Liam finished pouring milk into my cereal as I sit at a table in the kitchen. I begin to eat when I hear Payton and zed walk by the door, not noticing that I'm still in here eating.

Liam says goodbye to me as he walks back into the living room with a can of Coke. I sit quietly and eat my cereal as Zed and Payton glare at each other, what is going on?

"You know they will find out she's here, it's only a matter of time" Payton claims, continuing a conversation they probably started before walking into the main hall.

"Max won't let them touch her" Zed responds with certainty. Payton shakes his head with a sigh at him, harshness on the tip of his tongue.

"You know they will keep trying until they get her! It's not safe for her" Payton pleads, trying to make Zed understand his point.

"Well I don't think keeping it a secret from her will change the risks" Zed fights back. I hear Payton scoff But Zed ignores it, pacing forwards and then back to his original place.

I hear them from the half open kitchen door. I step away from the table and I move closer to the door, making sure they can't see me. I make sure I'm not seen to keep listening to their conversation.

"Chase is dangerous! He can't know she's here" Zed continues with a harsh demanding tone. Why do they sound so aggressive?

I think I hear max walk up to them

"We don't tell Maddie about Chase, she wouldn't want to stay here" Max says, crossing his arms and tapping his foot twice on the wooded flooring of the hallway.

"I just think it's stupid keeping something like this a secret, You agreed to let her stay and so she's your responsibility! If something happens to her It's on you" Zed tries to fight back his argument but seems to be loosing.

"What are you hiding?" I ask, walking around the door and in the doorway so that the guys can see me. I cross my arms and raise my eyebrow.

"Maddie, we were just..." Payton tries to hide the fact that they were just talking about something important but fails immediately.

"I heard most of it, don't deny anything" I shake my head, knowing they can't lie.

"Chase is going to come after you" Zed looks me dead in the eye, not holding back a single thing. I don't know why I admire his bluntness.

"You didn't have to tell her that!" Max snaps back with annoyance. His jaw clenches and his fists have been curled up into right balls.

"She heard us, what were you going to say to cover it up?" Zed rolls his eyes with frustration. I look from Zed to Payton then to Max, waiting for someone to say something.

"Chase won't find her here, he doesn't even know about her" Max tries to convince Zed but it doesn't seem to work.

"Your in denial" Zed sighs, Payton doesn't say anything before walking upstairs. I'm standing here, listening to them argue about something I don't know about.

"What are you talking about?" I ask, very annoyed that I am clueless in all this. Max and Zed both look at me with some sort of battle in their heads.

"Chase, he has a gang and they are one of many enemies we have" Zed explains, trying to make sure he doesn't step out of line.

"Zed thinks he will hurt you" Max reply's with an annoyed tone, He looks kinda pissed.

"HIM WILL! He will do anything to hurt you, I mean, hell, have you met the guy?" Zed says with a little sarcasm. Zed looks at me and frowns when he seems me open my mouth.

"I can protect myself from whoever this chase person is" I say while I cross my arms against the top of my stomach. Zed scoffs and Max's jaw drops.

"You think you can protect yourself?" Max takes a step forward "From Chase!". He sounds shocked, I have never heard someone sound like that before.

"He can't be that bad" I shrug, he's probably really bad but I don't want my brother being this way. I don't want him being protective and overpowering.

"You'll change your mind when you see him" Zed chuckles while running a hand through his silk black hair. I look away as he does, I don't really care what he has to say about this guy.

"She won't see him because I won't let him find her" Max snaps at Zed. Wow that was loud. I don't understand why he suddenly cares so much.

"You know, you don't have to start caring" I say, Max and Zed's heads both snap in my direction. The hurt in Max's eyes confuses me but I stay silent about it.

"But I do care..." Max's voice goes quiet.

"You don't, you never have and nothing's changed! Just continue living whatever life you were and forget I'm here, that's something your really good at" I try to breath but the anger takes control of me

"It's not like that! Mom and dad didn't want me around, they shipped me off here!" Max tries to explain but I cut him off again

"You still NEVER tried to get in contact with me! I thought you were dead for at least 2 years!"

"I didn't think you wanted to talk to me" Max lowers his head, looks down at the floor

I notice Zed run a hand through this dark brown slick backed hair. Then he sighs

"Your siblings! You should get along, I don't Care what messed up Shits happened. I would kill to have my sister back" Zed says, then he walks to the kitchen

Me and Max look at each other, not knowing what to say. But then Max opens his mouth

"I'm sorry, for everything" His apology is the only think I've wanted for so long, but now that I've heard it. I don't know what to do

I run to Max and hug him. He's taken off guard at first but hugs me back

"I've missed you" I say into his chest

"I've missed you too" he says back

****

I end up walking upstairs but I don't go to my room. I keep walking, I want to find out what's in this house and if there's anything for me to do here. I walk to the end of the hallway. One door on the left, I decide to open it.

"Do you mind?" Zed's voice echos through the room

"Sorry I didn't know this was your room" I apologise

"Just get out" he demands

"Rude"

"Excuse me?"

"I made a mistake, get over it"

He stands up and walks towards me.

"Don't talk back to me"

"I can if I want"

He chuckles "You don't want to mess with me"

Oh god

"Your not scary"

"Oh really" he questions

I gulp. He grabs my arm and twists it behind my back, I spin around and my back is pressed into his chest. He pushes me down and my arm is still in the air because of his grip

"Ow ow ow!" I scream

Cole walks outside of the door, he stands there and laughs!

"Let the poor girl go Zed" Cole Laughs

"I was just teaching her a lesson" Zed says as he lets go of me and I fall to the floor

Cole helps me up while Zed sits back down on his bed

"Jerk" I say towards Zed. But he just chuckles

Cole leads me out of Zed's room

"Don't waste your time with him" Cole says

"He's rude!" I snap

"He's not good with people, I mean, hell, you should see him in a bad mood!" Cole chuckles

But he was nice when we first talked?

"If you need anything, come to one of us, not him. He doesn't like helping people other than the gang or himself"

"The gang?" I repeat the words

"What else did you think we were?"

"Friends?"

"Yeah, we are friends but we are a gang... a popular gang around here actually" he seems proud

"Oh"

I'm living with... A GANG!

We stop at my room

"Get some rest, okay?" Cole's voice softens

"Yeah" I nod

"Goodnight"

"Night" I say before walking into my room and closing the door

****

Hope you enjoyed 😅

What do you think happened to Zed's sister? 💜