Where to Begin

Chapter 6

Aubrey led me, by my elbow, back to a car I didn't recognize.

"Whose car is this?" I asked, looking at the silver Mercedes.

"Aaron's. I saw him pull up in it earlier. Get in the car quickly before the boys attack you. I don't want to put you in any of the cars with the boys." She pushed my elbow to make me go around to the other side of the car.

"Do you think they'll be that angry?" I asked quietly once we were sat in the back of the car.

"Well, I don't think they'll be very happy with you when we get home, but they'll get over it. What you did was the right thing to do." She looked at me empathetically.

"Ugh, it's my first day in the house and all the boys probably hate me." I said as Aaron and Lillian opened their doors. I looked through Aubrey's window and saw Chase, Sawyer and Dale talking and walking back to the car I drove with Sage in; Wesley, Calvin and Max walked behind them, to the van, with Calvin and Wesley talking to each other whilst Max stared at the ground. Jackson came over to our car to tell us that he was going to take Sage home and we could take our time.

"Are you two ok?" He turned to Aubrey and I. He didn't seem mad at all compared to his tone earlier.

"Yeah we're good, Celine just feels a little bad,"

"Why?" He asked looking at me.

"We'll tell you at home." Aubrey said frankly, ending our conversation.

As Jackson walked away, I caught a glimpse of Sampson and Noah getting into the van but what made my heart jump – was Connell. He was looking over at

us – with a horrible look of disappointment.

As (I think) we made eye contact, he turned away and got into the van with Sampson and Noah.

"I can't believe the boys disobeyed me." Lillian breathed as we were on our way home.

I gathered myself. "Ms. Booth, please don't punish them. It was all my idea to stay out later," I could see Aubrey look at me but I kept my gaze focused on Lillian. "I was having so much fun that I persuaded the boys to stay out a little longer, I'm so sorry. If anyone is going to be punished, it should be me and me only."

"That's very sweet but I know that they were the ones who persuaded you to stay out. They're my sons, you think I don't know them well enough?" She asked with a sarcastic laugh.

"Well whoever's idea it was to stay out late was wrong in every way possible." Aaron added.

"Aaron, you don't get to say anything," Lillian snapped. "They are my children and you wanted to ignore the phone call from Celine anyway so you must just shut the hell up."

Aubrey and I exchanged glances and she started silently laughing.

We pulled up outside the house and all the other cars were already parked which told me that I would probably get some nasty stares when we walked in.

I was so tired from the events of the night that I was just not in the mood for anyone and unluckily, we came in through the garage door that led into the kitchen and I could hear the boys in the lounge talking – about me.

"I still can't believe she phoned The Ringleader after we specifically told her not to." I heard a voice say. It sounded like Dale but it could've been anyone.

"Yeah but guys, she did help me."

"Yeah but Sketch, she didn't listen to us, did she? And now The Ringleader is going to give us the punishment of our lives. After years of night swimming after nine, she shows up and we get caught? Who knows what else she's going to get us into while she's here?"