Chapter 5

"Give it back!" I scrambled up from the ground, reaching for it.

Chloe held it high, stepping back.

"You dare try to steal it back?" Her mother shoved me away. "This is clearly stolen property! We're giving this to the police!"

"Give it back!"

I lunged, grabbing for the amulet.

In the chaotic struggle, there was a sharp, sickening *crack*.

The jade flew out of Chloe's hand, smashed against the brick wall, and fell to the pavement.

It shattered.

It broke into several pieces. The little carved rabbit split right down the middle.

I froze.

Chloe froze too.

Then she shrugged. "Whatever. It was stolen anyway. Let’s go to your place. I want to see what else you’ve hidden."

I knelt down, carefully picking up the broken shards of jade, cradling them in my palm.

My eyes stung.

But I didn't cry.

My brothers told me: *Our family doesn't cry.*

I tucked the shards into my pocket, stood up, and kept walking.

Chloe muttered behind me, telling her mom I was definitely a serial thief. I ignored them.

After a ten-minute walk, we reached the trailer park at the edge of the city.

The alleyways were narrow, littered, and overhead wires hung like chaotic spiderwebs.

Chloe laughed out loud.

"May, you actually live here? Is this even fit for humans?"

Her mother covered her nose. "Ugh, what is that smell? Disgusting!"

Chloe’s father, nursing his bruised jaw, sneered, "No wonder she's a thief. Growing up in a dump like this, how else would she survive?"

Mrs. Miller pinched her nose but remained quiet.

I walked up to our rusty metal gate.

Chloe nudged me. "What are you waiting for? Open it! Let’s see your little rat hole."

Her mother added, "Yes, open it! Get your parents out here! I want to see who raised a brat like you!"

I pulled out my keys, my hands trembling slightly.

Not out of fear.

But because I could see shadows moving through the cracks of the door. There were voices.

More than one person was home.

I pushed the door open.

And I stopped dead in my tracks.

Sitting in the living room was a massive circle of men.

Twelve of them.

Every single one was there.

Jax, the oldest, still had his bleached hair, but today it was neatly combed. He wore a brand-new T-shirt and actually looked presentable.

Leo, the second, still had his facial scar, but he had squeezed into a buttoned-up white shirt, looking incredibly uncomfortable.

Blade, skinny as ever, sat upright, smiling the moment he saw me.

Hammer, the fourth, sat with his hands on his knees, posture perfectly straight.

The fifth, the sixth, the seventh...

All the way to Gizmo, who had actually washed his hair and slicked it back with so much gel a fly would slip off it.

On the table in front of them sat a massive cake.

Written on it in clumsy frosting was: *Congrats on College, Sis!*

Jax was the first to stand up, smiling as he walked toward me. "May, you're back! We were waiting for you. It's your birthday, so we all chipped in and got a—"

He stopped mid-sentence.

He saw the people behind me.

He saw the red marks on my face.

He saw my messy hair, my dirty clothes, and the mud on my sleeves.

The smile vanished from Jax's face.

Leo stood up.

Blade stood up.

Hammer stood up.

One by one, all twelve of them stood up.

Behind her mother, Chloe whispered, "Who are these guys? May's relatives?"