As I look at the two men in front of me, all I can think is how wrong my step-mother was. These men don't even know me, none of them do. And yet, they're here, ready to help me. I look around at the boxes surrounding the living room and can't help but feel slightly overwhelmed. Some of these pieces of furniture look really heavy. There's no way I could've put all of it together myself, and all my dad did was hire the delivery guys. It's not like he payed them to stay and help me with all of this. Guess I shouldn't expect that much from dear old dad. Then again, I didn't even expect this much. He did what he could... I suppose.

"Sang?" Corey moves in front of me and grabs my free hand, his thumb stroking the back of my knuckles soothingly. "Let us help."

Seeing the intense sincerity in his eyes is almost too much. Looking around at the other guys, I see the same determined expression I see in Corey. They all really want to help me.

Making a decision, I give him a small nod.

"Great," Corey smiles. "Where do you want to start?"

I move away from Marc and Corey to stroll around the room and inspect the boxes. With the bigger boxes, I see pieces for a bed frame, a mattress, a couch, a bookcase, two nightstands, a dresser, a desk, and a dining table. The smaller boxes contain a lamp, chairs, pillows, bedding, and a blank box from a bathroom place I assume to contain towels and washcloths.

"I guess we can start with the bed?" I stop back in front of the box containing the bed frame and drop my hand on it.

"That won't take more than two people," Brandon comments. "What about the rest of us, short stuff?" He smirks.

"Um..." My cheeks heat as I avert my gaze. "I guess the couch could be set up as well?" It comes out more as a question, but I'm too embarrassed to worry about it.

"Alright, you heard malen'kaya ptitsa," Raven says. "Let's get to work."

And work they do. Raven and Alex pick up the box containing the bed frame and walk down the hall while Corey, March and Brandon move around the rest of the boxes in the room to make room for the couch. I move to the doorway of the bedroom and watch them set the box in the center before Raven removes a box cutter from the tool belt hanging around his waist.

Staying in the hallway, I get to watch everyone assembling the only pieces of furniture I have ever owned. Soon enough, both pieces are done and it's time to move on. The bed frame looks like it's made for a full sized bed, and has a headboard in a beautiful mahogany color. There's no foot board, so I don't have to worry about knocking into it in the middle of the night, and access from the end is a breeze. They move it against the left wall, facing the closet on the other side.

Back in the living room, the couch turns out to be a cute beige color with brown arm rests and soft cushions. With the bed finished, Axel and Raven open up the boxes with the boxspring and mattress before moving them both into the room and place them on the bed frame. The whole thing ends up coming up to my hip, which means I'll have to stretch when I want to sit. I love it.

Raven and Axel continue to set up my room, putting together the desk which goes next to the door, before moving on to the dresser. Marc, Brandon and Corey put together the table, nightstands and chairs, while I just stand to the side watching. Useless. When all the pieces are done, Marc and Brandon move the nightstands into my room, placing one on either side of my bed. The dresser ends up next to the closet, and before I know it, I have a fully furnished bedroom and living room. Corey pushed the table under the windows, making it so the living room still feels like there's space to move around.

This is the most furniture that I've ever had in any room that I've ever called my own. I can't believe that guys I just met today would do all of this for me. And there's nothing I can do to thank them. My mother couldn't have been more wrong. For me to have met these amazing men on my first day here, in a new town and a new city, knowing absolutely no one. I'm so grateful to my father for the first time in my life. Without him putting me out on my own, making me fend for myself, I never would have met them. I would still be stuck, forced to face my step-mother's punishments for crimes I didn't commit.

This is a new day and a new me. From today on, I'll do my best to show these amazing men that their generosity is truly appreciated.

Finding something I could do, I unpack the last couple of boxes while the guys help me make the bed and put the towels and washcloths in the bathroom. I don't know what I'm going to do for toiletries and food, but I'll figure it out. I'll have to find a job. One that'll take me with zero work experience.

Once all the boxes have been broken down and put into a corner to take downstairs, Axel and Raven lounge on the couch while Brandon looks into the bare fridge. Oh no.

"Sang? You don't have any food." He stands fully and looks at me with a furrowed brow.

"Oh um, I uh. I haven't had a chance to get any. I'm not really sure where to go, actually."

Smooth Sang. It's not like I can tell them I have no money for food. God, what am I going to do?

"You moved here without knowing where to get food?" Axel asks, his eyes narrowing as he lowers his head.

"Um... yes?"

"Where did you move from?"

"Um... uh... Illinois."

My hand moves of its own accord, pushing my pushing into my bottom lip. I take a step back and connect with the corner of the wall, halting my progress.

"Axel, stop with the inquisition." Corey comes to my defense, standing beside me.

"Yeah, she's our neighbor, not some international jewel thief." Brandon moves out of the kitchen and over to us, standing on the other side of me.

A twin sandwich. If I weren't so terrified of them finding out about my past, I'd find that funny. It's not like I'm intentionally hiding it from them, but I still don't know them. I am grateful for their help, but as far as I know, they could've been using it as a ploy to get me to let my guard down. She always said men were evil. What if she was right?

No! I can't think like that. I shake myself out of my musings when I notice the guys staring at each other like they're having some kind of mental conversation. That's not normal. Right? But then again, what do I know about normal?

I try and pick up what their eyes are saying, and I think I get the jist. Don't ask too many questions. I'm thankful to Corey for this, because it seems that the others agree. Looking at Axel, he gives an almost imperceptible nod and all of the tension in the room dissipates. That's the second strike to let me know that this isn't just a normal group of friends. They can't be. They're too... together.

Their first strike was coming to help a complete stranger. I don't care how nice you are, people just don't do that. And to come with their own tools? Yeah, there's something up with these guys. But who am I to question them? I have my own secrets that are best kept buried, and if they'll stop asking questions, then I won't start. I'll probably only see them in passing after this anyway. It makes no sense that five attractive men would be interested in hanging around me. Although, I wouldn't mind if they did. I like Corey. He seem nice. But it's better not to get my hopes up.

"Hey, Sang?" Corey puts his arm around my shoulders and shakes me a bit.

"Yeah?"

"Where'd you go just now?"

"Oh uh..." I scramble for time, pushing my finger into my lip yet again. "I was just thinking of things I need to get for the house."

Corey frowns. Does he know I lied? It's not a lie exactly. It's just not what I was thinking at that moment. I do need to put together a list of things to get, things I need to do to start my life here. Starting with getting a job. It's then that I remember the bank card my father gave me. I have no idea how much is on it, or how I can find that out. If I want to stay here, then I'll need to figure that out first and go from there.

"How about we go grab something to eat, short stuff?"Brandon asks me.

"Oh, you don't have to spend money on me," I protest. "If you have food at your place I could cook your guys something. It's the least I can do."

I didn't need to be any more indebted to them by having them spend money on me.

"You can cook?" asks Marc.

"That's not necessary, Sang," Axel tells me. "You just moved in."

"No really, I want to. Please let me repay you for all you've done for me today."

"Well... if you really want to," he hedges.

"We don't have much at our place, but you're welcome to come see what you can scrape together," Corey offers.

"If anything," Brandon grumbles. "We've been meaning to go food shopping, but we're not in our apartment much."

I want to ask why, but that's really none of my business. Besides, what reason would these two handsome guys have for staying in the house? Besides a girlfriend.

Grabbing my keys off the counter, I follow the guys out of my apartment and lock up. Corey and Brandon live together right across the hall and it's the same set up as mine, only with two bedrooms. Their place is more furnished than mine as well. It looks well lived in.

There's a blue couch in the center facing an entertainment center that's been hooked up to the wall next to the hallway. Across from the kitchen is a table set up with at least three different computer monitors, along with a wireless mouse and keyboard. A comfortable looking well used rolling chair is in front of it.

The entertainment center has a huge TV and two game consoles below it with a slew of games and DVD's on the coffee table in front of the couch. This is what a home looks like. And in this moment, I fee the loss of a life I never had. A family I wished I had, instead of the one I was with.

"Sang?" Corey asks from the kitchen as the others make themselves comfortable. "You okay?"

"Yeah." I paint on a smile and make my way over to him. "I'm fine."

I look through the cabinets and fridge to see what I can make from the ingredients they have. Looks like a Taco Soup night. I enlist Corey's help in getting the pot and pan I'll need for the dish. Along with keeping me company. I've never had a problem cooking alone before, but now that I've had them around me for most of the day, being by myself just feels... weird.

I brown and season the meat while Corey chops the vegetables and drains the canned corn. We fall into a nice rhythm, content with just listening to the guys in the other room play game without talking ourselves. Soon enough the soup is simmering in the pot. I have Corey set a timer on his phone, and we leave the kitchen to join the others.

Sitting on the floor in front of Brandon, I watch as he plays some kind of racing game against Marc and Raven. Axel's sitting on the arm of the chair doing something on his phone. Corey sits down next to me and we watch as Raven takes first place.

"Boom!" Raven exclaims as he jumps up from the couch, throwing the controller down in his spot. "In your face!"

"Sit down, you neanderthal," Brandon grumbles, grabbing the back of Raven's shirt. "I want a rematch."

"No name calling on my team," Axel says distractedly, still looking at his phone.

"Team?" I ask, looking at Corey. "What kind of team?"

Axel's finger freezes over his phone while his eyes widen in shock. It seems he forgot I was here. I can't help but feel a little but at this, but I'm used to it. People forgetting I exist. Being invisible. I was somewhat of a pro at it with my family.

"He means family," Corey answers. "We're all pretty close. I consider them my brothers just as much as Brandon is."

I nod slowly and look back to the screen as Raven sits. I know that's probably not what Axel meant, but who am I to question them. They are close. Maybe too close? But what do I know? I've never had friends.

We watch Raven win again in silence before Corey takes the controller from his brother.

"Sang, do you want to play?" Marc asks, pushing his controller towards me.

"Oh um, I've never played before. How does it work?"

Marc hands me the controller and Corey shows me what buttons to press for what.

"You press X to go, O to stop, triangle for turbo and square to reverse," he explains. "You push the joystick in whichever direction you want to move. Think you got it?"

"I think so."

Corey shows me how to select a car. I pick a pink convertible and we start the game. I try to move the car by pushing up on the joystick but nothing happens.

"What am I doing wrong?"

"You have to hold X while moving the joystick," Brandon answers.

I do what he says and the car onscreen zooms forward... right into a brick wall. Remembering what Corey said, I try to reverse while turning around and just end up going in circles. By the time I've figured out how to straighten my car and get back on the road, the game has stopped and Raven is announcing that he's the best.

"Want to go again, Sang?" Corey asks.

I shake my head and hand the controller back to Marc. "I think I'll just watch."

I watch them play for a few rounds, leaning back on Brandon's legs as he runs his fingers through my hair. It's a few minutes later when the alarm on Corey's phone goes off. Brandon comes to help me in the kitchen since Corey's still playing. Together, we grab all the bowls and spoons needed and start to dish out the food.

"Alright, foods ready! Come and get it," Brandon calls out to the others.

I grab mine and stand off to the side while they all but rush in and grab bowls from the counter. Back in the living room, I grab a seat between on the couch Raven and Brandon. Axel takes the rolling chair, while Corey and Marc take seats on the floor. I hold my bowl between my hands and wait for them to take a bite before I start eating. What if they don't like it?

Fortunately, that's not the case.

"Whoa, Sang. You made this with the stuff in our kitchen?" Brandon asks.

"She did," Corey confirms. "I saw the whole thing. This is amazing, Sang."

"Can we keep her?" Marc asks Axel, which earns him a slap on the head from Raven.

"She's a person, not a dog," Brandon grumbles between bites.

"This is really good, Sang. Thank you," says Axel.

"Yes, thank you malen'kaya ptitsa," Raven adds.

"You're welcome." My cheeks heat at the praise and I duck my head to hide it, starting on my own bowl. It's just Taco Soup.

Some get up for seconds, and even thirds, in Raven's case. Once were finished, I get up to do the dishes but Corey stops me.

"You cooked, Sang. You don't have to do our dishes too."

"Yes, short stuff, take a seat. We'll do the dishes." Brandon ruffles my hair and gets up to do them.

Marc pops in a movie and settles down in the free seat next to me. I'm so used to doing all the work, but this is nice. Getting to relax after cooking isn't something I'm used to.

I start to get tired about halfway through the movie, so I excuse myself before I pass out in front of everyone. Corey walks me across the hall.

"Hey Sang, if you need a ride tomorrow to do your shopping, just let me know. Okay?"

"Are you sure? I don't want to be a bother."

"No bother at all. I'm free all day, so just let me know." He reaches up and pushes a wayward strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Okay," I whisper.

"Great." He smiles. "See you tomorrow. Night, Sang."