I walked up to my room, showered and changed to get ready for bed.
I was just about to lay down when my phone rang.
"What?" I asked, in a slightly annoyed tone. I was tired.
"How was your day?" Ashton asked ignoring my annoyed tone.
"I was about to sleep, Ashy." I whined, rolling over and laying down on my stomach.
"You didn't answer his question, Amy." I heard another voice growl, angrily.
"Ugh, what is Daniel doing here?" I groaned.
I hate it when he goes all big brotherly on me. He did it many times, even when I was trying to stay away from him.
"Don't tell me my two best friends are actually friends now."
"How was your day?" Daniel gritted again. I know he wants the tea, so he knows if he needs to kill Josh for mistreating me or something.
"It was great. We went to an amusement park. We ate a lot and rode all the rides there, for the first time may I add. We ate ice-cream and he dropped me home. He was really sweet and treated me well."
"He didn't touch you?" Ashton asked, with curiousity. Such gossip guys.
"No." I said way too quickly.
"That's a lie." They both said at the same time.
"Ugh." I groaned. "Well- uhm- yeah, we almost did."
"Did what?" Ashton growled. God why are you adding so many overprotective truckers to my life? Can't I have more people like Eliza?
"Kissed." I whispered.
"WHAT?" They both yelled at the same time. I heard someone ask what happened in the background.
"She almost kissed him." Ashton told Damon.
Fuck you Ashton.
I heard the phone being snatched from Ashton as Damon's voice was heard.
"Is it the truth?" He asked, angrily. I was about to say something, when Daniel said.
"I gotta go. Bye." He sounded amused and satisfied, because I was in trouble. He cut the call and left me to hear Damon's lecture.
"Yes." I said, now sitting up.
"On your first date?" He asked, trying to keep his cool.
"Yes, Damon." I said. "But we didn't. I pulled away."
"Oh." I heard him say. He chuckled. "Okay, then. You should be glad you didn't, or I would've locked you in the house. You can't just go around kissing boys."
I sighed in relief and closed my eyes.
"How are you?" He asked, after a while. "I'm good." I replied.
Honestly, I'm great. I'm kinda getting attached to my new family. With my brothers, big bro, Ashton, Daniel, Eliza and Sarah, everything's going pretty well. Not to mention, my two cousins, Matteo and the loser.
"Great. You're coming tomorrow, right?" He asked hopefully. I smiled.
"Yeah. I'm coming. I miss you and Ashy." I said, in a sleepy tone.
"Ask Daniel to come too. We're his second family too. He should visit us on weekends." He said. I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my mouth.
He sounds like a father, calling his son and daughter to visit him at weekends.
"Okay. I'll call him." I said, then it suddenly hit me. "What time is it?" I asked, not wanting to open my eyes.
"10.47." He said. "Why? What happened?" He asked.
"Your best friend set a bedtime." I gritted.
"Why?" He asked, amused.
"I lost track of time while painting and didn't get enough sleep." I explained.
"Good." Big bro chuckled.
"Ugh. He said 'one of us will tuck you in'." I said making my voice heavy at the end, mimicking Lorenzo. "I'm not a baby." I whined.
"You are." He chuckled. My phone vibrated. I opened my eyes, to see it was Sarah calling.
"I'll call you later, big bro. Sarah is calling." I said. We said our goodbyes and he hung up.
"Hey, Sarah." I said, happily. Finally someone who's actually excited how it went.
"Hey girl." She said, before firing questions my way. "How was it? Did Eliza get you ready? Did she give you some tips? Did you follow them? Oh god. Did you kiss? I'm so freaking excited." She shrieked.
"Calm down, Sarah." I said. "It was great. Eliza did my hairstyle. She didn't give me tips but it still went great. What was the other question?" I asked.
"Did you kiss?" She said, trying to control her excitement.
"No." I said. "I pulled away. I can't kiss him on the first date." I said.
"Oh. Its okay. Its your choice." Her excitement didn't waver a little.
"I'll meet you on monday. Tell me all the details." She said. We said our goodbyes and hung up.
"I swear, if Eliza calls now..." I whispered. "I can't repeat everything for the third time now."
The door opened and I lifted my head to see Matteo. He smiled and made his way to my bed.
He caressed my cheek.
"Although I hate the thought of a boy even looking at you, but I really hope you enjoyed today and it works out for you." He said.
Is there a reason to not love him, just after the first meeting?
"Thanks." I mumbled. "For being there and being so supportive. I don't know if you understand it, but all of you kinda helped me escape myself."
"That's what family is for, baby. You don't need to be thankful." He said. "Its our job to look after you and support you. Help you find yourself and what you want."
See the difference?
I was an ungrateful brat for chris and Maria, even after doing everything and never asking for anything. Here, I just live like I want to. Although I ask for favours, they still say that I shouldn't be thankful.
I saw the difference when I first started bonding with big bro and I'm seeing it again.
This is the true meaning of family.
"I'm going to big bro's tomorrow." I told him. He nodded.
"Yeah. Lorenzo told me you go there every weekend." He said, before pulling the sheets up and shifting me so I was laying down properly.
He tucked me in and placed a kiss on my forehead.
"Goodnight, Matteo." I whispered. "I hope you enjoy your dreams."
He chuckled.
"Goodnight Amy."
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The doorbell rang just as I came down after getting ready.
"See you later, honey. Love you." Roman said.
"Bye, Roman. Love you too." I said, hearing many groans.
"I love you everyone." I rolled my eyes and added, "Except Jace and Alex. I hate you."
I opened the door and hugged Daniel. He didn't look like his usual cheery self.
"What happened?" I asked, looking at his stressed face.
"Nothing." He said. His eyebrows were furrowed.
"Daniel." I growled in a warning tone. He looked at me, a little horrified, then sighed. He pulled up at the side of the road.
"I-I..." He took a deep breath.
"I like someone." He said,looking at me for a split second, then staring at this hands again.
Bitch, I already know that.
"And that someone is Liam?" I asked.
My eyes lit up and I bounced in my seat. I'm going to hug the life out of this idiot, if he really likes Liam.
"Yeah." He said, looking shocked.
Yes, you make it that obvious.
Before I could lunge at him, he continued. "I want to come out. I shouldn't keep it a secret."
"That's great." I exclaimed.
"But I'm nervous." He said.
This is a rare thing. He doesn't get nervous.
"I'm thinking of telling Damon first." He said.
Of course.
"And?" I asked, motioning my hands, gesturing him to explain further.
"And I'm nervous." He exclaimed in an exasperated tone.
"I'll be there." I said, putting my hand on his shoulder and assuring him. "Damon will support you."
He nodded and started driving again. Soon, we were pulling into the driveway of Big bro's mansion.
"Big Bro." I exclaimed, hugging him. Ashton bro-hugged Daniel.
I pulled away and jumped on Ashton.
"I missed you, Ashy." I pouted as he just looked at me with a little twinkle in his eyes.
"I missed you too, little lady." He said, before walking to the kitchen, with me still clinging onto him.
"She's so adorable around you." I heard Daniel say. Big bro chuckled as I passed them an innocent smile.
Even I'm amazed sometimes.
Ashton sat me down on a seat as I just shook the disappointment away. I was already missing the warmth.
"I need to tell you something." Daniel said, after a while. He looked at Damon then at me. I nodded and gave him an encouraging smile.
Damon turned towards him to give him his full attention. Daniel shifted a little and finally spoke up.
"I like someone." He said. Damon clenched his jaw.
"I appreciate you telling me, Daniel. But you are a part of my family and the no touching and no intimacy rule applies to you too." He said, shortly glancing at me and Ashton.
Haha! Now he will know, what its like to have someone being annoyingly overprotective.
Daniel shot me a surprised look, then shifted his gaze to Damon again.
"That's not the point." He mumbled. Damon listened to him patiently.
"That someone is a guy." I heard the sound of a fork dropping into someone's bowl. I looked towards Ashton, who looked surprised yet happy.
Daniel just looked down. I knew what was going through his head.
What if they don't accept it? What if they think I'm a freak? I just got a family and I'm going to lose it again.
Family is a very touchy topic for him.
Everyone stayed quiet. Damon and Ashton had a huge smile on their faces. That's the reason I adore them.
Daniel looked up hesitantly. He looked surprised on seeing the smile on Big Bro's face.
"There's no need to overthink about it, Daniel. You don't have to be ashamed or nervous about it." Damon soothed. "I'm happy for you."
Daniel just looked surprised as i shot him the 'I told you so' look.
"But I'd love to meet him." Damon said as Ashton nodded.
"He doesn't know yet." Daniel said.
"Is he from our school?" Ashton asked. Daniel nodded in response.
"His name is Liam." He said as a small smile graced his lips.
"Oh. That shy guy." Ashton said.
"Yeah." Daniel nodded.
"I'm so happy you told us, Daniel. But you're still in school, so no touching and no closed spaces." Damon said sternly.
"Okay." Daniel nodded, smiling at how much he cared. Finally happy to have a father figure.
"I would've stopped you from even thinking of having a boyfriend or girlfriend, if she didn't manage to persuade Lorenzo. The rules are the same for everyone."
I chuckled a little as Big Bro glared at me playfully.
Daniel was smiling brightly the whole time. He looked more confident now, like he looks usually.
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