Damaged

A New Day, New People and New Discoveries

Jessica's POV:

         I awoke the sun beaming in and my head pounding. I had sat up really quickly dreaming of the memory. 

          I looked over to see Daniel sitting in the chair slumped forward laying the left side of his face on his arms.

         I went into my drawers and found a pair of basketball shorts, underwear, bra, and a wide strapped black tank top. I went into the bathroom and showered. Shaving myself and then after washing myself I stood there thinking. About that night and tears slipped down my face blending in with the water raining down on me. 

         I was betrayed and hurt by the both of them. I can’t go back and change it. It was meant to happen. If it wasn’t mom would have stopped me from seeing him. 

         I got out of the shower and changed. I put on my flip flops and went down to the kitchen sneaking past Daniels sleeping form. I did grab my phone. The shower had soothed my headache. 

         I was making scrambled eggs, toast, sausage, bacon and home fries. I set it up buffet style on the island. A stack of plates, forks, knives, ketchup and salt and hot sauce sitting on the counter. I also made coffee. Coffee cups lined up next to the pot.

         As I finished people started pouring in. Getting plates and silverware, grabbing food and then coffee making their way into the dining room. Daniel slumped in patting my head before getting coffee. 

         A knock echoed through the silent house. No one speaks at breakfast until they’ve all had their coffee. 

          Daniel perked up right away. He patted my head. 

          “I’ll be back,” he muttered. Patting my head again and went to go answer it. I took a plate and got some food and coffee and headed into the dining room.  

Daniel's POV: 

         I answered the door to find four men standing on the porch. Adam and his triplet sons they all looked alike, but their hair doesn’t have the same look. 

          “Hey Adam, we’ve been expecting you,” I said ushering the men into the house.  

           “How was the trip here?” I asked. Adam has platinum blonde hair paired with green eyes. His pointed nose and thin, but plump lips pressed together. He looked to be in his thirties, but his true age is yet to be revealed. 

            His sons however all have his green eyes, but hazelnut brown hair from their mother. They all looked more like Adam though. They are also staying on the fourth floor. Anthony is next to Jessica. Anthony the first one out, but has such a kind look in his eyes. He is about 5’9” with little muscle tone. His hair a buzz cut but the top long enough to style he had it parted with most of his hair swept to the left side of his head. He wore a plain white tee shirt, blue jeans, and orange work boots.

         Evan the second one had this hard look to him. His hair was short but still had long enough hair. His hair was gelled back. He wore shorts, a black tee with white writing that said “Don’t mess with me” and white Nikes. 

          Damon the youngest. He looked like the peacemaker. His hazelnut hair was long and he had it held in a hair tie at the nape of his neck. He wore khaki shorts, a wife beater and sandals. 

         Adam had short platinum blonde hair. He wore a button up blue plaid shirt with rolled sleeves. It looked thin enough. Blue jeans and red Nikes. 

         “Have you guys had breakfast?” I asked. 

         “No,” Damon said shaking his head. 

         “Well breakfast is in the kitchen and coffee if you would like. It would be a good chance to meet everyone,” I offered finishing the last of my coffee wincing because I forgot to put sugar in it.

          “That would be nice. Ever since Damon had that dream we just quickly packed and left to wound up for anything to eat or drink,” Anthony said. 

           I led them to the kitchen where the food still warm and another pot of coffee made. Jessica’s doing definitely. We piled food on plates and poured coffee into cups adding whatever we wanted into the coffee. Then made our way into the dining room. 

Jessica's POV:

           After Daniel had left and I had my fill of breakfast, I made my way around the first floor. Without realizing it I was standing in front of the basement door. I was quite curious and wanted to check it out. The guys didn’t take me down here but they told me this is where the laundry goes. 

         I opened the door and it didn’t creak, which was a plus. I love watching scary movies and ghosts and all that, but if it happened in real life I don’t think I’d be able to handle it. 

         There was a light switch to my right and I flipped it. The darkness then filled with light. Must have multiple lights down there. 

         The stairs were a grey color made of some kind of metal. I made my way down making sure to close the door.  

         At the bottom I looked around taking in my surroundings. The space was big was an understatement. It was huge. The basement was the entire length of the house. There were thick concrete pole like things spread out around holding the floor up. Looks quite new. 

         They must’ve renovated this place when they bought the place. The one thing that seemed out of place was two black iron single candelabras evenly placed on the far wall placed behind the stairs.

         Across from the stairs was a homemade laundry mat that you didn’t have to pay to do your laundry. Seven pretty large front loader washers and seven of the same dryers lined the wall. Next to the washers were lined with several baskets. They all had names on them and I walked along and found a basket with my name on it. It looked relatively new. 

        I came to the wall at the end and decided to follow the wall perpendicular to this one. I moved my right side following along the wall. I came to a rather rectangular wooden door. I was kind of curious as to what it was so I opened it. What I was met with was an old laundry shoot. Not the ones where you throw the clothes down. 

        It had a wooden platform where you put the basket on it. Then you would lower it down or up to whatever floor it goes on. I’ve always wanted to see one of these. I’m not usually a risk taker. I’m more of the curious type, but right now I was getting onto the platform and closing the door pulling myself up. I made it to the fourth floor, but it looks like I could go up further.

         Well I pulled myself up further a little nervous as to open up the rectangular door. I did and I was surprised to find myself on the roof. The area was huge and the roof was littered with places to hang and dry laundry. 

       I hopped out closing the door. There was a huge wall deprecating me from that creepy tower. But there were shorter walls which I could lean on and look at the view of the property. 

          The property was quite huge and to say huge was an understatement. I would have to use a word I normally do not use because it makes me seem like a little kid, but this place was ginormous. But the view was beautiful. The trees sway in the wind. My heart melted in happiness as the sunlight everything and the green grass turned brighter and the trees leaves turned brighter as well. It was beautiful to say the least.

           I didn’t know how long I stood there staring at the beauty of it all. I heard my name being called. I frowned, but heard it again. Oh s**t. I panicked and looked for a way down other than the chute. 

           I noticed a door that blended in the big cream wall. I saw the handle. I ran and ripped it open and led me to black iron staircase that swirled down. I ran down the steps and came face to face with a wall. I looked confused, but then I decided to push on it and part of the wall swiveled open to reveal the fourth floor and the wall swiveled closed. I pushed on the wall and it swiveled open and closed again.

         I marveled at this. This was so freaking cool. How did they not know about this? 

         I turned around and ended up running into someone. My nose ran into his chest so it kind of hurt. I pulled back and looked to see a guy with green eyes and slicked back hair. He had this hard look on his face. 

         “Aren’t you going to apologize?” He asked crossing his kind of toned arms across his chest. His black tee shirt tightened against him and the shirt read “Don’t Mess With Me”. I reached into  my shorts pocket to pull out phone when he grabbed my arm and my phone flew out of my hands landing on the floor a few feet away. 

         “I asked you a question,” he spat. And all I could do was mouth I’m sorry because no sound would escape. I even tried to scream, but it was all soundless.

          He dropped my arm and stepped away looking shocked. Tears streaming down my face. I ran past him and into my room slamming my door and locking it. 

          I tried to scream in frustration. But all was silent. Feet pounded on the floor coming up the stairs and into the hallway. 

        “Where is she?” Daniels voice was muffled through the door. 

        “In her room,” the guys voice muffled. 

        “What happened here? And why’s her phone lying on the floor? She can’t communicate with it.”

        “What do you mean?” Another guys voice came in. It was unfamiliar.

        “Jessica was traumatizes to the point where she is unable to say a word.”

         “What happened to her?” The unfamiliar guys voice asked.  

         “To be honest we don’t know. All we know is that most of her family were murdered and she was there to hear everything. I don’t know if she saw, but according to the police she didn’t.” I heard gasps come from four people out in the hallway.

         Footsteps approached my door. A knock came after that.

        “Jessica, I have your phone. Can you please open the door?” Daniel pleaded on the other side of the door. Tears staining my cheeks, but I have calmed down now. “Jessica?” It’s just so frustrating not to be able to speak the words I want to say. “Jessica?” I just want to be left alone. 

         I got up and opened the drawer of my night stand. I pulled out my notebook and opened it taking my pencil and scribbled on the page. I wrote: 

        “Leave me alone.” 

         I ripped the page out and padded to the door slipping the page underneath it.  

         I heard the page being picked up and then a frustrated sigh. I went to my bed and laid down. 

        “Fine but your phone is going to be with me. When you want it just come to my room. I’ll be there for a while,” he said walking away.

        “How old is she?” The second guys voice asked.

        “Fifteen,” Daniels muffled voice said. 

        “A teenager. Good luck to you on that one.” The talking stopped and footfalls faded. 

        I scribbled in my notebook for a while and then looked at the time. My stomach growled on cue. 

        I sighed and made my way out of my room, peeking out to make sure the guy wasn’t there. I then made my way to Daniel’s room. 

        I took an intake of breath and knocked. I felt guilty for doing that, but I just need to calm my frustrations. 

        The door opened wide and revealed a messy looking Daniel. He looked extremely exhausted and stressed. I sucked my lips in.

        He gave me a tired smile, but before he could turn around and get my phone I ran into him wrapping my arms around him. His forearm wrapped around my back and his right hand on my shoulder. His left hand on the back of my head. 

         “Is this your way of apologizing?” He mumbled. I nodded my head against his chest. “Your cute,” he mumbled. I didn’t want to, but I have to make dinner. I pulled away from him slowly. He looked amused at that. He turned and grabbed my phone of his desk and handed it to me.

        Before he closed the door I held my hand up and quickly typed into my phone. His left eyebrow raised. 

         “Did you guys know there is a way to access the roof?” I asked him. 

         “No, we were never able to find a way.” He states and I smiled widely. 

         “Well I did some exploring in the basement and used that old laundry chute. I pulled myself all the way to the roof. The way to access the roof is go to the fourth floor at the end of the hall. Push on the wall and it will lead you to a set of stairs. You’ll have to find another way to access the tower though.” He looked at me with both eyebrows raised in shock. 

          “Wow.” 

          “I just want to let you know, I’m going to make dinner now.” With that I skipped down the hallway. 

           Tonight is going to be my famous burgers and fries. And I don’t have to grill them. As I worked in the kitchen it got my mind off of things. I was making a ton of burgers because even mom could eat three of them. 

           I used a kitchen styled fryer to make my fries in the oil. Because my burgers are famous you don’t get to know what’s in them. I just accidentally mixed somethings into the Hamburg and for some reason it tasted just perfect.

           Table was set and food was set on the table. People started pouring into the dining room. Confused looks set in. I also made hot dogs and cheddar worst for those who don’t want the hamburgers. It’s like an indoor cookout. I know for a fact they won’t let me touch a grill. The guys are just too overprotective of me. 

           Three new guys with the guy I bumped into walked into the dining room. I avoided eye contact with him. One of the new guys sat next to me to my right. He had platinum blonde hair and soft green eyes. 

        Another one of the new guys sat to my left. He had hazelnut colored hair and green eyes. His hair was buzz cut around the side and his hair on top was long enough that he had a part offset of the middle. Almost all the way to right and the rest swept to the left. He smiled at me.

        “My names Anthony,” guy with hazelnut colored hair said holding his hand out for me to shake. I just nodded my head

         “I presume you are Jessica,” Anthony guessed. I nodded my head and smiled.

         “The man on the other side of you is Adam my father,” I looked at the blonde and smiled.

          “I’m Damon,” I whipped my head to look across the dining table. He also had Hazelnut colored hair and green eyes. His hair was long and held in a hair tie at the nape of his neck. Next him was the asshole that was rude to me. I didn’t even give him a glance. I smiled.

          I grabbed my phone and started typing into it. Everybody was settling down and eating. The guys by me are no exception. 

          “It’s nice to meet you all.” My phone stated for me. I started getting food. Grabbing two burgers and some fries. What? I missed lunch. A girl's gotta eat. 

           Come to find out Damon’s quite the talker. If he could he would talk my ear off. Anthony made little chatter with me, but he was a nice person. Adam did ask me questions about my family and I didn’t mind answering him. I know they knew about what happened with my family.

            I would like to say that I didn’t think it was my fault but I would be lying.  

           “So who made dinner tonight so I can thank them?” Damon asked patting his full stomach. I typed into my phone. They got used to it after a bit of talking to me.   

             “I did. Nobody in the house really cooks. So I do all the cooking,” my phone said to me. They looked quite shocked.   

             “I have to say that those burgers are really good,” Adam said. 

             “It’s a secret recipe I came up with. My mom could literally eat three of these,” my phone said.          

             “So, Jessica,” Charlie started. He was sitting right next to the guy Damon introduced as Evan. “A little bird told me you found a way to access the rooftop. Is that true?” I nodded.

              “How?” He asked. I typed away. 

             “I was exploring and decided to check out the basement. Ended up finding the old elevated chute. Decided to to pull myself up. Got to the fourth floor and realized I could go farther up. I don’t know how old this house was but they must’ve used the rooftop to dry the laundry cause the elevator went all the way to the roof. I got down using a door from the roof leading me to the wall on the fourth floor. There is a door just blends in with the wall,” my phone finished. 

             “Wow quite the adventure you had,” Charlie said. I typed into my phone.

             “The view from the roof is pretty breathtaking too,” my phone said. “Probably why you guys couldn’t find me for the longest time,” just to enjoy the view. I finished in my own head.

          “Well your mom did say you’re quite the curious one. The next part is figuring out how to get to that tower,” Charlie said. I typed into my phone.

           “Well good luck I’m not going anywhere near that creepy tower,” my phone said. The four guys seemed to give me this look after saying that.

           “Why is it creepy?” Adam asked me curiously. I typed in it quickly.   

           “I guess you could say that it gives me a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach and I don’t know. When I first got here and looked at it I felt like I was being watched. Creeped me out.”  

           “Well I can see your reasoning as to not go near it.” Adam said taking a drink of his soda.

            After dinner everyone scattered after cleaning up their mess. I was polishing the table and vacuuming the floor. We all have our chores I wanted to be included. During the week we take turns cleaning a room and I never ever have to do the kitchen because I do all the cooking and I end up cleaning up after myself. 

          So whoever gets the kitchen doesn’t have to do much at all. I’ve also taken on the task of laundry every week. Certain people get certain days a week. So I’m not down there a whole day doing twenty people’s laundry at once. 

          I think tomorrow is Charlie, Johnny, Rebecca, and Will’s laundry day. Rebecca and Will are two of the kids that live here. I swear Rebecca hates me with a passion. She makes it very known. She will look at me like I just stole her man and at times she’ll trip me or she’ll “accidentally” hit me with a door. She does this when we’re alone. Luckily I’m used to being bullied. 

         Will I have caught myself alone with him and he hits on me. Will has dirty blonde, shoulder length, curly hair. Matched with chocolate brown eyes. He thinks he may have gotten me to fall for his charms. Nope the boy is falling for my silent type. That boy is not getting into my pants. Still a virgin and proud of it.

         The other I’ll explain as we go, but those two are high on my list to avoid. I try my best anyway.