I'm an honest person and there's no denying that. I also never lose things which is why people come to me when they want something to be looked after. However I am also a person with too much pride, so if I do happen to misplace something -misplace, not lose- I will not own up. "Fuck" I mouth as I look under the bed

All that's there is a grey carpet and a few socks, I chew my bottom lip nervously as I sit back on my knees. A white Labrador puppy runs over to me with his tongue out, I sigh as I rub his back, "I'm so stupid Stefan"

Yes, Grace named my puppy. I don't actually mind the name Stefan to be fair

He barks cutely as I continue to look around, "If I don't find it I'm dead"

I would've looked earlier this morning but.... I was distracted

He bends his head down further to deepen the kiss, "My brother will hear us" I murmur

"I haven't fucked you in weeks"

I wrap my arms around his neck tightly, "This is our alternative" Carter finishes

I smile against him before allowing his tongue to enter my mouth, "We're booking a hotel for tonight, I can't take this anymore" I whisper breathlessly

"Soon" He murmurs

"Dude you said five minutes" Matty groans

Carter lifts up his head and we both turn to face the door, there stands my little brother with his soccer boots in hand and his bag in the other. I lie back against the pillow, "Don't you know that knocking is a thing?"

"Sorry Carmen but some of us actually have places to be and besides the door was open"

I frown, "Get your own license bitch"

"Gladly, but until then" He looks at my fiancé and I roll my eyes

Carter looks down at me as Matty leaves, "Can't my dad just drop him" I complain

"He's at work, and plus I promised"

I pout and he gives me a quick peck on the lips , "Don't worry I'm all yours afterwards"

I sigh, "Whatever I'll go check on the house"

**

I hear the front door shut from downstairs causing me to widen my eyes, "Shit shit shit"

Footsteps make their way up the stairs and I sit there knowing that I'm fucking screwed. But then a brunette comes into view and I silently thank God for giving me more time

June frowns as she opens my door, "Carmen?"

Stefan runs towards her, "Hi"

She sets down my McDonald's bag, "Why are you on your knees-.... Wait are you about to give head?"

"I wish"

She tilts her head to the side with confusion, "Where's Carter?"

"Him and Aaron are getting more boxes from the apartment"

"Are you finally sleeping here now?"

I shake my head, "Work still needs to be done"

We only bought our house recently and the moving process has been really long, we still haven't sorted the heating out so we've been staying with my dad for the meantime. "Ok I'm still tryna figure out why your on the floor"

"Because I lost my ring" I whine

June widens her eyes before scoffing, "Your joking"

"Yes June, because who doesn't like sitting on their knees for fun" I say with sarcasm

"How the hell do you lose an engagement ring? Does Carter know?-

"No and we're not gonna tell him"

I remember coming here yesterday with it on, I was buying paint for the house and I only realised last night that it was missing. "Only you Carmen" She sighs

"Help me" I beg

"Honestly, I was only here to bring you food. And I've kind of gotta meet Logan" She says apologetically

"June, it's an SOS"

She checks the time before sighing and taking her jacket off, "Ten minutes, tops"

"I'll take it"

So we looked everywhere.... And I mean everywhere. The house is so large that we even had to check the backyard, I'm exhausted.

I've already got a lot of shit i'm doing, working on becoming a therapist being one of them. It's an alternative to psychiatry since I don't have time for four years in medical school, but that considering Carter and I are only twenty two, I'd say we're doing good. Anyway the point is that June and I looked everywhere.... The rings not here

"That was way more than ten minutes"

"I just don't understand where it's gone" I groan

"Last place you were at before here?"

I think for a moment before realising, "Melissa's"

She pats my back before picking up her jacket, "Good luck"

I take my car keys from the counter, "Thanks"

If I knew I'd be moving around this much then I wouldn't have gone to the gym. I even went back to dads on the way to Melissa's house.... The ring wasn't there. As I walk through the front door I spot my favourite eleven year old sitting at the island, her mother too.

"Back again?" Melissa says amused

Grace looks up from her phone, "I have the biggest emergency and I need both of your help"

"What happened?"

I show them my left hand and Melissa narrows her eyes, "You lost your ring" She says knowingly

"I didn't lose it, I misplaced it"

"You lost it" Grace corrects

"No it's been misplaced, but seriously I need you guys to help me because I can't have Carter finding out"

Grace gets up, "I'll check upstairs"

"I'll check the front room"

"Thank you" I say with relief

They both walk away and I sigh before turning on my phone that's just buzzed

want anything from the store?

It's fine I'll just have what you have

the whole point of me asking is so that you don't need to do that

just come see me

You at moms?

yes

Alright I'll be there in twenty

I widen my eyes, "He'll be here in twenty!"

"I'll keep looking!" Grace shouts from upstairs

I put my phone down before looking around, where the hell is this ring...

-

"Sorry, I looked everywhere" Grace apologises

I smile appreciatively, "It's fine"

"Why don't you get a new one?"

I shake my head, "That's more money and it wouldn't have any value to me at all"

She looks past me before raising her eyebrows, "What?"

"It may be a little too late to keep looking" She replies

I frown as I look back....never mind I see what she's looking at. Carter just walked into the house followed by Aaron and Caleb

Aaron sits down, "What's up little Miller. And soon to be Miller"

I use my right hand to wave, "Where's Melissa?" Carter asks

"Work" Grace answers

"Hey Grace" Caleb says whilst looking through the fridge

"Hi" She replies.... It almost sounded like she was shy

Interesting

"Let's watch a movie, these three are boring"

"Hey do I look like Carter to you" Aaron scoffs

He frowns, "Your more boring than Carter" Caleb replies

"Thanks I think?"

He goes into the front room with Grace leaving me to deal with these two idiots. I lean back on the island as Carter walks towards me, my left hand is literally hiding behind my back right now. I'm pretty sure he was about to kiss me, but then he saw the way I was standing. "Carmen"

"Hmm?"

He reaches over but I move away slightly, "Are you sick?" Aaron asks unexpectedly, I shake my head

"So why are you standing like you don't wanna infect us?"

"Cause-

Carter suddenly lifts up my hand and my adrenaline rises. I don't know why I'm trying so hard to hide this but it's just until I find the ring.... Although it's kind of too late, "Your ring" He notices

"My ring" I repeat

"Where is it?"

Aaron narrows his eyes at me amused, I take my hand back. "Well I actually started to get a little itchy so I thought I'd take it off"

"Itchy?" He repeats with an unconvinced look

"Yeah-

Aaron decides to open that big mouth of his, he clearly is enjoying this. "Well maybe we should take it to the store and change it"

Carter nods in agreement before looking back at me

Fuck my life

"Well I would..... but June already has"

"Is that so?"

"Mhm"

"Carmen your a bad liar" Carter says amused

"Who says I'm lying?-

He reaches into his back pocket before pulling out silver and my ring is revealed. I widen my eyes before scoffing, "How long have you had that"

"Your dad found it last night.... In the sink"

I gape, "And you couldn't give it to me why?"

"Aaron and I just wanted to see how far you'd go"

"It's not funny, I was looking all day!"

"Why couldn't you just tell me that you lost it?"

"Because I'm a prideful bitch and you know this already"

He snorts before sliding it back onto my finger and I sigh as a feeling of relief settles inside my heart, I've learned my lesson now.

"Itchy though, really? I need to teach you how to lie better" Aaron tuts

"At least I didn't stutter"

They both laugh as I sit on Carters lap, "You guys aren't funny"

~*~

"No those are for Adri, your chocolates in the front room"

"She won't notice if I take a few" Travis replies with a mouthful of m&ms

Adriana is kind when it comes to food, but one thing she doesn't share is m&ms. She doesn't even share them with Travis so that's how you know she's serious about her love for chocolate, "She knows how many are in a pack" I whisper to him, he freezes

"Fuck"

I pat his back before handing my youngest brother a bowl of skittles and my fiancé a large bag of takis, "Don't stop on my account"

They were both so deep in conversation until I appeared, "You wouldn't wanna hear this shit" Matteo replies

"Your right I don't"

It's weird, my little Matty's growing up now. He's fifteen and it's gonna take me a long time to get used to the fact that he may not be a virgin anymore, he was always so innocent. "She didn't really give good head" I hear him say as I walk away

I'll pretend I didn't hear that

Santiago switches the channel to Netflix as I sit down besides him, we're having a movie night if it isn't already clear.

You know, I can read my siblings like a book and although they try so hard to look happy, I can't be fooled.

"You ok?" I frown

My brother simply nods, "Where's Maya?" I ask, softer this time

"I don't think it's gonna work out" He says quietly

I wrap my arms around him before lying on his shoulder. I knew they were having problems but I didn't think they would break up, at least they lasted a good four years. "I'm sorry" I say quietly

"It's not your fault"

Enzo sits on the other side of the couch with Sienna, by the look on his face I can tell he knows what happened already. The rest of my siblings take a seat, Adri with Travis, Lola with Stacey -yes they got back together last year- and Carter with Matteo.

Lola switches off the light as Adri looks through her bowl, "Travis I'm gonna fucking kill you"

Santi puts the volume up and the sound from the tv overlaps their hushed voices, I spread a blanket over the two of us. "What happened" I ask him

"She moved to Greece with her mom" He mumbles

I sigh before patting his chest, "Está bien, ella fue tu primer amor"

"Thanks"

I smile in return before bringing my attention to the tv screen

"Carmen, I'm tired" Carter murmurs for probably the hundredth time

So the movie ended and we went upstairs, I'm always the tired one but weirdly Carter is today, I don't wanna sleep. I want love, no matter how cringy it sounds.

I place kisses on his jawline as he closes his eyes, "Just once"

"Your siblings are in the house"

I put my leg over his before propping my head up onto my hand and looking down at him, "It's never stopped us before"

"We don't need another pregnancy scare"

"So we'll use protection this time" I reply

He opens his eyes and I tap his nose, "I'm wearing your favourite set"

"Baby"

"Hmm?"

"I love you, but not today"

I roll my eyes before turning off the light, "Your so boring" I mumble before turning to face the wall

"Carmen"

Look I know I'm being childish ok

"C"

Still I don't reply

I feel an arm snake it's way around my waist before i'm pulled against his chest, "Don't ignore me"

I sigh dramatically, "My fiancé doesn't love me and that's ok"

Carter kisses me on the cheek and I can't help but smile, "Your right that's why he's marrying you in July"

I turn so that our faces are at a close distance, "And I can't wait for that day" I whisper

"Me too baby, me too"

I lie close to him, "Te amo Carter"

"I love you"