The money from Caspian helped put groceries in our kitchen, despite the conversation we exchanged prior. I tried to forget it, to forget him and Liv. In reality, they probably have it worse than I do. I don't think their father ever got released from jail. Their mother? Who knows where and who she is.

I scrubbed the kitchen counter with a sponge, focusing on the spaghetti sauce that was plastered to the hard surface. I started to think about life back in Florida, but I stopped when reality hit me and four kids piled through the back door at once.

"Hi, Hale!" Multiple voices giggled and said hello, running upstairs immediately afterwards.

Levi sauntered inside last, his head down towards his shoes.

"What's up?" I asked, wringing the sponge out in the sink.

"Nothing, I just wish Missy would contribute to this—to us. I think you've been a better mother to us than she ever has been," Levi huffed while he threw his backpack onto the kitchen table, looking up at me with the same sad expression he always gets from time to time.

"Don't look at me like that, Lev. I've only been here three years and—"

Levi cut me off, his eyebrows narrowing as he spoke, "More than she ever has."

I shrugged and walked over to him, firmly placing my hands on his shoulders, "You're 18. Take control of the kids, you can become a guardian. I'll still be here too, though. You know, for support and back up."

I watched his expression become a little more optimistic.

"That's the worst idea you've ever had," he cracked a small smile, backing away to pick up his bag.

I laughed when I saw his reaction, heading back into the kitchen to microwave leftovers and finish scrubbing spaghetti sauce. I heard the fridge doors open behind me.

"Where did we get the groceries from? Oh wait, who donated them this time?" Levi closed the doors, crossing his arms as he leaned against the fridge.

"Oh, I got them," I proudly stated while semi-cold spaghetti was dispersed on five different plates, rationing our leftovers.

"With what money? Did the money tree blow some bills your way?"

I laughed, sticking a plate in the microwave.
"No, Caspian gave it to me."

Levi widened his eyes, "Caspian? As in Caspian Mitchels? Casp? Geez, Hale, did you fuck his sister or something? If so you better go get checked for STD's."

Levi's eyes were still wide, looking around the kitchen in what seemed to be disbelief.

I took a deep breath, staring down at the cold spaghetti in front of me. "I don't fuck girls, Levi," my voice mumbled as I was somewhat annoyed I waited this long to reveal my secret.

"What do you mean? You're saying you're a virgin? That's bull," Levi retorted as his arms crossed tighter against his chest.

"Secondly, he gave me the money because he felt bad, I think," I turned around to face him, sticking my hands in my front pockets.

"I'm gay, Levi," I spoke calmly but the words came out easier than I expected, like the way you recite a song you've listened to on repeat for a week straight.

Levi's face dropped once again in disbelief, an arm extending to point a finger at me.
"You... gay? As in, taking it up the ass?"

I laughed and shook my head, smacking his pointing finger away. "No, I," I stopped to think of the best way to put this, "do that to other guys."

Levi remained still, mouth open, eyes as wide as a full moon. "What the hell, why didn't you tell me sooner? That's kinda cool," Levi's mouth curved into a smile.

The microwave started to beep, and Levi removed the plate for me.

"Just keep it between you and I, okay? You know nothing about it," I mumbled while I slipped the next plate into the microwave, slamming the door shut, making sure Levi knows to keep his mouth sealed.

He nodded.

"Get everyone down here for dinner." I pointed upstairs to where the rest of the kids were.

"So, like, you enjoy doing that? Fucking guys?"
He tilted his head in question, turning around to head for the stairs.

I smacked my hand against my forehead, rubbing it with my fingers before waving him up the stairs, a chuckle escaping my lips. "Stop, Just go."

During dinner time, we didn't talk much. Lilly asked where mom was, and Levi told her that she's been running late. Halfway through our meal, Missy arrived home drunk and covered in the stench of beer. She stumbled right through the door and headed for the couch. All six of us watched with straight faces as she passed the kitchen table, giving nothing but a nod in our direction.

"What an entrance," Levi said jokingly.

"She'll fall asleep fast," I added, watching her crash onto the couch in the next room.

By the time we were done eating, Missy was asleep. She didn't speak one word to us the whole time she's been home.

"I wanted to show her my school project," Lilly said, quietly pulling a clay bird from her backpack. "I made it myself in art class."

She stared up at me with big blue eyes, holding her bird front and center.

"That's great, Lil. I'm sure Missy will look at it tomorrow," I turned around to see Missy fast asleep, an arm covering her eyes.

"No she won't," Lilly tucked the project back inside of her bookbag, sighing dramatically.

"Stop being so dramatic," Danny slammed his fists against the table, sticking his tongue out at Lilly, "nobody ever looks at what I do, so why should they look at what you do?"

I noticed Levi roll his eyes from across the room. Melanie and Joyce continued doing their homework in the middle of their conversation.

"How about we all just go upstairs and get ready for bed," Levi suggested and threw his arms up in the air, walking towards the steps, obviously annoyed.

Danny and Lilly followed, trying to trip each other the whole way up.

"They're annoying," Melanie  looked up from her notebook, shutting it abruptly. She tucked everything back into her book bag, silently climbing the stairs. She finally broke the phrase everyone was thinking.

I shrugged in response to her observation, pouring a glass of orange juice.

Joyce laughed quickly, walking over to stand next to me, "It's hard being the second oldest sibling."

She grabbed my glass of orange juice, taking a quick sip.

"I guess I should go take a shower before the water gets cold." The glass met the counter again, and Joyce disappeared up the steps.

I peered into the living room, looking at Missy. I thought about the cold shower I would take after everyone else gets done with their warm ones. I thought about how lonely I felt, standing in a room with another person who doesn't even know where they are half the time.

"Well, shoot," I mumbled to myself, finishing the glass of orange juice in one long gulp.

Morning came quickly, filling the sky with a sunrise that left an orange tint over the sidewalk and parked cars. I had to leave early for work, and Levi said he would do everything before school with the rest of the kids. My eyes were heavy as I looked at the world around me, taking a deep breath of fresh air into my lungs. I lit a cigarette, which was the most contradictory thing to my recent deep breath.

The morning was particularly quiet, the only sound being leaves rustling in the trees.

"Hale?"

I heard the sound of shoes skidding against the sidewalk behind me. I immediately turned around, looking up at the small framed girl in front of me. Her black hair was tucked behind her ears, a worried look settled upon her face.

"Liv? What?" I removed the cigarette from my lips, studying her freckled face a bit closer. There were two bruise marks under her left eye, the lower one looking more painful than the one directly above it. Her eyes were starting to water.

"I'm a whore. I tried to get a guy back there and he hit me, right across my face, on my cheek. He told me I was a dumb slut." Liv's voice was getting louder with each word, her arm extending back to point in the direction she came from, where the guy apparently hit her.

"I'm sorry, I guess. Maybe now you won't do it again," I said as I thought of yesterday. I also wondered why she was doing this so damn early.

"You guess? Hale, he hit me. I'm such a slut!" She grabbed my shirt in fist fulls, pulling my body against hers in one swift movement.

"What are you doing?" I broke away from her grip on my shirt, dropping my cigarette onto the cement in the process, "look what you made me do," I glanced down at what I dropped, watching Liv's shoe step on it seconds after the impact.

"Look up here. Look at me," Liv stared directly into my pupils, catching my gaze. She held it for a few moments before crashing into me, her smooth lips pressing against mine. Her arms snaked around my torso, bringing herself closer to my chest. My eyes shot open, pushing her away once I realized what was happening.

"Wow, Liv," I gasped slightly, backing away from her body, both hands tangling into my hair, "what is wrong with you?"

Her lips stayed sealed, eyes meeting mine once again.

"What will it take, Hale? I like you." Liv choked out the words as small fingertips wiped under her eyes, removing the bruises. I saw a tear drop down her cheek as she turned to walk away, her arms crossed at her chest.

I rubbed my temples, shouting after her, "What do you want me to say? You're not a slut and I hope you're okay?"

She stopped walking and turned to face me again for a few seconds, turning right back around to keep going the opposite way, away from me.

Making someone cry is satisfying, in a bad way.

I got to work, thoughts taking over my mind. I couldn't function properly after this morning.

"I'll be back later, white boy," Jose's voice went in one ear and out the other. I watched him get into a different car, with a different girl.

I wished I was in a different state with different people.

The time went by slowly, alone at the register. In a way, it was peaceful. I was alone with my thoughts.

The bell on the door chimed, waking me up from my daydreams.

"I see you didn't listen very well, Hale," Caspian approached the register, cracking his knuckles in the process.

"Listen, I don't have time for this. You leave your hands off of my sister, you don't make her cry again," Caspian leaned over the counter, practically breathing down my neck.

I refused eye contact with such a low life.

"Because of this, you're dead. You didn't just upset my sister, but you made me upset too. It's like a package deal, the two of us. Mess with her, mess with me."

I focused on the keys of the register. I heard the bell on the door chime again, and I looked up despite my urge not to. Liv stood at the door, arms still crossed tightly against her chest.

"Casp, stop. Leave him alone," Liv walked forward, wiping her eyes, "let's just get out of here, don't waste your time with him." Liv desperately tugged on his arm.

"No, I can't do that sis,"Casp raised his fist, plummeting it directly into the left side of my face.

The impact caused me to fall back into the wall, hitting my head against the surface. I regained my balance quickly, glaring up at Casp and Liv. She was crying, and he was smiling.

"Tell me what you've learned today, bitch," Casp looked down at me on the floor. I could sense his hatred blooming like flowers while his eyes pierced me from over the counter.

He took Liv's arm and lead her out of the store.

She looked back at me as I stood up, tears streaming down her face, loud sobs coming from her lips.

She tried to mouth "I'm sorry," but her constant fits of crying stopped her. I felt bad, but not enough for me to do something about it.

I rubbed my sore cheek, falling back against the wall again for support. Three more hours until I can go home.

Home?

Three more hours until I have a different roof to stand and sleep under.

**
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