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My Life with the Walter Boys

“The only thing I’m sorry about is that he gave her a towel,” someone said. I whipped around to see which boy it was, but they were all standing together silently, trying to keep the grins off their faces. Taking a deep breath, I turned back to Will. “It’s fi–fine,” I said, my teeth chattering, “but I’d like to change into something dry.” “I can help with that,” another voice joked. This time the boys couldn’t contain their laughter. “Isaac!” Will snapped. He glared over my shoulder at his cousin until the boys quieted down. Then he turned back to me. “Your bags are in the car?” he asked. Shivering from the cool spring air, I was only able to nod my head. “Okay, I’ll start unloading and someone can show you to your room.” As Will retreated off the deck, I felt myself shrink. My only friend so far had just left me with the enemies. Taking a deep breath of air, I gulped and turned back around. The Walter boys looked at me, their faces vacant. Then, everyone started to grab their towels and clothes lying around on the deck before heading back into the house without another word to me. Only Cole was left. An awkward thirty seconds passed before his mouth jerked up into a half grin. “Are you just going to stare at me, or do you want to go inside?” he asked. Cole was hot—his damp hair had dried in a dreamy, I-just-had-sex kind of style—but his overconfident attitude made me clam up. “I want to go inside,” I mumbled quietly. “After you.” He flourished his hands and bowed. Taking a deep breath, I gazed up at my new house. With its yellow shutters and rude additions that must have been added onto the house with each new Walter child, it was nothing like the penthouse back in New York. Throwing one last glance at Cole, I sucked a mouthful of air into my lungs and stepped inside. This might be where I have to live and I’m going to try to make the best of it, I thought, but it will never be my home.

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