A feeling of sorrow shivers down my spine as I leave my mom's office, heading to pick my stuff up from the kitchen. My chest aches. My head throbs. My family is falling apart and there is absolutely nothing I can do to save it before it crumbles. It's coming down, fast and hard and we are going to have to figure out how to get used to the life we are living in.

But right now, all I can feel is anger and there is nothing my swimming thoughts can do for me now. I need to get a level head before coming up with a game plan. My body suddenly exhausted despite not doing much and as I carefully carry myself up the stairs, I'm lost in thought. Going back and forth between my parents, school and the thing bothering me the most. Felix.

Before I can even start to sort through my thoughts, before my door even comes into my line of sight I find myself running into tough chest. It feels familiar but it isn't one of my brothers, and sure enough when I raise my head to meet the eyes of the person holding me up right I come face to face with Felix, once again.

"We've got to stop meeting like this, Nicks," he chuckles, resting his hand on the small of my back to hold me up right and my chest feels like it might explode.

A sigh falls from my lips. "Why do you keep showing up in my house?"

"Ran into Isaac after practice. He invited me over, I'd be stupid not to accept," he smiles softly. "Did you think about what I asked you?"

"Not yet, no," I shake my head though it's a lie. It's all I've been thinking about.

"Well...let me know when you make a decision," he tells me, his fingertips leaving my skin as he steps around me to get to the bathroom door. I feel like I might topple over when he let's go of me, my stomach in my throat.

It's almost too much for me to handle and my friends have been no help. They think I should go for it because he's Felix Montgomery, but I know he's more than his name. He wants to be more than just a face and, because I know that – I know there is more reason to be confused. He wishes to live in the shadows while I can't help but want to break away from mine.

Talking to Riker had been helpful, but I can only ask him so much without telling him why I'm asking and I'm not exactly in a place where talking about the golden boy wanting to take me on a date sounds like a good idea. He'd freak, I'm sure of it. All of my brothers would, because I'm their baby sister and they feel as if it's their duty to protect me. I can only hope that eventually they learn they can't protect me from everything.

Walking towards my room, I stop when I see Riker's door ajar and spot the bundle of red hair sitting on the couch at the end of his bed. If there is one person I can hopefully turn to, it's Lena and maybe she'll be able to give me insight I can't find on my own. She's bright and ever since she started dating Riker, she's been like a sister I never knew I needed.

"Hey baby sister," Riker perks up when he spots me in his doorway. "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing actually," I laugh and eye Lena. "Lena, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure, babe," she nods. "What's up?"

"Alone?"

"Oh, girl talk," she grins and hops up from the couch. "You've got it. I'll be back, Rik."

"I'll have her back to you soon enough," I assure my older brother as I lead Lena down the hall towards my room, setting my bag on my desk chair with my camera bag before kicking my shoes off.

"So, what's up, girlie?" Lena asks as she plops down on the end of my bed, turning onto her side as I walk around to join her on the bed. "Stevie, you're freaking me out. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," I shake my head. "I just...I need you to promise me that you won't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you. Especially not Riker. Or Isaac. Or Greyson."

"This is serious," Lena sits up to look at me, smiling softly. "Your secret is safe with me."

"Thank you," I exhale and run my fingers through my hair, tucking pieces behind my ear on either side of my head. "Okay, you can't freak out or anything either."

"Stevie, seriously? What's going on?"

"Felix Montgomery asked me out."

Her eyes widen, her lips parting as she looks at me. "What'd you say?"

"That I'd think about it?" I swallow. "I think I'm going to tell him no."

"Which you're told entitled to do, but can I ask why?" She hums out the question.

A heavy sigh falls from my lips as I rub my hand over my collar, trying to find the words to put exactly what I'm thinking into something she can understand. "It'll be a waste of time. We'd never work. He's Felix Montgomery and I'm...I'm just someone passing by. He'll eventually get bored with me. Loose interest and one of us will get hurt. Likely me, so why waste the energy?"

"That's a terrible excuse," Lena laughs. "If that's how you're looking at dating, then you'll never date anyone. There is always a chance of getting hurt, Vee. I mean, look at your parents. No one thought they'd separate and they did. Things change and you've just got to take the chance."

"My parents are exactly why I shouldn't say yes then."

Her lips curl up as she reaches for my hands, holding them in hers. "Look, Stevie, you could probably find a hundred and one reasons why you shouldn't say yes. Why you should just completely forget about him ever asking you out, but if there is even one reason to date him. One little part of you that wants to see where things go? Then you owe it to yourself to explore them."

I nod, "Maybe."

"Maybe," she rolls her eyes as she climbs off my bed. "Just think about it, alright? Felix seems like a really sweet guy and you deserve to be happy with someone."

"Thanks Lena."

"Always," she nods. "I'm going to give you room to think about all of this, but you know where to find me if you want to talk some more."

"Yeah," I bob my head and exhale slowly as I climb out of bed, walking towards my desk to get my books.

I have an exam in history tomorrow but I am far too distracted to focus on the books in front of me. My mind unable to settle on one given topic and as the minutes ticked by, words becoming blurrier. I find my eyes getting heavier until I can't handle holding my head up any longer and I eventually finding myself laying down, just to rest my eyes but when I open them again it's to Greyson grabbing my ankle to wake me.

A groan falls from my lips, "I'm up."

"Tired, sleepy head?" He chuckles as he lets go of my leg. "Dinner's ready."

"I'm not hungry," I turn onto my side and rub my eyes, sitting up slowly when he sits on the edge of the bed. "What time is it?"

"Nearly eight," he hums. "You sure you aren't hungry?"

I bob my head. "Yeah, I've got to study anyways. Big history test tomorrow."

"You want help?" He asks.

"I'm okay."

"Let me know if you change your mind about food. I'll bring you up a plate," he offers and I nod my head as he heads for my bedroom door. My throat dry as I adjust in my seat, deciding to let my curiosity get the best of me.

"Grey, before you go, can I ask you something?" I ask quickly, stopping him in his tracks at the door.

"Shoot."

"Felix...good guy or bad guy?" I ask before I can stop myself.

"He's a got a good heart," Greyson nods before eyeing me, tilting his head to the side slightly. "Why are you asking? Do you have a crush on him, Vee?"

"No," I shake my head. "He might though."

"What does that mean?" He asks and I bit my bottom lip, deciding if I should tell him or not. Greyson has always supported me in my decisions, keeping his lips shut weather he agrees with them or not.

"Don't freak?"

"What did he do?"

"He asked me out today."

"Oh?"

"Are you angry?"

"Angry? Why would I be angry?" He laughs. "You're sixteen, Vee. Old enough to date and Felix is a decent guy, if you want to see where things go with him then I say hell yeah, good for you."

"So...you think I should say yes?"

"I think you should do whatever you want to do, but if it's going out with him I'm not going to be mad about it or not support your decision," he smiles softly. "The decision is yours though, Stevie. No one else's."

And he's right. It is my decision to make and weather it is yes or no – it is only mine. No one can tell me what to say or how to feel about it. If there is one piece of advice I'd take from him, it's that my decision is mine and though I'm not entirely clear on what I want, Lena's words stick out. If I can think of one reason to say yes, then maybe I should.

a/n;

I love the relationship Stevie has with Greyson. It's for sure one of my favourites.