“Punishments”

I lay in bed picking at my nails. I won't be able to sleep no matter how hard I try. I roll towards the alarm clock and see 3:00 am. I've always had trouble sleeping ever since I was little, but as I grew up I learned that the demons came out at night. That's when he was the worst, when he would beat me and sell my body. I haven't been able to sleep at night in years and I don't know if I'll ever be able to. The last two days at the hospital I slept great thanks to the pain medication and other drugs they pumped in me. They let me sleep and numbed my mind and body to the reality around me. I'd give anything to feel that way again and it scares me because I can relate to my mother.

I groan as I wake up to hearing noise in the hallway. It sounds like a herd of elephants as they stomp around. What are the doing? I hear a few yells and laughs waking me up even more. I roll towards the alarm clock and groan out in frustration. It's 5:00 am. I won't be able to go back to sleep now that I'm up. Thank you insomnia and idiotic brothers. I roll my eyes at myself for considering them brothers. I hop out of the bed and throw on my other pair of sweatpants and a black hoodie this time. I make sure my hair is covering my neck before I head downstairs. I don't see the point in staying in bed if I'm not going to be able to sleep. I hear the morons before I even make it off the steps. I walk into the kitchen and all the laughter and talking stops. They just stare at me as if the forgot I was even here. I roll my eyes at them and make my way to the coffee machine. I'm halfway there when I slip and land on my butt. Pain flares up in my body since my last beating was less than a week ago. My still bruised side this morning confirmed that I probably have a few cracked ribs. Once the pain subsided, I notice that I'm sitting in the middle of a puddle of water. In the middle of the kitchen. I hear a few snickers causing me to glare at them. Caspian makes his way over to me and hauls me by my armpits causing pain to shoot through my side again. My vision blurs for a second, but I'm good by the time he lets me go.

"Sorry about that. I kinda spilled water."

"It's fine."

My tone is sharper than I meant, but I'm still pissed about them laughing at me and getting over the pain. I walk back towards the coffee machine careful to avoid the water this time. The machine looks fancier than I've ever seen and there is so many different coffees to choose from. I grab the plainest one before slowly figuring out how to do it. Eventually the boys go back to being rowdy and getting their breakfast and soon I have a cup of coffee. I don't bother putting anything in it. The bitterness of it wakes me up more than caffeine could and it also distracts me from the dull ache in my side. I guess the pain medication from the hospital has finally worn off.

"Are you drinking that black?"

I look over to Silas' disgusted face and shrug.

"Wakes me up better than caffeine. Plus it's faster."

"Looks like you need it. You look awful. Did you even sleep?"

This gets the attention from everybody in the room making the kitchen fall silent.

"A bit."

Rai makes his way over to me and grabs my hand that's not holding my coffee. I look down and notice my chewed up nails with dried blood around them. I yank my hand back and glare at him.

"Anxious?"

"I just moved to a new state into a house with a bunch of idiots I don't even know."

I sneer at him causing his face to scowl. Seems like I pissed him off.

"Watch your tone."

"What makes you think I have to listen you?"

"Watch it, Cal. Or there will be consequences."

I scrunch my face up at him wondering if he is serious. Judging by the fact he doesn't know me and he's wearing a pissed odd expression, he must be. I bust out laughing at him and double over. It's been a while since I've laughed, but this has to be the funniest thing I've heard. Does he really think he can punish me? He really has no idea. Sander walks in with a smile on his face.

"What has gotten you so tickled this morning?"

I collect my breath enough to answer him.

"Tough stuff over here is threatening me with consequences."

My answer earns a few chuckles from the boys, but they quickly quiet down when Rai glares at them.

"Well Rai can punish you. So can I and Zephyr. You need to listen to your older brothers."

I look at Sander like he is insane. What kind of punishment is he talking about? I shiver at the memory of how he would punish me.

"Punishment? Like what?"

My voice is quieter now and apparently Rai thinks it's because of him since he is wearing a smug grin.

"Well we will be getting you a phone soon, so having your phone taken away is one. No TV. No going out. We can confiscate anything we see fit. Another way is running. The boys have to run laps for their punishment, but I don't think I'll go so hard on you."

That's it? I've lived with nothing my whole life so I'm more than used to it. I'm used to beatings and pain, so their "punishments" are really nothing. Using running as a punishment? I've been dreaming of running away for nine years. I just might take them up on that one for the fun of it. I let out a small chuckle and look between Rai and Sander.

"I wouldn't waste my breath on punishing me if I were you."

With that I take my coffee and head back upstairs ignoring them calling my name.

Rai POV

She seriously just walked out on us completely ignoring us calling after her. I let out a low growl and turn to my father.

"She can't expect to act like that without consequences."

"Well son, she didn't seem too bothered by them. Makes me think that y'all are a bunch of sissies."

I hear my brothers arguing. I'm not too happy with what he said either.

"She's probably just acting out. Give her a few consequences and that should shape her up."

I hear Zephyr laugh at me. I turn to glare at him and raise my eyebrows at him letting him know he needs to explain.

"Obviously she isn't going to care about consequences when she doesn't have anything to lose."

"What do you mean Zeph?"

My father questions him and I'm confused by what he's saying too. She will have plenty of things while she lives here. Whatever she wants. I would think she wouldn't want to lose any of that.

"She came here with nothing. I'm sure she isn't used to having everything we do. So that's why she laughed at your punishments."

I glare at him since he used air quotes around punishments.

"It's time for training. Y'all go ahead and start your laps. Pyrrhus you have twenty extra. Don't forget."

We all head out of the kitchen down towards the training room. I see my father head up the stairs probably going to talk to that little spitfire. She seems too much like Pyrrhus for my liking.

Sander POV

I head up the stairs towards Cal's room. I still can't believe I have a daughter, but she isn't how I expected. When I think of a fifteen year old girl, I think of pink, drama, and boys. I'm grateful for the no boys, but it still makes me worry about her. I knock on her door and wait for her to let me in. The door cracks open and she peeks around it. She then opens it all the way and let's me in. Is she scared of her brothers that much?

"Why are you so timid? Do your brothers scare you?"

She looks at me confused before shaking her head. I wait for her to explain, but she simply just watches me. I sigh as I look her over. Her eyes are dull with bags so blue they're almost black.

"Did you sleep last night?"

"A bit."

"Why are you already awake then? It's 5:30?"

This earns a humored breath as she tries to keep a straight face.

"Because your sons sound like a herd of elephants. Try sleeping while they stomp around outside of you room."

I hate to know that they woke her up. She obviously looks like she didn't sleep. I start to get aggravated at them. They knew she was sleeping, and she obviously wasn't going to join their training session.

"I'll make sure that they are quiet from now on. Today the boys have school, but I'm going to get Rai and Zephyr to take you shopping. You'll be joining school next week. I don't see the point in making you go this week as it's already Thursday. I didn't see any school records for the past two years. Where did you attend?"

She wraps her arms around herself instinctively.

"I was homeschooled."

"Ah okay. How about I enroll you in sophomore year then? Sound okay?"

She nods her head at me before looking around the room. I can sense that she's uncomfortable and decide that this is probably enough talking for now.

"Try to get some rest okay?"

She nods again as I head back out and downstairs. Time to lecture the boys about courtesy.