The Marx Brothers

Chapter One - '2am'

"Next time I'll charge you" I tried to joke, cracking a small smile on Jett's perfect face, yet not even a flinch in Phoenix's direction, his head bowed down.

"Hopefully there won't be a next time" Jett replied with a smile, yet his eyes tired of his brother's actions.

"Hopefully" I nodded as I led the boys towards my front door.

"And for the record, you're going to pass medical school with flying colours" He spoke as he walked out the front door, his brother ahead of him, eager to leave.

"Thanks" I blushed. He was charming, beautiful, and unlike his brother, he genuinely appreciated what I was doing for them, for whatever reason.

"Bye" I waved him off as they walked across the road together, hands buried deep into their jeans pockets.

I slowly shut the large wooden door and locked it tightly closed. I subtly pushed aside the ocean blue curtain beside the front door and watched out the window under the dim yellow street lights as they walked towards their eerie two story house across the road. I could tell Jett was already yelling at his brother, his head shaking at appropriate times, his hand pointing towards his face with a stern expression once they reached their yard. I wished I knew what they were saying. I wish I knew why Jett didn't rouse on his brother when I was around. I felt myself yawn and that was all the reminder I needed to head back to bed.

I had to admit, even to myself, the company the brothers once a week gave me was refreshing. I didn't come across much human contact since Gracelin my sister left for Europe early last year. I was too buried in school work to bother going out much or making any new friends.

As soon as my head hit the pillow my mind wandered to Phoenix and just how rude and arrogant he really was. It infuriated me, but I bit my lip because of his brother. With those thoughts and many others running through my head, it took me awhile to eventually fall back into darkness and even when it did take me, I found it hard to have a good hours rest without waking up and thinking about the strange siblings across the street.

-

"Why don't you just ask?" Penny asked me as we sipped coffee during our free period at school, the convenience store across the street much appreciated after a long restless night.

I shrugged "It's none of my business what the real reason is"

"Ugh, it kind of is if they keep showing up on your doorstep pleading for medical help after this guy is beaten to a pulp" She argued.

"He isn't beaten to a pulp, he's just... cut up a little bit" I defended.

"How did it even happen in the first place?" She asked curiously as she held her cup of coffee against her full lips, blowing on the hot steam it propelled.

"A burst water pipe in my front yard when Gracelin was away, the only one that walked past that bothered to help was Jett. After he got a hold of a close friend that fixed it for me, we got talking. It slipped I was focused on medical school once I graduated and I suppose he remembered" I remembered

"And how long after did he show up on your doorstep?"

"About a week" I admitted "He said he didn't have time to wait at the emergency room for hours on end, so I stitched Phoenix up myself in my living room"

"Why did you even let them in your house? For all you know they are mass murderers and these marks are from their fighting victims" She smiled with a creepy smile and demonic gaze.

"I owed him one" I rolled my eyes sipping my double hit of caffeine.

"And what makes you think there's something else going on beside from what he says there is?" Penny continued to nag, despite my unwillingness to talk anymore about it.