"Rayland, get the fuck down here."

My eyes were hit with the sunlight bursting through my window. It's our only source of light since Aunt Linda hasn't paid the electricity bill in months; I'm surprised she can still pay rent. Sad thing is she has money, she just chooses to spend it on other things.

I grabbed a piece of stale bread and walked to school. I walked into the building and I could feel people's stares, hear the whispers as I walked.

School was my escape from reality. It made me feel normal even though I wasn't, it was also an escape from Linda. She is my aunt but she is verbally abusive and only physical when under the influence or when she was with Darren Williams.

Darren is a story for another time.

After school, I walked home and Linda wasn't home yet. I sprawled across my bed and started reading.

I opened my eyes and realized I had fallen asleep. Linda called me saying she had some important news. I groan and slowly walk down the stairs. She was surprisingly smiling, she never smiles.

"Guess what Rayland! I'm getting married." She yelled out in excitement. My eyes widened in shock and panic.

"How the hell are you getting married?" I asked in disbelief, she glared in response but chose not to respond to my comment. "So did Darren propose or...?" I asked nervously. Darren was here a few times a week. I don't know what I would do if they got married.

"Nope, some guy named Paul Brown." She shrugged. The name sounds familiar but I can't remember where I heard it. I rolled my eyes and went back up the stairs.

"We are moving tomorrow after school, pack up your stuff." She yelled as I walked away, making me huff out a breath in response. I'm not even surprised she informed me this late.

New things don't scare me, only old things do. What if Paul is the same as Darren?

I went upstairs, took my pills, and drifted off to sleep.

"Meet my boyfriend, Darren."

"Hey sweetheart, what's your name?"

Sweetheart?

"Um... Rayland."

"That's a cute name." He winked.

He is creeping me out.

Maybe I'm just being paranoid.

Am I?

"Rayland, let's go. We're gonna be late." Linda yells.

She didn't tell me that we were going anywhere. I walk down the stairs and we both shoot each other confused glares while begins one of her usual rants.

"Why the fuck aren't you dressed yet? We are leaving in five minutes and you couldn't even make an effort..." she continued yelling, not really listening to what she had to say. I kept thinking about the dumbass that put a ring on her finger.

Lost in my own thoughts I felt a glob of spit fly straight in my eye. Her presence was so close that her breath made me wince. All she did was give me an intense stare.

"Were you even listening to me?" she says, still staring. "Just go get dressed, and please don't embarrass me."

You wouldn't have to worry about me embarrassing you, I'm sure you could do it all by yourself.

I wore a plain black hoodie with ripped jeans. I knew Linda wouldn't be happy if I wore this but I honestly didn't care. When I came downstairs, I was surprised. She had nothing to say about my outfit which I didn't know whether that was a good or bad thing.

Waiting outside was a limo which I knew we didn't have money for. I shrugged it off and went inside. We pulled up to a fancy restaurant with a man waiting in the front. I still couldn't believe someone wanted to marry that witch.

I just happened to realize that Paul Brown was a famous C.E.O and millionaire. I had seen him occasionally in magazines but I never really gave him a second thought.

He had short dark brown hair with a few grey strands and blazing green eyes that pierce through your soul if you look him in the eye. He was probably 6'5 or 6'6.

Linda got out of the limo she walked up to the man, hugged him, and entered with him by her side. I quickly hopped out and followed. We walked to a table that already had 6 people sitting at it.

"Why are we sitting here?" Questioning Linda but she ignored me and sat down. I sat on the opposite side of the table sitting next to a boy that looked a little younger than me. I realized everybody was looking at me like I had grown two more heads.

I couldn't help but cross my arms. Of course she didn't tell me about this.

"Excuse her attitude, I don't know what's going on with her tonight." I scoffed.

"What's so funny dear?" She gave a look.

Our conversation was cut short by the waiter. Everybody ordered fancy stuff, some of it I couldn't even pronounce. Everyone gave me weird stares after I ordered chicken tenders and sprite.

While we waited for the food, the boys introduced themselves. Micheal 23, Liam 20, Jayden, Jaylen, and Jaxon 17, and Hayden 12. There was another one but he couldn't come.

Lovely.

"I'm Rayland and I'm 14." I stated.

The food arrived and everybody started to dig in. I hesitantly took a bite. The boys occasionally glanced but I didn't mind. I was never really hungry. I was used to eating small amounts of food so I could only eat half of my food. I looked at everyone else's plates and they were almost finished.

"Is that all you're gonna eat?" Micheal asked with a concerned face that he tried to hide.

"Yeah, I'm not that hungry."

"Are you sure?"

I gave a small nod.

"Are you absolutely sure? You barely touched your plate." he asked again.

"Yes, I am sure." I snapped back at him. Everyone stared at me in disbelief.

"She doesn't need to eat anymore, she's already big enough." Linda said jokingly even though I knew she wasn't joking. I didn't even give her words a second thought.

"I didn't know you were a comedian, Linda." I said sarcastically.

The rest of the night was pretty awkward. Linda and her fiance talked to each other the whole time, Micheal was on his phone, Liam was finishing his food, Jayden and Jaylen were playing rock, paper, scissors, Jaxon was on his phone, and Hayden was completing a maze on the kids menu.

My thoughts were interrupted by Linda snapping in my face.

"As I was saying, Rayland, tell the boys about Ryan?"

"What?" I whipped my head around.

"Yeah tell the boys about your dead-" Before she could finish I cut her off.

"Linda, don't." I said through gritted teeth glaring at her.

"Are you still not over the fact that he's gone, it's been years?"

"There's no way you're serious- you now what, I'm out of here." I threw my hands up with tears in my eyes.

Everyone's eyes shifted between me and my aunt. I quickly walked out hearing Linda yelling at me. I flipped her off as I walked out. I sat down with my head in my knees waiting for this embarrassing night to over. I heard footsteps walking out of the restaurant. I was expecting Linda to come out and start yelling or another random customer that didn't pay me any mind but looked up and to my surprise it was Hayden, the youngest one.

He gave me a sympathetic look and slid down next to me.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Just peachy." Which came off sarcastic even though it wasn't meant to. He chuckled but quickly turned into a frown as he proceeded to talk.

"Is she always like that?" He stared at me waiting for me to speak. He didn't explain any further but it was pretty clear what he meant.

"No." I lied. As much as I hated her, I didn't want to ruin her marriage. Mostly because I didn't want to have to deal with any more of her "boyfriends".

He looked at me hesitantly. He knew I was lying but just nodded at me which I appreciated.

"Well, you should probably go back inside. Your dad and your brothers are probably worried." I suggested.

"What about you?" he questioned.

"I'll wait until you guys finish." I gave him a small smile and he walked back into the restaurant.

Within seconds, he ran back out jumping on top of me and wrapping his arms around me. Instinctively, I flinched but he didn't seem to notice. I giggled to hide the pain in my ribs and hugged him back.

"Okay, I'm actually gonna leave now." We both chucked. "By the way, what she said isn't true." He said as he walked back in. I smiled and shooed him inside.

I know I shouldn't let him but it feels nice to be hugged once in a while.

Maybe won't be so bad after all... (I know they are technically step-cousins.)

Or maybe they will...

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1629 Words

Any thoughts?

I don't like this chapter that much.

A/N: I'm writing this at least a year after I first wrote this story. The first few chapters are not the best but they do get better. I promise.