Sunday morning brought a sleepy Brynn stumbling up into the library, English and French book under her pillowy left sleeve, clasped tightly in her jumper covered fingers in between her arm and side. Rubbing her eyes, she absentmindedly made her way through the library, her bare-feet gliding slightly against the cold, hardwood floor because of the bottom of her pants clinging to her heels.

Her bird nest of a hair slightly occluded her vision as she made her way 'F' section to pick up a French dictionary. She twirled the pen she had in her left fingertips as she found what she was looking for.

Up the spiral staircase and to the rounded window she usually read in. Only now, when she sat down, instead of being met with the usual cold seating, it was to softness.

Brynn unfolded one of the blankets- the fluffy black one- and draped it over her lower half. She was sat fully on the windowsill with her legs up at ninety degree angles.

The quote pillow was resting on her legs with her French book laid upon it open and the girl sighed, she really could not be bothered. It was only six in the morning after all.

And then six in the morning went to seven, and then seven in the morning went to eight and then eight in the morning went to Callan making his way up the spiral stairs. A plate of two fluffy pancakes doused with nutella and raspberries in his left hand and warm milk in his right.

He was wearing black dress pants and shoes with a white buttoned up shirt tucked in, the two top buttons undone and sleeves rolled up to his elbows meaning he wasn't going into work until at least midday so he was morning casual.

"Studying hard?"

"Hardly studying," Brynn responded. She wasn't exactly sure where she had heard the phrase from but it sounded cool so she felt it was right to say it in this moment. She probably heard it from the tv.

"Hm," Callan hummed coming over and placing the plate on the one folded blanket left and putting down the glass of milk on the floor.

"Anything I can help with?"

Brynn felt slightly nervous for no reason. This was Callan and yet she was nervous right now, not wanting to mess up the conversation in a way that annoys Callan or weirds him out. She didn't know why she got like that sometimes, it wasn't a nice feeling. Especially now with Callan.

"Uhm no it's fine,, thank you though" she trailed off awkwardly, her pen hovering over the page. She wanted to write something to make it look like she knew what she was doing but her stupid brain wouldn't think of anything to write.

Callan furrowed his eyebrows, looking at her unmoving pen and her focused eyes. "No?"

"Yep," Brynn stated, finally thinking of something to write. The title: French Homework. Yeah, that was good.

Callan didn't want to push, but hesitated, "okay then, sweetheart." He rested his right hand on his sisters' left upper arm, his fingers lightly splayed on her shoulder. "You know where to find me if you need anything, yeah?" he asked, placing a small kiss on the side of Bynn's head.

Brynn's eyes remained focused on her paper, and then slowly moved to where Callan's head was. She gave a small smile and whispered an almost inaudible yeah.

Callan stayed where he was for a little longer. Brynn looked towards the food he brought up, she could still see some steam coming off the pancakes and the chocolately spread on top was something she'd never tried before.

"Thank you for the breakfast." Callan nodded and stood back up straight, giving one last unnoticeably longing look towards his sister before turning and going back down the spiral stairs.

When Brynn heard the echo of the library door shut, she relaxed and her breathing evened out. She didn't know what that was but she didn't like it. It was like she had nothing to worry about so her mind chose to give her something so she wasn't bored.

She looked towards the fluffy pancakes, nibbling her bottom lip softly. She hasn't eaten alone in a while. Just the thought of eating made her feel nauseous which never happened whilst she was with Milo. When she was with Milo she ate whatever she could find in her room with no eyes on her. Solace.

Now she felt like people were constantly watching her as she ate. Not wanting eyes on her long, she ate as fast as she could and not wanting to look foolish, she ate as carefully as she could. This was the cycle she went through with every meal.

And now here she was, alone, with food right in front of her ready for her to eat and no one watching her.

Tentatively she reached her right hand out to slide underneath the warmed-up plate, curling her thumb around the top of it skillfully avoiding the chocolaty spread.

She lifted it up and used her left hand to move her French book out the way on the floor, replacing it with the plate. She looked down at the food resting on the pillow.

Picking up the fork that rested on the side with her right hand, she turned it to its side to use it as a knife. She pressed down into the chocolate-pancake fluffiness, cutting into it, then doing the same a few centimetres over. Once she'd successfully cut a piece off, she jabbed the fork into it and lifted it up, staring at it complexly.

The twelve year old swept the area once again and once again came to the conclusion that no one was there. She took a bite.

It was a slow one and a small one at that, but it was a starting point.

By the end of eating, she ate an entire pancake and a half, the raspberries were demolished and the nutella was smothered over her lips more than it was in her belly. She'd come to the conclusion she liked the chocolate spread.

It was more admiring than eating. She got to see her meal properly, looking and choosing what she'd liked to eat first. There was no pressure and no one watching. And she didn't feel like she had to vomit.

The plate was put back down on the folded blanket and the glass of still-warm milk was in her hand. She hadn't had warm milk in years.

And combined with the sweet chocolate spread, it was heavenly.

She looked at the plate and empty glass.

It was nice to feel proud of yourself.

---

On her way downstairs, she made a detour to her room to get changed. Deciding on a magenta, wool jumper tucked into black baggy jeans with white trainers, she picked up her phone from the bed and checked the time. 9:46 am.

Brynn stuffed the device away in her right back pocket and picked up her dishes only to put them down again, remembering she had to brush her teeth.

The next time she picked the dishes up, she kept them in her hold until she made it to the kitchen. The youngest Verlice paused seeing Silas there but nonetheless breathed and continued her trek.

Silas was searching the large fridge, leaning into the left side door with his hand on the top of the right side door; he had his back to her. He was dressed in baggy grey sweatpants, black army boots and a plain white t-shirt.

As silently as she could, she went over to the sink and washed her dishes, placing them on the drying rack. She dried her hands with the white dishcloth sat on the side of the sink and went to sit on the island. Sitting on her phone for a while sounded good, especially after her already-semi-kinda productive morning.

She sat down and looked up, to where the fridge was opposite her on the other side of the island. Silas still remained in his place, looking in the fridge. He might not have even noticed she came in, which was great for her because-

Suddenly the fridge door slammed shut making her jump. Silas turned around not at all dumbfounded that she was here. In his left hand, he held a half-empty milk carton and with his right hand he was slowly unscrewing the green lid.

Brynn made the mistake of making full eye contact with him the second he turned around. Now he was holding it intensely.

His eyes never left as he unscrewed the lid fully and brought the carton up to drink.

Brynn felt the awkwardness slap her right across the face, her eyes wide and face red.

Silas kept gulping until he finished, removing the carton from his lips with a refreshed, hissed "ahhh". He screwed the lid back on and put the carton down onto the kitchen counter with quite a bit of force that the milk inside it sloshed around.

He pressed against the counter with his two arms and leaned over, his eyes narrowing and his mouth forming into a faint smirk. He was thoroughly enjoying this.

Brynn, on the other hand, could feel her very eyeballs dry with every second that went past. She was not enjoying this as much as he.

Their staring was abruptly stopped by Callan yelling from somewhere in the ginormous mansion.

"SILAS!"

Silas didn't flinch, still focused on his little sister who was internally going into cardiac arrest at the yell.

The kitchen made everything louder, that's one thing she'd found out today.

Eventually after a few more seconds of staring, Silas answered. "What!"

"It's your turn to do the shopping!"

Silas finally closed his eyes and groaned. Brynn finally blinked and she did so quite rapidly, trying to regain feeling in her eyes again.

"For gods sake," he muttered, snatching the milk carton and turning around to angrily open the fridge door and throwing it into the side shelf.

"I heard that!"

"Heard what, dear?"

"And take someone with you! I'm not having you-" Callan's voice got closer and closer until he actually appeared in the kitchen. He cut himself off making eye contact with Brynn.

Meanwhile Silas went back to staring at Brynn, thoughtfully. Callan grinned, walking further in, "hey sorellina, did you enjoy-"

Silas cut him off this time, rounding the kitchen island towards Brynn reaching his hand out to grip the back of her shirt and pulling her off the chair. "She's coming with me."

Brynn yelped at the sudden action, doing her best to remain on her feet to keep up with Silas' pace.

"Silas," Callan warned with a stern face as Silas stormed past. Silas ignored him.

"What? You told me to bring someone, I'm bringing someone," he informed walking towards the garage door. Brynn didn't even get time to wave her possible last goodbye to Callan.

Arriving at the large grocery shop after a silent drive that had to have at least lasted nineteen minutes, they began their shop. Well, they was a strong word. Silas with a Brynn trying to keep up with him was more accurate.

Silas threw most things he saw into the shopping trolley and Brynn didn't know whether he knew what to get off by heart, or if he was winging it.

Brynn also didn't know how he was able to move so fast with a trolley, those things required so much energy for her to turn.

He rounded the corner to the confectionary isle and once again didn't bother to look at what he was getting. This was probably why he wasn't allowed to do the shopping alone.

She was not going to point it out though and she sure hoped Callan didn't expect her to point it out.

"What do you want?"

Brynn snapped her head up to Silas who had one eyebrow raised in questioning and annoyance. She furrowed her eyebrows giving a confused look to which Silas stepped around the trolley, boots clunking and bent down to in front of her face. Brynn pulled her head back a bit.

"What," he spread his hands and arms out on each side in a questioning manner, "do," he brought his arms in a little closer, "you," he used his right pointer finger to push into the middle of her chest, "want?" he brought his hands together like he was holding something. All being said in a condescending tone.

Brynn scrunched her face up, "'m not stupid."

"Then what do you want?" he narrowed his eyes thinking and gesturing to the entire isle.

"Nothing I'm not hungry."

Silas narrowed his eyes further then stood back up. He gripped the trolley handles and began walking out the isle, knowing Brynn would be in tow.

Everything bought and smushed into the boot of his car, he reached up to shut the boot however when his hand made contact with it, something across the street caught his eye.

He looked at the building opposite the car park where they were and thought for a few moments. Then he leaned towards his left, looking at his sister; leaning her back against the passenger side of his black bugatti, looking down at her fingers as she played with them.

Looking back at the building, he made his decision. The man slammed the boot shut causing Brynn to jump off the car door after the vibrations reverberated through her back.

Silas walked around to her and grabbed her left wrist with his right hand, "come on."

Not having a clue what he was doing, she went with him through the crossings to the place across the street.

It was a huge building and the majority of the architecture was a lot of glass which gave a glimpse of the inside. The towering building held about four floors and on each floor were colourful cars. On the front center, in cursive letters was Sports Cars.

The large entrance doors opened when they were exactly two feet away from them and the interior was mesmerising to Brynn. The floors were shiny, white marble and on each side of the room were rows of ten cars. Each of them in different colours. And down at the very end was a large desk, where people sat on phones most likely working.

Silas smirked discretely at his sister's opening and closing mouth because really, this was so cool.

A man who was working on something behind the large desk at the end looked up, then grinned coming out from behind it.

"Ah, Silas Verlice, my best customer," he grinned coming over, holding his right hand out for Silas to shake, which he did.

The man looked down at Brynn. His eyes widened as he released Silas' hand.

"Oh and this must be..." he held his right hand out to the unsure Brynn, smiling, "Brynn." Brynn took his hand with her own giving a small shake to be polite but retracted it as soon as she could.

Silas deadpanned, using his right hand to move Brynn a foot to her left as he tilted to the right a bit now fully in front of her.

"What have you got for me, Louis?" Silas inquired, straight-faced. The man- Louis- cleared his throat with a tight smile.

He used his right pointer finger to tap his nose twice then pointed up. "Come and see."

He led them to the lift that was to the right of the desk. Silas kept Brynn close, subconsciously moving her to the corner of the lift which he stood in front of as Louis pushed the top button.

The doors closed and the lift jolted, going up. Brynn counted twenty one seconds before it stopped rising and the doors dinged open.

It was clear this floor wasn't visible from the outside.

The second Louis' right foot made contact with the floor, it lit up with a white light and spotlights around the entire room lit up too one by one in order. Brynn's shock seemed to never end.

In the middle on the room was the most coolest car Brynn had ever seen- and she had plenty of them to look at which belonged to her brothers. It had a black holographic colour on the outside and flawlessly tinted windows. In front of it on the floor was a clear glass sign which read, in bright, white, shining cursive letters, Lamborghini.

Silas smirked, walking out to inspect it moving Brynn with him. When they got to it Brynn when to the passenger side and looked at it in awe. Silas stood in front of it, admiring it too with his hands shoved into the grey pockets of his sweats.

Louis came around to the drivers side and tapped the hood of the car lightly twice. "Not even out yet."

Silas rose his eyebrows once and rolled his tongue in his mouth.

"Not scheduled to come out for another year yet either," Louis further expressed, looking in amazement at the car himself. It was a beauty.

Silas turned his little sister, "well?"

Brynn was still looking at her reflection in the perfectly tinted mirror. How did someone get it so perfect? It looked brilliant.

"It's so cool."

Silas turned to Louis, "you heard her."

Louis nodded rapidly, "right away Mr Verlice."

Silas clicked his tongue, getting Brynn's attention. She flushed getting caught awing at the vehicle. Her brother nodded his head back to the lift. "Come on I've got to take you to your session with Derek." They began walking.

"One of the only reasons I brought you," he muttered dismissively as an afterthought. And if that didn't make Brynn's face crumple slightly from her previously amazed one.

---

Brynn walked into Derek's office hearing a faint come in!, after coming out of the lift and walking down the hallway. Silas watched as she went in and then took his eyes off her, going back down.

Derek was sat cross legged atop his desk reading a file. He was dressed in a forest green sweater and dark blue jeans with black trainers on his feet.

=Once Brynn closed the door fully, he looked up on beat with the audible click.

"Brynn, hi," he smiled, closing the file and placing it to his right. "How's the squishy thingy working for you?" he mimed the throwball he gave her with his right hand.

Brynn smiled, awkwardly making her way towards the couch, not knowing if she should right now. "Great, thank you." It was a great thing to throw at the wall when getting frustrated with math homework because it made little to no sound and caused no damage.

"Fabulous," Derek smiled, placing both hands at his sides and lifting himself up, straightening his legs out in front to take a large step forward. "Take a seat wherever as usual. You're always welcome to take a seat," he reassured knowingly.

Brynn felt a bit stupid, speeding up her walking. Of course she had to sit, why would you stand during this?

"Unless, of course, you'd like to stand in which case stand away," Derek spoke again, going around his desk to his mini fridge.

It was like he could read her mind. Brynn walked hastily towards the usual seat she sat in, plonking down into it.

Derek closed his fridge and held up a bottle of orange Oasis in his hand. Brynn cheeks felt hot as she accepted the drink. "Thank you."

"No problem, Brynn, they're there just for you," Derek stated, walking to the single armchair and sitting cross legged on it, "if you ever want one you know where they are." Brynn was never going to actually do that. She nodded appreciatively though.

"So, what's going with Brynn?"

"Not much," said girl replied, unsure whether or not to tell Derek about her eating thing. She wouldn't today.

"I went shopping with Silas today," she settled on, avoiding his analysing gaze.

"And how did that go?"

"Well, it wasn't a real shop, it was more a quick food shopping thing and then he took me to this car place thing."

"Hm, what did you do there?"

"We looked at this cool car which Silas wanted to see."

"Did you talk about anything with him?"

He didn't even want to talk to me.

Derek's gaze focused on this particular internal reply

"Not much talking then?"

Brynn shook her head. Derek thought for a few seconds.

"Do anything nice on Friday or Saturday?"

Brynn's interest in the question was at its peak. "I had my first sleepover."

Derek smiled warmly, "and?"

"It was really good and really fun. Their house was so nice and the beds were spread out all across the living room with a big tv and we watched movies for ages and I woke up in a really odd position but I didn't mind because it was actually pretty funny and-" then Brynn realised that one sentence would have been enough.

Derek, however, seemed to be clinging onto her every word, "wow I don't remember my first sleepover being as cool as that."

Brynn gave a weak smile, "yeah it was fun."

Derek went back to his questions. "Did anything else happen?"

"I learnt how to swim," Brynn replied, staring at nothing on the ground, trying to make a mental list in her mind. "And I have a comfy window to sit on now. And I got a new book. Like a new new book. Not just new. New new. Zayne got me a new new book."

"New new?"

"New new."

---

Monday meant a lot of things for Brynn.

It meant the start of another week mostly, but today it meant she got news she didn't want during third period in I.T. As if the subject wasn't bad enough.

She was typing something on her computer and Penny nudged her from the right. She looked towards her friend.

Penny did not seem happy, "we have proper P.E next period you know?" she whispered trying not to draw attention from their teacher.

Brynn's eyes widened as any work she was going to do left her mind, "what? I thought they waited until next term for earlier years?" She had so much to panic about, she didn't have her kit, she didn't know where it was, she wasn't good at P.E-

"They do," Penny said, "someone suggested it though. I don't know who in their right mind would though."

The second Penny finished speaking, a loud obnoxious laugh made both their heads turn in sync. It came from the other side of the room from Malcolm as he shoved his friend.

Brynn sighed softly and turned back to Penny's annoyed face as she muttered, "three guesses who."

"What are we supposed to do about our kits?"

"Apparently they're giving out spares for today," Penny lips pulled into a frown of disgust.

Brynn nodded and turned her head back to her computer, completely unready for next period.

And unfortunately, next period had to come.

And she was stood in the cold, crisp November air in a far too big spare kit. Everything she was wearing were far too big and she was cold. She had her arms wrapped around her torso and was shifting from foot to foot. Most of her classmates were in the same predicament.

The teacher was currently setting up, leaving them to talk freely but none of them wanted to waste an ounce of energy on it. Except Malcolm who seemed fine in his own P.E kit, which he seemed to conveniently have, talking to his teeth-chattering friends.

It was like everything he said, he wanted to be heard by everyone. A girl even asked him to kindly shut up but that didn't end up well.

"Woah, sorry," he said the 'sorry' in a high-pitched voice pretending to be intimidated by raising his arms in surrender. He looked towards his friends like he was looking for their approval in their laughter but he only got a couple low chuckles. Everyone was freezing.

"Can you like, not talk to me? I literally have a girlfriend oh my god," he stated, causing the entire class to pause their shivering and turn to him simultaneously.

Malcolm took all their attention as awe of him. He was right, they were in awe. Not because he supposedly had a girlfriend. But because that was his reaction to a girl telling him to be quiet.

"You know what's amazing?" Aubrey muttered on the right side of Brynn, words slightly shaky because of the cold. She was still looking at Malcolm in awe.

"The fact that nobody asked him?" Brynn responded, just as shaky, also looking at Malcolm in shock.

Malcolm heard that, whipping his head away from his friends to Brynn's pale face. "Say something, Verlice?" He took a step forward then stopped when the teacher got up from his kneeling pose.

"Right!" the teacher- Mr C- clapped his hands together loudly, getting the attention of all his students.

"Cross country!" he spoke in a loud voice, making sure everybody could hear him,which they could. Especially the ones standing in the front.

"I want you to start with laps!"

Some students groaned whilst others didn't have the energy. "Sir, it's freezing!"

Mr C rolled his eyes, "nonsense. Besides running warms the body up! Now come on," he clapped twice in a feeble attempt to motivate them to move. It was easy for him to say in his joggers, presumably comfy trainers and multiple layers over his torso, including a body warmer.

They moved though, just not as fast as Mr C wanted. It was slow, hesitant steps apart from some who were eager to heat up and started jogging already. Malcolm broke out into a full sprint, going ahead in front of everyone.

Brynn, Penny and Aubrey were somewhere in the middle, small jogs enough to keep up but not fast enough so they ran out of energy. This was the sort of balance they needed right now.

Malcolm passed them for the second time causing Penny to scoff, "do you reckon he ever gets tired holding up that oversized ego he has?"

Aubrey and Brynn gave shaky, amused chuckles. "I'm just waiting for him to trip. That will make this lesson so much better," Aubrey remarked, her voice going even shakier when she said 'so'.

The coach jogged into the middle of the pitch. "You're making them run in this cold?" he asked shivering himself slightly, rubbing his lower arms. Mr C waved him off, "they're fine. Most of them are warming up anyway." He pointed to where Malcolm was acting like he was getting paid for this.

The coach shook his head, "you gotta take them in if it gets worse you know?"

Mr C dismissed him, "yeah yeah."

The three girls had managed to finish their first lap, moving onto their second much like most people. One of the only ways they were able to get through this was by making small conversation.

And their small talk was going well. Until Brynn felt a force hit her back so hard her legs toppled over one another.

She landed, scraping her chin and slamming her hands on the floor. Aubrey and Penny stopped right away as she looked up behind them to see Malcolm chuckling.

"What the hell, Malcolm!" Penny hissed, going over to Brynn who was now sat up, dusting herself off embarrassed.

"What? It's not my fault she was in my way," he scoffed, walking forwards. "What you gonna do? Call your brothers on me?" he mocked like she was a baby.

Brynn had enough of his taunts right in front of her fact. She didn't know where this was coming from. She grabbed the sandy, stony gravel beneath her right hand and bunched it in her hand, maneuvering her legs to get up into a crouch and rise. As she rose faster than Malcolm expected, she also threw the gravel she had in her hands right into his face.

Malcolm yelled out, gripping his stinging eyes, "what the fuck?!" He groaned out, rubbing his eyes furiously.

Brynn stood up properly dusting her hands off nervously, what the hell has she done?

Malcolm took a few tries to open his eyes fully and when he did, his infuriated glare was on Brynn's petrified face. "You bitch!"

He stepped forward but Aubrey, on Brynn's left, pulled Brynn back, "ignore him, Brynn. Come on." She gripped Brynn's left sleeve and turned her around her way so the three could continue their run.

A still-stunned Brynn did whatever Penny and Aubrey instructed her to do, She couldn't believe she had just done that. What the hell was wrong with her?

Malcolm was far from done. The three got about four feet away before he was off again.

"You're just like your fucking brothers, you!" he pointed menacingly, "bunch of fucking gays they are!" Brynn stopped abruptly.

She turned, "what?"

"Just ignore him, Brynn, he's clearly not getting enough attention at home," Penny said trying to pull Brynn back.

"You heard me," Malcolm sneered, "they're just a bunch of bastards! All of them! All of you! Think they've got so much power and they don't! It's no wonder they didn't want you living with them! They're already so fucked up! You hear that Brynn? They're fuck-ups! Absolute fuck-ups!"

"Well at least my brothers aren't some self-repressed druggies who can't take a hint."

Malcolm stopped his ranting. His face going from mad to shocked and then back to livid.

"What did you just say?"

Brynn was shaking, not from the cold anymore. "You heard me."

Malcolm stepped forwards and pushed his hands on Brynn's chest, shoving her back. Being prepared for this one, Brynn didn't fall. Instead she regained her senses and shoved him back, mustering up every ounce of strength she had.

Malcolm obviously didn't expect it, stumbling back a few feet surprised.

Not even three seconds later, his right hand made contact with the left side of her face, a chipped nail leaving a cut under her eye.

And not even three seconds later again, Brynn returned the favour as strongly as she could.

And not even six seconds later both were on the floor, Malcolms stupid chipped nails trying to scratch Brynn and Brynn returning every favour Malcolm does her.

---

Lmao speaking of "Hardly Studying" I have MOCKS so next chapters shall be out around the tenth of December.

Thank you so much.

<3