Reject's POV

"Welcome to our hooommmeee!" Calum sang dramatically as he opened the door, revealing a slightly anxious Rain on the other side.  She bit her lip and pulled her small suitcase closer to her worn out skinny jeans.

"It's okay.  You'll be safe here." I assured Rain and pulled her in the door.  I set her bags in the hallway and Rain looked around the house in wonder.  I'm exited to have her stay here, and I hope she's excited too.

I had left the psychiatric hospital almost a week before.  Rain would have been released at the same time as me, but since she got angry and violent they had her stay a little longer.  My mind drifted back to my last day there.  Alex had hugged me and said that he was going to miss me.

His hug was different from the hugs I would get from the boys.  The boys's hugs made me feel safe like no one would ever hurt me.  Alex's did too, but they were a little different.  My face always turned red afterwards and the funny feeling in my stomach would come back.  I'll have to ask Michael about this.

"It's so big." Rain finally said after we gave her the tour.  "I've never been in a house this big before."

"You'll get used to it." Calum said cheerfully, "Soon enough you'll be wishing that there is more than one bathroom with a shower because certain people in this household take really long to wash their hair."

This comment was specifically directed at Michael, who sometimes took over 30 minutes in the shower.  Michael crossed his arms and shot a dirty look at Calum.

"Well, at least I don't drink the milk straight from the bottle."  He remarked casually.

"Hey!" The dark haired boy protested, "That was like once!  Okay, twice.  But still!"

"Guys, don't argue." Ashton scolded them.  He gestured to Rain's suitcase, which was still left in the hallway.  "Is that all the clothes you got?"

Rain nodded, "Yes Mr. Irwin."

He chuckled, "You can call me Ashton, or Ash if you'd like.  None of this Mister stuff.  We're all family here, darling.  Same with the other guys too.  Just first names nicknames."

"Sorry." Rain looked down at her scuffed Vans.

"No it's okay." Ashton quickly interjected, "I didn't mean to make you anxious or anything.  I just wanted to make sure we're all comfortable here.  Anyway, what do you think about going shopping?"

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((A/N we're just gonna pretend that nobody recognizes them when they're in the mall.  I know that is completely unrealistic for what would happen irl, but it's for the sake of convenience))

"Welcome to the mall." Luke opened the door into a busy building.  There were two floors and people were everywhere.  Stores lined the sides and a kaleidoscope of different sounds and colors filled and excited my senses.

What if you lose the boys and they never find you?  What if they are here to leave you on purpose?

A small drop of fear entered my brain.  There are a lot of people in here.  If I got lost it might be hard to find me again.

"Rae?  Are you ready?" Ashton's gentle voice brought me back to reality.  I looked up at him and smiled.  He smiled back and ruffled my hair.  Ashton loves me.  He's not going to leave.

"HOT TOPIC!!!!!" Michael yelled and jogged through the crowds of people.

"I guess we better follow after the child." Luke sighed and we made sure to keep the bright haired colored man-boy in sight as we made our way to whatever Hot Topic is.  I vaguely remembered the name before, but I've never actually been to one.

Hot Topic, as I found out, was a clothing store.  It played rock music and sold dark colored clothing a lot like the kind the boys often wore.

"Sunset girl!" Alex embraced me as soon as I set in the store, "I missed you."

"I've only been away for like a week.  How could you have missed me?"

Alex shrugged and let go, flashing one of his pearly white smiles. "I just do."

"You don't have to buy me anything." Rain said and took a few shirts off the pile on the register that was rapidly growing.  The store employees had made the mistake to offer to hold the items that we wanted to purchase up at the checkout.

"Some of it is for us." Luke took the shirts from Rain's hand and placed them back on the pile, "But most of it is for you.  Rae, Alex, do you guys want anything?"

"I have money!" Alex held up a twenty dollar bill.  "C'mon Rae, let's go find some stuff."

In the end, I got a 5SOS shirt and a few chokers.  I've been trying a more gothic look to my clothing lately.  I now own more black than pink. 

Makeup is also fun to experiment with.  At first, I would drag one of the boys (usually Michael) to be my model so I could practice my skills.  Since they've gotten more busy, I had to spend more of my time in front of the mirror trying it on myself.

I took one of the chokers out of the packaging and slipped it over my head and onto my neck.  The silver star charm rested comfortably on the middle of my throat.

"Hey Rae!" Alex whirled around and draped his arm across my shoulder, "Do you want to-" He froze.

"Take that off!" Alex hissed and backed away from me, "They're going to tie you up and hurt you!" He sunk to the ground and started trembling.

What did I do wrong?  What happened?  Everything was fine but then it wasn't.

"Take it off!  They're going to tie you up!" Alex's eyes had a wild look to them.  He didn't seem like the nice and kind Alex I knew.

You screwed up.  Look at what you did.  This is all your fault.

"Alex, what's wrong?" Ashton crouched down so he could be at his eye level.  "What happened?"

My mind was spinning.  I caused this all myself.  Oh my God, I'm such a screwup.  I should never do anything ever again.  I hate myself.

"The collar." Alex whispered.  His voice was different.  It was raspier and more timid. "They're going to tie her up.  That's what they do.  They tie you up and whip you."  He squeezed his eyes shut, "Don't hurt me."

"Rae, take off the choker." Calum whispered to me.

The choker!  Of course that's what it is!  I quickly took the choker off my neck and shoved it deep down in my bag.  He thinks it's a collar.  I mean, it kind of does look like one when you first look at it.  I'm so stupid.  I should have thought about Alex before I bought it.

"No one is gong to hurt you." Ashton said reassuringly to the raven haired boy trembling boy on the floor.  He shot a worried look up at the rest of us.

"It was the choker." Calum said quietly to him, "Rae's choker.  She took it off now."

Ashton quickly nodded and turned his attention back Alex, "Was it the thing that Rae was wearing around her neck?  It's not a collar, Alex.  It's a fashion accessory.  We're not going to tie her up or anyone else."

Alex stood up and walked over to me and stood a few inches from my face.  "Why don't you have marks?" He cleared some of the hair out of my face so the sides of my neck were exposed. 

I noticed something about Alex that I had never noticed before.  He had deep purple marks on his neck.  They reminded me of bruises.  What could cause those bruises? 

Could it be a collar?  Is that what he was talking about when he said about people tying me up?  I had looked up Dissociative Identity Disorder on my own time.  DID was caused when a person had been through a very traumatic experience, usually sexual or physical abuse as a child.  Anything could trigger a personality change.  Stress, people, even just a simple word or action that was similar to a bad experience.

I looked into Alex's hazel colored eyes.  What had he been through?

Alex expression softened, "Sunset girl?  Is that you?"  He must be coming out of his other personality.

"Yes." I gave him a hug, "It's sunset girl."

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awe alex

yo guys if you wanna ask a question go to the previous part and ask it

also btw thanks for getting this story to 2K+ reads ily all