I quickly slammed the car door and stood outside the apartments in shock. My legs wouldn't move, my eyes fixated on each apartment. I was going to living somewhere other than the streets. For the first time since I was five.

"Uh, Vik?" I said, beginning to tremble.

"Yeah?" He replies, noticing the slight quiver in my tone. He turned to face me as my shaking worsened.

"I haven't been Inside a home since I was five." The words just seemed to flow out of my mouth, and Vik seemed like a very trusting guy. "I don't know how to uh, um, I don't know."

"It's okay. Take a breath. This is all new for you. The other guys are gunna love you and you'll be just fine," Josh smiles, rubbing my back.

I was relieved. Josh thought I'd be okay, and I felt an oddly at peace with him.

I walked up the long stairs to the apartment. Each step I took, I got closer to my next chapter. Who knew where it would take me.

Josh grabs the keys from his pocket and opens the door. All eyes turn to where we stood. "So guys, this is- wait a mo, we don't even know your name," Vik exclaimed, elbowing me softly to speak.

"Uh yeah, sorry. I'm kelli Wills. Call me whatever, I probably won't be here long so don't feel the need to get close to me," I say, speaking the complete truth, I'm sure they didn't want me here.

A pink haired boy, quite tall, maybe six foot stood up, a girl with a lighter shade of pink copying him and wrapped her hand around his waist, obviously telling me he's hers. I nodded to her and she gave a small smile.

"I'm Simon and that's Talia," Simon says to me holding out his hand to shake.

I shook it and Talia spoke up. "Should be nice to have another girl around, nice to meet you!"

Her truthful tone made me smile and I stood their awkwardly. "She's here for as long as she likes, and before you guys go judging her you ought to know she was from the streets. She blacked out and we took her to the hospital. Lucky we found her to be honest," Josh says and walks to the sink to get me a glass of water. I thank him and try to take small sips, but failed and drank the whole glass in a few gulps.

Everyone laughed. "Don't blame you on that one," Simon says. "Well I've got editing to do before tonight, I'll leave you with Talia. See you later," Simon saunters off, his long legs stepping over a beanbag and out the front door.

I still stand there feeling wrongly placed. I shouldn't be here, why did they bring me here?
Maybe they felt bad for me, probably that one. Obviously that one. I didn't want to be a burden on them, but Talia took my hand and sat me on the sofa. "Sorry, I'm just trying to get a read on you."

"Well..?" I say, not knowing what her reply would be.

"Furrowed eyebrows, obviously worried. That's okay, if I'm totally honest I don't think Josh and Vik have ever wanted some random girl in the apartment they just met. You must be special," Talia says, and I'm a little taken aback by her comment.

I don't know what to say. "Sorry, if I'm honest I don't know why'd they'd want me here anyway, I'm just a homeless girl who smashed their hand on a window and hasn't eaten or drank in a couple weeks. Not properly anyway. Sorry to bother you, I'm not one to make friends and don't normally trust people but I needed this, I needed help."

I lower my head in shame. Talia lifted my head up and looked me in my eyes. "You need people sweetie. You won't survive without them, so I'm gunna help you in that department. See how you told me all that? That's trust."

I guess she was right, I didn't have to tell her that but I did. I did confuse myself with this.

"They only feel bad for me," I say, knowing it's no lie.

"Maybe so. But they still didn't have to bring you into their home," Talia speaks softly, her voice soothing and warm.

I open my mouth to carry on my argument, but she puts a finger to my lips. "Instead of asking yourself why your here, maybe try to enjoy it. There's plenty of single guys who would be so lucky to have you round here, and I know your gunna love some of the places I'm defo taking you to. I don't care what you have to say, your coming and your enjoying."

I couldn't argue with her. So I nodded, gave her a small smile as she shot up. "Before you meet the rest of the boys, I'm going to get you some new clothes and run you a hot shower."

My eyes opened wide. Hot. Running. Water. I was a little embarrassed, but Talia just winked at me and went to Josh's room. I'm guessing he had a girlfriend, I hoped she wouldn't mind me borrowing her clothes for a while.

After she had run the shower for a minute or so, so closed the bathroom door behind her and I stared into the long, shiny mirror. I grimaced at my dirty skin, my hair all knotty and tangled. I couldn't wait to feel the warm water on my skin. It's been forever.

I step in and instantly feel my muscles relaxing and my body heating up. I smiled to myself as I grabbed the shampoo from below me. After washing away the dirt and rising out all the hair products from my hair, I felt different. I felt alive. I decided to give myself an extra couple minutes under the water, just letting myself go and forgetting all my troubles.

I didn't want to waste their water so I sighed and turned the water off, grabbing the towel from the toilet seat and drying myself off. I couldn't wait another second to look at myself in the mirror. I looked brand new. Clean. I hoped to impress Talia with my natural looks, she was jealously beautiful and hard to beat. I looked at what Talia had picked out for me to wear. No matter what is was, I was one hundred percent sure it was better than my rags I'd worn for too long. It was a cropped top, neon green, matching perfectly with my somehow tanned skin. To pair it was some white combat trousers, I laughed imaging the state this would look after living on the streets. I looked pretty. Maybe I could ask Talia for some accessories?

I took a deep breath and opened the bathroom door. As soon as Talia saw me she squealed and hugged me. I winced at the gesture, I had forgotten what being hugged felt like. She pulled away. "Sorry. I love giving hugs."

I told her it was fine and gave her a slow twirl. "It's amazing!" I couldn't help but feel proud that I pulled it off, or at least Talia thought it was good. I turned back around to see four other guys sitting on the sofa.

I firstly noticed the fairly short ginger boy. He had a very contagious laugh and obviously worked out.

He was laughing with a boy with bright red hair, tied back and his forehead covered with a bandana. They both had laughs that would make anyone happy.

His accent told me he was partly African, as did the other boy who looked similar to him. He was more quiet, a listener more than a talker. He had short black hair and a peaceful aura to him.

The last one was pale with messy blonde hair that stuck up in odd places, wearing a black and pink bucket hat with the letters SDMN written on the front. He also wore a cow print hoodie with the same letters imprinted on it. I noticed he had a oddly sad look to him, seeing the situation around him. I shrugged it off, he was probably just tired.

I noticed how the others also wore clothing with SDMN written on them, all of them having a very amazing sense of style.

Vik noticed me and Talia first and shouted over the noise. "Hey Kelli! Hey Talia!"

They all turned to face me. Their smiles had been replaced with confusion, all apart from Simon, Josh and Vik. "Guys this is Kelli, she's going to be staying here for a little while. Please try not to intimidate her, I'm looking at you Ethan and JJ."

The two with the contagious laughs smirked, both getting up and shaking my hand.

"Welcome to the life of living with the Sidemen."

sorry for the wait! next part coming sooner I promise!