"Are we in Dad's room?" I asked softly, my voice almost coming out in a whisper.

"Yes." Alex said from in front of me.

I shook my head again. I didn't think I was ready for this. It feels wrong. I'm not ready. I could feel tears coming to my eyes, but Alex squeezed my hand tightly, "It's okay, Avery. Open your eyes."

"What are you doing in here?" Kellin asked, his voice coming from behind me. I squeezed my eyes closed more, letting the tears that were forming fall. I didn't want to accidentally open my eyes and see Dad's room until I was ready. Alex pulled me into his chest as he wrapped his arms around me, "I was going to show Avery the wedding pictures."

Kellin chuckled, "You want to give her nightmares?"

A wedding wouldn't give me nightmares. If anything it would give me ideas. It would give me a longing for something that can't happen. Seeing pictures of Kellin and I getting married, or fake married, as kids would probably make me start to like him. And that's something I can't let happen.

"Come on, your wedding was adorable." Cody said.

"It wasn't real." Kellin replied, "Y'all just catered to our wishes."

I couldn't stop myself from biting my bottom lip to stop myself from crying. Even Kellin doesn't want us to be a possibility. We were just kids of the opposite sex, probably pushed into it by my dad, Alex, and Luke. It didn't mean anything.

"And that's why you keep a copy of the wedding kiss in your room?" Alex asked.

Wait. Kellin has a copy of our wedding kiss in his room? Hayley must have seen it and either figured out it was me or was told it was me. That's why she doesn't like me. I turned around and forced myself to open my eyes and look at Kellin. Alex let his arms drop from around me. Kellin was leaning against the door frame, his blue eyes staring into Alex with an annoyance. Cody was standing outside the room in the hallway, a small smile on his face.

"Is that why Hayley doesn't like me?" I asked softly.

Kellin shook his head, "Hayley has never seen that picture. She also hasn't seen the picture of our first kiss-"

"Hayley is just an insecure little bitch who is constantly jealous." Cody said, shrugging as if it was something everyone knew.

Kellin rolled his eyes as he turned his head to glance at Cody, "I hate to say it, but Cody is right. She's the same way to everyone. She even hates Madison for the sole reason Madison stays here the majority of the time."

"Then why date her?" I asked.

Kellin gave a shrug, "She knows something about me and is using it against me."

I rolled my eyes. Really? He thinks some secret he doesn't want anyone to know can ruin him. How low. "You don't want a secret about you to get out so you stay in a relationship with someone you clearly don't like?"

"Hey, she's smart." Cody said as he gave a chuckle and elbowed Kellin in the side. Kellin rolled his eyes, "Basically. You'll find out about it soon enough."

Alex cleared his throat from behind me, making Kellin look over at him, "I think you three should start the first Lord of the Rings movie while I get a bunch of pictures together for Avery."

"Why are we watching Lord of the Rings? Did I miss something?"

Cody turned to Kellin, "Avery doesn't know anything about them. We have to educate her."

Before I could protest Cody stepped forward, grabbed my arm, and was pulling me out of Dad's bedroom. I was honestly glad to be out of his room. The weird butterflies and chest tightness seemed to immediately go away. I pulled my arm back a bit to make Cody look at me, "May I go change clothes? I don't want to be wearing a dress all night."

"Go ahead. We will be downstairs when you're done." Kellin replied as he started to head towards the stairs. I tucked my hair behind my ear, "Where downstairs? I couldn't find anyone earlier."

Cody gave me a shrug and a small smile, "The living room. You go down the main stairs, turn left, and it's the second room towards the back."

"Thanks." I replied before walking into my room and closing the door. I went to my suitcase to find the large, old grey shirt I stole from Seth. It was my favorite shirt to sleep in and he didn't seem to care I stole it. I also pulled out a pair of black leggings and quickly changed into the clothes. I didn't know where to put the dress I was wearing earlier, so I just draped it on the love seat. I picked up my cell phone, remembering Seth had sent me another message on Facebook before leaving my room, keeping my eyes as far away from my dad's bedroom area as possible, and following Cody's directions downstairs.

Kellin had placed several blankets on the two couches and was now in front of a large cabinet that I didn't notice earlier, full of movies. Cody was placing bags of chips and other snacks on the coffee table. This boy just ate and he is placing snacks on the table? How can he eat that much? I chose the end spot on the couch and flopped onto it, grabbing onto one of the decorative pillows and holding it in my arms. Kellin found the DVD he was looking for and placed it in the DVD player before turning around and sitting on the other end of the couch. I unlocked my phone to read the message Seth had sent me.

Thank you for not hating me. It really means a lot to me. Tell me about your past week. How is your real family? Are they treating you nice?

So Seth did know the truth. Did they tell him the truth straight up, or did they lie to him first, like they did to me? I felt a tug at my heart as I thought about Kathy and John not caring enough to tell me the truth. Or did they think it was better to lie to me? It hurt more to know they lied. I would have willingly went with Luke if they told me the truth. Yes, it would have hurt either way, but it would have ended on good terms for us all. I looked up from my phone screen when I felt hands pulling me. My eyes met with the green eyes belonging to Cody. He gave me a cheeky smile, "Sorry, you were in my spot."

I raised my eyebrow at him, "You've claimed a spot?"

"He's had that spot claimed since middle school. I suggest you don't fight him on it." Kellin said as he leaned down and whispered in my ear. Cody flopped down onto the couch in the edge spot I was just in, grabbing a cold can of Coke from the side table and opening it. I gave a shrug, letting Kellin know I heard him, before looking back down to my phone.

They told you the truth? So they only lied to me? My godfather, Luke is really cool. He lives with his best friend and his best friends younger brother in an old Victorian house. I've seen pictures of my dad and baby me, so that was nice. I'm about to be forced to watch a movie called Hobbit of the Lord or Lord of the Hobbit or something like that. I can text you, if you want?

"Are we ready?" Kellin asked as he reached for a remote on the side table beside him. I locked my phone and set it in my lap. Before I could say anything, Cody pulled a blanket from the back of the couch where Kellin had placed them, pulling half of my hair into my face in the process, and draping the blanket over himself, "Are you not going to get Tate?"

I looked over at Kellin. Who is Tate? Kellin shook his head as he looked over at Cody, glancing at me in the process, "No. I didn't see her. If she wants to cuddle she will come in here."

Is Kellin dating another girl? I raised my eyebrows when he sent me another glance, "Who is Tate?"

"She's my cat. So if you ever see a fluffy, black potato, that's her. She answers to Potato, Tater Tot, Tate, Tater, and as Alex likes to call her, Fat Potato." Kellin said as he reached over me to grab half of the blanket on top of Cody, pulling it over me and onto himself. I was pretty content with the temperature in the house since I liked being cold. I gave a nod and put my focus on the TV, pulling my legs up into a cross cross position underneath the blanket.

I had always wanted a cat, but John and Kathy didn't like cats. We had a few dogs. Or so they say. I don't have any memory of owning a pet, but had seen them in pictures with me. We had a yellow Lab, Rocket, for most of my early childhood. Seth had found her as a puppy when he was five, abandoned in the woods near their house. They say she died when I was thirteen. Seth was too attached to her to get another dog so since the accident I haven't technically owned a pet. Cody pulled me out of my thoughts when he yelled from beside me, "POTATO!"

It wasn't long before the tinkling of a bell was heard along with the pitter-patter of tiny paws and a fluffy black cat came trotting into the room, jumping up onto Cody's lap. Cody scratched the back of the cat's head before leaning his face down to her. She raised her head and booped him on the mouth as if she wanted him to kiss the top of her head. Cody chuckled before planting a soft kiss on her head, "Hello little Tater Tot. We're about to watch a movie and I wanted your snuggles. Will you give me your snuggs?"

The cat purred and flopped down onto Cody's lap as if she understood what he was asking her. I couldn't help but giggle at the fact Cody had talked to the cat in a baby voice. A yawn escaped me and I decided to scoot myself down a little bit so I was leaning more onto my left side so I could lean my head down on the back of the couch and still see the television. I pulled my arms out from under the blanket, setting them down on top so I wouldn't burn to death. A blanket plus two guys beside me with their body heat radiating under the blanket is probably going to murder me. Potato's purrs seemed to comfort me in a way I didn't know was possible.

"Now that Cody has his girlfriend, are we ready to start the movie?"

"Tate is not my girlfriend. She's just the best cat in the world. I'm sorry she loves me the most." Cody said as he fixed the blanket around him and Tate more. "And I'm ready."

"Yeah, I guess I'm ready." I replied. Kellin hit a button on the remote, making the DVD's menu screen go off and fade to a black screen. I was completely focused on the movie but I was so tired that I don't think I made it too far before accidentally falling asleep. The last thing I remember was the short guy saying something about keeping secrets.