Where to Begin

Chapter 2

 "Come, let me help you with your bags. I've cleaned up the spare room and made some space for a dresser and desk to go in." Lillian said whilst taking my bags out of the boot of the car.

"Lillian, you don't have to help Celine, I will. Why don't you get Celine something to drink because we didn't have a chance to stop anywhere and she finished her drink hours ago," Aubrey said to Lillian who then nodded and turned back up the stoned steps carved into the hill.

"That's it, let's go get you settled in," Aubrey said taking out the last suitcase.

Just as she started up the hill, I plucked up the courage to stand where I was.

"Why are you doing so much for me?"

"What do you mean?" She stopped and looked at me curiously.

"Why are you helping me? I'm a random teenage girl that bothered you on the beach. You haven't asked what the hell I am doing without parents in Oregon and yet...yet you still drove me nearly five hours to come live with a lady I haven't even met," I said squinting at her because the setting sun was just above her head when I was looking at her. She lay my suitcases down and walked towards me. My tone sounded a bit more harsh than I meant it to be.

"I had a feeling that I should help you," she said, giving me a sad look with a smile. "Just an inkling."

"Aubrey?" A deep, surprised voice asked as Aubrey walked through the front door. I didn't realize how big the house was until I was actually standing in the doorway, looking up at the high ceilings and long corridors.

"Hello Sawyer, good to see you,"

"Yeah, you too."

He came out of the shadow behind the stairs and gently hugged her. He had the most authentic-looking shocked expression on his face but his name wasn't the one I remembered her dating.

"Who's Aubrey?" A similar deep voice asked coming from the corridor on the right. "Oh, Aubrey." It said stopping.

"Jackson," Aubrey said back blankly, dusting her hands on her skirt. She couldn't see him but she knew exactly who it was. He immediately rushed over and hugged her.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, holding her arms and while they were talking, Sawyer, the other brother, was standing behind Jackson, eyeing me like I was a wild animal.

"I, um..." Aubrey started but at that moment Lillian called the other boys who looked like they were playing basketball outside, to come and say hello.

"Mermaid!" Shouted a young boy running up to Aubrey and jumping at her.

"Sampson!" She laughed. "You've gotten so big! Where's Noah?"

"Mermaid!" Another young voice cried coming into the house from outside, sopping wet.

"Hey buddy! How have you been?" She beamed, giving him a tight hug. She wasn't kidding when she said they were identical. The only way I could tell any difference was that one had curly hair.

Just then another seven sweaty, shirtless, out-of-breath, gorgeous boys stepped in through the patio door. I suddenly felt very body conscious.

"Aubrey?" They all asked in one deep, surprised voice and came over and gave her a sweaty group hug. I figured she was the last person they expected to see. I, on the other hand, was still standing in the wide doorway, super awkwardly. A few of the boys noticed and stood back, looking at me strangely.

"Boys, I know we're excited to see Aubrey but we have a new guest," Lillian caught the rest of her sons' attention so all of the boys looked at me, sending chills down my neck. "This is Celine and she will be staying with us for a while."