Golden Boy (EDITING)

Chapter 2

Astrid

"ASTRID, GET UP!" Connor, screamed.

Connor was my youngest brother. He's eight and the youngest of us. It was, Orlando, Chad, Austin, Freddie, Me and Max and then Connor. He was the youngest and he was the loudest and the cutest.

It was seven. Connor began running around the flat screaming.

I groaned. School.

"What is his deal?" A voice said, next to me.

I freaked out and punched in the direction of the sound. 

"What the hell, Astrid?" Noah said.

"Oops, I forgot you were here."

I had made a nest on the floor next to my bed. It was a pathetic mess of couch cushions, old blankets and a whole bunch of hoodies I had found scattered around the flat. It wasn't comfy at all, but I slept like a log.

Noah held his eye and groaned in pain. 

"Sorry." I winced. 

"It's fine." He said, he sat up in bed and pushed his hair back with his fingers.

"Did you know, Maisie was crying all night and you slept through all of it?" Noah said tiredly.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Maisie began to cry again. She shrieked on her bed and Noah picked her up.

"Shhh." He said, he looked exhausted.

"Do you want to borrow my shower and I'll hold Maisie?" I suggested.

"Sure." He said tiredly. He was too tired to argue. I picked Maisie up and she immediately stopped crying and nuzzled into my neck, holding onto my hair. 

"How did you do that?" He said, amazed.

"Go." I said. "Go shower, you stink,"

He offered me an amused smile, but did as I said. 

Maisie fell asleep in my arms and snuggled right up to me. I held back the tears and gulped them down. Those memories were just too painful to think about. I lay her back down onto the bed and wrapped my arms around myself. I wasn't ready to feel those emotions.

I think I fell asleep again because next thing I know Noah and Maisie were gone.

*

*

"Astrid. Get in the car!" Orlando shouted.

I got up quickly, realising I had fallen asleep again.  I groaned and climbed out of bed, quickly slipping my hair into a ponytail. I pulled on jeans and a hoodie and rushed down stairs and out of the diner. 

I slumped in the front seat of Duke's car.

"Where are the others?" 

"Noah didn't want to wake you up. They all went with Noah in his car."

Of course he didn't.

"Maisie isn't his sister, you know that right."

"I do now."

"He and his girlfriend Niomi were literally made for each other. Noah loved her so much, you literally couldn't separate them. But Niomi ended up getting pregnant. Noah was so happy I remember at football he told all of his friends but  weren't aloud to tell anyone. He didn't care that it would change his life. Niomi didn't want a baby though but she wouldn't get an abortion. She gave birth to Maisie and threatened to give her up for adoption so Noah took Maisie before it was too late. Noah made us all swear to not tell anyone about Maisie but obviously I'm telling you. Niomi's parents were horrified and sent her to a all girls school in London. Apparently it's so expensive to go there and so old-fashioned."

We pulled up at school.

"Astrid, you can't tell anyone."

"I'm not going to." I said, rolling my eyes.