Page 7 of That Pucking New Girl

Jared’s dark brown hair is perfectly styled, and he looks like he is used to having money. His gray suit alone looks expensive. Watching me closely, his lips press together at my words before his teeth rake across his bottom lip as he shrugs.

“Are you though?” he asks. “I really hate rules and people telling me what to do. It pisses me off. What if I wanted to adopt you in spite of the system?”

“I would say that this is one of the oddest conversations I’ve ever had, and there have been a few doozies,” I reply. “There are cute little people who would make much better candidates for adoption.”

“Meh, I have little people who have taken over my house,” he chuckles.

“We have two toddlers,” Rachelle explains. “We have a large family, though it’s kind of nontraditional, so there’s always more than enough attention to spoil them with.”

“Miss Martin kind of hinted at the nontraditional part. You’re sure you’re not part of a religious cult?” I ask.

“I’m very sure,” Jared snorts. “God, can you imagine? I’m glad I’m here and not the guys.”

“Hush,” Rachelle mutters. “Okay, so I’m married to Jared but also in a relationship with four other people. It’s confusing, but⁠—”

“So polyamory?” I ask. I could make this more complicated than it needs to be, but it’s none of my business who she sleeps with.

“Yes,” she sighs, looking relieved.

“Thank you for not being an asshole about that,” Jared says, making me smirk. “I usually just let people figure it out for themselves, but I don’t want you to think one of us is cheating if you’re living at the house.”

“It’s none of my business,” I confirm. “People are entirely too worried about who people are having sex with for their own good.”

“Do you have any questions about it?” Rachelle asks.

“Maybe, but again it’s none of my business.”

“Fuck it,” Jared shrugs. “Ask anyway. If you end up living with us, you’ll learn we’re all in each other’s business anyway.”

“We also know about your medical stuff and have a quiet room in our house for you, should you decide to give us a shot. The rooms are all soundproofed and we have baby monitors for the kids,” Rachelle explains. “Just so you don’t think we’re shit parents. They both sleep in the room connected to ours since they’re still so little.”

I nod along as the information sinks in.

“Is soundproofing normal in houses?” I ask uncertainly.

“No. Theo doesn’t like a lot of noise, so this gives him a chance to escape if he needs to. Elijah also gets overstimulated easily. He actually wears earplugs at the club we manage. The house is where we unwind. It made sense to have the house well insulated and soundproofed,” Jared explains.

“Okay. Since I have permission to be nosy, I will be. Why are you married to Rachelle if you’re all together?” I ask.

Rachelle winces slightly before crossing her legs to take a deep breath and releasing it. “I was hospitalized against my will in my early twenties and no one could get me out,” she says. “This mental health facility did everything to keep me hostage, and the legal system failed me.”

“I married her on paper without her knowing and busted my ass to get her out,” Jared says. “Rachelle almost died while she was there, and she forgave me for forging the paperwork of a wedding she wasn’t a part of.”

“Oh my god,” I whisper. “Am I allowed to think that’s kind of romantic?”

Rachelle laughs loudly, and I find myself smiling slightly. Ugh, I think I like these people. Why couldn’t they be dickheads?

“It almost was,” she says begrudgingly. “Since then, we’ve all said our vows to each other and had a ceremony. Like I said, we’re loud and emotionally messy, but it’s a really good family to be a part of if you want to be.”

“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath.

“You didn’t want to like us, huh?” Jared chuckles knowingly. “We don’t stand on ceremony, Noor. Call us by our first names. Rachelle works at a school she founded where you can have accommodations and a really decent education. It’s a non-profit and the teachers are used to dealing with all the craziness that comes with different personalities.”

He must see something in my face because his eyes narrow.

“What am I missing?” he asks.

“I’ve been planning to drop out and get my GED,” I confess. “I just got detention for falling asleep in class, but I swear it wasn’t my fault.”