Chapter 2

"Wouldyou mind if my sister stayed with us over the weekend?" Cedric asks just as I step through the door.

I pause, placing my keys on the small entry table cluttered by all the useless things we can't find a place for.

"A couple of days?" I ask, dumbfounded.

This is not exactly how I would like to be welcomed home—not that I expect him to do anything special, but really? Can my sister stay with us? I get why he's asking me. Even if we share the place, it belongs to my father. My roommates offset some of the cost, but I pay more than they do since I occupy half of the apartment.

Since I'm unsure how to answer, I ask, "The oldest or youngest?" I haven't met either one of them yet.

"Ameline, the youngest." He rolls his eyes. "Dad wants me to help her with homework, but I think this is her trying to avoid home. She's having issues with our stepmother—again."

I lean against the back of our worn sofa. "It's temporary, right?" The idea of living with an underage girl isn't exactly comfortable. I already help my parents with my five siblings. There's no need to add one more.

"Yeah, just for the weekend. You won't even notice she's here," Cedric responds with a casual shrug.

I frown, because Cedric spends his weekends with his girlfriend. I can't fathom the notion of having him in the apartment tutoring his sister. Though I should give him the benefit of the doubt, right?

Reluctantly I say, "I'm cool with that." Even though my gut tells me this is a bad idea.

Cedric gives me a look of relief. He fiddles with his phone, taps on the screen a few times, grabs his car keys, and heads toward the door. "I'm picking her up from the ferry, be back in a few."

I stare at the closed door. He's picking her up from the ferry. His sister was already on her way to the apartment. What would he have done if I said no? Fuck, this guy is seriously unbelievable. This is definitely the last year I want to deal with roommates.

While Cedric is gone, I spend the time picking up the place. I'm not the neatest person, but walking around piles of trash is a sign that we have to do some house cleaning before the foul smell attracts some uninvited guests—including my father.

When Cedric returns, he walks in with a girl who can't be more than thirteen or fourteen.

My heart drops. "He's got to be kidding," I mutter to myself. I was expecting someone older, maybe a seventeen-year-old. Not a kid who's probably in middle school, just like my sister Indie.

"Ameline, this is one of my roommates, Gabriel. Gabe, this is my youngest sister, Ameline," he introduces us.

"Hi." Ameline gives a small, timid wave, her eyes scanning the room, clearly unsure of where to settle. She looks so out of place, and I can't help but feel a pang of sympathy for her.

I wait for Cedric to say something or usher Ameline to his room when his phone buzzes. He pulls it out and, while reading it, his forehead creases. "It's Jamie, I have to go pick her up." He fishes money from his wallet and hands it over to his sister. "If you get hungry, there's a pizza place down the street. You can use my bed. I might stay at Jamie's tonight, so you don't have to sleep on the couch."

I stare at the closing door, my mouth agape, then turn to Ameline with a mix of surprise and disbelief. "Did he just leave me to babysit you?" I can't hide the annoyance in my voice.

Ameline laughs, a sound that's light and somehow cute, loosening the tightness in my chest and my back.

"I haven't needed a sitter since I was ten." There's a hint of amusement in her eyes as she says this. "Though I wouldn't be surprised if my father started searching for one—since I need to become a better version of myself."

I lean against the wall, arms folded. "My parents never left any of my siblings under fourteen alone."

She gives me a look that's both curious and slightly challenging. "Okay, and what does that have to do with me?"

"You're like thirteen, right?"

Her laughter reverberates throughout the apartment. This time, she clutches her midriff. Between laughs, she says, "I'm a senior in high school, you tell me."

I blink, taken aback. "Oh, you look?—"

"Young?" she finishes for me, a playful smirk on her lips. "Yeah, it's the height. I'm barely five-three-and three quarters."

"So . . . you're not thirteen?" I confirm.

She shrugs. "My driver's license will disagree with you." After studying me for a long time, she asks, "Do you always scowl at people, or is it just me?"

I straighten up, a bit defensive. "What do you mean?" Her comment catches me off guard, making me question if I'm being too broody, as my younger sisters, Harper and Lyric, claim when I'm just assessing a situation.

"You look upset," Ameline observes, her eyes narrowing slightly in a mix of curiosity and concern. "Did I do something to piss you off?"

I exhale. "Not exactly, but for a moment, I thought my roommate left me to babysit his little sister."

"Nah. I can take care of myself. I'm only here because he's the one excuse I have so I can get out of my house."

I recall Cedric mentioning something about his stepmother. "So, you don't have anywhere else to stay?"

"In a way. The Wicked Witch of Washington isn't that bad, but it's hard to live with her. She's always on my case, but can't be bothered to remember to fill the fridge with food." She waves a hand dismissively, a wry smile playing on her lips. "I wish Dad would've let me stay with a friend, but Cedric is the best I could negotiate. Obviously, I'm not a savvy businessperson, but I'll get there." Her tone carries a hint of frustration laced with a tinge of humor.

I find myself checking my phone, contemplating if I should text my cousins to hang out, call one of my hookups, or just take Ameline out for dinner. A sense of responsibility nudges me. If she were my sister, I wouldn't want her to settle for just a slice of pizza for dinner. I'm also not in the mood to cook today.

"Let's go, I know a place where we can eat," I suggest, trying to sound casual yet considerate.

Ameline tilts her head, a hint of surprise in her expression. "Pizza is fine. You don't need to babysit me."

I offer a half-smile, trying to lighten the mood. "Maybe I need you to babysit me," I say, hoping to bridge the awkwardness between us.

Her smile broadens; the amusement in her eyes makes her look cute. "Fine, but you'll have to pay because I don't have more than twenty dollars. And knowing Cee, he'll disappear for the entire weekend—he's good at avoiding me."

"Is that so?" I ask, curious and concerned. What am I supposed to do with her for the entire weekend?

She might be older, but leaving her alone with his roommate is irresponsible of Cedric, to say the least.

Ameline nods, her gaze drifting away for a moment as she reflects. "Yeah, Cee likes to avoid our family unless Dad summons him—or he needs money. If you combine the two, you can get away with a thing or two." The smirk on her lips reminds me of those times when my sisters use reverse psychology on my parents to get something. "I was able to get away from home and, honestly, that's all that matters."

Sneaky, but I don't blame her. If my relationship with my parents was rocky, I'd probably be on the other side of the country with my twin and cousins. Not that they're there because they can't stand our family. They had other reasons for that.

And though going to Harvard or MIT for medical school sounded enticing, I chose to stay in Seattle because of my parents. Mom and Dad need a hand with my five younger siblings. Harper, the oldest, is seventeen. Then there's Lyric, Indigo, Lyndon, and the youngest, Coda, who is only six—and he's a handful.

The five of them are amazing, but there's never a dull moment with them. My aunts and uncles pitch in, too, but they also have younger children. They certainly need me to give them a hand. Grandpa Chris once told me I'm too old and too wise for my age and that I feel responsible for the entire world. I don't think he's right. I just do my part, like my parents have taught me since I was young. What else did they expect me to do?