Reject's POV

I tapped my fingers excitability on my leg and hummed softly to myself. Today's the day. I get to see them, I get to live with them for a whole week! Ashton said that if this went well this could be my forever home.

Forever. No more foster homes. I'll have a family to call my own. I can be free with people that understand. They might even love me. Just the thought of someone actually loving me made my insides feel all tingly. Love.

Don't get your hopes up. You haven't even stayed with them for more than an hour yet. They'll probably get annoyed with you.

The loud thoughts always bring me back down to reality. They're right, though. I shouldn't start thinking of love and all that before I've even stayed with them for a day. Besides, I've never had love in my life before. How am I even supposed to know what it feels like?

"Here we are." Jessie said as we pulled into the driveway of a large house. There were so many windows and I could see a swimming pool out back.

As soon as the car came to a complete stop I rummaged in the backseat for my bag. The grin on my face was stretching ear to ear.

"I've never seen you smile this much." Jessie remarked, "You must be excited."

I didn't answer her and instead took my bag to follow her up to the house.

"Rae's here!" Calum came out of the door, letting it slam behind him. He jogged down to where the car was parked and put his arms around me.

Instantly, the panic started to rise in my throat. I couldn't breathe. It felt like the world was collapsing in on itself. I shoved him away and took a few deep breaths to calm myself down.

"I'm so sorry." He instantly apologized, "I didn't mean to do that. I promise. I won't do it again until you're ready."

I nodded and looked back up at the house. I wonder what it's like in there.

"We've got a surprise for you inside." Calum told me, "Do you want to come see it?"

I nodded but inside I felt a little unsure. Was it a good surprise or bad surprise? Oh well, there's one way to find out.

Ashton's POV

"You should have seen her on the drive over here." Jessie was telling me as we brought her bags up to her room, "I've never seen Rae smile that wide. She was so excited to get here and spend time with you boys."

I opened the door to the guest bedroom Rae would be staying in, "She's so sweet. I can already tell that she's going to be a great addition to our family."

"You guys have a special connection with her." Jessie remarked, "It's a little odd since her abuser was a male, but as long as she's happy I can't complain."

I just nodded understandingly and looked around the room one more time. It was a guest bedroom that was rarely used so we really didn't bother renovating it all that much. Almost everything was a shade of white or cream. Oh well. Maybe we can repaint it later. Besides, I'm sure she'll find a way to make this space her own.

"Well, I guess I should be going." Jessie said, "Remember, I'm supposed to receive daily updates on how she's settling in. We'll settle adoption arrangements with her social worker."

"Don't you want to say goodbye to Rae?"

Jessie shook her head, "I think she can live without it. Besides, I'm just another person in and out of her life. She doesn't care for me."

"I'm sure that's not true." I offered.

"I've been a foster mother for 10 years," Jessie replied softly, "I've dealt with all kind of kids. But Rae, she's a different one. She's never bonded with anyone. Including me and I've lived with her for 8 months. Rae just keeps to herself in her own little world. We tried so many rounds of therapy to try to get her to open up. Nothing worked."

She wiped a tear that trailed down her cheek, "Just the fact that she smiled when she was with you was amazing. And that she showed you her drawings. I've hardly ever seen anything that girl has drawn. She allowed you into her mind. Don't you know how much that means to her?"

The woman caught me in a sudden hug. "Promise me you'll take care of her. Promise me you'll love her no matter what. Promise me you'll tell her she's beautiful. Promise me you'll do all the things a good father would do for his daughter."

"I promise." I solemnly said, "I promise I'll do all that and more. She'll be safe here."

Jessie let go of me and cleared away the remaining tears away from her face. I stood there awkwardly, not sure of what to do or say. The whole thing has just made me mildly uncomfortable. It's not every day that I have a 40 year old woman crying against my chest.

"Please love her." Jessie whispered, "There isn't anything Rae needs in the world more than that."

Reject's POV

"Ta da!" Calum opened the door to a room, "This is your own art studio!"

I looked in wonder around the room. It was filled with art supplies. Clay, colored pencils, crayons, and paint of every color of the rainbow lined the shelves and there were more canvases and sketchbooks than I could count. A painting easel was set up in the middle of the room with a jar of paintbrushes beside it.

"Do you like it?" Michael appeared behind me, "We didn't know what you liked to work with so we just got a little bit of everything."

Every part of me felt frozen in shock. Why did they get all of this for me? It's not like I deserve any of it. I didn't do anything for them and I can't ever pay them back for all the money they spent. I really wanted to cry. No one has ever done this for me.

Stop being so emotional. You're so weak.

I straightened back up. The loud thoughts are right, just like they always were. I have to be mature. And if I show my emotions that means that I'm vulnerable and they can hurt me easier. At least that's what my father did. If I showed any feelings he would hurt me. I have to stay closed off if I don't want to be hit again.

"We'll just leave you here to decorate and such." Calum said, "Come upstairs if you need us, okay?"

As soon as the boys left I looked around the room to see what exactly I could do. There were sponges in different shapes. Maybe I could dip the sponges in paint and stamp them on the wall. But what if they don't allow that? What if I do it and they hit me? I should ask them if it's okay.

I looked at the door. I don't know my way around this big house. If I get lost it would be really embarrassing and that's almost as bad as being hit.

Just do it anyway

The loud thoughts never get it wrong. I decided to do what they said and go and paint the walls anyway. I opened a few jars of paint and got a star shaped sponge. There was even a sink in the room, which really is convenient since I tend to get paint all over myself.

So they're in a band. I wonder what kind of music they make. I think I remember the names of the songs they sang to me. Amnesia, Catch Fire, Good Girls, and another one that kept talking about the rain in outer space. Does rain in outer space even exist in real life? Oh well, it's probably just one of those lyrical metaphors or something.

Rae!

I straightened up. Was someone calling me? I listened carefully for a few more minutes. There were voices, but they were most likely just the boys talking and preparing dinner. I concentrated back on my job and pressed the sponge into an open spot on the wall. When I lifted it away a perfect blue star was there in it's place. There we go.

Rae!

I stood up this time, slightly annoyed. Who was calling me? I am almost positive that was a voice. Maybe it was a loud thought. No, loud thoughts have only come when I'm thinking really hard about something. I was just pressing a star into a wall. I'm almost positive that wasn't a loud thought.

Rae!

There, I heard it again. Someone has to be calling me. I should go before they come looking for me. I closed the lid on the paints and hurried out of the room. I went up the stairs and heard male voices talking. I followed the sound until I came to a kitchen where all four guys were and Luke was frantically blowing on his hands. A tray of hamburgers and french fries was on the counter.

"Hi Rae." Michael said, taking notice of my presence, "We were just about to call you up for dinner."

They were just about to call me up? But I swear I heard someone saying my name. If it wasn't them than what was it?

"Luke is going to be okay." Michael continued, "He just took the hot tray out of the oven without using oven mitts. He's a dumbass sometimes."

My attentioned snapped back to the blonde boy who let out a yelp and swear word every few seconds. His hands must really hurt. I turned on the cold water handle on the sink. I motioned for Luke to come over and stick his hand under the icy liquid. He did and instantly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you so much, Rae. This feels so much better." He said and gave me a smile.

I shrugged and took the seat next to Ashton at the table, who rolled his eyes.

"Don't you know you're supposed to put burns under cold water?" He picked up a fry and nibbled on it, "You need to work on your common sense. And why did you even take it out of the oven without mitts in the first place?"

"I've done it before." Luke swore.

"Done it before, my ass." Calum proclaimed and tossed a package of paper plates on the table, "Let's eat."

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rewritten chapter 3

so guys what's your lane? I'm a michael slut but i have a soft spot for cal pal.

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