Baylor Jones, a 12 year old girl with Asperger's syndrome (autism), with an abusive life that she doesn't know how to deal with. When the "accident" happens, she gets sent to live with her 6 older brothers who haven't seen her in eleven years.
Wil...
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I wake up, panting. It was just a nightmare, just a nightmare.
No, no it wasn't. I look over at BoBo beside me on my bed. It was a memory of what happened almost a week ago. Of course, now I'm going to have something else to have nightmares over.
Like I don't have enough of them already.
I learned to be quiet when I have nightmares. Frank would punish me for being loud. But sometimes I can't help it, I wake up screaming. Luckily, I haven't done that with boys yet. I would never hear the end of it.
Speaking of the boys, we've been avoiding each other. I go downstairs everyday, and most of them end up having something to do and leave and don't come back til dinner time. That's okay, I like the quiet.
I still don't quite like them. Especially Asher and Parks. They scare me. I never know what they'll do. Beckett, Archer and Kellan are nice, but that could be because of manipulative reasons. Kingston is still hovering since my breakdown, making sure I'm okay and comfortable.
I always say yes, but I lie. I feel like a stranger as I sit on the couch everyday. I feel like a guest in this big house with expensive things. I don't feel like I belong. But who really belongs when they have a brain that works like mine?
Today, Kingston told us we were having dinner together tonight. I always comply, never arguing. Some of the boys groaned, but Kingston's words are law, nobody is changing them.
I sit on the couch fiddling with anything my hands find relaxing. I pick at my nails, I chew on the collar of my shirt, I pick at the thread in the couch and pillows, I play with my own fingers as I watch tv, waiting for time to pass.
Much sooner than I expected, I hear Kellan (when did Kellan get here?), "Dinners ready, come to the table!" I get up from the couch, BoBo in my arms.
I walk in the dining room and see all the boys already there. How quietly did they come in? Or was I lost in my mind so much that I didn't hear them?
I sit at the seat near Kingston and beside Archer. Kellan is bringing each plate to the boys. Lastly I get mine in two different plates. I'm very thankful he is considerate of my dislike for food touching.
Tonight, we having some sort of pasta and bread. I watch the boys dip their bread in the pasta. I see now, Kellan didn't know if I would eat the bread if it had sauce on it so he put it in a different plate. Good thinking because I won't.
I start eating my bread first. It was good it had some kind of spice I've never tasted before.
As I finished my bread, Kingston disrupted the silence, "Baylor, school starts tomorrow. I have a computer and phone for you. All your brother's numbers are in it. If you ever need something, call or text us. If you have any trouble at school, tell one of us. We will fix the problem immediately. If your struggling with a subject, again tell one of us. We will help you. I want you in bed by nine. You will ride to school with the twins. Got it?"
