'A single rose can be my garden… a single friend, my world.' ~ Leo Buscaglia

The pink in my hair had turned out a lot lighter than I had imagined it would've but it still looked pretty fantastic against my baby blues so I wasn't about to complain. Pulling on a pair of my skinny jeans and a crop top over my bra with the ever so perfect words 'Normal is boring' written in bold over the shirt. I quickly adorned myself with old bracelets I had made as a kid, some with beads some made of string before pulling on a patterned kimono cardigan and heading out of my room.

"Not going to wear your glasses?" Jax chuckled waiting outside my door, only for me to turn around and grab my thick-rimmed reading glasses. I was interested in seeing how our maid was supposed to be teaching us as well or if that was a joke.

"It's not the maid, which sucks but it's some strange guy." He said vaguely.

"Strange guy?" I asked noticing the cars where all gone leaving our dad in his 'in home' office the maid and us. Not that I minded but it did kind of make me feel like a loser being home schooled.

"I think he's gay he kept saying the décor we have in the house is, 'subpar' to what it used to be." Jax laughed. I just shook my head "Lets just get going… get this nightmare over with so we can go do something that doesn't include learning." I sighed as Jax nodded following me down the stairs.

Walking into the kitchen I noticed a few things, one being the creepiest maid ever. Her hair was this deep red in color, her one eye almost didn't even look real it was so foggy, clouded even. She wore a typical below the knee black dress, with white trim around her neck and wrists. Fairly sensible yet, also incredibly dated.

Second thing; being the very well dressed man, which was leaning against the counter talking to the maid. Adorned in a paid dress shirt and slacks, with his hair slicked back almost in one of the quiffs. He hand a paid of reading glasses on the top of his head as well, which made me feel less awkward about needing them myself.

Last thing being a boy around our age sitting at the counter his eyes glued to me. Or at least they looked like they where. His hair was short and shaggy much like my brother's except Jax's hair was a lot longer than his was. They both dressed similar, which is probably why – word vomit—"Raid each others closets?" I questioned causing the boy at the table to chuckle, and the other two to turn and look at us.

"Ah Jaxson and Alexis, we where wondering when you'd be joining us." The man said his voice more cheery than a voice needed to be at 8 in the morning.

"Just Lex is fine." I mumbled knowing this guy would never call me by anything but my full first name.

I watched as the maid walked away her eyes fixated on my brother who looked completely uncomfortable by it. "Well, I'm Chad. I'll be your homeschool teacher, your father hired me." He explained to us both as we just sat down at the counter staring at him.

"We're actually going into the dining room, so much more space and the table in there is just divine." He commented as I looked over to Jax who just arched his brow at me. I had nothing wrong with people of different sexual orientation, but one of the many reasons Jax stopped going to classes was probably because the jocks would call him gay. They never saw him with a girl that wasn't myself or Maddy so they of course just assumed he liked boys.

"Alexis, Jaxson; this is Tate. He'll be joining us as he lives next door and his mother had worked it out with your dad… easier this way for all parties." Chad continued on his rambling.

Home school. This was an utter joke, a waste of time. I knew I wanted to go to school, but a part of me always knew it was just not in the cards for me. What would I even go for? Everything I was good at doing I didn't need any school credits to do anyway… we were only even doing this home school crap to please Lillian. 'Everyone needs to at least have their high school.' Or whatever non-sense that devil woman would come up with. Always just seemed like her running her mouth to sound intelligent when we all knew anything smart out of her mouth was just something she read online.

I felt Jax nudge me motioning for me to look over at the weird boards the guy had put in place. "Sorry, miles away… what did you say?" I asked him as I put on my glasses.

"I was asking if you knew what the answer to this problem was, clearly not… Jaxson?" He passed me over. "Me not paying attention does not mean I don't know the answer. It's 45, and as for your second question it's a=3… but thanks for assuming I'm stupid, because I day dream." And there was one of my reasons for leaving.

I had trouble paying attention in class and teachers would always say that it was because I was stupid, didn't know anything. When in reality I was actually really smart, smarter than most of the kids in the classes. I just would doze off and go else where, inside my head, in those daydreams it was just so much happier than the reality I was sucked into. I didn't need some person who only knew the answers because their teachers guide book in their damn hands told them what it was telling me I was stupid.

When I had finally removed my hands from my face I realized I was no longer sitting at the table in the kitchen but I was in fact sitting on some chair in the basement. How this chair or me got down here was beyond me, maybe Addy brought it with her when we found her here the other day. "Teacher's suck. Well known fact." I heard a voice say to me from in front of me. The voice not belonging to Jax, which meant it, was that other kids.

"Yea it probably doesn't help that we were all sitting there ruining his divine décor." I rolled my eyes causing him to laugh as he walked closer to me kneeling next to the chair.

"I'm Tate." He introduced himself to me regardless of the fact he knew that I had already been told his name. "Lex." I told him offering him my hand.

Shaking it he smiled at me, "Why Lex?" He asked.

"I'm sick of being told that I don't know anything—" He cut me off quickly, "I meant why do you go by Lex?" He asked me as I sighed, this was a stupid story.

"Well, Alexis never sounded like it fit me… always felt weird hearing people say it… that and Jax being my twin, growing up I wanted a short nick name like that too. Lex just, sort of stuck." I told him as I sighed again.

"Lexis, Lexi, Alex…" He trailed off smiling, which I had to admit as weird as this guy kind of came off… he had a killer smile.

"Yea—yea." I waved him off standing up, "He said you lived next door, do you know Addy?" I asked him curiously as he had managed to get me to walk back towards the stairs.

"I do, she's my sister." He informed me as I smiled, "She's really sweet." I told him.

"And you aren't just saying that, which is refreshing. Most people just say it so they don't offend me or something, very rare someone means it."

I shook my head, "Sure when we found her in our basement, the first day we moved in… it was odd, but when I brought her with me this morning to get hair dye, and even after we found her… she's just really nice." I told him, "No other way to really say it."

He chuckled "Yea Addy, can come off a bit weird at times but she always means well." He explained to me.

"Back to class?" He suggested, "I guess so…" I rolled my eyes; "It is better than being in an actual high school, not a fan."

He smirked, "Screw high school. That's… it's just a blip in your timeline." Sounded a lot like something I've heard others say before.

"True enough." I told him as we rejoined Chad and my brother at the table, somehow now I could actually pay attention to what was being said, I no longer felt like I had to escape into some trance or dreamland.

"So you guys are twins? That's actually pretty cool, mainly considering how similar you both seem." Tate told us, he was sitting on the floor in my room with his back against my bed. My brother who was also on the floor his back against the wall, legs spread out facing me who was laying on my stomach on the bed basically beside Tate.

'School' was over for the day so we all decided to hang out regardless how our dad or Lillian were going to feel about it. In all honesty we where making a friend I think that would have shut them both up.
"Fraternal but yea, we can be quite a like." Jax told him.

"Do you have any other siblings or is it just you and Addy?" I asked him casually.

"Yea, I had another he died a while back however… Beau." He told us both looking down at his hands.

"Hey, man we're so sorry…" Jax told him for the both of us as I nodded. "Yea that honestly, can't have been easy." I added.

"It's not but you learn to deal with it. Anyway that's sad stuff, what kind of music do you guys listen to?" He asked looking up at me nearly getting to close for comfort.

"Well a bit of everything, I have CD's on that shelf, MP3's on the laptop and records in that case over there." I pointed them all out to him.

"Lex is a bit of a music junkie." Jax told him as Tate got up excitedly walking towards the records first. "You have In Utero on vinyl?" He questioned pulling out the record.

"Of course I do, I should have Nevermind and Bleach in there too. My dad used to be a huge Nirvana fan, when he met Lillian he was told to remove it all… I liked them too so he gave them to me. Take it you're a fan?" I asked.

"Yea, I'm a pretty big fan of Kurt Cobain." He told us as he set the record on the player, the music soon flooding the room. "Tate would love you then Lex." Jax teased me, causing Tate to turn and look at the two of us.

"He's kidding, our last name is Corbin, Corbin – Cobain, they sound similar I guess." I explained as Tate smiles at me. "I'm sure there are better reasons to like you than your last name." He said as I felt my cheeks grow red.

Sure I've had guys flirt with me before, and I've dated boys too but Tate had this weird way he would look at me that would just get to me. In an instant too, he had this sadness behind his eyes. Besides when he was talking he seemed so dreary, sad, sullen, he had these dark bags beneath his eyes which I attributed to the lack of sleep most people our age experienced.

"Right Lex?" I heard Jax ask me as I had realized I was now staring at Tate who had this dumb founded look on his face, before it turned into a grin.

"Sorry what?" I asked scratching my head.

"I was telling him about Maddy, Dad and Lillian…" He arched his brow, "Really weren't listening?"

I chuckled looking between the two, "I was, and the topic is just a bore." I lied looking away from them both.

"I'm home!" I heard my dad call out; he had a meeting with a 'client' this morning. Not that Jax or myself would ever blame him from straying away from Lillian, still made no sense why they where even together. Probably for the appearance of a happy loving home, which explained by whenever we had family pictures, Jax and I just didn't look like ourselves. With wigs and dressy clothing, terrible.

"We're in Lex's room." Jax called out as Tate walked back towards the two of us sitting on the bed next to me forcing me to sit up more with my legs hanging off the side of the bed.

"Hey you two, make another friend?" He asked peering into the doorway. "Has Addy been here today? I found something at the store I thought she'd like." He said to us causing both Jax and I to look at each other confused as to why he'd do such a thing.

"More of an apology gift, wasn't right the way Madison and Lillian where speaking to her. I want her to feel welcomed here, this is my house and she can come and go as she pleases." He told us causing Tate's mouth to drop open slightly, moving my one finger up closing his mouth for him.

"Anyway, what's your friends name. I assume you're the other addition to the Home School group?" He asked him walking move into the room pulling the chair out from my desk sitting down on it.

My dad was a pretty cool guy all hobbies considered, he was a tall man, well built, even better spoken. I guess he was a decent looking guy as far as dad's go. He's where Maddy and I got our blue eyes, and where the three of us got out dark hair and dashing good looks. Our mom before she left was kind of a twat, tall lean, and blonde hair brown eyes, snotty.

Her and Lillian would have gotten along quite well. They're both gold diggers, both cheaters, both liars, and neither of them wants kids but have to deal with them. Props to Lillian for lasting the past five years, our own mother didn't make it to our third birthday. Pretty sure she left after Jax and I turned three and Maddy turned four but I could be wrong.

"Tate, I live next door." He told him as my dad nodded, "Well welcome to our home, hope the teacher I found for you guys was alright, it was kind of last minuet… he seemed pretty instant that he could do the job." He told us.

"Anyway, I'm going to go find that maid Lillian hired. Would have been nice to know who's snooping through our things." He chuckled as he stood up leaving the room.

"Your dad's a pretty cool guy… kind of jealous." Tate told us as he watched the doorway where our dad just left.

"He's ok, but then again what family isn't messed up?" Jax asked standing up, "I'm gonna go grab some food and probably go find some grass to score." He explained, "Want anything Lex?" He asked me.

"Ounce is fine, moneys in my top drawer." I told him as he nodded, "And cut your hair, you're starting to look like a monkey." I called to him as he left my room. I looked over at Tate and smiled, "So, other than being Addy's brother, tell me something interesting." I chuckled.

He took in a deep breathe before looking at the ground, "I don't think you want to know the more interesting things about me." He commented.

"Well considering I'll be seeing you everyday it'd be cool to know at least something besides who's apart of your family, and your wicked taste in music." I told him.

"Are you sure?" He asked me as I nodded, "I can tell you something first if your scared." I teased nudging him.

"Go for it." He said moving so that he was facing me on the bed, so I followed suit doing the same thing sitting cross legged on my bed.

"Well, I guess I could start by saying; I dropped out of school three years ago with my brother, we both started seeing a shrink about five years ago at the request of my dad's new wife. She thinks we spend too much time together and that it's immoral how close we are. We just have no one else to talk to about all the weird crap that goes on in our heads." I told him.

"What kind of weird crap?" He asked me.

"Well back in Washington we lived in this old house kind of like this one, rich with history that even google isn't aware of half the time. Anyway, Jax and I would—" I paused looking at him, "It's weird, you'll make fun of me… lord knows the kids at school always did, probably why we switched schools so much." I sighed to myself.

"I don't think there's anything you could say that I'd think is weird, or make fun of you for… people in glass houses should never throw stones." He told me.

"Fine, we'd always see and hear things that no one else did. We never talked to them or anything because, that's crazy. We told kids at school and they would tease us relentlessly… probably what started me with my overly dark nightmarish fantasies and Jax into his morbid conversation starters."

Tate smirked, "Dark fantasies?" He questioned.

"Well I read about a person in town that had killed a bunch of girls, so I told them I was his copy cat… got me into a lot of trouble, and Jax used to tell them he picked the girls out and that we dissected them for fun… weird crap." I told him, "Anyway you're turn." I said hoping to switch the focus from me, why that was what I shared was beyond me. Dad always told me not to bring that crap up, to attempt to seem normal regardless of what I felt.

"Well, for starters I set my mom's boyfriend on fire, then I shot and killed a group of classmates at my school, murdered the gay couple that lived here at some point, oh and I'm a ghost." He smiled at me as I sat there staring at him, trying to hold back my laughter.

"Well, you didn't need to try so hard to make me feel better… but thanks Tate." I told him as he sat there staring at me in shock. "Yep, exactly what I was doing seems to have worked." He grinned.

The record soon began to skip causing me to jump, before getting up and re setting the needle on the record causing it to play again. "You said you had another sibling, Beau… what happened to him?" I asked him.

"It's a long story, nothing really interesting to it… kind of dark." He commented.

"So, what do you want to do? Or do you have to leave?" I asked not realizing I was frowning till he had told me.

"Don't want to see me leave?" He laughed, "Up to you, we can do whatever you want." He smiled at me.

"I got an idea." I lied as he laughed, "And what's that?" He asked me.

"Well I was thinking of looking into this house, if you want to help me? Jax and I found some pretty weird things in this place it'd be cool to get a more clear image of this place… or we can watch a movie." I suggested.

"I have an idea since you seem to want to get to know me, and the idea is mutual. We could play a card game, something silly like WAR or Go Fish, who ever wins the hand has to either answer a question or say something about themselves?" He offered.

"How very retro of you." I chuckled. "Alright, stay here I'll go downstairs and grab some cards. Pick out a movie, background noise is usually a great thing." I told him as I began to go down the stairs, hearing giggles and mild chatter.

"My daughter is home with her friend, this is wrong… if they catch us…" I heard my dad say as I could hear the maid's old withered voice answer. "Just give it, you know you want to."

"I can't, while she's home. My kids already hate me for my last two affairs… having one with you would only drive them further away and my wife could be home at any minuet." I heard him say again feeling my lunch slowly start to rise in my stomach.

"Oh please, like she cares… you know you want your hands all over me." I heard her say again, I turned around with the full plan of telling Tate we had no cards, when I bumped into his chest. I hadn't even heard him come down the stairs, "Found cards on your desk." He told me as he looked past me at where the voices where coming.

"Come on, we'll watch the scariest movie possible, take your mind off that." He smiled, "Or we can talk about it?"

"Thanks Tate…" I said forcing him to link arms with me before making our way back up to my room.

For reference if needed below are the actors I used for the likeness of my OC's;

Ryan Corbin — Clive Owen
Lillian Corbin — Elizabeth Hurley
Madison Corbin — Lyndon Smith
Jaxson Corbin — Ryan Donowho
Alexis Corbin — Teresa Palmer