Chapter 2 — Brothers

Sophia's POV:

I woke up in a strange bed. Looking around, I didn't recognize my surroundings. Where was I?

I wasn't in my sundress, either. I had on an oversized T-shirt. It wasn't even mine. In my hand was my pink teddy, Mr. Sparkle.

I jumped out of bed and looked around. Someone had tucked me in bed and even given me my teddy bear.

Please, God, tell me it was Mom who did all this. On further inspection, I found most of my boxes from home inside the room. So this must be my new room.

It was a giant room compared to the one back at home. It even had an en suite bathroom! I didn't have to share. I washed my face and teeth and did my business, then searched between the boxes for my clothes, I couldn't find any shirt, so I just added some yoga pants underneath the shirt. It was large enough to be a dress on me.

I left the room and saw several doors were closed. Most of them had some decorations on them. I went downstairs, hoping to find my mother. She was a Coffey, so I was hoping to find her in the kitchen, making her coffee.

After a few wrong turns here and there, I found the kitchen. It was also one hell of a kitchen, the size of our old apartment. We were living in a mansion now, I guess.

Mom was there, as expected. I ran and gave her a hug. Waking up in a new place was scary, and I was trying my best not to go to my Little space.

"Good morning, princess," Mom said in her forever-happy voice.

"Morning, Mommy," I replied in a whisper.

"Someone isn't feeling very big today?" she asked, and I nodded, still hiding in her arms. "It's okay, baby. I know you're scared, but it's okay," she said while petting my hair.

I heard a throat being cleared and turned around to see Fredric.

"Good morning, Soph," he said with a smile.

"Morning," I replied in hardly a mumble.

He eyef my shirt choice and smiled before turning to make a cup of coffee of his own.

"You ready to meet your new brothers?" he asked me again, and I shrugged. I was hoping not to see them, but I guess it was a must.

Mom took a seat at the breakfast bar with Fredric next to her. I guess I should get used to sharing her.

I sat down too, and Fred offered me a cup of orange juice. The first boy to come in the kitchen looked young—younger than me, even. He was dressed in a T-shirt and boxers only.

"Sam," his father scolded once he saw the attire.

"Morning to you too, Father," Sam replied in a voice filled with sarcasm.

"Get dressed. We have girls living with us now."

"Well, she's my new mom, and she's got you," he said, pointing at Mom and shrugging while he went to pour a glass of juice for himself.

"Sophia, this is Samuel. He's your new younger brother," Fred introduced us.

"Welcome to the family, sis," Sam replied, cheering me with his orange juice before he left the kitchen, hopefully to get dressed.

Next to come in were two guys. One really looked like Fred with brown hair and brown eyes while the other had green eyes. They were as tall as Fred and even had some tattoos like him.

"These guys are Alvin and Adam. Alvin is twenty while Adam is seventeen," Fred introduced them.

They both eyed my shirt with a smirk and then shared a look like they were having a private conversation between them, and finally, they broke into a laugh.

They didn't know me yet and were already laughing at me. I felt tears gather in my eyes. I just wanted to leave already. I looked for a way to escape the kitchen unnoticed.

Another guy walked into the kitchen. This one looked like Adam with the same green eyes and tattoos. He saw my teary face, and I looked away, hiding all evidence. He slapped both of the laughing hyenas on the head and pointed toward me.

They stopped laughing instantly. The new guy turned back to me and offered me a big, warm smile.

"I'm Victor. That idiot is my twin," he said, confirming my suspicion about how similar they looked. "We're so happy to have you in the family. What's your name, baby girl?" he asked in a smooth voice that was filled with dominance.

"Sophia," I whispered, but still, he heard it.

"Sophia," he said again, except it sounded like he was tasting the word, not simply saying it.

"Always wanted a sis. Welcome to the family," Adam said, giving me a hug. I heard a low growl before he let me go, but I guess I was imagining it.

"Welcome to the family," Alvin said, keeping his distance.

"Where's Kyle?" Fred asked his sons.

"Still asleep, probably," Alvin replied.

"Kyle is the same age as you, Soph. He'll be with you tomorrow in school, as will the twins and Sammy," Fred told me.

Wow. I'd have four of my brothers with me in school. Well, at least I wouldn't be alone for the first day.

"Now, who wants breakfast?" Fred asked, taking me out of my thoughts.

We all shouted, me included. There were even two muffled shouts from upstairs.

I ended up sitting next to Sammy and Victor for breakfast. Everyone kept eyeing me like they knew something and I didn't. Weird…