- KATRINA -

I was on a cloud. Or that's what it felt like. I pulled the fluffy blankets closer to my body before letting out a moan. Why did the rich always have the nicest things? It wasn't fair.

I sat up and stretched, feeling completely rejuvenated. I looked over to the small clock on the nightstand to see red letters blinking 10:47AM.

Shit. The guys would be home any second from picking up their sisters.

I leapt out of bed and quickly pulled on my old ripped shorts. I decided to keep Harry's Nirvana T-shirt. It looked too raggedy for him anyway. And with that I was gone.

People often wondered why I didn't own more things, the answer was simple; I didn't need them. It was hard to get up and quit a life if you had attachments. It was just easier this way.
I flew down the stairs of the mansion, desperate to get out before the boys arrived with their sisters. I was halfway through the living room when-

"There she is!"

I froze. Only two steps away from the back door. Two steps away from freedom. It was after ten, weren't they all supposed to be picking up their sisters?

"Whatcha doin?" Niall asked as he came out of the kitchen with a bag of cheese-it's in his hands.

"I was just going to sit out by the pool," I lied.

"With all yer clothes on?" He frowned.

"Well it's not like I have anything else to wear."

Niall froze, his eyes growing wide with embarrassment. "Oh I...fuck Kat I..."

I let out a small laugh. "It's okay Niall."

He let out a sigh of relief before we fell into an awkward silence. I looked longingly at the back door, wondering if I could convince Niall to let me leave.

"You hungry?" He asked. I looked down at the box of cheese-it's in his hands and raised an eyebrow. Niall shrugged. "This is just a snack."

"No thanks Niall I'm not hungry."

"How can ya never be hungry? Ya never eat nothin'!"

"Well your overeating makes up for my lack of eating," I shrugged. "So I guess that makes it even."

"It does not work like that," he said setting down the box of cheese-it's and grabbing my wrist gently. "Come on, yer not leavin' this house ’til we get somethin' in tha’ stomach o’ yers."

I rolled my eyes and followed Niall into the kitchen. I'll eat quickly and then convince him to let me leave before the other boys got here.

Niall began making me an omelette, talking non stop about how good they were for you and all the benefits of vegetables and eggs. Apparently he plays "football" for a team in England and has a personal trainer who taught him a few nutritional lessons as well. I wondered if that's how they were so rich - they were famous athletes from Britain...

"Yer runnin off aren't ya?" Niall asked. Might as well tell him the truth...well half of the truth anyway.

"Not running. I need to go check in with Martha at the shelter," I said as I forced down another bite of the omelette. I would definitely be throwing half of this up later. He put way too much meat in it.

"Ya can stay here ya know. Ya don't have te go back te da shelter."

I gave him a smile in return. "I know. But I help Martha with upkeep. My skills in persuasion are how we have so many beds. I have to go back to help."

Niall broke into a smile at my lies. "Do ya need a lift down there?"

"No I can take the bus."

"Are ya sure?"

"Yes Niall I'm sure."

"Well here. Take this at least." He scribbled his number down on a piece of paper and handed it to me. "Last chance fer a ride..."

"I'll see you later Niall."

I grabbed my bag and stepped out the front door, free at last. As I pulled my hair into a bun I checked my watch. 11:26am. The others would be getting back any second now. I quickened my pace and detoured down the side streets all the while praying I wouldn't run into the guys.

Poor Niall, the others would no doubt be mad when they found out he let me leave. But the more I thought about it the more it didn't make sense that they should be so upset at my leaving. I didn't know them, not even remotely. I was just some homeless girl who had broken into their house one day. So why wouldn't they let me leave? They claimed to feel responsible...was their wealth over my poverty bringing them guilt? That must be it. I can think of no other explanation.

I had now made it to the edge of millionaire boulevard and could see the bus stop at the end of the street. Only another half a block and I would be home free.

"Katrina?"

Fuck.

-

I sat on the luxury leather sofa in Louis Vuitton feeling like a complete outsider. After finding me on the streets once again, the guys had forced me to catch a ride down to the city with their sisters. And of course they had given their sisters strict commands not to let me out of their sight until we reached the shelter. One thing led to another and now I was stuck in the middle of a shopping spree.

"Katie, what do you think?" Asked Lottie, Louis' younger sister. She held up a brown bag and I wrinkled my nose.

"I like the black one you had before.”

"Good me too," Lottie smiled. She had come with Liam's girlfriend Sophia. Both were drop dead gorgeous of course. Lottie had light blond hair that nearly hit her waist and a smile identical to Louis'. Sophia was a brunette with tanned skin and the appearance of a model.

But I liked Gemma best. She was seated next to me on the couch and looked just as bored. Gemma was Harry's older sister. She was so well put together I felt like a mess next to her. But she was humble and I could tell she hated all this wealthy nonsense.

"Where do you like to shop Trinny?" Gemma asked, effectively breaking the silence.

I turned to her with a smile. "Trinny? That's one I've never heard of."

"Pet names can often be so boring when you only use the first or last part of a persons name," She thought aloud. "So. Where do you like to shop?"

"I know a place. It's in the depot."

"Let's go!" Gemma smiled, just as Sophia and Lottie appeared.

We headed down the street into an old brick warehouse. As we stepped through the doors I heard the three gasp. Inside a dozen different vendors littered the three-story building. It was like an indoor fair.

"Everything here is made locally from small businesses. They have artists who blow glass and weld metal," I said in my best tour guide voice. We headed down the isles and I swear the girls bought something at every stand.

"Oh look at these! They have old coins!" Cried Lottie as she held up two bracelets.
"Those are old state coins...and these are old trolley coins."

"We should all buy some!" Sophia bounced. "We can have matching bracelets for our trip!"
I busied myself with looking around at the other shops while they picked out their bracelets. It was hard to forgive them for being so blatantly rich.

"Katie, aren't you picking one out?" Asked Sophia.

"No I-"

"Oh come on love, our treat," beamed Gemma. She grabbed a simple black cord that had one coin hanging from it. "This ones lovely. It has a picture of the city on it."

I rolled my eyes and held out my wrist while the girls cheered at their victory over me. They also brought me three additional outfits before even considering taking me to the shelter.

"Are you going to come back to the house afterwards?" Lottie asked curiously. We had finished at the depot and were now walking around the city.

"No she's planning on running away," smirked Gemma.

I rolled my eyes as I led them back down the street to the car.

"Run away?" Frowned Lottie. "What would you want to run away from us for?"

"Not you, from your brothers. I don't like being a charity case."

"You're not a charity case," laughed Sophia. "They spoil everyone who stays with them."

"Why do you think we went shopping today?" Lottie asked. "My brother gave me money, I would never be able to afford these on my own!"

I couldn't help but laugh at the face she made. Maybe these girls weren't so different after all.
"Well that makes-"

I stopped dead in my tracks as my eyes fell onto the nearest newsstand. On the cover of one of the magazines was a blonde haired girl being escorted out of a mansion in handcuffs. As I stepped closer I realized the girl was…me?

"What the fuck?" I cried out, snatching the newspaper and flipping it open. "How the fuck did these people get my picture?"

There was nothing but silence from the three girls and I looked up at them angrily.

"Who are your brothers? Are they fucking famous?"

"Katrina please," Sophia hissed.

"We'll take you back to the house and explain everything," added Gemma.

"No." I skimmed the article as the words "One Direction", "boy band" and "world tours" leapt out at me. "No I can't. I have to go. Right now."

"Trinny wait-"

"No! Do they even realize what they've done? They should never have helped me. Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"Katrina whatever this is...whatever kind of trouble you're in we can help you!" Gemma put her hand on my shoulder but I quickly stepped back out of her reach.

"No. No, you have to go back to your brothers and Liam. Tell them you dropped me off at the shelter. Tell them I was fine. They can't try and find me-"

"Kat you're scaring us-"

"Promise you won't let them look for me!"

"Okay we promise! We'll tell them you went to the shelter like you said," nodded Gemma. "Will you tell us what's going on? What are you afraid of?"

"I can't. I can't be seen with you. I have to go." I casually grabbed a hat from a nearby stand and shoved it on my head. "Thank you for everything...I-I'm sorry."

With that I turned my back on the three bewildered girls and cut through the crowd of tourists. I heard Gemma call after me but easily drowned her out. I should have never gone back with them last night. I should have just kept walking. I mentally kicked myself at the thought of it. That had been their secret. They liked that I had no clue who they were.

I turned to the right and passed another stand with at least a dozen copies of my story littered on the front page. It made me sick.

Famous! Of all things they had to be a famous fucking boy band. Johnny would know I was with them. How could he not? If he didn't know already he would soon find out and then we'd all be in trouble.

I ducked behind the nearest crowd and from there hopped on the next bus. I needed to get out of here. I needed to get as far away from the city as possible - as far away from the boys as possible.

Notes

I know. I'm the worst. I'm sorry I haven't updated in ages. But hopefully I can make it up to you - I have another chapter coming shortly!