"Clarissa?" I asked when I entered the living room, and she instantly jumped up from where she was sitting and turned to look at me with tears in her eyes.

I bit back an annoyed sigh when I saw that and started to walk over to her, even though all I wanted to do was go to my bedroom and get myself and Drew taken care of and settled in for the weekend.

Her bottom lip quivered, and she bit back a small sniffle while she rushed over to me. "You're ok," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Rigt?" She searched my body for any signs of injury and looked me in the eyes when she didn't see any injuries, but that didn't stop a tear from starting to roll down her face. "Are you ok?"

I sighed and dropped my bags before I walked the rest of the way and pulled her into a hug, and she wrapped her arms around me before she started to sob. "I am fine," I said and rocked her back and forth, back and forth. "I have a small bruise on my chest, but I am fine."

"A bruise?" Clarissa asked, shocked and surprised. She pulled away from me so that she could look at me and started to look me over to make sure that I wasn't lying before she looked me in the eyes. "From what?"

"From being shot at," Drew said before I could say a word. "Your dad shot her in the chest."

"What?!" Clarissa all but exclaimed, and I couldn't help but pull fully away from her because she had done that right in my ear. She frowned and furrowed her brows while she studied me, and a look of worry flashed through her eyes. "Are you ok?"

"That is my ear that you yelled into," I said with a small hiss of annoyance in my voice. I shook my head, trying to get the ringing out of my ear and narrowed my eyes at her. "Why the hell would you do that right beside my ear?"

"Sorry," she said with a shake of her head. "I was shocked when Drew said that you had gotten shot. Is that even true?"

I bit back an annoyed sigh and moved a hand through my hair and across my face before I rubbed the bridge of my nose. "Yes," I confirmed with a quick nod of my head. "It is true. I had gotten shot at, but it had hit the vest I was wearing to protect us. The man that we call our father is going to jail because of that."

"For how long?" Clarissa asked and cocked her head to the side, and I couldn't help but shrug and press my lips into a thin line because I had no idea how long he was going to be in jail. "Is Drew correct, was he the one that had shot you?"

I nodded and sighed before I moved my hand through my hair some more. "I am sorry that you are having to have your whole world turned upside down, Clarissa," I said with a shake of my head. "It wasn't my intent to bring you into this mess."

"Don't be sorry," she said and shook her head. "I understand that it is not your fault and have already seen what they have done to you, so I do not mind at all. I already knew that they weren't good people anyway." She shrugged and grimaced, pressing her lips into a thin line. "Why else would they send me to a boarding school and not live at home like you?"

"They thought you would have a better education than at the public school I am going to," I said and shrugged, biting back a small grimace. "They also wanted you to marry someone rich, which is another reason why so that you can keep their legacy and whatnot alive."

Clarissa scoffed a laugh and rolled her eyes, pursing her lips in annoyance. "I don't think that's going to happen," she said and folded her arms across her chest while she scowled. "I mean, I am... you know." She looked away before she looked at me, and a look of nervousness and fear appeared on her face because she had no idea how our grandmother was going to react to the news that she was gay.

"Grams won't care," I said and shook my head, making sure that only they could hear it, and I ignored the curious look on Drew's face. "It is up to you, but I can assure you that she won't care."

Clarissa slowly nodded and furrowed her brows. She bit the inside of her lip, and the look of nervousness and fear stayed on her face while she stared at me.

I bit back a tired sigh and shook my head, moving a hand through my hair and across my face. "Let me know when you want to tell her, and I will be here with you while you do," I said and rubbed the bridge of my nose, pursing my lips in annoyance. "For right now, do you think that I can get myself and Cupcake settled in?"

"Sure," Clarissa said and nodded, even though her cheeks turned red. She looked around before she looked at me. "Also, where am I sleeping?" she asked, changing the subject. "Grams kinda told me to put my bags on the floor and that you would tell me where to sleep when you got here." She gestured toward the floor where her bags were tucked neatly in a corner out of the way, and I looked at it and then at her. "Are we not going home?"

"Not until Sunday night," I said and shook my head before I reached into my pocket so that I could get the card and key for her. "They have to do stuff, and there is a chance that Mom might come home tonight, as well."

"Then shouldn't we be there?" Clarissa asked and furrowed her brows. "What if she calls the police and tells them that you had kidnapped me? I don't want you to get into trouble with them when you didn't kidnap me."

"The police already know that you are with me and are safe," I said and shook my head. "There is also a detective or whatever nearby to keep an eye out to make sure that I stay safe."

"Why?" Clarissa asked and furrowed her brows, biting back a small frown. She looked at the stuff in my hands and then looked at me. "And what is that for?" she asked, changing the subject.

"These are the keys to get into the building and then the actual apartment key," I said and handed it to her. "Don't lose them because this is the only one that you will get. The code into the building is 912, but you will not have to worry about that if you use the card."

Clarissa furrowed her brows closer together and slowly nodded, taking the key and card from me. "And why is there someone here and making sure that you are safe?" she asked.

"Favors that I am owed," I said and shrugged, biting back a small grimace. "Unfortunately, that is all that I am comfortable with telling you, so I hope that you can forgive me."

Clarissa slowly nodded and didn't look too worried about me hiding this or anything else that I might be hiding from her because she knew that it wasn't her place to know, especially since I had been basically by myself for years. "And where am I going to sleep?" she asked instead and raised an eyebrow in question while she studied me. "Can you show me that?"

I nodded. "Grab your bags, and I will lead the way," I said before I turned to look at Drew. "You are coming with me, too, Cupcake."

Drew smiled and bowed his head. "Always, Sweetcheeks," he said. "I'll always come with you when you need me and even if you don't." He flashed me a small smirk and a wink, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes and scowl, even though my cheeks turned a little red when a blush appeared on my face.

Great...