Chapter 2: Not Welcome

— 8:00 PM —

Khloe had stayed in her room all day. She didn't dare step out because she knew she was home alone with the brothers, and they looked like they could skin her alive if she crossed their path. So she lay under her blanket, AirPods tucked in her ears, escaping reality with the music playing in them.

She had heard her mother asking Toran to take her shopping in the afternoon and didn't even know if they were back.

Her mum wasn't even trying to hide the fact that she was here for the money. First day in, and she was already asking for a shopping spree. Of course. Khloe scoffed.

A gentle knock came at her door, and because the music was at a low volume, she heard it on the first try.

She dragged herself out of bed and headed for the door. She was still in the baggy hoodie and jeans she had worn when they arrived. She was too tired to even shower.

She opened the door to find a maid standing there. The maid bowed, but Khloe quickly stopped her. "Please don't. We're around the same age, or you might even be older."

The maid smiled. "Mr. Toran asked me to bring you downstairs for dinner."

"Can I have mine in my room?" Khloe asked, not wanting to do anything family-related with them.

"He said he had something to discuss with you and your... brothers," the maid replied.

Brothers?

"Oh, okay." Khloe agreed reluctantly and followed the maid downstairs and into the dining area, where everyone was already seated.

She stopped a few steps from the table, trying to figure out where to sit. Definitely not beside her mum.

After a few seconds, she pulled out a chair close to Desmond. Not directly beside him. She made sure to leave a chair between them. But as she pulled the chair out to sit, Desmond stretched out his leg and kicked it away, sending her crashing onto her butt.

Great. Second time kissing the floor today.

"Desmond! Apologize to your sister!" Toran ordered.

Desmond stared at him, then turned to Ryan. "I'm sorry, sister Ryan." He rolled his eyes at Toran and continued his meal while Ryan and Eric chuckled.

"Des..."

"It's fine, sir," Khloe said calmly. She stood up and walked to the next empty seat, which was beside Leo. At least he hadn't said anything to her.

As she pulled out the chair, Leo dropped his cutlery, stood up and walked away. He didn't even glance at Toran, who was yelling his name.

"Khloe, apologize to your brothers." Her mum ordered. It was the first thing she had said to her since they arrived at the house.

Apologize? The last time Khloe checked, she was the one who had been tripped twice. But her mum, wanting to play the angel, definitely hadn't seen that. Whatever.

"I'm sorry," Khloe said without looking at anybody. Her gaze stayed fixed on the chair she was holding.

"Ohh, quit the act. It sucks," Desmond hissed. He dropped his cutlery and walked away.

"May I know what you wanted to say?" Khloe asked Toran, not bothering to pay attention to any of the brothers.

"I'm sorry about..."

"Please," Khloe cut him off calmly. "May I know why you called for me?"

"Where are your manners?!" her mum yelled.

They're where your dignity is.

Khloe ignored her completely, her eyes fixed on Toran, who nodded and finally spoke. "You'll be transferring to your brothers' college."

As always. Transfer, move, relocate. Those words made her skin crawl.

"What the fuck? Hell no!" Ryan and Eric chorused, staring at her in disgust.

"Shut it!" Toran yelled at them.

"I'll stay at my old college. It's not that far from here," Khloe said, cutting off the boys' next words.

"Trying to play pitiful?" Ryan hissed.

"She must have watched a lot of movies before coming here," Eric added with a chuckle.

"That school? Your mum told me about it, and I can't let you go there anymore. You're a Wes now. You should attend the best college in the country," Toran stated.

Wes? Was that their surname? Well, not for long.

"I'll just stay at my present college. I'm comfortable..."

"Khloe." Her mum cautioned, then turned to Toran. "She'll move."

"But I don't want to. I told you already," Khloe said, raising her voice slightly, trying hard to keep down the hatred building in her chest as she stared at her mum.

Ryan and Eric stood up and stopped right in front of her. "You look dumb acting soft," Ryan spat.

"Stupid," Eric added.

They pushed her out of the way, knocking her to the floor again, and walked off without sparing her a glance.

"Khloe, are you okay?" Toran asked, starting to stand to help her, but her mum pulled him back down.

"She's fine. She must have knocked herself down on purpose. She does that all the time."

Even a blind pig would have seen them shove her. But guess even a blind pig has better sight than her mother.

"I'm okay," Khloe said calmly as she dragged herself off the floor. Her palm was already bleeding from the fall, but she didn't give it a second glance. She turned and walked up the stairs to her room, her mum's annoying voice drifting after her, telling her to go apologize to the boys.

Khloe locked the door behind her, picked up her AirPods and shoved them into her ears, then covered herself with the blanket and disappeared under it completely.

She felt like crying, because it actually hurt. But tears had never solved anything, and they never would.

— THE NEXT DAY, 7:00 AM —

Khloe walked down the stairs, already dressed for another first day at another college. She wore baggy pants, an oversized T-shirt and a black cap, a small backpack hanging off one shoulder, and black AirPods in her ears.

"Good morning, Khloe. Your brothers are waiting in the car outside," Toran said. He was the first to notice her.

"Good morning, sir," Khloe replied.

"Morning, baby." Her mum beamed, but Khloe ignored her completely and walked out of the house.

She spotted the boys in a black SUV parked facing the gate, as though they were ready to leave. At least they had actually waited, or so she thought.

She hurried her steps so she wouldn't piss them off. She was three steps from the car when Ryan, behind the wheel, started the engine and sped off, all the brothers throwing her wicked smirks, except Leo, who wasn't even looking.