A/N: The picture above is John (character inspiration)

"See now I don't get why I have to stay with your friend when I'm old enough to look after myself and these two here," Max complained as my father drove us to the house we were supposed to I guess call home temporarily for as long as we needed.

I don't know how long it'll be because my parents haven't gotten any new information about my grandmother. I wish I could go with but unfortunately, there's school to think about, especially if I want to think about college. I'll have to study more than ever and try my best to get into my dream college, Juilliard. It's a long shot but it's worth a shot trying my best to get in.

"Last time we left you alone Max, you left the house a mess with takeover containers littered all over the house and you almost burnt the property down attempting to boil water for pasta! You're just lucky none of your sisters were home young man," my mother scolded, turning her head to shoot my brother a stern glare from the passenger seat.

Max instantly recoiled back from her stare. I almost laughed. No one can make Max scared or act like a child besides our parents, or more specifically, our mother. She was a scary woman.

"Don't pout, smile!" Catherine exclaimed. I snickered while Max shot me a glare.

"Yeah smile big brother, you might get wrinkles if you don't," I teased.

'I hate you' Max mouthed, making sure Catherine didn't see. I rolled my eyes and rested my head against the window. To be honest, I have no idea how my mother's friend is going to accommodate three more people in a house of what I was told consisted of two. Unless this family has a shed for my brother to stay in or something, it's going to be a crowded house. I'm sure it'll be a lovely home though.

Once we arrived, I attempted to grab the one suitcase that belonged to my brother and him alone. Wow, I'm weak. I can barely pull it out of the car. Unless Max shoved rocks into the suitcase.

Max stupidly stared up at the, I guess you could say, typical American home. It's as if he hasn't seen a house like this in his life. I mean yes he lived in a dorm throughout the years he was studying at college but still.

"Max! Help me or else I'm going to throw this suitcase at your head!" I threatened.

"Amy!" Catherine scolded, stomping her foot. She always does that when she wants to let us know we've done something that's against what we've been told. Such as no swearing and/or threatening the other sibling, ok or anyone in general.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," I muttered.

"Here you go Amy," my father said as he grabbed the suitcase and pulled it out easily in one swift motion.

"Thank you," I mumbled.

I whacked Max's head behind everyone's back. He rubbed the spot I hit him and scowled at me while I snickered. We followed our mother towards the house that seemed to intimidate me for no reason other than it was unfamiliar and it somehow feels like I'm walking into my death sentence.

A lady in her mid-forties I'm guessing, I could be wrong, opened the door after my mother knocked. Her eyes lit up as she gasped and threw her arms around my mother in a tight hug.

"Gabriela!" she exclaimed.

"Lisa!" my mother exclaimed back. Max pretended to choke himself and mocked their excitement. Catherine giggled while I face-palmed. Our mother has eyes on the back of her head. She instantly turned around and whacked him upside the head as I did recently. "Mock me again and you'll get much worse than a smack on the head young man," she scolded.

"What are you laughing at?" Max demanded when I let out a small laugh.

"Loser," I simply mocked while walking past him to head inside, Catherine skipping beside me.

"I'm so happy to see you, it's been way too long," Lisa beamed.

"I know, I'm so sorry we didn't get to visit each other often, thank you so much again for allowing my kids to stay here while we're away, I truly hope it's not a bother," my mother said.

"Oh don't be silly, I'm happy to take them in," Lisa reassured her.

"Thank you."

"And you guys must be Gabriela's kids, let me guess, Amy, Max and Catherine?" she said, pointing at each of us as she named us one by one.

"Correct!" Max exclaimed with fake enthusiasm.

"Nice meet you, lady," Catherine beamed up at Lisa with her missing front tooth on display.

"Nice to meet you too princess," Lisa smiled.

"Well, we have to go to the airport now, I'll see you guys soon ok? And remember to call me every week or else I'll fly over here myself if I have to check on you guys, got it?" my mother said sternly. Max rolled his eyes as Catherine and I nodded. We hugged our parents goodbye before they drove off.

"Max, I understand you need your own room so you'll be taking the guest room just down the hall," Lisa explained. Max instantly beamed as he quickly grabbed his suitcase and ran towards his room where Lisa was pointing. I rubbed my temple. My brother everybody, the polite influence of the family.

"Catherine, your room will be in between me and my son's room upstairs," she told my little sister, bending down to reach her height.

Catherine, of course, followed Max's action and ran to her room though it worried me when she went up the stairs. I didn't want her to miss a step and fall or anything. Damn it, stupid Max and his influence, also his bloody impatience. I'm impatient too but he's worse than me, at least I can hold off for a bit rather than act on impulse.

"And Amy, see with your arrangement it was...a bit difficult but I know how to fix the problem," she said.

That's worrying nor is it anything I want to hear. What does she mean she 'fixed' the problem? Does it mean that I'm going to be stuck either sharing a room, staying in the attic or basement if they have one or sleeping on the couch or in the backyard? The possibilities are endless.

"I'm afraid to ask what that solution is," I said hesitantly.

"You'll be taking my son's room and he'll be taking the room in the attic," she said.

Inwardly I was cheering. I know I should feel bad for whoever her son is because he's been downgraded from a comfy room to the attic upstairs, which I imagine isn't as nice but doable to live in, but at the moment, I don't care, I get my own room! Thank god, I needed my privacy or else I'd probably lose it.

"Would you like me to show you your room?" Lisa asked. I nodded and grabbed my bag. I followed her upstairs.

As soon as we got to the second floor, the thumping of rock music became evident from down the hall. When did they start playing music? Now? When they hear footsteps coming upstairs? Little suspicious but I'll ignore it.

However, what I can't ignore is the fact that the music got turned up louder. As long as it has no swearing, I won't break down the door to shut it off. My parents would have a fit if they heard Catherine swear just from hearing music and getting influenced by it.

"I'm sorry about my son," Lisa apologised.

"It's fine," I said.

She continued to walk to my new living space for the next I don't know, couple of weeks maybe, I'm hoping. We stopped in front of the shut door that I assumed was locked. The music was coming from this room. I truly hope it's not messy; I'm already tired since it's almost night. I don't want to have to clean the room.

"Jack! Open the door!" she yelled over the music.

My face paled at the name she just uttered. It can't be him, there's no way, not unless my bad luck seemed to intensify without my bloody knowledge. Oh dear god, I'm going to be miserable if it's him. Please god, don't let it be him or else this is going to be a long and agonising stay.

"Jack! So help me I will break this door down if you don't unlock it in ten seconds!" Lisa yelled as she pounded on the door.

Please don't be him

The door was thrown open harshly to reveal a scowling Jack Reece. The bag I was holding slipped through my already loose hold on it, dropping to the floor. My eyes widened as my breathing began to pick up. Damn it! Fuck you bad luck! Can't I go one day without things like this happening? What did I do to make karma get me so bad? I must know so I can fix it because now, I want to run away.

"Great, my nightmare has come true," I muttered bitterly.

"Amy?" Jack uttered in confusion. "What the fuck are you doing here?" he questioned. Lisa smacked him upside the head making him wince. Thank you, Lisa, he deserved that.

"Don't be rude to our guest, apologise," she demanded. I raised a brow in amusement as Jack narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah Jack, apologise," I teased. He gave the middle finger but probably instantly regretted it since Lisa once again smacked him. I bit my bottom lip in an attempt not to burst out laughing.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"Apology accepted," I smirked.

"Ok well, it's nice to see that you two are acquainted, Jack, Amy will be taking your room for the duration of her stay," Lisa said. His eyes widened while I snickered. Well, the little bit of guilt I had for taking the son's room has all but dissipated.

"Are you kidding?! I never agreed to that bullshit," Jack swore.

"You didn't have to agree, it's my house and Amy needs her own room, she's a teenager," she explained.

"Then why can't she take the room in the attic, I'm sure she'd love to make friends with the spiders there," he argued.

I glared from behind Lisa's back, mouthing 'fuck you' to him. He simply smirked in amusement. The bastard knew I had a fear of spiders, big spiders to be more specific. He was the one who used to chase me around with a spider sitting on his hand when we were young at school. It was torment.

The small ones bother me but not as much as the big tarantulas and other ones that I don't know the name of but fear for my life around.

"She's going to be staying here and that's final Jack, I told you this morning but you weren't listening," Lisa said sternly, putting her foot down on the matter. This just keeps getting more and more amusing by the second. Lisa is the best.

"Excuse me! Miss, I need help unpacking please," Catherine exclaimed from outside her doorway. Lisa excused herself before running over to help Cat. I grabbed my bag and walked past Jack to go inside.

"You'll pay for this," he whispered in my ear.

"I'd like to see you try princess" I whispered back, challenging him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to unpack in my new room, you may leave now."

I shoved Jack with all my might out of his own room and slammed the door in his face before he could utter another word. He's stupid if he thinks he can threaten me. Getting him back will be easy if he ever tries to do anything. I like a challenge.

I felt my phone buzz in my back pocket. I took it out and read the message Sarah sent me. It was in all capitals as if she were trying to scream at me through the phone to show her pure excitement. She was telling – sorry, no, she was stating that she got tickets to my fifth favourite band 'Soul of Dread' and apparently I HAVE to go, no arguments or complaining. It's a done deal. Dillon and Amanda would be coming with.

I don't know how she got Dillon to agree when he absolutely hates that band. He says it's "pure trash". However, in my opinion, I think his taste in music is trash because that was just an insult to Sarah and me. Amanda enjoys the band but not as much as me and Sarah. The tickets were for tomorrow, which was such late notice but apparently, she was lucky enough to score the tickets last minute just before they sold out.

"Who are you messaging?"

I jumped, startled. I looked up to see Jack standing at my, or rather his, doorway with his arms crossed. How the fuck did he get the door open? I locked that thing! Bloody hell, he must have picked the lock. He's probably used to it. That's not reassuring when I know I want my privacy and I got a vengeful Jack Reece seeking to ruin my stay here. This should be fantastic.

"None of your business," I muttered bitterly.

"What was that princess, I didn't hear you?" Jack teased, holding a hand to his ear. I huffed in annoyance and shook my head.

"Fuck you, Jack, you are truly an inconvenience to my life, congrats," I retorted with a cold smile. Jack pretended to flinch as he clutched his hands over his heart with a smirk.

"Oh! You really went for the heart there with that insult Amy, I'm deeply crushed, I don't think I can recover from this, must you be so cruel," he joked while snickering.

I mocked his laugh before rolling my eyes. Jack kept eyeing my phone, which isn't reassuring when it's now sitting out of my hands and on the bed. Shit, he better not touch my phone. That is my life with all my personal information.

If he gets his hands on it...ok that is not an option. It's bad enough Thalia is a raging, conniving bitch at school who I have to deal with now. Having Jack Reece read my phone and possibly having the power to blackmail me would be twice as bad as Thalia's nagging and complaining or equally as bad.

"Don't you even think about it Jack or so help me I will bury you alive in your own yard," I threatened.

"Relax princess, I'm not interested in whatever 'gossip' you discuss with your friends," he rolled his eyes. I eyed him suspiciously. There was no way he was serious. It'd probably be too tempting to him. There is no way I'm letting my guard down and trusting him not to do anything stupid. And I was correct when he dove for my phone but I was quick to do the same.

"Don't you fucking dare," I sneered. Before I could get my phone, Jack grabbed it since unfortunately, he was quicker than me. He held it over his head with a devilish smirk. I almost fell off the bed but steadied myself. "Jack!" I whined as he laughed. Damn that smug asshole.

"Ah! I see that you've got plans for tomorrow," he muttered, scrolling through my phone. My eyes widened as I quickly stood up and went to grab my phone but he held it high, extending his arm up towards the ceiling while I kept jumping to see if that would help get my phone back. It did not.

"Stop invading my privacy!" I demanded, stomping my foot down.

"Not going to happen," Jack said, shaking his head, that same smirk never leaving his lips.

"I hate you," I mumbled bitterly with a glare. He simply shrugged at my statement.

"You know, too bad you can't go out tomorrow," Jack said as he handed my phone back into my hands. I raised a brow as I shoved my phone in my back jean pocket.

"Too bad you can't stop me," I retorted.

"Good luck sneaking out during the welcoming dinner my mother is hosting tomorrow," he shrugged. "And knowing my mother, she'll be keeping a close eye on you and the others."

Shit

"Get out Jack!" I demanded. He rolled his eyes but raised his hands up in surrender. I slammed the door in his face once he was out of the room.

Fuck, this will be hard; I'll need to plan my escape for tomorrow