Chapter 3 One Hell Of A Ride

STAR

"I don't think the boys like me, mum," I told her as I leaned against the cabinet in the kitchen.

"Patient... Star-"

"Just give them time, they'll come around," Mum smiled at me, dropping the glass of water she was holding on the counter.

I wasn't convinced.

"Star," mum jolted me from my trance as I blinked at her. She walked closer to me. "It's your first day at the Academy, you shouldn't be worrying too much."

"Just make good friends, I'm sure you'll be fine," she patted my shoulder, collectively swiping her fingers over the pad of my blazer.

I sighed. "I guess I should be going then. I don't want to be late." I let out a small smile that barely reached my eyes.

Today, I am resuming at the Dusk Shade Academy and honestly, I don't feel too good about it.

I had this unsettled feeling that I was digging my own grave.

"You'll be going with the boys," Mum said, walking towards the kitchen exit.

"What?!" My eyes widened as a dread threat crept into my throat.

I followed after her. "I can't follow them." I frowned.

"Why?" She turned to face me.

Because I don't want to be with people who obviously don't want me around their vicinity! I said subconsciously.

A sigh escaped my lips. "I mean, there are drivers who could drop me off, or I could take the bus myself. I don't need to follow them to school." I creased my brows at her.

"You're avoiding them?" Mum caught me.

"Wh-what? N-No... I'm not," I stuttered, tucking a loc of hair behind my ear.

She was telling the truth. I was avoiding them like the plague when I realized they distasted me, and I have no zeal for making them see me as one of them, so I would rather stay out of their lane.

"You said the twins didn't like you. If you want to start bonding with them you need to get close to them." She stared at me, and I rubbed my temple.

I honestly don't give two fucks right now, I just needed to go to school and get on with my day without the twins being involved. My fault for bringing them up.

"Mum—" I was about to tell her not to worry when Liam and Levi walked down the stairs.

Speaking of the devils.

Their uniforms made them look like the classic boys that all the girls in school would be tripping after.

"Oh, Levi, Liam... we were just talking about you two," mum clasped her hands drawing their attention to her before they snapped their heads over to me.

Just great.

Their eyes scanned over my uniform like it was the most treacherous thing I'd worn. 

Liam had a smug look on his face when our eyes met. "Someone seems excited for school," he smirked while I rolled my eyes.

Levi on the other hand spared no details as he strode to the main door, his right hand shoved in his pocket as if the world was stressing him out but his nonchalancy paved the way.

"Star would be following you both to school-"

"Mum, no, we talked about this," I darted my eyes sharply to her.

"Oh, why not?" Liam taunted.

I shot my gaze at him. "I'll be happy to take my sister for a ride," he teased and I immediately figured it was a trap.

"No, thanks. I can go to school on my own," I countered.

"Star," mum called, a warning tone in her voice but I ignored her as I began to head towards the door, walking past her and Liam.

"What?" 

"You can't stand us enough to go to school with us?" Liam questioned hauntingly, making me pause in my tracks.

What?

I turned on my heels to look at him, that teasing smirk plastered on his handsome face annoyed me and when I glanced at mum she was giving me looks of, 'what exactly is wrong with you, Star?'

I returned my gaze at Liam.

"No... I don't want to inconvenience you and your brother," I said sharply.

"Who mentioned anything about inconvenience?" His lips curled even further, slanting his head to the side, his eyes jeering.

I opened my mouth to speak but failed in forming the right words.

"Fine, let's go," I uttered after a while of processing.

Liam walked over and stopped right in front of me. I tried to move back wondering what he was up to, he leaned forward, his face right next to my ear and he whispered, "It's going to be one hell of a ride, sister."

The hair on my body stood at alert and I felt goosebumps invade my skin. Was that a threat or a warning? 

Nevertheless, I swallowed, my eyes shifted over to mum but she was smiling instead. I had no choice but to smile back nervously.

"Let's go," he said, straightening himself. His face was clinging to his deceptive calm feature like he hadn't just made me rethink my decision of still wanting to follow them.

"Come on, you don't want to get late," Mum spoke, waving at me to get going.

I trailed behind Liam as we walked out of the mansion and saw a limited edition BMW sports car parked on the circular driveway.

Levi was leaning against the car, looking like he was counting the ticks of time that passed by. "What took you so long?" He asked Liam who pressed the car button in his hand which caused the vehicle to blink its lights and beep.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," he responded dryly.

I sucked in my breath when I got close to the car to open the backseat door and get in when Levi threw a cold gaze at me.

"What is she doing here?" His face hardened.

"Following us," Liam answered nonchalantly, opening the other side of the back seat door and throwing his bag inside.

Levi frowned, "Why?" 

Liam chuckled, "Come on bro, loosen up, we don't want our little sister to see us for what we are yet."

Little sister? I shot a glare at Liam, instantly hating the choice of words from his mouth.

"At least, let's not give her reasons to hate our guts now," he stared deeply at me, so I had to look away while I thought of what he had said.

What does he mean—

What we are yet?

Is there something I'm missing out?

Levi didn't say anything instead he got into the passenger seat and shut the door.

My palms got sweaty as I pulled the back seat door open and got in wondering what I was about to get into with these two devilish stepbrothers of mine.

The air in the car grew intense as I felt crazy tension trying to slip in through the pores of my skin.

Liam turned his head over his shoulder to look at me and I arched a brow in return. 

He chuckled darkly without a word and started the vehicle.

My anxiety rate was alarming and I lost count of the times Liam's eyes had been watching me through the rearview mirror.

Is he even paying attention to the road?

The journey to the Academy continued for about 30 minutes when Liam stopped the car somewhere in the middle of the road.

I glanced around, wondering what was happening.

"Get out," Liam ordered. I blinked.

"Excuse me?" I tried to get a whiff of what was going on. 

"What are you? A princess?" Liam let out a mocking laugh.

"So, you expected us to give you a ride to school and let everyone know you're our sister?" He threw at me.

"I don't understand, why did you accept to give me a ride when my mum asked," I glared at him.

"To let you know your place and strip off whatever delusion is going through your head that we will be family." He said, coldly.

"You know what?" My blood was starting to boil.

"You two are sick!" I opened the door of the car and got out, slamming it as hard as I could right back in their faces.

Liam wound down the window to his side, staring at me with his cocky smile. "See, you in school, princess," he grinned with a daunting smile before he zoomed off.

"Assholes!" I yelled.