Chapter 1: When it Rains

What's that? Why am I lying on my floor in only a towel and why is he lying on top of me? Those are two really good questions, but the best question you should ask is why he is here in the first place. You see, he's not my brother. He's not my cousin. He's not related to me at all, but he lives in my house and acts like a son to my mother.

Well, to get you to understand all of this, let me start from the beginning.

It all started when my Mom finished Medical School when she was twenty-five. It was her childhood dream to become a nurse so she studied hard to get it. I admire her dedication to it, but I also hate how she has to help everyone and everything. She's also a vet. Basically, our house is dubbed the Haven House. We get sick people and sick pets coming in and out of our house all of the time.

Mom does actually go to work; it's just that we have some equipment at home so Mom is able to help some people and animals at home instead of going to the hospital. She does work there too and is a surgeon. She works as a nurse on the weekdays and a vet on the weekends. She tries to give me as much as I can so I can be happy.

Being this busy you would think that she doesn't have time to date or have a boyfriend, right? Wrong. How do you think I got here? My Mom is what people would call a real catch. She has amazing glossy black hair, dramatic blue eyes, and what men call the face of an angel. There are more men on our doorstep hoping to take mom out than there are men at a strip club. I'm not joking, my mom is that pretty.

Sometimes I hate having to share her attention though. The men, I feel, are only trying to get to know me so they could get closer to my mom. I mean, I'm sixteen years younger than her, I'm not a baby! Yet, they constantly treat me like one, talking to me in a weird way and trying to buy my affection. Insert eye roll here.

My real dad? Ran off when he found out that he got my Mom pregnant at sixteen. That made it hard for me to trust guys. Not because he ran away, but because he was a coward and wouldn't help Mom at all. That's why it was so hard for me to open up to anyone as I grew up, but eventually I got the best three guy friends a girl could ask for.

Liam, Ashford, and Caden.

But I'll get to them later.

Mom works during the day so I only get to see her after school, but that's not all that bad. She's the one who put my roof over my head and decided to keep me so I can't complain when we don't spend a lot of time together. The little moments at dinner are good, except when her latest boy toy is over too.

"So, Maddy," Rick, Mom's latest started.

"Madden," I corrected him instantly, cutting my eyes in his direction. Who does this guy think he's trying to kid? I can see though his plan like saran wrap. There is no way he's going to get close to me. The fact that he runs a chain of ice cream stores and he can get me ice cream for free won't win me over at all.

I hate how Mom can't tell that these guys are only using Mom for sex and for money. Once they get that she never hears from them ever again and I'm the one that's left to pick up the pieces. That's why I made sure I was as much of a bitch as possible whenever a new guy came into Mom's life.

"Madden, how's school going for you?" Rick asked as he gave me what I think was supposed to be a charming smile. The little hunk of spinach that was stuck in between his canine kind of messed it up.

"All right," I replied with a shrug as I brushed my jet black hair out of my face and bent over my plate of spaghetti. There was no reason to get much of my life out to him; I wasn't going to see him soon anyway.

"Did you join a club yet?" Mom asked.

"Junior year just started, Ma, there hasn't been time for us to decide on anything," I pointed out before taking a sip of my Kool-Aid. I practically choked on it when I saw Rick's hand on Mom's knee underneath the table. Now, my Mom isn't a tramp or anything, but she loves the attention she gets for guys. It frustrated me sometimes.

"What are you planning on joining?" She asked before taking a bite out of her chicken. I made it and it's amazing, if I do say so myself. I love to cook, deserts, dinners, breakfast, anything.

"Eh, I really don't know. Maybe photography or something about music. I'm having a really hard time deciding," I said with a shrug.

"I'm sure you'll excel at whatever you choose," Rick said with another smile.

"Whatever, Dick," I muttered as I pushed back my chair and picked up my plate and glass.

"It's Rick," he said with a hurt look on his face.

"That's what I said," I corrected quickly as I put my dishes in the dishwasher. "I'm going to my room, Mom. Call if you need anything, ok?"

"Ok, dear," Mom said with a small giggle as she looked into Rick's eyes.

Whenever she dated it was like she was a teenager again. I hated seeing her dating, thought because she practically threw herself into the relationship. I know it's because she's lonely and all but she's also throwing away her dignity and self-respect. Oh well, she'll find out soon.

I closed my bedroom door and flopped onto my bed before grabbing my laptop and pulling it onto my lap. Right as I signed onto the computer my cell phone rang. I reached over and answered it without looking at the ID. Only one person called me after nine.

"Hey Ash," I greeted him as I held my phone in-between my shoulder and my ear. "What's goin' on?"

"Not much over here," he replied over the loud screams in the background. It's always noisy at the Kingston home because he was the middle child. He has two older sisters, Rylie, who is a sophomore in college, Cassie, who is a senior in high school; twin little brothers Ace and Bradley, who are freshmen, and a seven-year-old sister, Ashlee. "Ryles is back home so she and Cassie were watching a chick flick and then Ace and Brad changed the channel and now they're fighting over the remote." I smiled at the annoyed tone that seeped into his voice, making his British accent stand out even more.

Ashford was my next door neighbor until third grade when he changed neighborhoods. We used to always play at the park that was by my house. We still go there after school with Caden and Liam when we have nothing else to do. Sometimes we take Ashlee along with us, but that's only when Ash has to watch her.

"Ah, I feel for ya, man. Cass and Ryles are going to beat the snot out of them," I commented with a laugh.

"That would be a good thing," Ashford replied. I could practically see his eyes rolling on the other end. "I'm just calling to see if you've survived your first day of school. You looked beat after cross country practice."

"I felt dead, thanks for the ride home, by the way. I would never have made it if I had to walk back."

"It's no problem," he responded. "Anything for you. You just owe me now, so don't forget."

"I won't. Pizza place after school tomorrow?"

"Like always. Liam's buying this time so we're safe from the fear of barfing from Caden's inedible disaster."

"That's great." I looked towards the door when I heard Mom calling my name. "I gotta go, Ashie. I'll see you bright and early in the morning."

"I'll honk extra long if you're not awake."

"Thanks. Nighty night!" He chirped.

"Don't let the bed bugs bite!" I finished our routine before hanging up my phone. I placed my laptop on my bed before jumping up and running down the stairs. I stopped to look out the window and groaned when I saw that I had started to rain.

Cross country practices while it's raining is bad enough, but running after it rained is worse. The coach would run us through the mud on purpose, not caring if anyone fell or anything. He would make them get back up and do it again until we don't fall again to teach us a lesson on balance. He could be mean at times, but his practices are effective. The guys' team is shooting for State Champs while the girls are trying to get Conference champs once more.

"What is it, Mom?" I asked once I entered the living room. I made sure to turn on the lights in the living room before I went in all the way. When I made it down the stairs the lights were low, soft music was playing, and candles were flickering. It was times like these when I try and stay up in my room for the rest of the night, because I don't know what I'm going to see if I don't take the precautions. It even got to me to see Mom leaning against Rick with her face practically in his neck.

"I just got a call from the Pharmacy, your inhalers are in. Could you go and pick it up?" She asked as Rick laughed a little when she blew on his neck.

"Why can't you get it?" I questioned, all ready knowing what the answer was.

"Because Jean is tired and she doesn't want to risk the rain," Rick replied before kissing her forehead.

"So you're willing to risk mine?" I asked dryly.

"Look, sweetie, the rain has stopped. It's only five minutes away. Please?" Mom turned to look at me with begging eyes. Basically, she wanted me to leave so she could get her freak on with Rick. I would be glad to get out of the house if they were going to do that.

"Sure," I sighed as I went to the door to pull on my shoes. "But you owe me."

I pulled on my hoodie and left the house, taking the smell of the rain. That was my favorite smell of all time. I loved it when it rained; it washed away the dirt so everything can start fresh, so to speak.

I moved to my blue range rover and jumped in just in case it started raining again. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail so it would be out of my face as I drove. I didn't want to get into a crash or anything, I just got this car.

I tapped the steering wheel as I drove down the street, wanting to hurry back so I could just rest my aching muscles. I wished I could park as close as I could to the door so I could run in, grab the inhalers, and run back out. But I wasn't lucky enough and hard to park in the parking lot of the bakery next door. I went straight to the counter of the pharmacist and gave the pharmacist my name. I tapped the counter as I waited for him to come back with my medicine. Once I got it I threw the money on the counter and rushed back to my car.

I was halfway there when a car that turned lit up the alley that was between the pharmacy and the bakery. Normally I would have kept going towards my car, but the fact that someone was lying in the alley stopped me. Since Jean was a nurse it made me immediately feel compelled to help anyone in need, but I knew my boundaries.

I groaned to myself before shoving my inhalers into my hoodie pocket and pulling out my cell phone to light my way. I stood over the guy and looked into his face. He looked about my age and some blood was coming out of the corner of his mouth. He had the making of a bruise around his right eye and his body lay in a crumpled heap. His clothes were ripped a little and were dirty, as if he had been in a fight before he was knocked out.

I reached over and checked his pulse to make sure he was still alive. His pulse was strong and his breaths were steady. He was only unconscious. I looked up at the sky and saw that it was about to rain any minute. I pressed 2 on my speed dial and waited for Jean to pick up.

"What's wrong, Mads?" She asked after she picked up on the first ring, which surprised me.

"I'm bringing someone in. I found him unconscious in an alley. He has a bruise by his eye, blood in the corner of his mouth. He looks like he got into a fight and fell unconscious after he hit his head. I'm sure he doesn't have to go to the hospital but I want you to check on him."

"Ok, I'll get the room ready."

"Ok." I hung up my phone and let out a breath as rain drops slowly started to fall.

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A/N: Constructive criticism is welcome. Please read and review.