Peyton Griffin's POV

After leaving the school, I arrived at Parks' orphanage.

It has to be one of the most beautiful buildings I have seen; apart from the buildings back in the Griffin estate, this one has a more homely feeling than my actual home back in that hell hole. It was a simple bungalow painted burgundy; metal doors stood at the entrance with a tree next to the building.

Logically I focused my gaze on the women in front of the building who, together, let out a sigh of relief when I came closer to them.

The one who looked significantly the oldest among them stepped forward, "Are you by any chance, Peyton Griffin?"

I crossed my hands in front of me with narrowed eyes, "Depends on who's asking." I snapped.

After living as a Griffin, I have never been too fond of strangers unless they were kids.

"I'm the head nurse at the orphanage. Jack said you were coming over for the afternoon shifts to fill up for Taryn. The kids are already asleep, so you only need to sort out the files and get acquainted with them." She said with utmost joy, judging from her tired frame. The kids must have really worn her out.

I nodded in response and collected the keys to the place. The rest of the nurses parted like the River Nile as I went into the orphanage. I kept a neutral expression as I nodded at them, a way to show that I noticed them.

The building was painted in blues and pinks on the inside and was eerily quiet. I walked around and found the bedrooms where all the kids were sleeping. The kitchen was locked, while the bathrooms, restrooms and playroom were left open.

The office was like a usual office but had a feminine touch; the first thing that caught my attention was the photograph in a frame on the wooden table.

Marci, Gail, Shawn, Caleb, Jacob, Jack and a mysterious girl huddled together with amused faces. What made me raise a brow was the way Jack had his arm thrown around casually on the dark-complexioned girl.

After looking at the photo, my heart clenched, even though the few people I called family were far away from me. It has been too long since I last heard from them, and I made a mental note to give them a call as soon as possible.

The drawers had some lady products, and everything else had files and documents about the children and their requirements for adoption.

The files were dusty, and after opening up the curtains and turning on the air conditioner in the room, I began looking through them.

One file, in particular, caught my eyes, a little girl by the name of Lucy Jackson. She was from Abu Dhabi, a Muslim. She was found in an alley where she could barely walk. No allergies, her only problem was that she hardly smiled and kept to herself most time.

Assuming I get out of my Father's nuisance soon, I considered coming back here to adopt her.

I felt a light tug on my leg and looked down at the devil I was thinking about.

"Who are you, and where is Taryn?"

So much for being shy.

I picked up Lucy and brushed her Hijab a bit out of her face so that I could get a closer look at her face. She had a deep dimple on one cheek. She mirrored my expression and began to study me. It's as if we are in a staring contest until a cough sounds from the door.

"I see you've met my favourite." Shawn grins as he rests on the doorpost.

Lucy slipped from my grasp and walked towards Shawn and squealed when he picked her up.

"Trust me when I say this will be a long day."

Never has Shawn been more right about something; almost like magic, the kids woke up simultaneously and began wailing when we walked into the large bedroom. After trying in vain to make them quiet, I resorted to drastic measures. I put on the TV in the playroom to watch SpongeBob.

They ran out of the room to the forever joyful sponge, even Lucy.

"Funny how seeing someone behave idiotic is entertaining," I commented. Shawn and I began to pick up loose toys from the ground and tidy up their bedroom.

"You can say that again. Jacob loves that show," Shawn replied.

I grinned, "Shocker."

"I see you handled Beatrice well. Normally Taryn won't even give her heed because Jack made it very clear that they were dating from the start."

This is the third time that I am hearing of this Taryn person. Judging from that statement, she must be the girl from the photograph.

"Dare I ask who Taryn is?"

Shawn chuckled at that, "Honestly, she was like you."

"She's not dead, right?" I felt my eyes bulging out of their sockets.

"No." Shawn laughed but quickly sobered up, "If we are going to play the questions game, I will ask you some in return."

Seemed fair enough as long as he won't get too close to home.

"Deal. So who was she?" I pressed on.

"She was Jack's girlfriend. But she travelled home to handle some family crisis."

How ironic that that was the same reason I left the Bahamas.

"Who are you in the British empire?"

A lie was on the verge of slipping out, but Shawn's narrowed gaze told me he would figure it out before I even got it out.

"I am apparently the daughter of Troy Griffin." I decided to be vague. No need for him to know that I may or may not have a bounty on my head from the Spanish mafia.

"Why is Caleb weird?"

"What brought that up?" He shot back with a knowing look.

"Don't bullshit me; I'm pretty sure you all know about his little adventure this morning." I shot out.

"Was Dora there?" Bits of laughter were tumbling out of his mouth, and I shot him an unamused look to tell him to quit playing swiper with me.

"Your adjective is wrong. Caleb isn't weird he's intrigued."

"By what?"

Shawn scolds, "It's not your turn now, little girl." I narrowed my eyes at him, "Why do you feel the need to intimidate people when you first meet them."

To say that I was shocked would be the right way to describe how I'm feeling now.

"W-What makes you say t-that?" I splutter.

"I'm observant." He shrugged as if it were the most obvious fact.

"Yeah, I know that, but I didn't think you were that observant." I snort.

"I know you want to change the subject. quit stalling and answer me."

"For an observant person, you are quite impatient." I grinned, and he gave me a bored look.

"Honestly, I don't know. In fact, you could say that I never want to be in a position where I have to explain myself to someone."

"Fair enough, now don't misinterpret Caleb; he's not weird. It's not every day you see someone who can handle Gail. You could say he was surprised when he saw you smiling at her like that." He smirked.

His tone changed, "Why do you hate him anyway?"

"I do not." I laid it on thickly, trying to keep it on my façade.

"Yes, and I had sex with the Easter Bunny." I smiled as he threw my snide remark back at me.

I raised my hands in mock surrender, "You would hate him too if you were forced to see his face and hear his music every day."

Shawn tapped his chin as if to think, "Funny that you should say that; I'm his bodyguard, so I see his face every day and listen to his music. Your reason is as valid as Jacob's common sense."

I chuckled, "I don't know who should be offended, my reasoning or Jacob's empty skull. Speaking of Jacob, are you guys related?"

"Yes, we are brothers."

"Now that's a lie," I said.

"Oh, I'm serious. I doubt it every day, though."

"To hate, you have to love first," Shawn stopped arranging a bed to look at me dead in the eye, "Safe to say you have no reason to hate Caleb, but if you ask me. I'd say you hate him because he reminds you of someone who you once loved."

Could he be right?

Consumed by my thoughts and the conversation I had with Shawn the day flew by fast.

The kids were quite entertaining. Soon the nurses came back, and Shawn and I made our way back to the penthouse; as if sensing my inner turmoil Shawn decided to give me more words of wisdom.

Note my sarcasm.

"You know why Caleb was glad that you clicked well with Gail? She means a lot to him. As a celebrity, he tries his best to be with his sister as she grows. Not wanting his past to be her future."

Thank you, Shawn. For adding, energy to the wheels turning in my brain, trying to process what is going on.

I didn't get much time to dwell on it because we pulled up in front of the building.

It seems like the press gets more annoying and a bit violent by the hour; I almost shoved the microphone that was shoved into my face back into the news reporters' ass.

Shawn entered the code, and up we went to our floor.

Sure he had a point earlier about me hating Caleb for no reason, but it seems like there is more to the story. I highly doubt he cares that much for his sister that he was dumping her onto a sitter, but the orphanage does prove that he loves kids.

Then my thoughts go to this Taryn girl. She was a major person in this group of friends. I can't help but wonder what went down between her and Jack that made him grow cold when I mentioned something related to her when we first met.

"What's up, hot stuff?" Of course, Jacob was the one to remove me from my thoughts with his pick-up lines.

Before I could respond, he threw another one at me, "Can I follow you where you're going, right now? because my parents told me to follow my dreams."

"Do you have an off switch?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

He used one hand to throw himself over the couch and land on his feet like a calculating black cat. Even I have to admit, that was a pretty neat trick.

Mind you that I am still in the elevator; Shawn came out of it and joined Jack to eat popcorn as they watched Jacob make his way towards me.

"Apparently yes, wanna find it?" A cocky smirk made its way onto his face as he stood at the only entrance of the elevator, effectively trapping me inside. He left me no choice.

"Okay, pretty boy. We can do this the hard way or the easy way. Take your pick?" I grinned as I looked around to make sure Abigail was nowhere near.

"If I pick hard, can I make it deep and rough as well?" Growing cockier by the second, he stepped closer.

I cupped his face and smiled with a seductive look in my eye, "Is this hard enough for you?"

I swiftly moved my hands from his face to his hand and flipped him over so that he was flat on his back, but his hand was still in mine. I pulled the hand, and the shoulder popped out of its socket.

"Don't be too rough with the presses; some of them have husbands back at home." I give him a pout and step over his body out of the elevator.

Before he could curse me to hell and back. I pressed the down button, and the doors closed shut.

"Now, this is the highlight of my night." Jack whooped as he grinned at me.

I stole some popcorn from the bowl in his hands and returned the grin, "I think this is the part where I ask if he will press charges?"

Shawn snorted in response, "Doubt it. You should check on Gail and Marci since we couldn't pick them up from school."

I nodded in agreement, and after dipping my hand into the bowl of popcorn again. I made my way towards the corridor under the stairs.

I heard Marci and Abigail bickering, and then I heard Caleb.

"Hold up, girls," He said. I poked my head into the room and saw that Gail and Marci were looking at him with a clear focus, "Did you guys ever know that we learn big words every day?"

"No kidding, I thought school was the Seven Cruel Hours Of Our Lives," Marci says, sarcasm dripping from her tone.

"Bottom line is you two have no idea what I'm talking about. The words family and loyalty are words that are always overlooked and thought to be pointless. You two need to learn the value of these words."

I saw myself growing a twinge of respect for the musician before me; he may not be as incompetent as I thought.

"Where are you going with this, Caleb?" Marci asked.

"One day, I'll be gone, and so will Marcel, Jacob, Jack, Shawn, Taryn and Dinah. You two will be the only family you have left, and it's time you learned to love each other. Or I will haunt you both from the grave."

Marci scoffed while he gave a look.

"So girls remember there is no family without loyalty." He concluded.

He couldn't have been more right. One day, the people I love will be gone, and I plan to spend my days with them and ensure they get their happy endings.

Again I was so lost in my thoughts. I didn't know when Caleb had finished playing storytime with Abigail and walked out of the room.

"Were you eavesdropping?" He cocks a brow as a smirk makes its way onto his face.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Yeah, I could see myself wiping that smirk off his face with one word. Before I could get it out of my system, Marci beat me to it.

"Now kids remember an impressionable young lady is in this room." Marci grins at us as she motions to Gail's room. She hugged Caleb goodnight, walked down the hall to her room and said. "And I'm also here, so keep it PG, people."

I looked skyward and said to Marci, "If you don't get to sleep in the next two seconds, young lady, I will staple your sheets down." A threat that I will keep to.

"As long as the bed you two sleep in doesn't end up like the one in the twilight, it's all gonna be peachy." Yeah, that will happen when I join Peter Pan and his crew in Neverland, but until then. I was about to stalk towards her room and pin her to her sheets.

She quickly closed her room door to hide her laughing figure.

"So."

"This is not some cliché awkward silence shit, so get to the point of what you want to say," I say. No need to stall. I said a twinge, not a whole bottle.

He sighs, "The guys and I with my producer are going to Mexico Friday night while Marci is spending the weekend with her mom."

So a weekend without Jacob's cocky ass, what a blessing!

"Do you trust me enough to leave your sister alone with me?"Realization dawned on me, and I raised my brow in his direction.

"Honestly, no. But someone vouched for you." He said honestly.

"Well, okay." Now that was all I needed to know. Time to leave here and not change Abigail's outlook on me, in case she may be listening in on us.

"How was your first day?" He asked

I stopped in my tracks and came back to lean on the wall opposite him in the hall, "Entertaining, Abigail's teacher is a real piece of work." She should thank her lucky stars that the witnesses were a bunch of six-year-olds.

"What about the kids in the orphanage?"

"I think that was the best part of my day. Shawn came by to help out."

Unfortunately, my mind returned to my conversation with Shawn, and my whole perception of Caleb felt weird?

I can't really come up with a word to describe how I now look at him. I am convinced that he cares greatly for his sister despite his career.

"How long will you guys be gone?"

"If things go according to plan, we should be back by Monday."

I made up my mind and decided to act on it.

I walked closer to him and cupped his cheek, "You're a good brother Caleb, don't ever doubt it."

I looked at him with an honest expression. Everyone needs encouragement every once in a while, and I am acting only on impulse.

I mean, it was just a thought as I took time to really look at him, from his hazel eyes to his slightly pink lip, and for some bizarre reason, my stare lingered there longer than usual.

Before anything could be said, I walked away and left him in the hall. As I continued to walk toward the stairs, I bumped into Jack and Shawn with another bowl of popcorn.

"Hope you enjoyed the show," I remarked. I took a handful of the fluffy snack and continued going to where I was going.

-

The week rolled faster than before. Caleb and I avoided each other, because of the bizarre moments we had shared the first day I started working here.

Meanwhile, even with a sling on his shoulder, Jacob still had the balls to keep launching pickup lines in my direction.

I only felt guilty when Gail asked what happened to him, and he sent a smirk my way. I made up a story about him tripping on his own two feet and abruptly leaving the room because, at that moment, Caleb walked in.

I was leaning on the handrails of the terrace while sipping tea; a throat cleared from behind me.

"Mind If I join you out here?" Jack said and walked closer.

We were quiet at first, staring at the starry night. He was dressed in simple joggers and a wife beater.

"So, how was your first week here?" He decided to break the awkward silence.

"Okay, I guess how are you holding up?"

"So you figured it out." He regarded me with a friendly gaze.

"Yes, but I had some help."

"I know your tongue is itching to ask, but just so we're clear, Taryn and I are still dating just because she is far away." He focused on the stars as he talked, "Sure, I miss her a lot, but I know that she will be back eventually."

I nodded. I looked upwards and said, "If there was something I know, it's that no matter how alone the moon feels, the stars are never far behind."

The irony of what I just said is that the sky we were looking at was filled with stars; there was no moon in sight.

Jack let out a quiet laugh as he cut a hold of my humour.

"So, does that statement apply to you as well?"

"Yes, but I know the knuckleheads I left behind are doing great." Hopefully.

The elevator opened, and a woman with a man having a steamy make-out session was right in it.

"Should you say it? Or should I?" I murmured to Jack as we watched them go at it.

"Give them a minute." He said with a small smile.

Suddenly, the woman withdrew from the kiss, smacked the man right on the face and hissed, "Touch me again, and I will make the world's best single mom." She had venom and lust in her eyes. What a weird combination.

She stalked out of the elevator and adjusted her outfit. Now that she was in more light, I knew who she was.

"You must be Dinah from Dinah's Delabsy." I grin.

She grinned, "And you must be Peyton from the Bahamas."

Dinah was the maker of the Delabsy. It's a trend where you wear all black but with different minuscule prints on the clothing. Ironic that the pyjamas that I was wearing were from her collection.

"Dad! Mom!" Marci squealed as she ran down the stairs and jumped into her parents' waiting arms.

I knew that I could never have that kind of relationship with my parents, let alone Father dearest that was alive.

I pinched my arm slightly to remind myself to keep my eyes on the prize. All I need to do is take care of Abigail and the orphanage kids, handle Jacob while trying to not get convicted for murder and buy enough time to throw Joey and Jordan off my ass and head back.

I slightly doubt that Jordan won't hurt Danny, Charlie and Lola. But Mafia Don or not, if I know those three well which I do, he would be lucky to walk away without a scratch on himself.

Ignoring the family reunion in front of me, I walked up the stairs.

The sight of a big happy family was getting to me. I knew the closest thing; I could have was Lola, Charlie and Danny. Sometimes I can't help but wonder if I had a competent father and a loving mother. Maybe I would have turned out alright.

-

But as I lay Abigail Parks into her bed and tuck her in, I make another oath. No kid deserves to be without parental care. I will find out why her parents are absent, even if I have to extend my stay here.

"You okay?" Dinah says as she comes in.

I stiffly nod my head at her and make my way to leave the room. But she grabs my hand to stop me.

"I know it's' not my place to ask, but you know I am here for you, Peyton, right?"

I don't know if it's because of her honest expression or because I have been bottling up how I feel for the past week. Seeing a group of people who obviously love each other as a family may have been my breaking point, but I felt my gates break, and tears started streaming down my face. Something I rarely let happen, especially since that incident in the Griffin estate.

Dinah pulled me into a tight hug, and I cried harder, "It's just so hard, watching everyone around me just so happy when things are spiralling out of control back home. I have sacrificed so much. I am willing to sacrifice more if it means they get to be happy in the end." I sniff, "I'd be damned if Father wins the war."

Dinah let out a quiet laugh even though I was spilling literally enough water from my face to put a damn to shame, "Chloe was right. You are a spitfire, ready to burn everything in your path. I know that it's hard. You know what, go get changed. We're going on a girl's night out."

I sniffed again and wiped some of my tears away, "I'm not sure if Caleb would be too happy if we left the Penthouse without someone being here to look after Marci and Gail."

Honestly, I am not in any condition to leave, and the last thing I need is to piss off an innocent bystander.

Dinah rolls her eyes, "Fine."

She drags me toward the elevator. As we pass the living room. I noticed that Marci was on the phone, and judging by her flustered look and dreaming smile, it was obviously a boy.

"I suggest you go to sleep unless, before you know it, you'll be too old to keep track of your midnight love talks."

I shoot Marci a smirk as she gives me a glare in return. Before she could reply, Dinah pushed me into the elevator and pressed a button.

It seems like we are in the highest part of the building. It's filled with flowers of different origins spread all around. A tree arced into a door at the very edge. It holds a wooden chair that swings; it faces the city whose lights sparkle as nighttime comes to life.

One of the prettiest sights that I have ever seen.

Dinah pulls me to the chair and pushes me onto it.

"I'm no Doc Phil," I already know that I will regret this from the dark grin on her face, "So I won't make you bare your heart to me."

I know that a brow of mine is about to attach itself to my hair, "Then why are we in a place meant for a heart-to-heart?"

"I thought it would be a perfect way to annoy Jacob if we hang out in his garden tonight, plus I need some relationship advice."

I feel my eyes bulge out of my sockets. I can already think of some nice comments to throw at Jacob when they return from Mexico.

I stop my inner villain monologue when I catch the last part of her statement, "Since my last boyfriend pretended to sleep with my sister just to fulfil a deal with my stepfather, I'm not sure that I am the perfect person to play Opera with." I snort as sarcasm drips from my tone.

Dinah rolls her eyes, "Hold up! Jordan slept with Lola!" It's her turn for her eyeballs to move out.

"I see old age affects your hearing. Actually, Joey did," I smirk sadly.

Dinah narrows her eyes at me, clearly not missing the slight insult to that comment but after staying in the Griffin Empire all my life. There is only so little time that I can't stop myself from throwing digs at people who aren't kids.

"Isn't he supposed to be married to Troy?"

"Now that you're all caught up with the new episode of my life, be a good Doc Phil and leave me alone." I snap.

And my grouchiness returns. It's not like I voluntarily push the people that try to help me away, but some demons are better fought alone. The only way to win this war against Father Dearest is to beat him at his own game is to put up the only deal that he can't turn down, but that will have to be later.

"Then why are you here?" She cocks her head, putting all the pieces of the puzzle together.

"Cause I made a deal with Jordan, and I crossed him. He is the Don of the Mafia, so I had to leave town for a while."

"But you hate anything that relates remotely to Caleb?"

For someone who only seems to care about clothes, she observed many things about my life, especially me. We'd only met a handful of times when she came to the Bahamas for a fashion show.

"Trust me. You don't know the torture I face just having to look at him; every day for the past week," I whine.

A grin replaces her confused look again, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that he was looking at you with concern, but it must be my old age catching up with me."

I smirk, "Speaking of failed romance, you said something about needing relationship advice," I turn my head to look at her as she sits down next to me.

"I know you saw that man I was kissing earlier," She blushes.

"You mean the man that you were looking for your youth in his mouth," I can't help it. When I start with the old people's jokes, I like Jacob doesn't have an off switch.

"If you are referring to the man who has no care about his appearance, then you are correct. He was my husband."

"So judging by the mouth version of hiding and seek that you guys played earlier, you're both still in the 'we don't care about each other but will still be fuck buddies' stage?"

"Something like that," She avoids my gaze while she squeezes her knuckles so tight that they turn white, "He can be so infuriating at times, then he can be quite useful but still possessive. There was this one time when I made small talk with the mailman, he came out and threatened the guy to beat it, or he would shove the package into his throat, deeper than I could ever blow him."

"And I'm a bad influence." I snorted but still continued to listen to her.

"Long story short, he wants us to get back together. He says that the mansion is too cold without me, and he has to chase away all the boys; that come looking for Marci." She chuckles.

"She was literally talking to a boy when we walked into the elevator." I point out.

"If you looked a bit closer, she had worry lines on her forehead when we walked past," She states, "Peyton if there is one obvious fact that even you should know. All parents know what to expect from their kids."

I hum a quiet tune as we chatted for a while into the night, and I am again reminded that Dinah is a great person. Sneaky but great, she claimed that she won't pry into my personal life, but like gossip girls she made me squeal faster than Danny could knock off redheads.

I am fond of not respecting anybody who feels the need to make sure that they can boss me around.

But even I can't stop the upheaval that would happen if Father dearest's first name rolls off my tongue. That's why I call others by their first name, Mrs Sandel has done quite a lot of things for me. So why do I call Dinah by her first name? The woman claims that she is not too old but the grey strands sticking out of her brown hair proves otherwise.

"Am I allowed to annoy your husband further?" I say right before the night starts getting brighter.

What? It's a coping mechanism.

She chuckles, "Feel free. I have to be there at all times."

"It surprises me that you are a responsible wife."

"You don't know the half of it. So how many insults have you come up with so far?"

"Depends on who I want to use it on," I answer.

"Jacob?"

"Enough to fill a large fish tank."

"Marcel."

'Who's that?"

"My husband, you can ask for pointers." She implies.

I roll my eyes at the responsible woman beside me with amusement, "I'm sure it would be a walk in the park. Or in your case; a walk to the bedroom."

"Caleb."

I am mildly speechless because I have no reason to curse him to the moon and back. I may be going soft here.

"I'll take your silence as an answer to start planning your wedding."

If only she knew how many people are fighting to do that, Caleb might as well get in line.

I snort at the absurd idea; I obviously don't get a good ending when this entire thing is over.

"If you believe that, I will marry that singing walrus, you may have started seeing the light earlier than I expected."

She snickers, "You can fight it all you want, Peyton. But I know you two will end up together."

I yawn, "And I know you will visit the salon to hide your grey hairs when we leave here. But you don't see me teasing you about it."

"Has anyone ever told you that your sass will get you stabbed one day?" She questions with a smirk.

"Killed yes, pushed off a cliff yes, made to watch porn with Danny yes," I shudder at that last one, "Stabbed is a new one."

She looks forward, and I follow her gaze. The sun was rising, it would have been beautiful were it not making me go blind simultaneously.

And I smile, not the fake ones I give people so that they leave me alone, not the forced ones I give people when they have moments I wished I had.

Nope. This is a real one caused by the one and only Dinah Wellington.

When we leave the rooftop and are in the elevator, away from the prying eyes of the paps I pull her into a tight hug, she brings out the best in me.

Like a true parent would to their child, like a second mother.

"Thank you," I say quietly against her shoulder.

She hugs back and strokes my hair, "Never feel alone, Peyton. You have a long way to go before that finally happens."

For some reason, I wish she was right.

Soon I am freshly showered and set to leave for the orphanage home; Gail and Marci are heading off to the studio to help Dinah work with some new designs.

Shawn was as smart as a duck, and left a note in my room; in it was a key to the orphanage home. And the numbers to unlock the code to the penthouse from the elevator.

I arrive at the orphanage in record time, the nurses are not around, and the kids are playing around.

I go to the kitchen, whip up some brownies, give them their treats and stay in the office and drown myself in work, hoping that one day these kids will get good people to adopt them. And soon.

-

The weekend flies by fast, and I am itching to stab a famous musician with a sharp crayon.

We watched Caleb's performance last night, and Abigail insisted we ring him up.

I doubt he would pick, but I still felt that he may. Let's face it; Caleb loves his sister to bits.

So, my dear friends, it comes as a shock when Caleb blatantly refuses to answer the first time, but when he does answer after the fifth try, it's Jacob yelling at him to hurry up that he is hogging the table. That it's his turn to do body shots.

Safe to say that Abigail was left bawling in her room with Marci; she was inconsolable.

I'm guessing she feels her brother has abandoned her, even though I know that sibling love is pretty important.

I grabbed an apple from the fruit basket intent on biting away my frustration, but when he walked in through the elevator doors. I get a better idea.

I vaguely hear some say that popcorn should be gotten, but I am intent on calling him every word under the sun after throwing my apple at him. Some of the insults are made up on the spot; I feel white-hot anger pulsing through my veins.

I take it back; I now have a reason to start thinking of names to call him.

"Would you just stop with your colourful vocabulary for a second and get to saying what you really want to say?!"

Seems like I said something that pissed him off, and I felt my anger lessen just a bit. Good.

"Where were you last night?"

He regards me with a cold yet irritated gaze, "I travelled to the moon." He gestures to the luggage beside him.

"Don't be a dimwit. I mean after your performance when you got to your hotel."

He replies with still narrowed eyes, "Gazing at the stars and assuming I left my sister with a competent person seems like I was wrong."

It feels different when the insult comes from him, but I prefer not to dwell on it.

"So you weren't off screwing someone?" I feel anxious to hear his answer.

"Even If I were, what's it to you?" Someone is missing their pills.

I decide to show him the reason for my aggression; I drag him toward Gail's room. Marci scrambles out of the room when we both step in, and it's clear that we are both pissed. Gail scrambled out of bed and launched herself at him. He holds her tightly, and the sight tugs on my heartstrings, a reminder that no one will ever hold me like that. Caleb says soothing words into her ears, and she falls asleep. He puts her on her bed and tucks her in, giving her a kiss on her forehead.

"I take my apologies in..." I was cut short as Caleb put his hand over my mouth.

After working here for a few days, I know the only thing that will wake Abigail is a bucket of cold water.

Seriously, no jokes. Even a high fire alarm won't get her to stir.

Now it comes as a surprise why he has to cover my mouth when I am about to gloat. But he opened the door to the room, and everyone we left in the sitting room stumbled in, clearly having their ears pressed to the door to have bothered keeping themselves balanced.

"We were just cleaning the cobwebs on the door." Dinah offered with a guilty grin as she picked herself off of Marci.

"Tell that to my dislocated spine," Jack grumbled as he wiped off bits of popcorn from his shirt.

Caleb offers a tight smile and pulls me to a corridor bedside the stairs; he stops in front of a door and opens it. He pushes me in and closes the door.

"In case you haven't noticed, I am not a fan of being shoved around, so you better have a good explanation."

"Sorry."

I was expecting a dramatic outburst which would lead to us throwing shade at each other. It caught me off guard when he said those words.

"I know you're surprised that I said that to you earlier, but honestly, Peyton. I just came back from Mexico. I am jet-lagged, and a suitable welcome or you're being ignorant to my existence would have been better than playing shots with my head."

Again caught off guard by a rant, but he wasn't done.

He groans as he wipes his hand on his face, "Gail must be really upset if she were to have been crying that hard. What happened?"

I feel my throat go dry, it's something to talk about sex with kids, and it's another thing to talk about it with Caleb. I go for a more vague explanation.

"Abigail wanted to talk to you last night, but Jacob picked up and implied that you were going down on someone." I look away to hide my flustered expression.

"I left my phone with him," He mutters before having eye contact with me, "Were you bothered about Gail crying because of my lack of contact or the fact that I was sleeping with someone?" A smirk appears on his face.

Oh hell no, I am shutting down this conversation before we go into that cliché part of every romance novel ever written. The part where the couple who end up together, in the end, have an argument about being with other people.

"I'd only be attracted to you if you could sing better and if you stopped sharing a brain with the Timon and Pumba," I turn to storm away from him, but I bump into a harp that I hadn't noticed before.

Of course, I stumble backwards and almost fall, but he catches me.

"You can curse me out all you want, Peyto,n but the crimson on your face says otherwise." The smirk on his face grew wider by the second.

I feel myself scowl, pull away from him and storm out of the room.