front windows were lit up with the light from in the livingroom and I could tell there was someone with Leo on the porch.

I had caught up to Mabel by now and as we walked up the front porch Leo lifted his head and growled. I took a step back, not understanding why Leo suddenly didn't like me. The boy on the porch turned around from where he stood, on a chair facing the door as he replaced the porch light, and looked at us, his eyebrows furrowed.

"What is it Leo?" Sam said as he jumped down from the chair and flicked on the porch light. The sun had gone down by now so when the porch light lit up our figures it was probably the first that Sam had noticed us approaching.

I saw Leo take a step forward and growl again, but his eyes weren't on me, they were on Mabel. Sam frowned and crossed his arms, "Kodi? Mabel? Are you two okay?" he glanced at the still growling and protective Leo for a moment before looking up.

He narrowed his eyes on Mabel. I knew he was working out that Leo must not approve of Mabel and scrambled to come up with a reasoning for it. When nothing came and I was about to give up, Sam relaxed, "Oh," he bent down as scratched Leo's ear, "buddy it's just a squirrel, calm down."

Mabel raced up the steps and I made sure to keep between her and Leo, hoping that Leo wouldn't attack me to get to her. Leo seemed confused but didn't growl again, which I guess was a slight plus. Sam caught my arm before I could go inside.

"Kodi?" he asked and I held in a wince of pain as he grabbed me where Mabel had earlier, "where were you, are you alright?" he asked, stepping away now that he knew I would stay, "Did we do something wrong?"

I was quiet for a little bit before I shook my head, "No. There's just some things you guys don't know about me yet, and I'm not sure if I'm ready to tell you all at the moment."

Sam nodded his head, "Well," he put his hands on his hips, "that's fair, how about we get you inside so we can all eat?"

I nodded, "alright," I said, still stunned that he had agreed to let it slide for now.

Before I could go on, Sam grabbed me by the shoulders and leaned in, hugging me tightly for a few seconds, "We'll always be right here, Kodi, I promise we're behind you every step of the way," he said.

Sam pulled away and nodded at me to go on ahead. I moved robotically as I processed the warm guesture.

He followed me inside and went upstairs while I continued on to the kitchen, Beck looked up when I walked in and he smiled warmly, but tentatively, "Hey there buttercup, want some food?"

Chester looked up when Beck said something but he just grinned like he knew I would be back, "Hell yes she does, get her some fucking food slow poke!" he said and walked over to me, "So Cupcake, I've got some schedules going, it seems like that house of yours has some bad plumbing so they are fixing it while you stay with us for a little longer, is that alright with you?" he asked, putting his arm around my shoulder and steering me to the table, planting me in a spot.

"Sounds good.. as long as you'll all let us stay?" I asked.

I saw Cody come in and roll his eyes, "Duh."

I had to laugh, he made it sound like a preppy cheerleader and he pretended to flip his hair. His grumpy look lit up when I laughed and he gave me a lopsided smile.

It warmed my heart, the whole meal did, even though Mabel opted to eat in our room. Chester complained that he didn't get to eat in his room and Beck told him if he didn't want to eat with us, he was welcome to leave. Chester wrinkled his nose at the mere thought and shook his head with a few curse words thrown in.

After dinner I helped clean up and then took a long shower in the bathroom hall, Mabel was in our shower, before changing into my sleep clothes. I ran into Beck on the way back to my room.

"Oh, Kodi, I'm going to wash some clothes tomorrow, do you have anything that needs washing?" he asked.

I nodded, "Yeah, I'll just get them rounded up and bring them down tomorrow.. do you want Mabel's clothes to?"

He paused before nodding, "Yeah, hers to."

I smiled and turned towards my room again, the door was shut and I planned on being super quiet incase Mabel was awake, "Wait," Beck said.

Before I could turn around, big strong arms wrapped around me and I was instantly snuggled into Beck's chest. He turned me around by my waist and I hugged him back while he nestled his nose into my neck. He smelled amazing, not that I was, you know, smelling him or anything. .

"Goodnight, Babydoll. Don't run off on me again, okay?" his voice rumbled through his chest and it made the hug even more relaxing.

I realized just how crappy I had been to run off like that and I nodded, "Okay," I said in a whisper.

"Promise?"

I paused and then spoke super softly, "I can't."

Beck nodded softly as if he had been expecting as much, which made my heart ache for some reason, but his next words gave me an air of lightness again, "You will, eventually be able to," he murmured and pressed his nose to my hair before backing off of what I knew was a long hug, but mentally I didn't think it was long enough at all.

Beck walked off without a word and shut his bedroom door behind him. I regained my thoughts before walking into my room. I forgot about being quiet but thankfully Mabel was awake.

She looked over at me from her place in the bed and looked irritated, "hurry up, I'm tired."

I nodded and since I had already brushed my teeth in the shower, I put away my bathroom stuff and then put all of the dirty clothes in a pile under the light switch, ready for tomorrow. I shut off the light and said a soft goodnight to Mabel before curling up in the corner, she didn't reply.

I was still dozing in and out when I heard the bedroom door open, as I turned around to see who it was it took me a second to allow my eyes to adjust to the light in the hall that poured into the room.

Chester stood there, frowning from his place in the doorway. I knew he was looking in at me sleeping on the floor and he shook his head before holding up two fingers.

It took a second to register... but then...

Two strikes. Mabel had two strikes.