A Lesson Never Learned [?]

"You're wrong." I snapped, wanting to punch the man in front of me in the face. James' hands raised in front of him, as if in surrender.

"Lily, let me explain-"

"No!" I screamed, shoving him away from me. James only straightened back up, his eyes shining with tears. I sucked in a breath and pulled away from James. "No! I won't let you explain anything! Oliver is my brother! You're not my brother! I-you-I've never even heard of you!"

James looked hurt as he listened to me tell him that I had never heard of him. He seemed to look sad.

"What did Oliver tell you?" he asked, even sounding wounded. "Please, tell me."

"My brother told me that my mother ran off one night after getting knocked up with Ian Sykes' kid. You're a fucking prick if you think I'll believe anything that comes from your lips! You're a fucking liar!" I shoved him again, but this time, he grabbed my wrists to keep me from shoving him again.

"Lily, be quiet. Vic's mother is upstairs sleeping." James warned me. I felt my nostrils flare and I opened my mouth.

"YOU LITTLE FUCKING PR-" I started, but Cameron clamped his hand over my mouth. James' grip tightened on my wrists and he pulled me forward towards the house.

"Vic?" Cam asked, twisting about and keeping me still with his hand still pressed against my mouth, muffling my shrieks. "Is Vic even awake?"

"N-" started Ben's voice, but Rian laughed.

"Yeah, here is is."

Vic walked up to us and James craned his head to the side and watched the smaller man walk up to us with a confused look on his tan face.

"What's goin' on?" He asked sleepily. "Why are you holding Lily like that?"

"Victor," Cameron said sweetly as I kicked up my leg, slamming it into his shin. He yelped, but didn't release my hands. "Vic," he tried again. "Could you please open the basement bulkhead and make sure that the door at the top is closed?"

I kicked at James again, but he sneakily dodged it. My toes were soaring in pain, knowing that I should have put shoes on, or something. "Will someone please take her legs, or something?" James snapped.

Alan grabbed my feet, pulling them uncomfortably to my side, craning my body up and forcing it to be at a very uncomfortable angle.

I was worried about him biting me, like Cameron had threatened, so I thrashed about, shaking and screaming louder.

"C'mon, guys, you don't have to do that to her-" Vic whimpered, his eyes downcast. I widened my eyes at him and started kicking harder.

"Victor, just open the bulkhead." Cameron said, rolling his eyes. Vic sighed and turned around, walking towards the bulkhead, just a few feet away. James and Cameron walked in tandem, but Alan pulled a bit harder and faster than the others, making my body jerk about awkwardly.

Vic walked down the steps first, then watched wearily as the three carried me down the steps. I writhed around to see over Cameron's shoulder. Austin was awake and curiously following, Ben was kicking his cigarette into the ground, but also following. Danny and Rian were walking together, talking and following. Alex-Alex was no where to be found, but when I turned back around, I saw Alex standing there, his arms crossed over his chest as he stood at the bottom of the stairs. I flinched when we passed him and he smirked, rolling his eyes. Did these people never sleep?

"Okay, Vic, can you unlock the panic room?" Cam asked. Vic sighed again, sounding even more annoyed, but he opened the door nonetheless. It was a small hexagon padded room with dim lights at the ceiling. Immediately, I panicked. I sank my teeth into Cam's hand and he hissed in a breath, snapping his hand back, almost bringing it back to my face to slap me. I flinched and my upper body started to fall backwards because Cameron was that half's support.