Please be advised that the following contains a trigger warning that addresses the topic of child abuse. If you have experienced or are sensitive to discussions of child abuse, it is recommended that you exercise caution and consider whether or not you wish to proceed with reading further.

2:38 am

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2:41 am

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2: 42 am

I can't sleep!

I've been tossing and turning for the past two hours and nothing. Only a couple of hours ago Drake was here and he left me a rose as a birthday present. What the hell am I supposed to make of that? That gesture was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me before. Then again, he's a player. I haven't known him for long but everything in him reeks of player. That and the fact that he also confessed, and I quote: "that he has had many girls to beg him to take them to bed". Ugh, when did my life get so complicated? I miss my Netflix, popcorn, and chocolate quiet nights.

There are a lot of things I don't get about him. How did he know it was my birthday? How did he know where my room is? Maybe Tori might be guilty about this whole situation. She's my best friend but when she thinks something's going to favor me she does everything she can, and she thinks Drake and I have a chance.

He knows things about me, and I don't feel comfortable with it. If this is all a game for him then I'm in, but I must upgrade my game. I need to know him better. I need to know his weaknesses and desires. I need a plan.

~~~~~~~~

"Emily!"

"What?!" I sit up on my bed with my eyes closed.

"We are taking dad to the airport. Get ready and be downstairs in ten," Nate said and shut the door. I'm too tired for this, so I laid again on my bed.

Oh God, what time is it? I opened one eye.

"SEVEN THIRTY?!" Shit! It's too early. Daddy can go without me, right?

Then, I heard someone pounding on my door.

"Emily you better get your ass off of that bed or I'll drag you down myself!" Jake shouted from the hall.

"Dammit!" I hissed throwing the duvet off me and got out of bed. I went to my drawers and got my underwear and threw the drawers shut making a lot of noise. I tell you, I'm not a morning person at all.

I took a quick shower and went to my closet. I decided on a white high-low top that had NERD written on the front -oh, I know. The irony- and denim cut offs shorts. I put on my combat boots and untangled my hair so the curls could be visible. I went to get my purse, but I couldn't find it.

I went downstairs and kept looking, but I found nothing. I went to the kitchen to see all my brothers and dad sat around the kitchen island.

"Told you it would take this long. Pay up." Brody raised his hand in front of Matty.

"Damn it, Emily you just cost me twenty bucks," Matty complained, taking his wallet out of his pocket.

"Dad!" I complained.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Aren't you going to say something?"

"Yes, you also cost me twenty." My alleged father also took out his wallet and gave a twenty dollar bill to Brody.

"Always nice to make deals with you gentlemen." Brody got up and went upstairs.

"Ugh, you guys are broke, aren't you?" I asked Nate and Jake who were still eating their breakfast.

"Uh-hum," they both agreed at the same time.

"I'm starting to have my doubts that I belong to this family," I said and sighed getting myself some coffee and toast.

"Aw sweetie, don't sulk. You know you'll miss me," my dad said when I sat down next to him. "You have to learn not to be an easy target."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm still going to check my birth certificate though." I shoved an entire toast in my mouth.

"Yeah, and while you're at it verify the gender," Jake mused and again, they all were having fun at my expense.

"Ha ha, I'm pissing myself here. Whatever, have you seen my purse?" I got up and placed my cup on the sink.

"This one?" My dad pulled out my purse.

"Yes...why did you have it? Didn't know you swing for the other team dad." I smirked at him and threw my bag across me.

"Now sweetheart, don't start with that or I won't let you have my present for you. Look in your purse." He nodded towards my purse.

I opened it and found four tickets for a cruise.

"You got me a cruise?!" I screamed and jumped like a hyper kid who has just been fed ten packets of skittles.

"Tickets, yes, to the Bahamas," he added that only made me scream even more.

I looked at them. "But there are four in here," I asked a little confused.

"Yes, it's for you and your friends. I already spoke to your brothers, the school, your friends and their parents." So that's what all the whispering was about. "They are for next month, so don't worry about anything, princess."

"I love you so much. You did not have to do this, but thank you so much." I gave him a big tight hug.

"Why didn't you give this to me yesterday?" I wondered.

"Well, I wanted to really surprise you. You know that was your mother's thing. I know it wasn't as good-" I hugged him again. This just made it extra-special.

"It was perfect. Thank you so much. I love you," I whisper at the end. I let him go and quickly wiped away a tear.

"Alrighty then, let's go," he said also composing himself. I knew my daddy was a sucker for sentimental things, but, like my brothers, he preferred to be skinned alive than showing it. Like father...

My brothers, seeing this were ready to mock him. But my dad knew better and threw them a nasty look making all their funny remarks die in their mouths.

Later, we stayed at the airport until we saw that his plane left. All of them had to work at night because they took yesterday off and this morning to be with dad.

That made me nervous. I knew the house was all to myself, but knowing the fact that Drake would be there with me alone...I'll have to get myself some pepper spray.

~~~~~~~~~~

I decided to watch a movie in my room. I did that to avoid pacing back and forth. What's taking him so long? Like on cue, I heard a knock on my balcony door.

I opened the door slowly and there he was. God, why does he have to look so good? This is definitely going to be hard.

"Hey," he whispered. I couldn't avoid checking him out. He wore a black button down shirt with rolled up sleeves, dark-washed pants and, of course, combat boots.

"Hi" He came inside and sat on my desk chair. "You know, you have a weird way to make friends." I sat near him in one of my beanbag chairs making sure to leave some space between us.

"Who said I wanted to be your friend?" He smirked raising an eyebrow.

"Oh" He noticed my change of mood and chuckled.

"I'm joking, Nerd. I, well..."

"Yes?" I urged trying to get to know this boy.

"Well, I wanted to apologize for how I acted when we first met, and the days after that." Well, I sure wasn't expecting that but it was refreshing hearing an apology from him. The road to friendship was starting to feel less rocky.

I took a moment to think about my question. "Can I ask you something?" I said with a serious expression.

"Yeah," he hesitated not sure where I was going with this.

"Are you mentally challenged?" He had a blank look apparently not expecting that question at all, and then he burst out laughing. "Hey! I'm serious," I complained hitting him with one of the pillows I had close to me on the floor.

"No, Nerd. I'm not mentally challenged...I think," he said still chuckling. "Like I told you, I had my reasons to act the way I did."

"Right, mind telling me what those reasons are?" I asked curiously. "And why have you changed your mind?"

"Is better if you didn't, besides I'm here to get answers not give them." He stretched his arms and placed his hands on the back of his head as if to make himself more comfortable.

"You are so full of yourself, aren't you?" I said slightly annoyed. I don't know who the fuck he thinks he is but I know for a fact that I owe him nothing. "I know little to nothing about you! How dare you tell me I owe something to you?" I stood up in front of him.

He looked at me with an amused expression and shook his head. "You are unbelievable, you don't remember, do you?"

"Remember what? Maybe if you made yourself a little more clear and at least explain your motives once in a while I would know what the hell you are talking about!" By this point I was frantically waving my hands all over the place.

"You want to know about me?" He stood up and got closer to my face.

"Well, that's the whole point of this argument, isn't it?" I replied with a 'duh' tone.

"Then start to remember, princesa," he hissed so close to my face that I could feel his breath on my face.

I covered my face with my hands. "Oh my God! You are so exasperating!" I wanted to rip his head off right there.

"Me?" He pointed towards himself. "You are the one who have been avoiding a simple fucking question!"

"Why is this so fucking important to you?! What is it to you why my brothers act the way they do?"

"Fuck if I know! Maybe I was worried that something bad is going on in here, in your house and fine! I might have gotten worried for you," he said losing a little of his cool, collected self. "But you know what, screw it! I'm out of here." He began to walk towards the balcony doors.

Oh no, I wasn't going to let him go this easily. "Why are you still avoiding my questions?"

He stopped and I could clearly see the tension radiating from him. He turned and said, "Join the club, Nerd."

I took a deep breath and sat on my bed, defeated. He looked at me and back at the doors. He sighed and reluctantly sat on my bed too, making sure to leave some space between us. Apparently, he was worried that I might blow up again.

"Alright, before I tell you I need to know a little about you. How do I know that you are not a serial killer or something?" I tried to ease the tension around us.

"If I were, you sure made it easy for me. You are all alone in a big house and no one knows I'm here." He shrugged looking at the ceiling.

I slapped him on his arm. "Real funny, stop changing the subject."

He got close to my face. "Who said I was joking?" He had a deadpan look. Is he serious?

For the second time, he burst out laughing again. "You should've seen your face. I'm not going to murder you, Nerd." I hit him again by now it's an involuntary reaction.

"Hey, stop with the violence!" he tried to admonish but his smile broke through.

"Then stop with the bullshit." I was now getting annoyed again, and we both know that it wont end pretty a second time.

He thinks he is so clever on changing the subject.

"Okay, okay." He sighed in defeat. "What do you want to know?"

At that moment, I had hundreds of questions that were running through my head but decided to go with the not-so-invasive ones. "Where are you from?" Not what I really wanted to know, but it's a start.

"I moved here from New York and before that I used to live in Puerto Rico." He's Hispanic. I've never would have guessed it.

"So that means your first language is Spanish?" He nodded. "That's why you need help in English?"

"Yeah, that grammar shit it's a bitch." I couldn't help but to chuckle at his comment.

"Why did you move here?"

He shrugged. "Got into some trouble, and my mom decided to ship me off with my dad and my brother."

"What kind of trouble?"

"Now, wouldn't you like to know?" He rolled his eyes. Obviously he wasn't going to say so I decided to drop it.

We both were silent for a moment. Drake seemed like he was in deep thought. When I was going to speak, he beat me to it.

"Why is it hard for you to answer my question?"

"Well, i-it's something...Nobody else knows apart from my family." I paused, trying to calm my anxious heart.

"It's very painful and I needed to know you before I could tell you." I decided to be honest. I was tired of feeling like it was my fault. 

As if it was me the one that did something wrong. 

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, you know," he said with a flash of regret on his eyes.

I took a deep breath. "No, it's fine. I have decided to share this. I just...I just don't think it's the kind of secret that you'd think."

He nodded in understanding and kept silent waiting for me to talk.

"I was abused as a child."

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Thank you for reading!

Kim <3