The serenity of this place helps me.

Footsteps from a distance, closing in, makes my head turn automatically in that direction. The vision being blurry, I squint my eyes and try to engage in the pretext of figuring out this person. My eyes widen when they call my name. His steps come to a gradual halt, he has found me and his quest has come to an end. He exhales softly and says my name again.

"Cassie..."

No. Zayn. Don't do that to me anymore.

He seems to understand the internal conflict I have. The man approaches me and sits beside me, even if the corner for his seat was fitting only half of him. Our knees touching and the weather just as gloomy as I am, I shake my head and let the tears drop from my chin.

"Don't do that. Please."

"Do what? I didn't do... anything." His unsure voice makes me rethink.

"Don't call me with that soft voice anymore. I don't deserve the love of the Johnsons." He goes quiet. His hand slowly makes it across my shoulder and I could feel his breath on my head. I was quite short, compared to all of them.

"Is it about Louis and Sharon reuniting?" He asks, my head whipping in his direction to look at him with distrustful eyes.

"You knew..."

"I didn't. It was simply bound to happen. Can't you see, Cassie? Louis contemplated everything the day they broke up. Louis was never interested in you, not at least in the start. Now, I don't know much about their lover's quarrel but... Louis told us to make you believe he got rid of Sharon because of you." He says and half of the things fly straight above my head.

"What?" The tone I say indicated to him I was beyond confused.

"Cassie. Louis broke up with Sharon because Sharon discovered something about our family. She threatened us. It was Louis who discontinued their relationship with a lot of effort." Says Zayn.

"We... what secret? Zayn you're throwing me under the rock."

"You'd know it when the time comes. There was no reason to loathe Sharon. It can be forgiven but... you have to learn to forgive Louis too. All this while, he protected you the most from Sharon. Who do you think keeps everything in check? Your identity must have been revealed by now."

Was Zayn trying to convince me? Convince me to forgive Louis?

"He wasn't using you..." As if Zayn has read my mind, he says. I shake my head in disbelief and bury my face in my palms.

"I don't believe you at all. Louis was—"

"Louis was in a turmoil of his own, Cassie. Company has taken a toll on him and there was a point where he was trying to leave this world. Then you came into our lives. Nourishing us with sisterly love and filling that feminine void." He speaks so sweetly, but all I have to understand is that they loved just my body.

But... he has all of them have told me they are genuinely in love with me. Was Louis bound to be loved by two different women? That didn't seem fair. I do not accept this.

If one breaks away, then I'll be failing the rest of them too. So I've come to a decision.

A lie to save us all from getting hurt.

"All of you have confessed your feelings towards me the other day." I begin, "I don't think it's a good thing. I can't be loved by 4 men and nor can I equally satisfy all four of you." My words make him fall aback. Just as I've thought.

"I'm sorry, Zayn. I'll... I'll tell them this. I can't be loved by 4 men."

"Five." As I get up to leave, I hear his voice.

"Five. Louis is still in love with you." He says. My eyes were tired of envisioning five men loving me. It takes guts to be accepted by society and to satisfy them. What is this situation? Am I being tested by God?

Sighing, I turn back towards Zayn who is standing too. Passing a thin smile under the thundering clouds, I say, "Then I will sever the bonds I have with all of you. It was a mistake. My existence was a mistake and my being adopted by the Johnson Family was a big, big mistake. I'm sorry, Zayn. But this is my decision."

I hope not to hurt you, but I shall do exactly that if you cannot let go of me.

I was going to turn into the bad guy soon.