She breathed out closing her eyes as she placed her hands in the hot water of the sink and for some reason, the rest of her body went cold. She smiled feeling the heat sting her hands and the tingling sensation overcame her. It didn't bother her. No, she was used to the heat. The sensation of a flame near her as she fought for her life. Hand in hand with her cousin as they were soaked in blood, sweat and tears. All the times she had been burnt, tortured and almost ripped to shreds. No, a feeling like this. It was natural to her. Well, that and scrubbing dishes.

"You said your grandfather's been feeling a lot better?" The woman questioned, oblivious to the girl's behaviour as she placed a few plates in the sink beside her hands. The redhead opened her eyes, nodding as she grabbed the sponge and began cleaning the dishes.

"He always feels better when my grandma comes over. She's really good at healing people; she's been teaching me how to heal minor wounds lately. Nothing fancy, fractures at most" She shrugged off as she placed a plate on the drying rack.

"Well, that's still quite an accomplishment. Just think how many lives you could save if you worked in a hospital"

Gwen chuckled by the woman's comment.

"Hopefully, I still have to finish off year 12 and a degree" She turned to the woman seeing the upset look on the dark haired girls face. Her green eyes lit up with sincereity at that point. She wondered why she was upset.

"Is something wrong?" She asked grabbing another dirty plate off the side and placing it in the water.

She sighed, placing knife and fork in the sink before she grabbed a tea-towel and wiped her hands.

"Kevin told me about...your living position. About your relationship with your cousin and..." She shook her head.

"...It doesn't seem normal"

The redhead placed her hands on the side of the sink and looked away.

"Oh," She muttered, feeling a hint of betrayal towards Kevin. She closed her eyes, shaking her head as she thought about everything that had occurred.

"You're a good girl, Gwen. I know it's hard for you...with your situation but you don't have to live there; not with your cousin. You can move in if you'd like" She placed a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"You can have a new start" She muttered. Gwen's eyes lit up in surprise. She was being offered a home. Well a new one. With Kevin. She tried to stop herself from jumping into the woman's arms and hug her to death. She wanted to, so badly. I mean, it would mean the world to the girl if she was finally given some space away from her cousin even if it was til the end of high school. She could do all their chores, help around the house, pay them rent. Heck, she didn't mind.

"But you don't have a spare bedroom and I don't mean to complain, but I'm not desperate to sleep in the garage again. It's kinda...dark" That was the nice way to put it. Other than cold, scary and noisy, even at nighttime. She could still recall the aluminum rooftop catching every acorn or stick that fell off onto that roof and made the whole place scream into her ears.

"We're going to clean out Kevin's room. He doesn't mind, he really just sleeps on the couch in his garage a lot"

"That's very sweet of you, Mrs. Levin but I can't" She mumbled rubbing her arm as she looked away.

"It wouldn't be fair, not on you, not after all you've done for me"

She smiled warmly, rubbing the girl's back. She didn't feel like the girl was taking advantage of her, if that's what she meant. In fact, she was actually quite fond of the girl. She brought out the good in her son, despite her troubled past.

"Gwen, we'd love to have you here. Just have a think over it and talk to your grandpa" She smiled.

"I can clean up the rest of the dishes. I think Kevin's waiting for you in the t-v area anyway" She winked making Gwen blush as she moved off.

"Thank you for the offer" She muttered before leaving.

Mrs. Levin wasn't lying. Kevin was sitting right there with a small present in his hands. She arched her eyebrow, smiling gently as she came and sat beside him, close enough to lean her head on his shoulder. He smirked lifting his body up and wrapping his arm around her.

"Was wondering how long you were going to be" He muttered into her ear before kissed her cheek gently. She giggled, his lips tickling her earlobe.

"Kevin" She chuckled before he placed the present in her hands.

"I know you had your birthday a few months before we met but I wanted to get you a gift"

She smiled looking down at it.

"It could be an anniversary present" She suggested.

He blushed leaning into her as she opened it up.

"Oh yeah" He purred into her ear.

She gently laced her fingers around the blue bow, pulling at the strings before lifting the lid of the black box. Inside laid a brass, pendent necklace.

"Kevin, it's beautiful" She gasped, noticing the small lock on the side.

"You can open it up" He took it from her hands and opened it to find a piece of glass that could hold a picture. She frowned.

"Hmm, shame we haven't-" She was caught off guard by him holding out his phone.

"No big, we can just put one in" He smirked leaning closer to her as they captured a selfie together. She chuckled as he played with his phone sending the photo to his computer.

"Stay here" He mumbled, exicited before racing off. She smiled gently, looking down at the piece of jewellery in her hands. She had never received such a delicate present before. Other than practical equipment Cooper always seemed to have 'lying around'. She always felt bad for him. How many countless hours went in to creating her something nice and meaningful to get her attention but she never wanted to date him. She felt awful, she always assumed that after one date with her he would just run away like all the other guys.

'You did what?'

'You're THAT girl who?'

She rolled her eyes. She always thought Ben was the only person who understood her. That her grandparents were the only people who cared about her. She always felt neglect, like a third wheel around her grandpa and cousin and now...Now she finally had someone who understood how it felt to be an out-cast. To not belong to society and...

It felt...nice.

She curled her fingers around the small pendent thinking about her life. A life with Kevin and his family. She would give up being tucked up by her grandfather each night. It sounded stupid, the fact that she was 16 years old but he always came in and checked on her at night-time. She remembered once she passed out from studying at her desk. He turned her lamp off and helped her to her bed where she could get some proper rest. Tucked up in a blanket and kissed on the forehead. It was something her father never did. He never chased away the monsters under the bed when she was little. He always looked at her like she was the monster. The worst part about it was that he wasn't wrong because in the end. She ended up being worse then any monster under the bed.

She closed her eyes, knowing that she didn't deserve what Kevin's family was offering her. It was too good for her. She felt guilty. Very guilty. What if she did the same to them, she wouldn't have her grandpa or Ben there to calm her down and she would explode. No, she couldn't stay with them.

"Here," She felt a weight come down next to her and touch her hands. She opened her eyes up to see Kevin focussing on placing the cut-out picture in the small frame before closing it.

"Do you want me to put it on you?" He asked sincerely. She smiled nodding as turned round pushing her hair out of the way for him to clip it. His fingers shook as he tried to clip it on her, it took him a couple of tries, leaning sweating, clammy hands on the back of her shirt, hoping she wouldn't notice him shaking but he knew too well she could feel it. She just didn't say anything. Being nice to him.

"There" He mumbled. She turned back round staring down and holding the charm.

"It's beautiful, Kevin" She mumbled.

He couldn't help but stare at her. Admiring her beauty. She thought the piece of jewellery which had no practical use to him, meant the world to her. His heart pained greatly. He didn't deserve her. He didn't deserve someone like her. She was beautiful, stunning, kind-hearted, powerful, smart, ambitious, cunning, sassy and...everything he urned for in a girl. She meant the world to him and he couldn't lose her. Not by her cousin, not by her past. Not by his either. She needed a new life together and he knew he could make her happy, forget about her problems and they could settle down with each other. He knew she was the one.

'beep, beep'

A groaned crossed her lips. She reached for her phone but was stopped by his hand.

"Don't" He mumbled into her ear. She thought about it for a moment, wanting to see who was calling.

"If it's Ben, I won't answer" She mumbled back. He nodded, releasing her hand as she bent down, grabbing hold of the phone and taking a peak at the screen. It was Julie. She arched her eyebrow bringing the phone up to her ear and listening to the puffed out girl.

"So, there's good news and bad news" The asian woman began speaking. The redhead instantly turned the phone on speaker, arching her eyebrow.

"Which one do you want to hear first?"

"The bad news" Kevin quickly interrupted taking the Asian back, not realising she was on speaker.

"Um, Ben's looking for you, Gwen. He kinda figured out you weren't round my house" Gwen's eyes lit up in fear.

"And the good news?" She asked worried to death.

"He doesn't know where you are or where Kevin's house is for that matter" She breathed out relieved as she laid her head back on the couch.

"That's a relief" Kevin smirked leaning over and running his hands through the redheads hair thinking about how much time he had. A whole night with her and the morning too. It was going to be awesome. Gwen looked up seeing the look on her boyfriend's face, she narrowed her eyes in disapproval.

'Not the time, Kevin' He could hear scream through his head. His eyes lit up in shock. He held his ear as his girlfriend returned back to the phone.

"Do you know where Ben is right now?"

"I told him you went to the supermarket to pick up some snacks. I didn't say which one you went to though so you can either stay at Kevin's or get your butt back here with some food. Your choice"

"Thanks Julie" She mumbled, switching her phone off before she turned to Kevin.

"...I don't want you to leave" He mumbled grabbing a hold of her top and holding her close to him. She sighed resting her head on him and wrapping her arms over him.

"Please, just stay with me. We'll worry about the consequences in the morning" He mumbled into her ear, kissing her lobe, begging her not to go. She thought about it. Thought about just going to the shops, picking up some snacks and heading back to Julies. But she would feel bad for leaving Kevin and if she did, it would mean Ben meant more to her than Kevin. She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms tighter around him as to not let go.

"I'll stay with you Kevin. I'll stay round here"

He held her tighter, smiling happily to himself. She loved him. She loved him and he knew it.

"Thank you" He mumbled releasing her before capturing her lips. She kissed him back, caressing his cheek with her fingers before they were interrupted. Not by his parents adorning noises but by a loud, thunderous knock at the door.

It took them off-guard, hoping it was just a delivery-man working late or his step-dad forgetting his keys again but their hopes were cut short by an angry voice bellowing out behind the door.

"Gwen, I know you're in there. Open up"