Moving In With R5
~Chapter One~
"Laura!"
I groan in response even though my mom can't possible hear me from downstairs. The sunshine pouring in from the window lands on my face as I roll over and I place a hand over my eyes while letting another groan escape me.
I throw the covers off of me and get up, stretching out my limbs and tired muscles.
I walk into the bathroom my sister and I share and get ready for my day, changing into a black floral tank top, denim skinny jeans, and brown wedges. I curl my hair, letting the ombré'd curls cascade down my shoulders and keep my make-up simple.
My mom is downstairs, talking to someone on her Bluetooth. She hands me a glass of orange juice and a plate of eggs, which I accept gladly.
I glance around the kitchen for my dad, but don't see him anywhere. He must've been called to work early this morning.
My sister, who was a pretty well known actress, had left for two months for France to shoot for a movie and my dad was at work a lot so it was just me and mom at home lately.
"Okay, buh-bye," my mom says to the person on the other line before hanging up and smiling guiltly at me.
"So, Laura, honey," she starts. I eat the eggs off my fork as she proceeds to tell me. "I have some news to inform you of, my work has requested that I travel around the country for some inspiration on my next book, which means you'll have to stay here in L.A. with some family friends."
I sigh. I really do love my mom and I'm happy she's working her dream job. She's wanted to be a writer practically her whole life and now she's a very famous author. It's just that her publishing company is constantly wanting her to go to far away destinations as settings for her books. I went once, but everyone, aside from my mom, was rude to me and always made me feel like I was in the way. I didn't go again after that.
"Okay, so what? Is Aunt Maggie flying out again to stay with me?"
"No," she laughs and smiles abit.
I take a sip of my juice, slightly confused as to why she's acting so weird.
"You'll be staying with the Lynches."
"Wha-" I can't even get the word out before I choke on the juice I had been in the process of drinking.
"I didn't think you'd be too happy about it," my mom says and hands me a napkin to wipe away the juice dripping down my chin.
Stormie Lynch was my mom's college roommate years ago and her oldest friend. My mom moved away from Colorado to Calofornia after she graduated college and left Stormie behind.
Ten years ago, Stormie, her husband Mark, her children, Riker, Rydel, Rocky, Ross, Ryland, and their family-friend, Ellington Ratliff moved to L.A. and became reacquainted with my mom. Ever since then, they've been the best of friends.
I got along with all the kids, except Ross.
Ross was always mean to me and made fun of me for no reason. When we were eleven he broke my glasses while we were playing football.
On purpose.
I absolutely hated him and he always hated me, even though I never gave him any reason to.
"Isn't there anyone else I can stay with?" I practically whine.
My mom shakes her head and places her hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, but Stormie lives in the city and I trust her. I know you don't like her kids, but,"
"I like her kids. All of them, except Ross," I interject with a none-too-subtle eyeroll.
"It's only gonna be a little while. Nessa will be back in two months and you'll be able to come back home with her."
I fiddle with my fork, pushing the left-over eggs around on my plate. Suddenly I'm not very hungry.
"Honey, it's not gonna be that long," she assures me, "if you really don't want to stay with them, I can always just... not go, or take you with me."
I swallow hard when she suggests not going. I know how much she loves traveling. She tells me all the time how it doesn't feel like work, even though it technically is.
"No, for you, I'll put up with that pig. It's only two months right?"
She smiles brightly and hugs me. "Thank you, so much darling," she mumbles into my hair.
I smile, but it falters as I think about what these next two months are gonna be like.
…
Their house is really big.
That's practically all I can think as mom drops me off in front of her house.
"Well, this is it," I say nervously and mom nods.
"Yep, it is," she turns her attention to me and smiles reassuringly.
"I'll see you in five months," she tells me and I glance to the door, then back at her.
"Aren't you gonna come inside and say hi to Stormie?" I ask hopefully.
She shakes her head. "I wish I could, but I really have to get to my flight."
I nod and reluctantly get out of the car with my luggage, walking to the house I haven't been inside in three years.
I knock on the door and shortly after, the friendly face of Stormie Lynch greets me.
"Oh, sweetheart, you look so beautiful," she gushes and then envelopes me in a big hug.
"Thanks," I mumble shyly and hug her back lightly.
"Who's at the door?" A masculine voice comes from the kitchen.
A tall, blonde, that I rember to be Riker Lynch, steps into the living room and walks over to the door.
"Oh my gosh! Laura! Is that you?"He asks with laughter in his voice.
"Yeah," I look down at my shoes.
"You look great," he beams.
Two more boys enter the room. A brunette and a shorter one.
"Why hello, beautiful," the brunette (who I'm pretty sure is Rocky) says to me and leans against the doorway.
The shorter boy (who must be Ryland) pushes past his mom and brother and gives me a flirty smile. "Hi, I'm Ryland."
"Dude!" Rocky slaps his arm.
"What?!"
"I saw her first."
Riker rolls his eyes at the two. "Guys, it's Laura."
They both put an end to their argument. "No way! Little Laura Marano from down the street?"
"Yes, Rocky, it's me," I answer.
"She's gonna be staying with us for a bit while her family's away," Stormie explains to them and then adds as an afterthought, "while she's here, you all are to treat her like a sister. Rock, Ry, that means no flirting!"
"I only flirted with her because I didn't know it was Laura. I mean, this is a girl I saw throw up in our pool," Rocky replies, bringing back that horrific memory.
Suddenly two more bodies come down the stairs. It's Rydel and Ratliff.
"Oh em gee!" Rydel squeals and races over to tackle me in a hug. "Laur! It's you!"
She finally releases her grip on me. "Hi Delly!"
Out of all the Lynch kids, she was my favorite.
"Like for reals girlfriend it's totes you!" Ratliff says in a girly voice, mocking Rydel.
We both laugh and she lightly slaps his arm.
"I see you haven't changed at all. Nice to see you, Ratliff."
He places his arm around my shoulder and brings me into him as a sort of "side-hug".
"Mom!" Another voice calls from the kitchen as the back door opens and then slams shut.
"We're in here, Ross!" She yells back.
My eyes widen and instantly I stiffen like a board.
He strides confidently into the room. Platinum blonde locks, charming hazel eyes, and tall for his age. He's wearing a black, tight fitting tank top, giving a look at his muscular build.
I bite my lip unconsciously at the sight of him. Sure, he's my childhood enemy, but that doesn't mean I can't admit he's good-looking. Besides, maybe he's changed.
"Laura?" He asks in complete surprise when he sees me.
I smile friendly and walk over to him. "Hi, Ross," I say and hug him.
I take in his scent. Wow, he even smells good.
I'm so distracted by this, I don't even notice he's not hugging back.
"What are you doing?" He asks incredulously.
I instantly jump away from him.
"I...uh... I," my cheeks burn red in embarassment.
He smirks and shakes his head before walking by me, knocking into my shoulder in the process. I hear him mumble, "too easy."
I gape, but that instantly turns into a frown.
If one things for sure, Ross is still a jerk.
…
Dinner was great, I'd forgotten what an amazing cook Stormie was.
After dinner, Mark asks who's turn it was to do the dishes.
I volunteer willingly since I was more than capable of doing dishes for a meal I'd eaten as well.
"Oh, no, Laura, you don't have to do that," Stormie says and reaches her hand out to take my plate.
"I wouldn't mind, really," I insist.
"Well, if you want to," she seems a little guilty about letting the house guest do the dishes, "but at least let Ross help you. It is his night to do them."
We both immediately speak at once.
"No way, I am not doing dishes with her!"
"That's okay, I can do them myself."
"No," she says firmly and gives her son a stern look, "Ross is gonna help you and he's gonna be happy about doing it."
We both glance at each other in utter disgust.
"I don't see why I should have to help if Laura already said she would do them."
"Because I said so," was her only reply before she and Mark went upstairs.
The rest of the kids go up there too, obviously happy they didn't get stuck doing the dishes.
"Try not to do anything PG-13 you two," Aaron says with a wink as she strides up the staircase.
"Trust me," I mumble, "if anythings gonna be PG-13, it's gonna be for violence."
I turn my attention to Ross just in time to see him roll his eyes.
"Lets get this over with," he practically growls, "the sooner we get this done, the sooner we can go upstairs and not be near each other."
"Oh, but you're just so pleasant to be around," I say, my tone dripping in sarcasm as I plug the drain, turn on the water, and squirt the dish soap in.
Ross is just standing there leaning against the countertop.
"Aren't you gonna help?"
"You wash, I rinse," he answers with a shrug of his shoulders like I should have known that.
Which, I kinda should have. It's no surprise he'd pick the easier job.
We stand in a complete silence for the next ten minutes. It's not an awkward silence either. In fact, I think us talking would be awkward.
It's going just fine until Ross picks up a glass with a loose grip and drops it right on my foot.
"Dammit!" I hiss and mentally scold myself for using harsh language. But I can't help it, that really hurt.
Ross just looks down at my foot. "I-I think you're bleeding."
"Yeah, I can see that."
Really it's not that bad, one of the broken pieces just scratched my skin deeply and it started to bleed.
"Uh, um...let me... let me get a band-aid," and as soon as he says those words, he's racing toward the bathroom.
Confused, I start to pick up the broken pieces of glass and place them in the trash not knowing what else to do with them.
Ross comes back with a band-aid and tries to put it on me, but I grab it out of his hand.
"Thanks, but I really don't need your help with this," I tell him in not quite the most thankful tone.
He just looks at me as I fumble to open up the wrapper.
Nice move Laura, say you don't need help and then look like an idiot, struggling to get the stupid thing open.
"I'm sorry," he says so quietly I'm not sure if he actually said it or I'm just hearing things.
"What?" I ask.
So he repeats himself. "I said I was sorry."
"Yeah, well, apology not accepted," I answer harshly. Maybe it was a bit rude, but doesn't he deserve it for how awful he'd always treated me?
"Gosh, what's your problem? I was just trying to be nice!"
I snort. "Trying to be nice? You've got a lot of catching up to do. Like, seventeen-years worth."
"Someone's being an overdramatic bitch," he says coldly.
"Overdramatic?!" I try hard not to scream remembering his family members are upstairs trying to sleep, but I really just wanna yell at him right now. "You're the one whose been a jerk to me ever since we were ten-years old! You're still a jerk now! You just dropped a glass on my foot!"
"Hey, that was an accident! And I apologized, but you didn't accept. Whose being the jerk now?"
My icy cold stare soften as I realize he was right. I was trying to do to him what he did to me when we were kids, but how did that make me any better than him? It didn't.
I decide I was gonna just apologize for being rude and forget this ever happened, but I couldn't before Ross pushes past me angrily and runs upstairs.
I sigh, feeling extremely bad about what I did. I was also kind of confused. Ross had tried to be nice to me, after all these years of making fun of me and hurting me. Even after what happened this morning.
Maybe he really had changed.
I honestly didn't know what to think, so I just went back to doing the dishes. Now, by myself.
Only one thought ran through my mind.
These were gonna be the longest two months of my life.
A/N
I know, I know! I really should be writing my other story, but I couldn't help it! This one just kinda jumped out at me and it was like all I could think about so I caved and started writing it and I have to say I'm actually not disgusted with how this turned out.
And I swear, this is the last story I'm gonna start before I finish the other one. I hope to update that one soon I've just been kinda uninspired lately.
I know this plot is a little overused (I've read several stories like this, R5 and regular, where a girl moves in with a big family and she and the boy she ends up falling in love with are enemies at the begging but eventually become friends) but I still really like this idea and I'm gonna make this one different from the others ones you might have read.
And also, just in case you're wondering, yes this is a Raura story (as in Ross and Laura.) So, if you don't ship Raura, then I guess this stories not for you.
Alright, review if you want to. I would really appreciate if you did. Constructive criticism is welcome, but flames are not. Seriously guys there's no need to be mean on purpose.
I did my best to proof-read and not be lazy, but no ones perfect and sometimes tiny mistakes escape us. Sorry if there are mistakes, they should be very minimal though.
Sorry for the long authors note.
Kthanxbai!