The bottle plays a part later ~ just keep it in mind for now Chapter 12 ~ Scottie Where did that bottle come from? Zac didn't throw it, none of the people on shore had a bottle. Unless the bottle was already there and someone chucked a stone. If it was a bottle, the shape would be distinctive when it when passed, but it wasn't. So that brings me back in a loop, who chucked the bottle out here and why didn't we notice it earlier? Today was getting stranger. First Le could tell GH was watching, and now this bottle. Maybe it was here before GH got the house from the Larose family. Dylan's family. Le's family. But she doesn't know. Maybe when she sees Dylan, maybe she will know. But with Le, it's hard to tell she's a Larose. Her hair is darker, and her eyes, well let's just say, that's one of the many eye colours Larose's have. Dylan's personality is similar to Leila's whenever I've seen him. But their parents, they went off the map when Dylan got kidnapped, and that was when Le was crying in reception. Her misty eyes filled with water. They've obviously left her a massive amount of money, and by the look of it, she hasn't spent much. We reach the shore where the others were stood chatting. Behind us a boat engine was getting closer. I turn round carefully and nudge Silas. It's Paul, with John and Dylan. What are they doing here? "Is this an arranged visit?" I mutter to my brother and he shakes his head. Great Leila meeting her brother on her second day. Silas speaks up jokingly, "you know they say 'speak of the devil, he shall appear' afternoon Paul." Paul laughs in response. "Nice to see you happy for once Silas." Silas shrugs "what can I say? It's the shining sun that's done that." John parks the boat and they walk down to the back of the boat. They were soon walking through the water to us. I feel Le reach for my hand, I let her hold it, she'll need support. Dylan is like Zac with his muscles, caramel brown hair that most girls would kill for and he's the same height as Scottie. They all have no tops on. I see John look up at Le on my shoulders, "since when do you let girls wear your top Scott?" He asks teasingly and I feel Leila tense. I stroke the back of her hand with my thumb. "Since when do you guys turn up unexpected?" I reply quickly and the others, apart from John, laughs. Le is wearing her sunglasses so Dylan can't see her eyes, but her hair is almost like his in this light. Dylan looks at Le, a flash of recognition goes across his face, then he goes back to normal. Le let's go of my hand and plays with my hair. She's realised who he is. Paul approaches Silas to shake his hand, so Silas moves Dannie behind him slightly. He shakes his hand and they engage in conversation walking to the mansion, Dannie follows still holding Silas' hand. Le shifts uncomfortably and whispers "can I get down?" I nod and she moves her legs to my back and slides down. When she lands she stumbles slightly and Dylan helps her. "Thanks." She mutters quietly and I slip my hand in hers after I turn round. John walks silently past everyone to the mansion. "You're welcome." Dylan replies smiling. Le stands in the middle of us two and we all walk back up the garden. "Where did you find this lovely girl?" Dylan asks and Le blushes slightly. "We found her outside The Rose pub. She looked a bit lost so we helped her." Le nudges my hip "I wasn't lost, I knew where I was." She replies smiling. Kathie joins us, eyeing up Dylan. "Hi." She says, Leila laughs "I wondered how long it would take you." Kathie replies "well you're walking with two pieces of eye candy what do you expect." This causes Dylan to chuckle slightly and Le freezes momentarily but keeps going quickly enough so only I notice it. She puts her sunglasses on top of her head while she is walking. Dylan glances at her trying to work out who she is, his breath catching slightly when he sees her eyes. He knows it too. Kathie catches Dylan's attention, and starts talking to him. "You remember me from last time don't you?" She asks. "How could I forget you Kat." He says wrapping an arm around her shoulder. I see Leila raise her eyebrow slightly, obviously barely anyone calls her Kat. She laughs and says teasingly to Kathie "you don't like me calling you Kat." Dylan looks at Leila, and Kathie glares at her slightly. "I don't tell everyone my full name." Kathie replies smoothly laughing. We reach the table where everyone else is sat talking and I see Emory and Mina look at Dylan and Leila. This could be interesting. Leila sits down on a blanket without warning and I get dragged down with her. She laughs slightly when I lay down a bit flustered. She sits beside me with her arms behind her and looking at the table. I prop myself up on my elbows. She looks weary. "Did you want a drink?" I ask and she nods. I get up again, then pick her up, she starts laughing and wraps her legs around my waist. She leans head on my shoulder and I walk inside to the table set up with the drinks. "What drink do you want?" I ask softly and she gets down after looking behind me. I instantly know it's Dylan. She turns around to face the table and I wrap my arms around her waist placing my head on her shoulder. She picks up a strawberry milkshake, and I whisper in her ear "make that two." Dylan speaks up, "can you pass me one of those please?" Le freezes as realisation hits her. I look outside and shut the door while Le passes Dylan the drink. He smiles at her, "you two don't know each other do you?" I say. Le looks at me with pleading eyes, I go back over and sits her on the floor with me. Dylan joins us sitting cross-legged opposite Le. "I remember you, but you wouldn't remember me." He replies solemnly looking at Le. "I just remember an older boy being there one day, and the next he's gone." She answers burying her head in my shoulder. "Le look at me." He says gently, he honestly does remember. She looks at him from where her head is in my shoulder. "I've been searching for you. Honestly. When I was sixteen I scoured the internet for you. I found you eventually, I was going to get you, for you to live with me as we are closer related than you being with aunt. One day I stood outside your school, hoping you would remember me, but you just glanced at me as you walked past as your friend had said I was cute. I thought it was to protect my identity, but I realised you didn't know who I was. You didn't remember your past. You couldn't remember being a Larose." He said, reaching for her hand and she let him take it. A tear rolled down her cheek like she was remembering and he instinctively wiped it away. "I didn't approach you because I didn't know how you would react or how much you knew." He continues, damn it even I feel like crying. Le sits there stunned, too shocked to respond. Mina sees us all sat on the floor and Dylan automatically gains his composure, lets go of Le's hand and walks out the door passing Mina. Le collapses into me and I pull her onto my lap. She buries her head in my shoulder, her tears soon wetting my skin. Mina sits behind Le playing with her hair and pulls the hair band out. The plait has left soft smooth curls in her hair, the hair created a cascade that covered Le's face well with her sunglasses on she looked like the celebrity she really is.
so...... Ermahgerd!!!!!BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP! AH MAI ZING!! Hooray! Le meets brother hooray!!! What's gonna happen?
Chapter 13 ~ Leila I couldn't stop the tears at first. My family, most of which I thought were dead, were actually alive, part of them anyway. I was greatful for who ever let my hair down as it can cover most of me when I go outside. I stop crying and look at who is behind me. Mina. I almost leap out of Scottie's lap to hug her and she laughs softly playing with my hair. "How on Earth did you manage to put a french plait in your hair?" She asks me, changing the topic of conversation. I stop hugging her and sit in front of Scottie, my hair flowing down my back. He starts playing with a few strands, "Scottie done it." I say leaning back into his arms. She looks at him impressed, "why didn't you say you could do that my boy." I like the fact she calls him 'my boy' even thought they aren't related at all, it shows how close everyone is. He shrugs and leans his head on mine. Mina smiles and gets up, "come on, people will get suspicious." Scottie says in response, "aren't they always suspicious." Which makes us three to laugh. I pull my sunglasses over my eyes and walk out holding Scottie's hand. He leads me down to the beach and we sit in the shallow water, talking and laughing. I hear someone approaching, the footsteps stop, but someone sits down, but I know who it is. Dylan. I'm lucky, I got a cute brother, Kathie has already fallen at his feet. I lean my head on Scottie's shoulder and our hands entwine. Dylan's jealous of the relationship me and Scottie has, but by the looks of it, he's got that with Kathie. A softer set of footsteps approach us and Kathie sits beside me facing the beach. "Someone sat back there is jealous." She comments, and I shrug "so?" Kathie shakes her head "what's bothering you Le?" She asks. I feel heat building up inside me. "I don't want to talk about it." That's my cue to Scottie that a conversation will be happening later when they go. "Seriously, what is it?" She pushes. "I do not want to talk about it right now." I stand up, walk to the beach, wipe my feet and walk into the mansion. I find myself back at the training room. I take my sunglasses off, put them down and get out a pair of boxing gloves. Putting them on I walk towards the punch bag which I pulled out just now. I put myself in the defensive position, my left leg leading, then fire punches at the bag. I feel my anger melting away after each punch. The door opens and shuts again. The voice that speaks sends nice shivers down my spine. "I thought I would find you here." Scottie says wrapping his arms round my waist and I relax. "I was stressed I had to get it out." I reply and slide the gloves off. Slipping out of his arms, I wipe the gloves and punch bag down then put them away. Scottie pulls me into his embrace. "Why did you flip at Kat, she didn't mean any harm." I felt guilty then, I stammer a reply. "I... I don't know." I collapse into his embrace and he kisses the top of my head. Boy if he knew the control he has on me. He glances out the window, "come on, Dylan and that are going." He picks me up and I wrap my legs around his waist. I've felt like a child a lot today, so many confusions, so many emotions, I really don't know what's going on. We get out into the garden and he let's me walk, but puts his arm round my shoulder. He stands with Silas on his left in his part of the goodbye committee. Paul and John walk past me shaking my hand and moving on to Scottie. Dylan however pulls me into a short hug. One as if to say, we'll talk soon, have a catch up, the usual stuff. "Have you got a mobile number?" I nod and tell him, knowing my number off by heart. He programs it into his phone, glances at Scottie's arm around me and then talks to Scottie. They start talking and I see my brother glance at me. "Take care of her like I couldn't." He says shaking Scottie's hand, Scottie nods in reply, his handshake firm. Scottie squeezes my shoulder gently and I put my head on his watching Paul, John and Dylan go back to the boat. Kat comes over to me after they leave and the gang goes back to what they were doing before. "You got a hug out of Dylan, I'm shocked at that. Why did he hug you anyway?" She asks and I glance nervously at Scottie, "I'll tell you soon. I promise. I got to get my head round it first." She nods understanding and walks to the beach to get her towel. I take Scottie's top off and put my clothes back on as it was getting to five o'clock. Where has the day gone? I think Scottie starts playing with my hair but when I glance at him, he's not. Whoever it is senses my panic slightly, "don't worry chick." It's Dannie. I relax and sit down on a blanket, letting her do a waterfall braid, leaving most of my hair flowing down my back. After she's finished I turn round and give her a hug "thanks." She smiles "it's alright, you've a strange day." She knows then. I wonder how many people know. I think only Silas and Scottie know mine and Dylan's last name. From what I can guess, our family is famous, hence why my parents went into hiding and Dylan got kidnapped. Why hadn't they contacted me? Why haven't they told me they are alive? Maybe they can't in case they get discovered. Maybe they are just waiting for me and Dylan to go back to them. Hoping we would find each other and pool our knowledge. Scottie goes and speaks to Zac about something. I can't help but feel nosey, but I ignore it. Dannie looks at Scottie's bruise on his leg. "How did Scottie get that?" I laugh, "didn't Kathie and Tamie tell you?" She shakes her head. "They said you guys trained with him earlier and they couldn't tell me what happened as they were laughing too much." I pointed to the bruise, "I kicked him causing that." Her jaw dropped, "you didn't." I just nodded and we started laughing. Zac glanced at us and smiled when he saw us laughing. Scottie turned round so we stopped laughing and kept a straight face then when he turned away again, we started laughing again. Mina came over to me and Dannie, "girls, would you be able to give me a hand doing dinner?" We nod and get up. Following her inside, I realise I didn't tell Scottie, but he won't panic, will he? We get to the kitchen, "as we had a barbecue for lunch, I was thinking we do some pasta with a sauce and a couple of vegetables." Mina says to us. "That sounds nice, like a cheesy sauce sort of thing?" I ask, and Dannie adds something "with peas and carrots?" Mina smiles. "Exactly what I was thinking." I wash and prepare the carrots, while Dannie washes the peas. Mina sorts out a tray for the pasta which looks like the trays they used in the canteen at uni. She preps the pasta and puts it the tray, walking over to us she brings the cheese sauce to add the veg. I put in the carrots, and Dannie adds the peas. Mina walks back to the tray pouring the sauce over the pasta then she lifts the tray into the oven. "That should do it." We all smile, get a drink and sit chatting while waiting for the pasta to cook.
Since you read that so fast, here's another chapter Chapter 14 ~ Scottie I turn round and she's gone. Where on Earth has she got to now? I pick up her jacket and towel to take it up to her room, I get up there and she's not there. I check my room. She's not there either. The clothes room. Not there. The training room, the many lounges, the library, she's not in any of them. Where could she be? I have been running around this mansion for ten minutes and I still haven't found her. The games room. Not there. I run back up to my room hoping she will materialise. She doesn't. I walk out on to my balcony, looking out at the group, I notice three other people missing, Dannie, Mina and Silas. Then I see Silas come out onto his balcony and he looks at me. Realisation hits us. Mina cooks for the gang, how could we so stupid? We both go back into the hallway. "The kitchen." We say at the same time then we run down the stairs to the kitchen. We burst through the door and the trio look at us both in shock. "You weren't running boys were you?" Mina asks, we both instantly feel like children. "No of course not Mina." She smiles and Le puts her drink down and hugs me. She's guessed that we panicked. I hug her back, burying my head in her neck "tell me next time." I whisper and she chuckles quietly in my ear. "I'm sorry I thought you would trust me." I mutter in response, "I wasn't the only one who panicked." "I know I'm teasing." I squeeze her slightly and she pulls back slightly "did you want a drink after all your running?" I laugh gently and I move around her to get a drink myself. Silas joins me "what are we like." He says shaking his head. I nod in agreement, "I've been meaning to talk to you about last night." I say, guilt rising in my stomach. He smiles slightly "it's alright, I feel just as bad, Dannie told me to apologise." I chuckle "believe it or not it affected my sleep." He smiled. "Nothing surprises me about you brother." We walk back to the kitchen with the smell of cheese sauce and peas filling our noses. It's traybake night. Mina has opened the oven door and checks the pasta, it looks delicous, and almost done. Mina puts the pasta bake back into the oven, shutting the door and turning to Silas, “rally the troops, dinner is almost done.” Silas nods and heads out. Everyone respects and listens to Mina, she helps us cover our tracks and make us seem like a large family to everyone else. She gives the image that most of us are related and Herman’s dead wife was Mina’s sister. Mina has been the only thing that has kept the gang at a constant and hidden away from the public eye as well as she can. From a hunch I could tell Le had some information on us all, but how, I don’t know. We get out 15 plates to separate the portions onto, and then Le and I start sorting drinks out. Everyone pretty much has the same drink every night. Silas always has a coffee, so Le starts preparing it when I see her add a small bit of alcohol to the drink with the milk. I raise an eyebrow “why did you add that?” She laughs, “last night I pulled a bluff on Tamie saying there was alcohol in her coffee, so I decided to do an experiment on Silas. Don’t tell him there’s alcohol in there, I just want to see if he realises.” I laugh and take some drinks out on a tray, placing it down I turn to find Le placing cutlery on the table. Silently I creep up on her “your bruised leg still gives you away.” I laugh and reach for a fork; she goes for the same one, moving her hand away when we touch. I glance at her profile and the stray strands that aren’t staying behind her ear can’t cover the pale redness of her soft slightly tanned cheeks. Beautiful. She really is in my eyes, she doesn’t look like her mum, but the personality is the same. I remember my mum always talking about how nice and beautiful her personality and looks are. Alysa Larose. She’s a role model for many. Also she is a long lost mother to two children. Dylan hasn’t seen her for 18 years. Neither has Le, but she can’t remember her. She’s buried those memories. She blames herself for her parents leaving her with her aunt. I need to help her understand her family. Help her understand the La Rosa mansion. Help her understand that this house was once her home. I don’t know how I would do it, but I’ll find a way to help her. She won’t believe it at first but she will piece the bits together and will understand the situation. It’s dangerous. She’s got to find a way to survive. I’ll help her, and I will always protect her. Everyone comes into the dining room in clusters, so we go back into the kitchen to help Mina. We move plates onto a trolley, after everything is loaded Leila pushes it out and I hand everyone a plate. The trolley stays by the table with the drinks and Le hands Silas his coffee. I sit down by Leila, who is sitting by Dannie chatting while eating their dinner. Observing the table, I notice that everyone is more settled. All because Le has joined us and knows the girls. It has surprised me and I glance at Silas, he’s realised the same thing. This will do the gang some good, it will relax them. The conversation flows and everyone smiles. Tonight Almon and Carlo are washing up so they take the plates into the kitchen to wash up and the conversation carries on. “I saw online the other day crime rate is going up.” Rey comments and we all laugh. Emory and Will walk out the room chatting “I know somewhere in town where valuable artwork is at the moment, we could get quite a bit for it.” Zac comments so Silas speaks up “when do you need to have a look at the place?” “In the next couple of days, the exhibit is there for another two weeks.” Silas nods looking at the group around the table. His eyes settle on me and Le for a moment and then he speaks up again. “Take SS, Le and Almon. Use the limo; make a big deal out of your arrival, like you are celebrities. It won’t be hard. Use the Larose name.” This causes Le, Zac and me to stop. “We can’t use their name.” Zac stutters. Silas looks at us blankly “say you are a guest of theirs and they recommended you visit the exhibit. I mean Leila looks enough like a Larose.” Le didn’t have to hear any more. She got up, pushed her chair roughly under the table and walks out to the hallway slamming the door behind her. Kathie goes after her, obviously to calm her down and find out what's going on. “Well done genius.” I mutter and sip my drink. Everyone is still dumb founded at her exit. “That’s a good way to end a day isn’t Silas?” Zac says calmly. Silas scoffs “it’s true.” I laugh loudly at his comment causing everyone to stare at me. “We can’t put their good name to shame.” I say in response. “Think of how many people look to the Larose family.” Mina adds and Silas shakes his head “Leila has softened you both.” People leave until there’s only me, Dannie, Silas, Mina, and Zac at the table, Almon joins us silently. "Why did go out the room like that?" Silas asks. Mina glares at him so I don't have to "she didn't like what you said." She reples simply. "Who wouldn't like to look like a Larose?" Almon says. We all turn to look at Almon, all glaring, apart from Silas. “They are a respectable family. We should talk to them first.” Silas says seeing our point. “What exactly would say? It’s not like we can say, oh can we use your name to get into an art exhibit.” Zac comments sarcastically. “We don’t need to ask. We already know two members of that family.” Silas replies. I laugh “they’ll never agree.” Silas turns to me “what makes you think that?” I glare in response and before I could reply the doors swings open. Le steps into the room with her leather jacket and sunglasses on with her hair down. “We barely know each other so why should we use the name? It will only bring the paparazzi. Bring more attention to the mansion,” she walks to behind Silas and put her hands on the back of the chair, “it will turn the spotlight on you.” Silas shifts uncomfortably, I glance at Zac trying to resist to cheer Leila for saying what she did, and he’s doing the same. Mina smiles at Le across the table and Leila continues “we wouldn’t want that would we?” She ruffles his hair as she says it and sits back in her seat after. I have to resist the urge again and Silas shakes his hair back into place. Almon looks at Leila “you barely know each other, what’s that meant to mean?” She lifts her sunglasses and put them on top of her head looking Almon straight in the eye. He looks away intimidated slightly by her actions “the two members of the family he is talking about only met for the first time in 18 years earlier today, or did you not notice that?” An uncomfortable silence settles over the table, Dannie reaches for Le’s hand under the table and squeezes it. “I… I didn’t know.” Almon stutters. Silas continues anyway, “tomorrow, guys wear your suits. Leila put something smart on, also with your sunglasses. Almon you’ll be driving the limo, the others you’ll be in the back. Just make yourself look like important people. I’ll send a phone call across to Paul getting him to pull a few ropes in the museum. Park behind it behind the museum in the business car park, someone will be waiting to escort you to the building. Any questions?” I glance at Le; she’s going to say something. “What name are we using?” She asks, Silas turns to look at her “Larose.” immediately Le, Mina and I stand up in protest. “We aren’t using that name.” Mina says.
Sorry this took so long ~~~~~ Chapter 15 ~ Leila “But what…” Silas starts but Mina keeps going “no buts, we’ve tried keeping this gang secret as a family, use the name we’ve came up with.” Zac smiles slightly. Silas nearly walks out sulking “The next time we need to go somewhere, we are using the name Larose,” he says, “no objections.” I feel heat rise through my body. “You must be crazy. No one would believe any one of the rest of you know the Larose's." I respond. He raises an eyebrow, “really?” I glare at him from where I am stood, my chair with its back on the floor. “You are a gang called the Sons of Assassins, how are you meant to be related to the Larose’s?” I shout in response. Silas gapes at me, Scottie gently touches my arm, and I relax a little, but not enough to let my guard down. I shouldn’t have said the gang name; I’m not supposed to know. Scottie will just have to cover for me and say he told me. “You have no right to challenge me!” Silas shouts back. That was definitely not a good idea. “You have no right to use a name that isn’t yours to abuse!” I shout back and Almon creeps out the room. Dannie and Zac shift uncomfortably in their seats and Mina sits down calmly, glad in a ways someone is standing up to Silas. “Then whose name is it to abuse Leila?” Silas asks, and I don’t respond. He smiles at me, a smile that seems completely fake and unnatural. “That wasn’t a fair question.” Scottie replies for me. “Why is that not fair brother?” Silas replies, lingering on the word brother longer than normal. Scottie falters for a second then he tenses majorly, Silas sees it to and he seems uncomfortable. “You know why it isn't fair. How do you think Le feels after seeing her brother after 18 years and you find out your real last name? You wouldn’t want some random guy to spoil your family’s name just to get a piece of artwork!” Scottie shouts at his brother. Why is he so protective of me? Silas sinks in his seat and mumbles “true.” Scottie nods, takes my hand and walks out the room. He leads me to a secluded corner of the mansion, with soft rays of the sunset coming in from a nearby window. He leans against the wall, the pink soft rays landing on his cheeks, his hair falling imperfectly but seeming so perfectly placed. He looked into my eyes, his icy eyes melting slightly due to the light. “Are you okay?” He asks me. I nod and melt into his arms, he leans his head on mine, looking out the window. “I just had to get you out of there; I knew you were getting angry. I was angry as well. Everyone understands apart from Silas, why doesn’t he get it? I mean you don’t even know that all your family are alive.” He clamps his hand over his mouth before he says any more. My family are alive? Why haven’t they found me? “They’re alive?” I ask and Scottie nods “but don’t worry about them now.” “How am I supposed to not worry about that now?” I reply and the place seems darker, the sun has finally set. Scottie puts his finger over my lips and pulls me back to him. We blend into the shadows, as someone walks past us. My thoughts are wild, my family are alive, but are they well? I have so many questions, but none for Scottie. My mind is a big mess, questions and emotions flying all over the place. I bury my head in his shoulder which makes him stroke my hair. I don't cry, I just calm myself down enough so I don't have to use the punch bag again. He turns so I'm leaning on the wall and he takes my right hand kissing my forehead. "Come on, I need to show you the game room." I feel my face light up and he smiles, "you have a game room? Why haven't you told me before?" I run to the main hall then stop when I realise I have no idea where the game room is. The first thing Scottie says to me when he catches me up is "you have no idea where it is do you?" He laughs and takes my hand, leading me into the library. I gape at the size, it must cover three storeys of the mansion, but somehow, I feel like I’ve been here before. That’s not possible. I’m sure it’s not. I glance at Scottie, but he doesn’t notice. The library looks like a dead end, until I saw a small gap between two bookcases, there was a door painted like an empty bookshelf. “A bit much just to hide a games room, isn’t it?” I ask Scottie, “Well it was like that when we got here. I think it was where the previous owners stored things. You can only really see it if you look closely.” He pushes a 'shelf' away from him so the door swings open, music and laughter fill my ears. I look around; Kathie is playing pool with Dannie, Tamie is on a sofa talking to Will while playing on the Xbox, and Norberto is chatting to Zac. Scottie walks with me over to Norberto and Zac “Nono. Z.” He says shaking hands with both of them. “What is wrong with your brother lately?” Zac asks, making Scottie let go of my hand “I have no idea.” He replies with his hands in the air momentarily. “He’s been moody for the last couple of days for no apparent reason.” Norberto says, causing the trio to glance at me. By the sounds of things, Silas has become more distant and depressing with everyone else. “He’s doing it to me as well so it’s not my fault.” I say in defence while Scottie puts an arm round my shoulder and squeezes me slightly “it’s him, not you.” Z and Nono nod and I rest my head on Scottie’s shoulder, wishing that Silas knew what he was doing. We continue chatting for a while and we hear Kathie cheer, I turn round under Scottie’s arm to see that she had won at pool. Dannie gave her sister a hug then sat on the back of the sofa behind Tamie to distract Will by chatting to him. It didn’t work though, Will still won the race. Kathie sat by Tamie, wrapped her arm round her twin’s shoulder then tickles her, causing Tamie to squirm in her seat. I go over to the sofa then tickle Kathie "that wasn't fair, was it?" She laughs and manages to reply "no." I don't notice Scottie behind me until he has picked me up. I squeal slightly like always and Zac helps Scottie hold me as I squirm. "This isn't fair." I protest but it goes unnoticed over all the laughter. I stop squirming so Scottie puts me on his shoulders and Nono join us around the sofa. "Who came up with that idea earlier to dunk Silas in the river?" Kathie asks, Will glances at Nono "well it was actually Carlo's idea, but he chickened out, so we carried him down." Will replies and we all laugh. I hear a floorboard creak above me causing me to look up. This room is two storeys high, so someone is in the library , who is it? The music and chatter soon drown out my worries, until I hear a creak on the other side of the door with a mumble quickly following. I glance at the door "did you hear what he done the other day?" Will says talking about Silas, facing away from the door. A few people shakes his head so he continues with his story. "He walks into the kitchen when I'm getting a can of cider and he says I'll tell you something, my family is shot to pieces, unlike you who had a perfect upbringing and little perfect you. Now don't get me wrong I was fine with him saying that, but he then leant on wall and fell asleep. Then I was laughing like anything." I don't laugh as I don't find it that funny, but quite a few of the group laugh with Will. Their laughter stops but Will keeps laughing as he didn't see Silas walk into the room. Silas coughs then speaks up "talking of funny moments, do you guys want to know what Will done while I was leant on the wall 'asleep'" Will freezes and Scottie motions with his hand as if to say continue. Silas walked over to me and Scottie continuing his story "well I knew he had already had a few ciders as he was barely managing to get his words out unslurred. I went into the kitchen about two minutes before Will, stuck a nail on the cider shelf then placed the closest can to the front on it. I walked out the kitchen and when Will went in I followed him. He picked out the tampered can, so I had to say something to distract him from the leaking can in his hand. Leaning on the wall was just an act to see what he would do. This distracted him sufficiently enough for the whole can to drip on to his jeans. When he looked down it looked like he had wet himself then he ran out of the kitchen leaving the can on the side. So then it was my turn to laugh." Will's cheeks flushed and everyone else was laughing. So Willie's plan of making everyone laugh at Silas completely backfired. Will walks out and Tamie follows him still laughing. We all eventually stop laughing, Dannie cuddles up to Silas "you always have the right version of the story, don't you." She says chuckling slightly. He wraps his arms around her "of course I do." The right version of the story. That's what I need. The only way I'm going to find that out is if I find my parents. But how am I going to find them? They could be at the museum tomorrow, I hope they are, so I can at least see if they are okay. My aunt never sent them letters or pictures as I never got any Christmas or birthday cards from them. From what I gather from Scottie, if they did have social networking sites, it would be run by their fans. But then I can always try.
Chapter 14 ~ Scottie I turn round and she's gone. Where on Earth has she got to now? I pick up her jacket and towel to take it up to her room, I get up there and she's not there. I check my room. She's not there either. The clothes room. Not there. The training room, the many lounges, the library, she's not in any of them. Where could she be? I have been running around this mansion for ten minutes and I still haven't found her. The games room. Not there. I run back up to my room hoping she will materialise. She doesn't. I walk out on to my balcony, looking out at the group, I notice three other people missing, Dannie, Mina and Silas. Then I see Silas come out onto his balcony and he looks at me. Realisation hits us. Mina cooks for the gang, how could we so stupid? We both go back into the hallway. "The kitchen." We say at the same time then we run down the stairs to the kitchen. We burst through the door and the trio look at us both in shock. "You weren't running boys were you?" Mina asks, we both instantly feel like children. "No of course not Mina." She smiles and Le puts her drink down and hugs me. She's guessed that we panicked. I hug her back, burying my head in her neck "tell me next time." I whisper and she chuckles quietly in my ear. "I'm sorry I thought you would trust me." I mutter in response, "I wasn't the only one who panicked." "I know I'm teasing." I squeeze her slightly and she pulls back slightly "did you want a drink after all your running?" I laugh gently and I move around her to get a drink myself. Silas joins me "what are we like." He says shaking his head. I nod in agreement, "I've been meaning to talk to you about last night." I say, guilt rising in my stomach. He smiles slightly "it's alright, I feel just as bad, Dannie told me to apologise." I chuckle "believe it or not it affected my sleep." He smiled. "Nothing surprises me about you brother." We walk back to the kitchen with the smell of cheese sauce and peas filling our noses. It's traybake night. Mina has opened the oven door and checks the pasta, it looks delicous, and almost done. Mina puts the pasta bake back into the oven, shutting the door and turning to Silas, “rally the troops, dinner is almost done.” Silas nods and heads out. Everyone respects and listens to Mina, she helps us cover our tracks and make us seem like a large family to everyone else. She gives the image that most of us are related and Herman’s dead wife was Mina’s sister. Mina has been the only thing that has kept the gang at a constant and hidden away from the public eye as well as she can. From a hunch I could tell Le had some information on us all, but how, I don’t know. We get out 15 plates to separate the portions onto, and then Le and I start sorting drinks out. Everyone pretty much has the same drink every night. Silas always has a coffee, so Le starts preparing it when I see her add a small bit of alcohol to the drink with the milk. I raise an eyebrow “why did you add that?” She laughs, “last night I pulled a bluff on Tamie saying there was alcohol in her coffee, so I decided to do an experiment on Silas. Don’t tell him there’s alcohol in there, I just want to see if he realises.” I laugh and take some drinks out on a tray, placing it down I turn to find Le placing cutlery on the table. Silently I creep up on her “your bruised leg still gives you away.” I laugh and reach for a fork; she goes for the same one, moving her hand away when we touch. I glance at her profile and the stray strands that aren’t staying behind her ear can’t cover the pale redness of her soft slightly tanned cheeks. Beautiful. She really is in my eyes, she doesn’t look like her mum, but the personality is the same. I remember my mum always talking about how nice and beautiful her personality and looks are. Alysa Larose. She’s a role model for many. Also she is a long lost mother to two children. Dylan hasn’t seen her for 18 years. Neither has Le, but she can’t remember her. She’s buried those memories. She blames herself for her parents leaving her with her aunt. I need to help her understand her family. Help her understand the La Rosa mansion. Help her understand that this house was once her home. I don’t know how I would do it, but I’ll find a way to help her. She won’t believe it at first but she will piece the bits together and will understand the situation. It’s dangerous. She’s got to find a way to survive. I’ll help her, and I will always protect her. Everyone comes into the dining room in clusters, so we go back into the kitchen to help Mina. We move plates onto a trolley, after everything is loaded Leila pushes it out and I hand everyone a plate. The trolley stays by the table with the drinks and Le hands Silas his coffee. I sit down by Leila, who is sitting by Dannie chatting while eating their dinner. Observing the table, I notice that everyone is more settled. All because Le has joined us and knows the girls. It has surprised me and I glance at Silas, he’s realised the same thing. This will do the gang some good, it will relax them. The conversation flows and everyone smiles. Tonight Almon and Carlo are washing up so they take the plates into the kitchen to wash up and the conversation carries on. “I saw online the other day crime rate is going up.” Rey comments and we all laugh. Emory and Will walk out the room chatting “I know somewhere in town where valuable artwork is at the moment, we could get quite a bit for it.” Zac comments so Silas speaks up “when do you need to have a look at the place?” “In the next couple of days, the exhibit is there for another two weeks.” Silas nods looking at the group around the table. His eyes settle on me and Le for a moment and then he speaks up again. “Take SS, Le and Almon. Use the limo; make a big deal out of your arrival, like you are celebrities. It won’t be hard. Use the Larose name.” This causes Le, Zac and me to stop. “We can’t use their name.” Zac stutters. Silas looks at us blankly “say you are a guest of theirs and they recommended you visit the exhibit. I mean Leila looks enough like a Larose.” Le didn’t have to hear any more. She got up, pushed her chair roughly under the table and walks out to the hallway slamming the door behind her. Kathie goes after her, obviously to calm her down and find out what's going on. “Well done genius.” I mutter and sip my drink. Everyone is still dumb founded at her exit. “That’s a good way to end a day isn’t Silas?” Zac says calmly. Silas scoffs “it’s true.” I laugh loudly at his comment causing everyone to stare at me. “We can’t put their good name to shame.” I say in response. “Think of how many people look to the Larose family.” Mina adds and Silas shakes his head “Leila has softened you both.” People leave until there’s only me, Dannie, Silas, Mina, and Zac at the table, Almon joins us silently. "Why did go out the room like that?" Silas asks. Mina glares at him so I don't have to "she didn't like what you said." She reples simply. "Who wouldn't like to look like a Larose?" Almon says. We all turn to look at Almon, all glaring, apart from Silas. “They are a respectable family. We should talk to them first.” Silas says seeing our point. “What exactly would say? It’s not like we can say, oh can we use your name to get into an art exhibit.” Zac comments sarcastically. “We don’t need to ask. We already know two members of that family.” Silas replies. I laugh “they’ll never agree.” Silas turns to me “what makes you think that?” I glare in response and before I could reply the doors swings open. Le steps into the room with her leather jacket and sunglasses on with her hair down. “We barely know each other so why should we use the name? It will only bring the paparazzi. Bring more attention to the mansion,” she walks to behind Silas and put her hands on the back of the chair, “it will turn the spotlight on you.” Silas shifts uncomfortably, I glance at Zac trying to resist to cheer Leila for saying what she did, and he’s doing the same. Mina smiles at Le across the table and Leila continues “we wouldn’t want that would we?” She ruffles his hair as she says it and sits back in her seat after. I have to resist the urge again and Silas shakes his hair back into place. Almon looks at Leila “you barely know each other, what’s that meant to mean?” She lifts her sunglasses and put them on top of her head looking Almon straight in the eye. He looks away intimidated slightly by her actions “the two members of the family he is talking about only met for the first time in 18 years earlier today, or did you not notice that?” An uncomfortable silence settles over the table, Dannie reaches for Le’s hand under the table and squeezes it. “I… I didn’t know.” Almon stutters. Silas continues anyway, “tomorrow, guys wear your suits. Leila put something smart on, also with your sunglasses. Almon you’ll be driving the limo, the others you’ll be in the back. Just make yourself look like important people. I’ll send a phone call across to Paul getting him to pull a few ropes in the museum. Park behind it behind the museum in the business car park, someone will be waiting to escort you to the building. Any questions?” I glance at Le; she’s going to say something. “What name are we using?” She asks, Silas turns to look at her “Larose.” immediately Le, Mina and I stand up in protest. “We aren’t using that name.” Mina says.
sorry this one is short ~~~~ Chapter 16 ~ Will Damn it. Why did he have to be so silent? What he said was true so why did I react like this? I run a hand through my hair, the precision of the short strands splitting between my fingers. I concentrate again to find myself in the lounge leading to the garden, so I sit down on the sofa facing the garden. Soft gentle footsteps come towards me and I turn to see Tamie had followed me. "You didn't have to walk out you know, it only made them laugh more." I nod in reply as she sits next to me. I don't know why she follows me, I'll only bring her trouble. I could have her one second, see another girl and drop her like lightening. Does she honestly think she can change me? She doesn't stand a chance. "Why do you chase after me?" I ask out of curiousity. The question caught her off guard as she stutters slightly "I don't know. You are like the brother I never had. I've always wanted a brother." I know that feeling as an only child. "But what about Zac, or Scottie or Silas, or Rey, Norberto, they are all better than me." She contemplates that answer, "well that is true, but when do you ever see any of them not drooling over me, apart from Scottie. He's always been a brother to me." I chuckle that is true, there has always been late drunken night chats about the girls we know. Herman's daughters always get mentioned. "Well Silas has Dannie now so he won't be drooling over you." I reply jokingly and she laughs, it's a cute laugh, one you can never get sick of hearing. Don't get me started on Mina's, with hers it's the complete opposite, you get sick of it after not even one second. She sounds like a witch, but I still respect her. "That is true, but I don't want him to hurt her," She replies, "she feels she can change him. She can but I don't know if her heart will get broken in the process. I don't want it to. She deserves someone special and its in Silas. I know it's there, he's just, I don't know what it is." I know what she is saying, he didn't gain his name stoneheart from nothing. He was never happy, he never smiled or laughed when he first joined us three years ago with Scottie dragged at his heels. He would never care for anyone. If anything what he said earlier about Leila making Scottie and Mina soft, has happened to him. Mina and Dannie has softened him, maybe he's been too stubborn to notice, but it's done him good. For example, earlier he was smiling and laughing when we dropped him in the river, compared to the moaning we got as we carried him. He's changing for the better. Yes he has been in a bit of a grump the last couple of days, but that's only because of Leila. What is so special about Leila? I don't see anything, but Dylan hugged her earlier there must be something that is going on that we don't know. She must be special, but how? I saw her run past me and Emory earlier towards the garden with Kathie not far behind her. To be honest I wouldn't mind watching either of them run, but they are already chasing other guys. It's got to be something about her that can change everything around us. I turn to look at Tamie and she's staring at me, slightly wide eyed, waiting for an answer. Dread feels my stomach, I just mutter that out loud? I've got a bad habit of doing that. "Yes he's stubborn, but he is a great judge of character. He'll be able to see how much of a gem Dannie is." I reply, and she still stares at me. "I muttered my thoughts didn't I?" She just stands up and runs away, I'll add a third person who I don't mind watching them run. I chase after her and I catch her in no time. I grab her hand, she stops then faces me "look I'm sorry I muttered my thoughts. I don't mean to do it." I say softly and she nods slightly blushing. She steps closer to me and my heart beats faster. I don't want her to fall me and I'm falling for her, pull yourself together man. She hugs me "I know you don't mean to." With that she lets me go and walks away to the library, taking a piece of my heart with her. I can't move from my spot. She thinks of me as a brother, we can never be more than friends. I've known that from the start. I'm still stood here frozen to the spot. Eventually I move myself, almost robotically, and walk up to my room. I won't and can't forget about tonight.