Cold. Damp. That's all I feel. Am I drowning?
"Wake up, Violet."
Who the what?
I'm jolted awake by another wave of cold liquid.
"What the fuck!" I screamed, sitting up in my bed and looking around to see none other than West and Kade in my room, with two empty buckets and huge smiles.
The water bucket method... Did they really fucking do this? They used to use it on me when I was little to get me out of my bed in the mornings when I would refuse to get up.
Fucking hated it.
"You two are so screwed," I growled, getting up out of my soaking wet bed, but before I know it- they're already out of my room and running down the stairs.
I threw my now-wet comforter off of me, and raced down the hallway after them, slipping around on the floor in the process.
When I got down the stairs, I realized it was oddly quiet in our loud house.
I peered into the living room, kitchen, and dining room, but nobody was anywhere to be found.
I became paranoid, "Stop hiding like the cowards you guys are, where are y'all!" I screamed to the empty house, cautiously walking around.
Literally crickets.
"West...?" I peeped out, becoming suspicious of this odd behavior, "Kade...?"
Still no answer.
"Uh, anyone?" I shouted a little louder.
When I'm greeted by silence once again, I wander around the rest of the house in confusion.
Then it strikes me...
I know what to do.
"Fuck you!" I pipe up, looking around frantically for a response to my forbidden swear.
"Stop fucking cussing!" I hear West's voice echo through the house.
Ah hah! And the fish takes the bait!
I follow the sound of his voice which leads me to the boy's Man Cave.
Why didn't I think to look in here?
The 'Man Cave' used to be our parents office that since then the boys have renovated into the perfect hangout spot for smoking weed and partying with their friends.
This place stayed as a secret from me for many years— as the boys tried to hide it to shield my innocence and keep me naive from everything they do.
Hypocrites, I know.
I open the door cautiously, awaiting a surprise attack, only to find all of my brothers sat around on the couches, laughing amongst each other.
I walk in, shooting Kade and West a glare, "Finally I found y'all," I say as I cross my arms over my soaking wet chest.
The others look to my direction, noticing my drenched clothing.
"Haha, the water bucket method? Really boys?" Lance laughed to himself, probably reminiscing on the days where he was the one throwing water on them, "Classic."
Kade laughed, kicking his feet up on the coffee table placed in the middle of all the couches, "Well, it sure took her long enough to find us," He said, nudging West to join in on the laughter.
Well two can play this game... I thought.
I narrow my eyes at Kade, "Find it so funny, eh?" I asked as he continued to laugh with West, "Well ya, me too, considering this is the only way either of y'all could get a girl wet," I say smugly, flashing them both a grin.
Flynn chokes on the water he's drinking.
Kade and West halt their laughter and gawk at me; allowing me to steal all the satisfaction and cockiness the moment has to offer.
I smirk back at them, raising my eyebrows up.
Flynn stifled a laugh, looking between my cocky expression and Kade and West's horrified ones, "No need to threaten the boy's masculinity Vi— chill out there."
"How do you even know what that is?" Lance piped into the conversation with wide eyes, still shocked by my response.
I rolled my eyes, "Lance I'm 15, not 5. I obviously know what that is."
Lance sat there stunned- his eyes wide and questioning, definitely running through on the age I actually am, and the age he likes to think I am.
Chase now craned his head to me, a warning look within his eyes, "Wait... how do you know about that?" He asked, the corner of his lip raising up in question.
"Uh..." I scratch the back of my head, trying not to break out in a smile, "That's a story for another time."
There was no story, but the looks on their faces were too good not to provoke.
Lance flinches in surprise, his mouth opening in surprise, "Oh, fuck no," He says, giving me a look that made my skin crawl.
I try to hold back my grin, and just as I'm about to have yet another interrogation, Lucas stands up from the couch and gives me a little clap, "Enough chatter everyone— Once again, love the humor Violet, but it's my turn to talk now," He motions to an empty spot on the couch between Lance and Chase, "Take a seat."
I look over to my oldest brothers, "Ya, no thanks," I nervously laugh, not wanting to sit between the two people who would love nothing more than to kill me in this exact moment.
"C'mon Vi, I won't bite," Lance flashes me his teeth, pretending to bite something.
I take a step away, "Actually, I think I'm fine right where I am— thanks for the offer though," I say, nervously lacing my fingers together, and sitting on the ground in front of all of them.
Lucas looks down to me and tucks his lips in, inpatient with my behavior, "Alright, as long as you listen," He chuckles non remorsefully, "Because, you're gonna want to hear all of what I'm about to say loud and clear."
I press my lips into a thin line, "Oh, is that so?" I question, tilting my head to the side, looking at Lucas.
Was what he said supposed to be a threat?
Lucas looked down to me with a smug look, "Indeed, it is. You see, all of us sat down together and have made some new rules— specifically for you," He says, beginning to pace around the small living space of the Man Cave, "Since you've decided to opt out of telling us the truth, we've decided to instill some new rules to keep you out of trouble."
Lucas then looked back at me to make sure I was comprehensive of all he was saying.
I narrowed my eyes, "Go on," I sneered.
Lucas pursed his lips, "Well. First things first, there are six rules. We all thought of one and agreed upon them," He said, looking to the rest of the boys as they nodded their heads in agreement.
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
Of-fucking-course they did.
"First rule is from me," Lucas points to himself, "There will be no drugs, drinking, or gang action brought into this house from now on. This includes weed, coke—," he says, giving me a knowing look that resulted in an eye roll from me.
Lucas then cleared his throat, continuing his spiel, "—Any form of alcohol, and any other funky shit you've got going on," He gives me a well-deserved glare and glances over to Lance for him to continue.
Once again, hypocrites...
Lance coughed, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck, "Second rule being— I'm just gonna come out and say it, no boys."
I laugh at this, eyes wide in disbelief.
That was meant to be a joke, right?
Lance shot me a glare for my laughter, "I mean it. No sex, no boyfriends, no hook ups-"
I slap my hands over my ears, appalled of where this conversation was going, "Ah! La la la la!" I interrupt Lance, "You are the last person I want to have this talk with, Lance!" I scrunch my nose up in embarrassment.
Lance kept a straight face, annoyed with my squeamishness to the subject.
"I'm being serious, Vi. I don't care if you think this is awkward or not," He said monotonous, his eyes vacant of emotion, "The boys and I all agreed; especially on this one," He turns, motioning to the rest of the boys— to which they all give me an uncomfortable smile.
I furrow my eyebrows, huffing out a dry chuckle, "That is absolutely ridiculous," I spat, glaring at all of them now, "I know damn well that all of you have had sex in this house countless times!" I yell now, throwing my hands up in the air, watching the boys look to the floor in shame. I shake my head at their silence, now turning to direct my anger specifically at Lance, "Especially you," I sneer at him, "The girls you bring home aren't exactly the quietest people on earth," I reprimand, his face turning a bright shade of red in suit.
Lance shrugs his shoulders rapidly, "Tha- that's beside the point!" He sputtered, attempting to brush off my comment as Flynn held back a chuckle.
"Oh, really?" I cock an eyebrow at him and look to the rest of my brothers, "Is it, 'different because I'm a girl'?" I mock angrily.
Lance's mouth opens and closes, "No- it's just- I mean, you've already got 6 guys right here, why do you need any mor-"
I interrupt Lance as he tries to cover his ass, "Don't even try. There's no excuse for this," I scoff, now leaning back on my arms, "Just get on with it."
Typical 20th century men.
"Ok, anyways," Chase began awkwardly, trying to speak over the tension in the room, "Third rule from me is no cussing or talking back. We're all older than you, and yes, while your opinion matters— and we do value your input on some stuff, what we say goes and you will listen to us, or there will be consequences," Chase's eyes grow dark in seriousness and I gulp.
We all knew I struggled immensely with these things in particular.
I exhaled deeply, shaking my head slightly, "We'll see about that one," I muttered to myself.
Chase immediately snaps his head in my direction, "Heard that," He said, not batting an eye, "I'm not kidding about the consequences Vi. Neither is anyone else."
"—True that," Kade added cockily, sending me an evil smirk.
I scrunch my nose up at him with a sarcastic smile, now awaiting for his rule.
He winks at me, and sits up straighter on the couch, "Alright, alright. My rule is the killer of all late night fun!" He paused to look at me, a smile slapped right on his stupid face, "Curfew!" He cheered, clapping his hands together for an added effect.
I swear my eyes roll so far back, I can see my brain.
"Curfew time from now on is eleven, unless you're out with one of us— because we all know nothing good happens in the late A.M.'s of the night," He nods to the rest of the guys in recognition of all the late night adventures they've had.
They all smirk to each other.
I glare at Kade.
Of course he'd come up with the rule of curfew. He never likes to see me having fun. He's a fucking fun sponge.
"Any input on that, Vi?" Kade teased, staring directly into my angry eyes.
I huff, turning my nose up at him and now directing my attention to the next brother in line; West.
I was not in the mood for Kade's ignorance today.
I nodded at West to begin.
West gave an uncomfortable smile before talking, "I think you probably know what I chose to be my rule," He said guiltily.
I pressed my lips into a thin line.
He was the "lie-detector" after all.
I scoff a laugh, playing into West's game, "Lemme guess..." I faked amusement, scratching my chin in false confusion, "Lying!" I exclaimed, faking a surprised look at West.
West's playful look falters at my sarcasm, "Ha, yep," West glares at me, "This also includes sneaking out and secret keeping, etcetera," He lists these off on his fingers, keeping eye contact with me the entire time.
I laugh humorlessly, "So, basically I can't do anything or else my big, bad brothers are gonna catch me?" I ask to the group with a glare.
Lucas gave me a closed mouth smile, "Yea, pretty much. Glad we're on the same page," He spoke sarcastically.
I scoff at his audacity, "Ok, carry on boys," I brushed my hair behind my ears, turning my attention to Flynn.
Flynn jumped in his seat a little, snapping himself out of a daydream, "Oh right, my turn," He said, bringing a hand up to his hair and raking it through his brown locks, "Well Vi, since you, me, West, and Kade all go to school together, I came up with rules for there too," Flynn trails off, making my ears perk up.
Rules? At school? School has enough rules on its own, is Flynn out of his mind?
"Fine, hit me with it," I growled at Flynn, giving him a deathly glare.
This boy had some nerve. From last night, to his morning, he had been acting all high and mighty.
In fact, they all were.
"At school, you will behave in class, keep up your grades, we will all eat together at least once a week during lunch, and no rumors please— I can't have everyone saying how much of a hoe my little sister is. And don't even get me started with any of the older guys..." Flynn trailed off in annoyance, us both well-knowing many of his friends have commented on my physique.
A cocky smile made its way to my face, but I quickly erased it, remembering all of the other absurd rules I was now ordered to follow.
I bit my lip, tapping my fingernails on the floor.
Everyone looked to me in anticipation of my response to the new 'Violet Covenant'.
I took in a deep breath, ready to rant, "I just want to say, this is complete bullshit," I bit, glaring over to Lucas, "I mean, Flynn is only a year older than me, but I've never heard any of y'all talk down to him like y'all talk down to me," I cross my arms over my chest, awaiting an acceptable response from Lucas.
After all, he's the one who started this whole shit-show of rules in the first place.
"After the stunt you pulled last night, we have every right to instill restrictions. Don't question him—" Chase tried to seize my confrontation, but Lucas stopped him.
"No, Chase, let her be. I'm glad she's discerning on why this is happening," Lucas said, nodding his head at me, "It's because, well, we're all very close— you know that Vi... we don't keep secrets from each other. But you, you're different. You don't really fit in with us clan of boys, you've never wanted too. So, following that, you keep secrets, you don't tell us the truth, and with everything our family is involved with— all the shit you've gotten yourself into might get us all into some really dangerous things. We need you safe, and on our side. So, that's why there must be rules," Lucas said with a pointed look, "It's for your safety."
My lips parted in shock, "Safety?" I barked, "You call this safety?" I asked.
Lucas gave a nod, causing my mouth to open even further, "You've been gone for 3 years Lucas! If you cared about my safety, you would've never left," I hissed resentfully, my nose flaring in anger.
Lucas gave me a blank stare as my chest rose and fell with, the ghosts of my past on my mind.
I had loved Lucas once.
Before he left, that is. Now, he was just a traitor— someone who left me when I needed a guiding hand. It was too late for him to come back now. I had moved on. Grown up without him by my side.
If Lucas really understood the complexity of him leaving me— he wouldn't be surprised of my change in alliance to him.
But, he didn't get it. And, it was clear that he wasn't going to waste his time trying to understand my perspective.
He didn't care about anyone besides himself. And that, angered me even more.
He meant nothing to me. I couldn't even bring myself to consider him a brother anymore.
I bit my bottom lip, rolling it between my teeth in deep thought— contemplating if I should say what was really on my mind.
In a quick decision, I blurted everything out, "You shouldn't even be surprised at this point, Lucas. It's all your fault. Who do you think caused me to spiral out of control?" I asked, raising my eyebrows up at him.
The room grew quiet, nobody knowing quite what to say.
It was the truth after all.
Lucas broke his eyes away from mine, refusing to give any type of response. His face was void of emotion, giving me no entail on what he was thinking.
I rolled my eyes at him, now turning to look around and take a good look at everyone else's facial features.
They were the exact same as Lucas'.
Stone cold.
Without another word, I got up from the floor, walked out of the room, took one last glance at my brothers, and slammed the door shut.