Miserably Delightful

chapter 15

I was practically vibrating with energy as I hummed and twirled through the kitchen, in search of a water bottle to take with me. Nathan and I were supposed to head across the street to Kota's shortly, considering that he was our ride for the night, but we were running a little late. I was really only waiting on Nathan at this point. I managed to find a water bottle hidden behind miscellaneous food.

"Gotcha," I whispered, reaching out to grab. My hand had wrapped around the cool plastic just as an arm wound around my waist. I jumped, hitting my head on a shelf on the fridge. I pulled back, rubbing my head, frowning. "Ow."

"Oh god, Sang," Nathan said, turning me so he could inspect my head. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

I nodded, still rubbing at the place where I had bumped my head. "Yes. I'm fine. Though, I think that after a month of me staying here you should have probably learned your lesson by now, don't you think?"

He scratched the back of his neck, looking a little ashamed, as if he was being scolded by his mother. I giggled and wrapped my arms around his waist tilting my head up to look at him. After a month of residing in the same household, we had gotten rather used to being around each other and had gotten closer too. Though, in a month, I had grown closer with the other boys as well.

Even though I was barely in contact with my blood relatives at the moment, except for Micah and Knox, who I occasionally checked in with, just so they knew I was alive, the boys were truly beginning to turn into my family. We had even begun to plan how we were going to spend me and Nathan's birthdays, which were fast approaching, and Halloween. I couldn't remember a time in my life where I had been happier.

"We're going to be late," I said as Nathan tilted his head down as if preparing to kiss my neck. I rested my hands on his chest and pushed gently. "Honey, we're going to be late. Kota will kill us. North will run us over with his car. Let's go."

Nathan laughed, but listened to me anyways. He threw an arm over my shoulders and we exited his house together, taking a moment to lock his door before heading across the street. Kota was already waiting for us, as I expected he would be, leaning against his car, eyebrows raised.

Before he could say it, I beat him to it, "We're late."

His lips quirked up in a smile. "At least you're aware that you're late."

He opened my car door for me, and I shrugged, climbing into the passenger seat. We would be a bit late to the drag races, but that was okay. There was only one race I truly cared about anyways, and I knew that we wouldn't miss it.

On the ride there, I thought over the last month, as well as the fact that I would have to return home soon. My eyes fluttered shut, dread filtered through me, and I let out a heavy sigh. The moment I told the boys I was going back home soon was one I wasn't looking forward to. They were all aware of what happened in that household, and they would raise hell if it meant I didn't return, but I had to.

I didn't want to, but I needed to. Appearances were everything in my family, after all.

I was quickly snapped out of my depressing thoughts when Kota's car came to a stop. I climbed out before one of the boys could get the car door for me, and I would have felt bad about it, but I was just too excited. In order to make sure I didn't get lost, Kota slipped his hand into mine, and we started to look for the other boys.

It didn't take long. They were all around North's car, leaning against it, sitting in it, standing around it. I nearly giggled; it almost looked like they were guarding his car, but knowing them, they probably were. Luke spotted me first, and I instantly braced myself. All week whenever he would see me, he would scoop me up in a hug and refuse to let go until someone forced him.