{Aspen's POV}
When I get back to my room I collapse on my cloud and get lost in thought. It's hard to believe how much my life has changed in the past 3 days. I don't know how to behave around my brothers. They seem much different from stepfather and they haven't hurt me yet so I suppose that's a plus. They all have different attitudes towards me that confuse the crap out of me.
Kohen seems to be nice, we already have nicknames for each other which is major progress in the bonding process. One thing that worries me is his drinking. I'm not sure if what happened last night is a common occurrence but I do know that alcohol can bring out the worst in people. I don't quite trust him so I cant get too comfortable with him.
Jasper worries me. We've had the least interactions and the only ones we have had are seemingly negative. He snitched on me about the gun which I cant help but feel some resentment towards him for. Another thing that worries me is how he knew I had it. Was he watching me or was he snooping in my room? All in all I don't trust Jasper and his coldness frightens me a bit.
Sorin is the biggest question mark for me. He was the coldest to me at first but he seems to be getting better. When we were eating the cookies I felt comfortable around him, safe even. I still don't know him or trust him. He's strong enough to break any of my bones with a pinch, so I cant let my guard down.
Ambrose has been the nicest to me. I haven't seen a bad side to him yet but that doesn't mean it's not there. It almost seems as though he actually cares for me. Almost. I'm not sure if it's all an act but I need to be careful just in case. Out of all my brothers I think I could get along with him the best.
Caspian terrifies me. Simple as that. He is so cold and distant. I've never seen any emotion on him and I have never met anyone so intimidating. I don't know how to act around him. He seems like more of a boss than a brother, granted he is the boss of the family business, whatever that is.
I have so many questions plaguing my mind including the feelings of guilt I've been trying my hardest to suppress. What is this family business they have? Why would mother take me from them? Why are they so casual around guns? Why do they have so many guards? Where is my father? I wish I could ask all these questions and more but my brothers seem to have one motto, deflect.
I didn't realize I had fallen asleep until I wake up the next morning to an intense pain in my leg. I sit up in bed and allow my eyes to adjust to the sunlight beaming through my windows. I carefully take my pants off and slowly rip off the bandages. I hiss in pain and hold back the tears developing in my eyes. I look at the cut and I'm greeted with what I can only assume is a nasty looking infection. The cut is swollen and deeply red and there is some liquid oozing out. What the frick is anti infection cream for if not to PREVENT infection?
I weakly hobble over to my bathroom and close the door behind me. I grab the first aid kit and rummage through it looking for the cream I used. When I finally find it, I inspect the label carefully and realize it's not anti infection cream, it's calamine lotion. My stupid ass didn't even read the label before using it. I let out a scream of frustration and throw the calamine lotion across the bathroom. How could I be so careless? Now this cut is going to take so much longer to heal, if it even does. I'm suddenly interrupted by a knock at the door.
"Aspen, It's Ambrose. Is everything alright in there?"
Crap Crap Crap he heard me!
"Yes I'm fine, please give me a minute." I look around the bathroom and realize I left my pants back in my room. This is exactly what I need right now, just freaking perfect. "Can you leave my room? I didn't bring a change of clothes in here." I shout.
"Aspen are you sure everything's alright?" Ambrose asks.
"Yes, please leave I need to change." I reply.
"Fine but if you're not down in 10, I'm coming back." Is the last thing I hear before footsteps retreating any my door closing.
Before I leave the bathroom, I hurriedly find actual anti infection cream and apply it after triple checking the label. I quickly wrap my leg and leave the bathroom after doing my business. I put the dirty sweatpants back on and leave my room.
I make my way to the kitchen and find all my brothers already seated. I take my seat between Caspian and Sorin and before I can fill my plate, I see a familiar treat. I do a double take and see my cookies. More specifically, only 2 cookies left on a tray that had at least 15 last time I saw them. I look at Sorin who is already looking at me with an amused look before quickly masking it with his usual cold expression.
"Where did the cookies come from?" I ask.
Ambrose and Kohen shrug and the rest ignore my question.
"The chef must've made them" Kohen says.
"Speaking of the chef, Aspen you haven't gotten a chance to meet her yet but she has been working for us for 10 years. Her name is Raini. If you're ever hungry just find her, she will usually be in the kitchen during meal times. She is also the head of all the housekeepers so go to her if you have any issues." Caspian says.
"Okay, and erm you said my stuff from Canada would be here last night, has it arrived?" I ask.
"Yes it was left in the living room since you were asleep. Eat now and you can clean it up later, the twins will help you." Caspian replies.
I nod and proceed to eat my breakfast. I have one of my cookies and and egg on toast. When I'm done eating, I go to the living room with the twins trailing behind me. When I enter, I see one measly moving box. Ah, all my prized possessions have finally made it.
"Where's the rest?" Kohen asks.
"This should be it." I reply.
"That's a joke right? Aren't teenage girls supposed to have a sh*t ton of stuff?" Jasper chimes in.
"Probably, but this is it for me." I shrug my shoulders.
"How can you have so little things?" Kohen asks.
"We weren't rich" I deadpan.
"Okay but people who aren't rich would still have a few suitcases." Kohen says.
I sigh.
"Alright I'm going to go unpack now." I say.
I pick up the box and immediately set it back down when a shooting pain shoots up my ribs. I quickly shake it off knowing the twins are watching and pick the box back up, ignoring my body's protests. I quickly go to my room leaving behind my two very puzzled brothers.
When I make it to my room, I drop the box and almost double over in pain. I take a few deep breaths to pull myself together and open the box. I take out 2 pairs of blue mom jeans, 1 plain white t-shirt, 1 green and black sweater and a few undergarments. I put the clothes in my closet before going back the box. The next item I take out puts a big smile on my face. I gently pick up my Rubik's cube and set it on my bedside table. The last item is a photo of my mother and I. We're sitting on the floor hugging with a puppy Quest in my lap. I look at the photo for a moment with a small smile on my face before setting it beside the Rubik's cube.
I decide to shower and I take a pair of mom jeans with my sweater and undergarments. I go into the bathroom and take an hour long shower. Before getting dressed, I tend to my cut, being extra careful to read the label of the cream I use. I get dressed and brush my hair. I don't have makeup which I don't mind. I've never worn makeup because we could never afford it, I prefer my natural face anyways.
(A/N This is Aspen's outfit but imagine it more worn)
I walk out of my bathroom and read the clock. It's only 10am so I decide to play with my Rubik's cube, ignoring the giant TV in front of my bed. I plop down on my cloud and work on beating my record. My current record is 5 seconds exactly and I have been working so hard to beat it but frustratingly enough, I haven't been able to.
After about an hour of playing with my Rubik's cube, Jasper barges in my room, without knocking may I add, and walks into my closet.
"Hey what are you doing?!" I ask jumping down from my bed and following him.
"Alright this is just f*cking sad." He points to my few clothes. "Caspian said to go shopping so lets go." He says emotionlessly and grabs my wrist, rather aggressively, and drags me out of my room.
"Hey we don't need to shop, I'm fine really." I try to stop but he yanks me forward and looks me in the eyes.
"Zip it." He snaps and I obey, not wanting to make him more angry.
Jasper continues dragging me to a garage filled with an unnecessary amount of luxury cars. I stand in awe for a moment before Jasper snaps me out of it.
"Go wait by the black car." He commands before walking away.
(A/N This is Jasper's car)
I do as he says and soon after he returns with keys. I don't know much about cars but this thing screams 'I'm rich'. Jasper gets in the drivers seat and I follow, going into the passenger seat. I start to feel nervous. It's been so long since I've been in a store. Step father would always shop for himself and I had to stay on our property at all times.
The car ride is filled with silence which I'm grateful for. I don't feel very uncomfortable being alone with Jasper. I wish I could have gone with Ambrose or even Kohen. I'm scared to even talk to Jasper, he seems to get irritated by the littlest things and I don't want to set him off. I consider asking him where we're going shopping but I decide against it, figuring I wont get a useful answer anyways.
After about 30 minutes of driving, we arrive at a very crowded mall. I internally panic at the mere though of all the noise inside. My panicked thoughts are interrupted when Jasper impatiently opens my door. I didn't even notice him get out. I slowly step out and reluctantly trail behind Jasper.
Immediately when I walk in the mall my ears are bombarded with the sound of loud chatter and laughter, baby cries, and the hums of different machines. I start to hyperventilate and franticly look around and start to tremble. I bring my hand to my ears to try and block out some of the noise but I still hear too much. I feel tears falling from my eyes and before my knees buckle, Jasper grabs hold of my arms and looks at me with... concern?
"Sh*t Aspen what's the matter with you?"
"T-too m-much noise" I whisper shakily.
Jasper pulls me out of the mall with one hand and makes a call with the other.
"She just f*cking broke down when we walked in the mall. F*CK I don't know, she's crying and shaking, I don't know what to do Cas!"
I tune him out and focus on the ringing in my ears as Jasper continues to talk on the phone. He ushers me to the car and helps my trembling body inside. I flinch at the noise when Jasper closes my door. He finishes his conversation on the phone and gets in the drivers seat.
"Aspen, can you talk to me? What do I do? What's happening?" Jasper asks uncharacteristically softly as he starts the car and starts driving.
"C-call Edith" I whisper, I try to focus on my breathing but nothing seems to be working for me.
"Edith, that's your friend right? I don't have her number can you type it in?" Jasper asks frantically handing me his phone. I shakily type in Edith's number and it starts to ring.
"Hello?" Edith answers.
"Hey is this Edith, Aspens friend?" Jasper asks calmly.
"Why? Who is this?" Edith responds.
"I'm Jasper, one of Aspens.. brothers?" It come out as more of a question than a statement.
"Is Aspen okay?" Edith asks with worry in her voice.
"I don't know we just went to the mall and she broke down saying something about too much noise. She said to call you." Jasper replies.
"You brought her to a mall? Are you stupid?" Edith spits out.
"What's the problem with that?" Jasper asks, mildly offended by being called stupid.
"Do you not know about her sensitivity to noise? She literally cant stand too much noise. What is she doing right now?"
"You're on speaker, she's sitting beside me hyperventilating and crying I don't know how to calm her down."
"Aspen listen to me okay? Breathe please. Remember that square breathing thing we talked about once?" Edith asks softly.
"Edith, t-the ringing, i-it's so loud." I say, letting out another sob.
"I know Aspen, it wont go away till you calm down. Listen now, breathe in, 1, 2, 3, 4," I follow her count.
"Hold 1, 2, 3, 4 Exhale 1, 2, 3, 4 Hold 1, 2, 3, 4"
She repeats the process a few more times and I feel myself calming down. I'm now breathing normally and the shaking is starting to go away. The ringing in my ears is getting more quiet.
"I'm okay now Edith, you're a life saver."
"I know, pourquoi n'avez-vous pas parlé à vos frères de votre sensibilité au bruit?" Edith asks. (why didn't you tell your brothers about your sensitivity to noise?)
"Je ne leur fais pas confiance" I reply. (I don't trust them)
Jasper suddenly takes the phone and hangs up.
"That's enough French for one day." He says coldly and I give him a glare that he doesn't seem to notice.
"Care to explain?" He says, turning his head to face me.
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