"He got that boyish look that I like in a man I am an architect, I'm drawing up the plans, It's like I'm seventeen, nobody understands."

Friday has finally arrived, our free day, the one day this week with no sports games we need to attend, no activities, no plans. We get to do whatever we want. Though, it does come with hangover headaches all across the board.

I pry my eyes open before any of the others, finding Jameson somehow shirtless under Avery's bed, who knows how he ended up there. Avery is lying upside down on her bed with her hair draping off and tickling Jameson's neck as he tries to unconsciously swat it away. Xander is asleep in the bathtub. Tristan has stolen Maja's bed, she is now asleep in Amelia's bed. I grin when I see Maja's arm wrapped around the curly blonde haired girls waist. Kassidy isn't even here, though I do recall her leaving us for some guy in another school. Thea is the only other person up, pacing the porch outside.

Noah per my request once everyone else was already asleep, is laying in bed beside me, holding me loosely around the stomach as he sleep mumbles something about a cactus. 

I roll around in his unknowing arms and place a kiss on his cheek.

That's when an annoyingly loud trumpet blares in our ears from outside, Avery gets so shocked she falls off her bed and lands atop Jameson with a painful thud. Everyone else jumps to their feet, including Maja who pushes herself far away from the girl she was once spooning.

"Fucking hell!" Xander yelps from the bathtub. 

"Oh my god." Avery groans, clutching her head at the pain rippling through all our brains right now.

Jameson frowns from beneath her, "Want me to kiss it better?" He grins cheekily. I roll my eyes and walk over, giving Avery a hand to help her up off my idiot brother's chest.

"Hey look, I kept my shirt on!" I grin proudly. "Huh?" Tristan groans, only now sprouting out of Maja's sheets that he stole.

"I always end up taking my shirt off at parties, I kept it on this time." I say, gesturing to my shirt.

"That's a different shirt." Jameson points out hoarsely, barely keeping his eyes open as he tries to fall back asleep. "Huh?" Tristan furrows his brow, looking over at me. I look down and notice I have in fact changed shirts.

This one is about five sizes too big, I find my 'overworked and underfucked' t-shirt on the floor. "Whose fucking shirt is this?" I say with confusion.

"It might be mine." Noah perks up, revealing his shirtless chest. Thea reenters then, looking better than she did before she started drinking, completely unplagued by the effects like we all are.

"Spencer spilt her drink on her shirt and took it off then started crowd surfing in her bra, Jameson just took his shirt off cause he was bored. Some pervy girl from another school took his shirt off the floor and ran off with it. Then Noah took his shirt off to give it to Spencer so she didn't get cold." She recaps without struggle. I rub my forehead trying to remember any of that, despite having no recollection, I know it's true because all of that sounds in character. 

"How do you remember that shit. And why are you not hungover!" Maja groans jealously.

"I'm just a good drunk." Thea shrugs, all of us huffing and moaning in envy.

"What are we doing today?" I ask, a sort of buzz in me since Noah and I started dating last night. We haven't told anyone yet, I don't know when we plan on telling everyone but hopefully it's soon.

"Poking our eyes out." Jameson growls, adjusting his eyes to the bright morning lights.

"Well I wanna go for a swim in the lake." I decide, everyone mumbles explicits, Maja even throws a pillow at my head. "Come on guys, I'm not letting our collective hangover destroy our day." I say cheerfully, tossing the pillow right back to her and searching through my bags.

"In fact.. you know what they always say. Hair of the dog." I smile, going towards the left over alcohol and pouring each of us a cup. 

"I'm not eating dog hair Hawthorne, I'm allergic." Tristan barks. 

"Don't be stupid! It's a saying. Hair of the dog that bit you. It means the cure to a hangover is to drink more, that way you can never be hungover." I say, passing out the cups.

"That's why Jamie here is experiencing his first ever hangover, because he drinks every day." I tease, ruffling his hair as I walk past.

We all drink it down and I go to close the bottle when I realize something from the table is missing.

"Shit.. did we use all that coke?" I gape. "We didn't have any." Thea dictates.

"Well someone did, it's fucking gone." I yell. "Okay, so some other kids must've had it. Whatever." Jameson shrugs uncaring. 

"That's fucking class A drugs bought illegally by me. What if someone snitched?" I panic.

"Relax! Someone probably just stole it for themself. Just forget about it!" Maja interrupts.

"Fuck!" I hiss, running a hand through my hair. "It's fine, Spence." Noah comes to my side and places a comforting hand on my back.

"Let's just all get changed and go swimming, we can search for it later, might just be on the floor." Jameson decides.

I nod in agreement, shooing all the guys out of our room and starting to change into our swimsuits. I wear the only one I have, a dark blue one-piece. I go into the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. 

Staring at my reflection never fails to bring tears to my eyes. I trace my hands over my hips, hating the way I look in this swimsuit. I only own one bikini that I never wear. Swimming is one of the most unpleasant things when you look how I look. Normally I would used duct tape all around my stomach to look skinnier but unfortunately I wasn't that prepared today.

So instead, I settle for choking myself with my fingers and spewing down the toilet. I brush my teeth and head out.

All the guys are already waiting in their swimsuits, all the other girls are wearing bikinis. I rush to my bags to get a pair of shorts and a baggy t-shirt to cover myself with before we get in the lake, again another thing the others haven't done.

"You okay? Sounded like you were throwing up in there." Avery asks sympathetically.

Jameson and Xander's eyes dart to me, "Yeah.. just the alcohol catching up on me." I explain, trying to ignore the worried looks from my brothers who know my history.

"Let's go." I'm quick to say. We all head out to the lake, all the others running in and leaving me and Noah alone.

"You feeling okay?" He asks with a frown. "Yeah I got it all out of my system." I dismiss. 

I start taking my shorts and t-shirt off, insecurely folding my arms over my stomach.

"You look really pretty." Noah tells me sheepishly. I feel a blush on my cheeks as I playfully shove his shoulder. He ruffles my hair as we walk into the water side by side.

It's cold but we adapt quickly. We spend the whole day swimming and splashing each other and playing stupid games like chicken. The sun is setting and Noah's arms are wrapped around my waist hugging me as we watch Jameson and Thea argue about god knows what this time. It's sort of hilarious that they've both found someone as competitive as them to argue with.

Xander eyes me weirdly from across the group, clearly picking up on Noah and I's closeness. We should probably tell him. 

Once the sun has set and our skin is pruned up, we get out and light a fire on the shore. I wear my shorts and t-shirt which now clings to my wet body. 

We're roasting the marshmallows someone ran back to get and laughing. But then my eyes find a rock. 

"Good girl. Now bend over." He said slowly so I wasn't intimidated. I felt my whole body fully shaking and vibrating as I very slowly bent over. 

"Just relax. I'll do all the work. You just sit there and be quiet okay." He ordered firmly. I felt his hands on me. I felt him forcing himself inside of me. "Go slow?" I requested pleadingly. The second he started thrusting in and out, I realized he was not in fact going slow like I asked him to. He pumped in and out, making me actually scream out in just how much it fucking hurt.

Tears dribbled down my face and fell onto the rock as I cried out tortured echoes of pain. "Shut up!" He commanded, slapping a hand over my mouth and continuing.

"Spence!" Jameson's voice yells over the flashback replaying in my mind.

I finally pry my teary eyes from the rock. "You okay?" He repeats.

"Fine." I shrug off dismissively, getting to my feet and jogging away, ignoring the calls of everyone confused.

I hear footsteps behind me and get ready to yell. Avery jogs beside me.

"God it's cold out." She shivers. "Mhm." I agree with annoyance.

"I gotta ask you something." Avery lectures. "Go for it." I sigh deeply, fearing for what she's asking me.

"Are you and Noah dating?" She squeals. "He told you?" I furrow my brows. "No, it doesn't take a genius to see." Avery scoffs, intertwining our hands and swinging them as we walk.

"Last night. He asked me out." I can't help but grin as we approach our cabin. "I knew it! I swear I called it from when he started tutoring you." She points with serious excitement.

"You two are literally perfect together." She sighs jealously. 

"Well what about you and Jamie? Don't pretend I can't see the obvious flirting, I'm very perseptive." I say intelligently.

"Can I admit something.." Avery opens the cabin door and we walk inside. I nod. "Jameson kissed me. The week before we left. After I was shot at in the woods." She says with genuine fear in her eyes.

"Go the fuck back... You were shot?" I furrow my brows. "You.. didn't hear?" She raises a brow with confusion.

"Who the fuck shot you? When? Are you okay?" I almost laugh at how little I actually know.

"You literally live there, surely you should've been like told?" Avery genuinely laughs. "I wasn't shot. I was shot at. The bullet hit a tree and bark lodged into my shoulder. It was literally like a week ago.. are you like not on the Hawthorne family groupchat or something?" Avery giggles teasingly.

"Clearly not. Are you okay?" I ask genuinely. "I'm fine. Oren offered Thea and I up for bait to catch the guy. That was on Friday. It was like a huge car chase?? It was all over the news." Avery hints as if I'll suddenly remember the event that nobody told me about.

"Turns out it was Libby's ex. But someone had to let him onto the property." Avery explains.

"Shit.. so someone's still out there? Someone in our house?" I gape in fear.

"Someone was shot at in your home, there's an attempted murderer in your home.. You sure you even live there at all?" She laughs.

"I'm starting to wander. I mean I guess I've been busy with studying." And starving myself, and fucking my gym teacher. "I dunno, surely I should have noticed you almost dying?" I smirk, suppressing my laughter at the irony that all this could be going on and I could have no clue.

"Well you're a busy girl." Avery dismisses, "Now can we please do back out to the others and keep partying?" She asks as she changes out of her wet swimsuit and into her pj's, me doing the same.

"I guess." I roll by eyes stubbornly and head out after her, she interlocks our hands so we don't get lost, though I'm not entirely sure how you could get lost around here.

Back at the fire, Avery braids my wet hair and then does her own. The guys watch with fascination as they try to comprehend how she did it.

We eat burgers for dinner, surrounding the fire, laughing and joking around. Wrapped in towels and blankets we walk back to our separate cabins. 

When all the boys are inside their cabin, Noah waits behind a little, patiently waiting for all the girls to step inside our cabin. 

The moment they do, he smiles sheepishly, scratching his neck like a nervous kid.

"Hey." Noah grins cutely. "Hi." I find myself blushing. Blushing? Who the hell am I?

"You nervous for volleyball?" He asks me conversationally, sitting on the steps to our cabin and silently beckoning me to sit beside him to, which I do.

"Not really." I shrug honestly. "What about you? Are you scared about soccer?" I offer the question. 

"Yeah.. I guess I am." He admits. "Why? What's there to be nervous about. From what I've been told you're incredible." I say, interlocking our fingers and noting the way he instantly un-tenses the moment our hands touch.

"I'm good at soccer.. great even. But last month I tore my hamstring. I haven't been able to play since and that means I've not practised since.. The doctors haven't even officially given me the all clear to play again." He confides.

"Noah, is that safe? You shouldn't be playing if you're gonna get hurt." I worry.

"I'll be fine. Just as long as my girlfriend is there to support me?" Noah asks, looking in my eyes with this adorable sheepish smile.

"Of course I'll be there." I grin, leaning in slowly and pressing a gentle kiss onto his lips. 

"I count on it." He presses one last gentle kiss on my forehead and heads back to his cabin, watching from his doorway to make sure I get in okay, despite the mere 6 second walk in the door.

I give him a bashful wave and step inside my door, slipping into my sheets and falling into a deep slumber in no time.

The following morning we arise early for volleyball. Avery, Amelia and I all get changed into the uniforms provided by the school in our colors. We end up winning and immediately heading to lunch.

Noah is nowhere to be seen, nor is Jameson, likely because their soccer game is immediately after lunch so I can imagine they're stretching.

It occurs to me whilst we're all eating that maybe they didn't have time to grab lunch. In fact they definitely won't have because lunch started right after the volleyball game ended and they were gone the second our game ended.

I bag up two sandwiches and two bottles of water, jogging out before even telling the others where I'm going.

I get out to the field and find Jameson lunging whilst Noah stretches his leg propped up on a bench, he winces as he stretches his hamstring.

Jameson catches my eyes first, furrowing his brows and standing up.

"What are you doing out here?" He asks with confusion. Noah turns around with confusion and his eyes find me, he smiles and walks towards me.

"Hi." He greets. "Hey.. I figured you guys wouldn't have had lunch so I brought you some." I explain, passing them each a sandwich and bottle of water.

"Nice, thanks." Jameson growls like a ferocious beast, opening the bag and practically inhaling the contents like he's never been fed once in his life.

"Did you manage to get something?" Noah asks me kindly, opening the bag and taking out one half, eating it very slowly in comparison to Jameson. The second Noah says that, Jameson looks up with the realization he never asked and waits for my answer, cheeks overflowing with food as he pauses.

"No.. but I'm good." I deny my hunger. Noah nonchalantly passes me his other half of his sandwich, not even batting an eye. I've noticed simple acts of service just come naturally to him, like passing me a pen when I need one or half his sandwich, without even saying a thing about it. Maybe that's just what boyfriends are supposed to do.

I smile and eat the sandwich, barely even thinking about the fact I'm eating something and focusing on how cute Noah is.

Jameson glances between us with a knowing smirk.

"You played great by the way. Congrats on the win." Noah gives me a hug from the side. His hand on my extremely sweaty shoulder not even mentioning how disgustingly sweaty I am after the game.

"Thanks. It's not for me though, I'm not a fan of the whole 'sports' thing." I laugh, nuzzling closer to his body for the hug and ignoring the way Jameson snickers and rolls his eyes, whether it's at our hug or at my lifelong distaste for sports i don't know.

"For a girl who hates sports you're pretty good at it." Noah smirks.

"Yeah well sports can be your thing." I giggle. "Speaking of, good luck out there." I say.

"Thanks." He replies. "Just be careful. How are you doing?" I ask gently.

"I'll be fine. I'm just gonna go easy." He nods in agreement. 

"Good." I chirp.

Not long later the game starts, I find Xander and Avery and stand with them. Just as promised, Noah takes it easy the whole game, only stepping up when he has to. The team ends up winning thanks to a finalising goal scored by Jameson. 

I notice every from our school starts to flood the pitch, having won our very last sport of the week. I glance to Avery with a cheeky grin, grabbing her hand and sprinting her through the crowds towards the team. 

I let go of Avery's hand and physically shove her into the sweaty arms of my brother, who is wearing the most joyful smile I've ever seen.

My eyes dart around the pitch, looking for one person in particular. Our wyes meet and before I know it I'm racing towards Noah.

His face is covered in dirt, he looks a little different without his glasses, being replaced by contacts instead. His jersey is clinging to his abs because of how hot it is and how much exercise he's been doing.

"You played so good. I'm so proud of you." I groan into his neck.

That night, Noah and I stayed up on the porch talking all night in our pj's until I invited him in to my cabin to sleep. He seemed flustered at first but I immediately assured him I meant only to sleep and he laughed, we fell asleep in each other's arms, warmer than those thin sheets could ever get us on our own.

When we woke up, only Kassidy and Thea were up, both of which swore not to say a thing. I know by now not to trust Kassidy, but she didn't seem to care.

Upon waking up, Noah and I had breakfast with the others then sat next to each other on the bus ride home. I fell asleep on his shoulder, our hands intertwined and my wired headphones playing in each of our ears.

It was late when we got home, almost midnight. Noah and Maja's Mom was waiting in the parking lot, he offered to give me a ride but I declined, saying the three of us were getting a taxi home. 

Avery gets a ride from Libby, she offered us one but we declined upon seeing how small Libby's car was and realizing we'd never all fit.

As Jameson, Xander and I start to walk away, our principal stops us. "You need a parent or guardian to sign you out." He informs us.

"What? We weren't told that?" Jameson demands. "It was on the letter." Mr Jenkins butts in, his eyes lingering on me a little too long.

"It's fine, we'll just call Nash." I sigh, getting my phone out, noticing that everyone is now gone and the bus driver is now driving off.

"He's out of town." Xander chips in. "Fine, we'll call Grayson." I reply.

"That's not how it works. It's gotta be a parent or guardian listed on your records." Our principal explains.

On the records, it says we have a Mom, a dad and a Grandfather. God knows who's listed as our Fathers when even we don't know, but all I know is we have none of those.

"Sure, let me just call our Grandfather. I'm pretty sure they don't have signal in the burning pits of hell." Jameson emphasises angrily.

"Jamie!" I scold upon noticing the way Xander shivers at the mention of our Grandfather's death.

"This is ridiculous. I'm 18. I'm signing them out." Jameson sighs impatiently. "As a student you need signed out as well regardless of your age... But I see your Parents are also listed here." Our Principal changes the subject.

"Ah yes. My Father. Do you see him? I'm yet to. How about you Spence? Where's your Dad? Who knows, certainly not us. Xan? Any clue? Nope. Didn't think so." Jameson gets furious.

"Well I've met your Mother, so I know you have one of those." He replies.

"There's no way she'd show up." Xander scoffs.

"Look, we have nobody to give us a ride. It has to be our brother or we're waiting here all night." I remain calm, hoping it helps.

"Call your Mom. I'm heading home. Jenkins, you're in charge. Don't let them leave unless it's with a parent or guardian." 

The three of us sulk against the bus stop, freezing and exhausted. Having tried to bribe Ant one too many times we've given up.

We all pull out our phones with the exact same intentions.

Spencer. SOS!!!

Grayson. What is it?

Jameson. we can't leave until the old man comes back from the dead and signs us out

Spencer. OR IF MOM PICKS US UP

Jameson. and which of those options is more realistic

Spencer. I'M ATUALLY GONNA KMS

Grayson. Spencer, please turn your caps lock off, it's distressing for all of us.

Spencer. Grayson, pls stop being a smart ass grandpa, it's exscrewshating 4 all of us.

Grayson. I thought you wanted my help?

Spencer. we do

Grayson. For starters, please turn auto correct on, this conversation is painful.

Spencer. It is on, it jsut doesnkt undrtand me

Xander. It's true, she's been trying to spell dictatorial for ten minutes now

Grayson. Dear lord.

Spencer. THIS STUPID SCOOL IS SUPOSED TO BE A SAFE PLACE. BUT THESE DICTORIAL ASS WIPES ARE RUINING MY LIFE

Jameson. xan literally just typed it, how did could you still get it wrong??

Grayson. I'm coming over there now. Just wait a little.

Xander. They won't let us leave with you, they already said that, it has to be a parent or guardian

Grayson. Well good thing I've got your Dad right here.

Twenty minutes later, we notice Grayson pulling up in the passenger seat with Oren driving. The three of us going back to our texts in perfect sync.

Xander. Oren's our Dad?

Spencer. that'll never work

Grayson. They've never met your Dad.

Spencer. yeah neither hav we tho

Grayson. Exactly.

Oren gets out the car, approaching us, Jenkins eyes him up and down.

"These are my kids." He says begrudgingly, hating every second of this. "These are your kids?" Jenkins emphasises, pointing to Jameson and I.

Our pale white skin looking even more vampire-ish in the moonlight, meanwhile Xander and Oren's dark skin contrasts so much it would be funny if I wasn't so tired.

"Well that's what their Momma claims. But legally I'm their Father." He lies.

Jenkins sighs and hands him the clipboard to sign. Oren signs it and the four of us head back to the car immediately.

"Thanks Daddy." I wink up at Oren jokingly.

"For the record, I'm not old enough to be your Father." He says firmly.

"Oh please, you could be our Granddad." Jameson playfully jokes, earning no laughs from Oren.

"I'm 30!" He says defensively.

"You just turned 52." I remind him. "Fine. I'm 32." He admits. For the record, he most definitely is 52.