I woke up hours later to the sun dipping low in the sky and voices filling the house. My body was stiff and from the fetal position I was curled up in, I could understand why. I was reluctant to move, let alone walk out where my supposed new family was. I knew there was a great amount of them I hadn't meant yet, and they must have found me rude for spending the past few hours in my room. The mere thought of standing up, walking out by them, and pretending to enjoy the fact that I was in there company had my heart racing and my stomach in knots.

I shoved my tear stained face into the pillow that was now mine and inhaled deeply. I would have to find the courage to face them at some point, though I wasn't sure when that would be. As I was gathering some hidden strength within me to sit up and join everyone, my door creaked open. All my muscles tensed and I bit down on my pillow slightly, tucking my chin closer to my knees.

I swore I could hear the person breathing, but brushed it off as my mind playing tricks on me. Then, after silence, footsteps, heading over to the bed I was laying on. I ground my teeth together, pain slicing through my jaw but I ignored it. Hands gripped my shoulders and instead of my blurry vision of my blue pillowcase, I saw cruel grins and threatening leers. I gasped loudly, jerking away from the touch and rolling onto my back.

My eyes met a stormy grey pair and I froze, ice water running through my veins.

The boy standing next to the bed had his head tilted curiously as he stared down at me, his eyes asking questions I didn't know the answers to. Obsidian black curls fell over his forehead, just short of his obscuring his captivating eyes from me. He had fair skin, and it looked so soft that I had to resist the urge to reach out and feel it. His biceps that flexed as he crossed his arms over his chest had my mouth going dry.

"Did I startle you?" He asked in a deep voice that had my pounding against my chest.

"Kind of, yeah," I whispered, my tongue darting out and running across my lips. "I was sleeping and when you woke me..."

"Yeah," his voice level matched my own, barely disturbing the silence that had previously enveloped my room before he had entered it. "I'm sorry. Landon said that I should wake you up so you could come eat." He suddenly narrowed his eyes at me. "Have you ate anything yet today?"

Words got caught in my throat and I gawked, desperately searching my brain for any memory of consuming food that day. I came up blank, finding that had no recollection whatsoever of being fed. When Annie had picked me up that morning and offered to stop somewhere for food, I had turned her down though, my stomach in too many knots to try to eat. I entwined my fingers together, twisting them, the same knots forming in my stomach again.

"I... I can't remember," I lied, trying to soften the blow somewhat since he was still watching me, his eyes demanding an answer to his question, one he seemed greatly concerned about.

"If you can't remember," he said, tilting his head down closer to my own. I jerked my head back slightly, my hands shifting down to the blanket and gripping it tightly. "Then you probably haven't eaten. Come on. We're making grilled cheese and soup, it's the kids favorite."

"The kid's?" I questioned quietly as he took a step back, allowing me to stand. I ran my fingers through my hair, smoothing it away from my face in an attempt to look somewhat presentable. Earlier, Jessica had mentioned that an Isaiah and a Jase were out with some kids and I was curious to know how old they were. Then, I wondered if the boy standing before me was either Jase or Isaiah. I cleared my throat, remembering my manners. "I'm Nyx, by the way"

His lips quirked up slightly, amusement flashing in his steel eyes. "I know," he replied, turning his back to me and leading me out of the room, down the hall. My eyebrows furrowed together, but I followed him anyways. "Mik has been giving me an earful about you. I'm Cassius, don't know if they bothered to mention me."

"Briefly," I told him honestly. He had been the one that Landon thought was hiding in his room. I was desperate to learn why he would ever hide in his room, but aware I had no right to be asking questions, especially when I had enough baggage of my own that I would prefer to keep hidden.

Our conversation ended there. He apparently had nothing else to say to me, and I had no desire to continue speaking at all. Cassius turned the corner, and I stopped turning around it and following him. My throat had constricted, and breathing became a chore I wasn't fond of in the moment. I reached out and leant against the wall, supporting myself, trying to regain my composure but failing.

"Nyx? You okay?" Cassius peered around the corner at me, his lips drawn down into a frown as he took in the state that I was in.

My spine instantly straightened up and the muscles in my face tensed into an impassive look. I gave a jerk of the head as a nod to indicate that I was just fine, and side stepped around him into the kitchen. I nearly started at the amount of vibrancy and cheeriness that was floating around in the room. Laughter was bouncing off the walls; two kids were sitting on the floor in the corner, playing with legos and Hot Wheels; there was mouth watering smell of grilled cheese cooking, Landon standing at the stove, keeping an eye on both the kids and the food he was making for them.

I squirmed in my spot, suddenly feeling like I didn't belong, feeling out of place. This lasted for only a moment, then the little girl let out a cry of delight and jumped to her feet, running to me. I blinked at her, stunned by the amount of excitement she was presenting over me of all people. Both Cassius and Landon were observing her and I with obvious amusement, probably waiting to see how the situation was going to play out. I briefly wondered where Mik was.

"You're really pretty!" The little girl exclaimed, bouncing on her toes, her big brown eyes shining with amazement as she observed me. My mouth fell open and my mouth moved, as if wanting to say something, but unable to find the right words.

Finally, I settled on, "You're really pretty too."

"Pumpkin butt," a familiar exuberant voice rang through the kitchen. "Are you harassing the goddess?"

A blush colored my cheeks and the little girl's nose scrunched up, though I couldn't tell if it was in distaste for what he had called her or confusion from his statement over all. She stared up at me, as if I would have the answers she wanted. I widened my eyes and shrugged, looking over her head at Mik, who leaned against the wall, his hair adorably ruffled and a grin on his face.

"She's a goddess?" The small girl inquired, looking over her shoulder at Mik for a moment before returning her gaze to me, her eyes wider, as if looking at me in a new light. I had to hold in my giggles; I was far from a goddess, not that she could know all the reasons why I was not, and wouldn't ever, be a goddess.

Neither Mik or I got the chance to answer her, for at that moment, the door slammed and a bout of swearing met my ears. My head reared back slightly, shocked by the colorful language I was hearing, but fully aware that children shouldn't be listening to such things, I ducked down and covered the little girl's ears. I peeked over my shoulder, prepared to chew out whoever had chosen to forget that there were children that lived in the house. I wasn't the best human being, but I had been ruined at a young age and I wasn't about to let other children be ruined or corrupted as well.

The little girl who's innocence I was trying to protect, lit up, showing off her missing front teeth. She shot past me, letting out a high pitched squeal, "Isaiah!"

"You just saw me an hour ago, Soph," a masculine voice laughed, though his voice was full of the same adoration that the little girl had. His laugh warmed my bones while simultaneously sending chills down my spine, and I turned, desperate to see his face.

He was handsome, though I wasn't sure I should have expected anything else considering all the other boys had been just as attractive thus far. His dark brown hair was messy, probably in need of a trim with the way he pushed it away from his face. His dark brown eyes were concentrated on the little girl who stood before him, bouncing on her toes, speaking too rapid for me to make out anything. He was tall, probably the same height as Landon, and tanned, as if he spent a lot of time outside.

His eyes drifted away from the little girl and found my own, sending a jolt through me. I tore my eyes away, concentrating on the girl again.

"Is this who you're talking about, Sophia?" the teenage boy, who I assumed to be Isaiah, asked. I could still feel his gaze on my skin, but refused to bring my eyes to him. I filed the fact that the little girl's name was Sophia into the back of my head; a pretty name for a pretty girl.

Sophia lit up again, nodding her head vigorously. I had to bite my lip to keep from smiling as I wondered if it her brain rattled around from how violent all of her actions seemed to be. From what I could tell, Sophia was not the kind of kid to do something half-assed; she went full in, and I appreciated that about her.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, gripping his hand so tight that I winced for him. Her sparkling brown eyes drifted over to her friend that was still sitting in the corner, a Hot Wheels car gripped loosely in one hand, while his bright blue eyes observed the situation. Mostly though, he observed Sophia, tracking her every movement and reacting to her. "Thorne," she cried out to him, once again squirming in place. So much energy in such a small body, I thought. "Isn't she pretty?"

"Yeah," the little boy, Thorne, agreed, shaking his head, golden locks falling into his face. Sophia seemed pleased that he had agreed with her, and returned to her spot on the floor across from him. As she took a seat, she reached out and in a gentle motion, pushed the hair that had fallen into his face back into place. My heart swelled at the loving action between the two, but my attention was soon drawn away from the lovely pair.

"So," Isaiah said, forcing me to tear my eyes away from Sophia and Thorne and acknowledge him. He was leaning against the countertop next to Landon, and by the way he was watching the food be cooked, one would have thought he was supervising. "You're the new girl, Nyx, right?" He directed it towards me, but his gaze was on Cassius who was standing by the doorway, watching over everyone.

My eyes drifted over to Mik, silently questioning if I should even answer. He noticed my confusion and sent me a friendly smile accompanied by a small nod. Aware that at least Mik was on my side had me relaxing some, as well as causing me to move to stand beside him, finding a good amount of comfort in his presence.

"Yep, this would be Nyx," Mik answered Isaiah's question, though it clearly wasn't meant for him. I started then tensed as he wound an arm around my neck, pulling me close. I could feel the warmth radiating off his body, though I was pressing against him, which I was grateful for. I might have spontaneously combusted if we got any closer. "Isn't she as pretty as a goddess too?"

Isaiah's eyebrows shot up. "Has the right dark coloring for the goddess of the night, at least."

I blushed, because he was right. With my dark brown hair and even darker eyes, it was no wonder I got so many jokes about the goddess of the night, not to mention my nocturnal habits that Annie loathed.

I swallowed hard, reluctant to spit out the words that were forming in my mouth. "It's not my real name," I said quietly, my tongue heavy in my mouth, truly not enjoying the taste of the explanation I was constantly repeating. "My full name is Onyx. No one calls me that, though. I don't like it very much."

"Why not?" Cassius' voice was cool and curious, though it had me flinching. He couldn't possibly know how deep my hatred for first name and the story behind it ran, therefore I couldn't blame him for asking, for attempting to coax a story that was better forgotten.

"Another day," I told him vaguely, my eyes drifting over towards the window that looked out into the yard. I could just make out the treeline, and the combination of the sun setting, casting shadows among the trees, and my already anxious thoughts had my heart racing. "Where's Jessica and Ben?"

"They ran out to the store," Landon explained, speaking up for the first time since I had walked in. I tore my eyes away from the window and watched him as he moved around the kitchen gracefully, preparing to serve food to us. Him and Mik had been the kindest to me so far, other than Sophia, and I made a mental note to thank him profusely before I slipped away to hide again. "Why?" He turned to face me, his blue eye prying at me. "Did you need something?"

"N-No," I stuttered out, shaking my head. My heart was still going at a mile a minute, my shoulders tense, prepared to lunge or pounce if something were to go wrong. I had to swallow hard to push away tears and horrible thoughts. This is why people thought I was crazy; in perfectly normal situations, surrounded by lovely people, I still thought the worst, prepared for the worst. My paranoia and distrust of those around me was like a stake to the heart considering how welcoming they had been so far.

"Nyx?" Mik was eyeing me up with clear concern. I quick scan of the room, and I realized that all of the boys were. Sophia and Thorne were still playing in the corner, blissfully unaware of the tension that had enveloped the room. My heart sank into my stomach as I realized that they had probably been informed of my tragic story and Jessica had warned them to be nice to the psycho, miserable girl.

I took a step away from Mik, causing him to drop his arm. I hated the loss I felt without his touch, hated that it had gave me some sense of normality that I didn't deserve at all. As much as I craved normal, I knew I would never be able to obtain it, not only because of everything that had happened to me, but because in the midst of insanity it was hard to find any sense of normalcy.

I clenched my fists, nails biting into my skin, close to drawing blood. I ducked my head, unwilling to look anyone in the eyes as I made my request, aware that I was taking a step in the wrong direction. "Do you think I can take my grilled cheese to go? I'm not so sure I can be around people right now."

A/n: okay so here is an unedited new chapter I just really wanted to give this to y'all. Tell me what you think of the guys you've met so far, one more left to meet!!

Do you have a fav so far??

xoxo,

ry.