"Danielle?" he says as he looks down at me. He probably only remembers my name because my parents got arrested and not because he remembers the scrawny ninth grader he used to call ’chicken legs.’ "You sure grew up." His eyes move all over me and I have to fight not to fidget.

"Thanks," I respond, because I don’t know what else to say to his comment. It’s not like I can return it because there’s nothing nice to be said about Lance. "Cara’s asleep," I tell him, hoping he’ll leave and come back later. Later being while I’m gone.

"Yeah, I thought I saw her doing the walk of shame." He pushes past me, letting himself in.

I jump back so his body doesn’t touch mine and I reluctantly close the door. He isn’t going anywhere and I can’t kick him out. Lance plops down onto the sofa and makes himself at home on my bed. I glance to the bag he dropped on his way in and I notice it’s bigger than a backpack. I pray that it’s not what I think it is. I’d honestly forgotten about Cara’s brother and she never brings him up. He can’t be here to stay, and why would he want to? I’m sure he can afford a hotel or something, and he and Cara aren’t close.

Cara’s place is nice and somewhat roomy for being in the city, but there’s no way three people could stay here. On top of that I’m pretty sure Cara’s parents wouldn’t be happy if they knew the arrangement she and I made. They were likely on the list of parents who told their kids to stay away from me. My father might have stolen millions from them, too, for all I know. I tried to stay as far away from that circle as I could, but here I am right in the middle of things.

Cara comes out of her room a few moments later. She looks like she cleaned herself up a little, but once she realizes her brother is on the couch she begins to scowl again.

"What are you doing here?" she asks him while making herself some coffee. She must be skipping the nap. I eye her, noticing she has more perk to her step then she had a few minutes ago. "You’re supposed to stay with the parents," she reminds him.

"They’re having the fucking floors redone. They forgot about winter break."

Cara rolls her eyes, not shocked. "What about a hotel?" she clips, and it looks like she doesn’t want him here either. I lived with boys when I was in the foster system and it’s not something I ever want to do again.

"Come on. It’s only a few days." He says it with a teasing smile as he ignores her not-so-subtle hints.

"Fine, take the guest room. It’s a mess, so you’ll have to clean it." She places her hands on her hips as if ready to have it out with him. They might be mad at each other, but still there is this underlying love. I can see it in the way they look at one another. "Just two nights."

Maybe I could sleep in the car for those two nights. There’s something about Lance that always rubbed me the wrong way.

"We’ll see how long the floors take," Lance says before he turns his head to wink at me.

He better not try and take the sofa. Cara does have a second bedroom, but it’s so small it freaks me out. I’d only been in foster care for six months, but it ruined me with tight spaces.

"And leave her alone," Cara snaps at Lance.

"Mom and Dad know she’s here?" he throws back at her. Oh fuck, he’s going to get me kicked out of here.

"Don’t play that game with me, Lance. I know where your bodies are buried. Hasn’t that fancy college you’re about to graduate from taught you anything? Never go into a battle you know you’re going to lose." She gives him a hard look and he doesn’t say anything else to her. She must have some good shit on him.

Cara takes her coffee and goes back to her room, leaving me alone with her brother.

"So, you have plans today?" he asks.

"I’ve got work, which means I need to get a move on."

I grab my bag and go to the bathroom. I’m still debating if I should sleep in the car tonight. I yawn, knowing I’m going to have to think about it later. I already see my work app coming to life with people needing rides all around me. There isn’t any time to get ready.

I change quickly before going to the living room and dropping my bag in the corner. Lance watches me the whole time and it makes my skin crawl. I’ve learned to trust my instincts because from what I’ve been through, I know there are predators everywhere.

"I’m out," I tell him, and Lance looks me over like I’m crazy.

I’m in jeans and a loose-fitting sweatshirt. I even put my hair up into a hat, trying to look more like a boy. It’s easier that way with some of the crazies I’ve given rides.

"Like that?" He raises an eyebrow at me in judgment.

How he manages to check me out while also looking at me like I’m a slob, I have no idea, but he manages to pull it off. I wonder if he learned that at his fancy college.

"Trust me, where I’m going no one cares what I’m wearing," I tell him as I open the front door.

"You heard from your mother?" His question jolts me. I thought I’d grown used to it by now, but still the mention of my mother always does that to me.

"No," I tell him before shutting the door behind me. "She doesn’t care about me anymore," I mutter to myself as I head out into the cold.