IN LOVE WITH MY STEPBROTHER

VIOLET

The final bell rang signaling the end of the school day at Golden Elite. I left the classroom immediately alongside my best friend, Ashley feeling a surge of relief. Mrs Hawke's class has always been unbearable dull and the last few hours felt like they dragged on forever

“Thank goodness that's over” Ashley let out a sharp exhale, stretching her arms as we walked through the hallways.

“I'm surprised I didn't fall asleep in there” I exclaimed. “I’m super exhausted,I really hope the bus isn't full yet or we'll have to wait till forever”

Ashley halted,a frown creased on her forehead “Wait, we're taking the bus? Hell no! I thought you brought your car. C'mon Vi” She said, almost yelling

“I’m on a probation you know that already,I can't drive till my doctor permits me”

She let out a disappointed sigh. I knew she'd have forced me to come to school with my car if I had told her earlier that morning. Sometimes, Ashley’s influence got me into trouble. I had always found it hard to say no to her, and although I often had fun, I ended up in situations I’d rather avoid. Mom would kill me before the migraines that had stopped me from driving does if I took the car out of the garage.

Ashley and I are the exact opposite, whereas she's extroverted and gets along with people effortlessly. I'm more reserved and introverted. She often stood up for me and I had always admired her confidence. Sometimes I wished I could be like her but each time I tried, it felt like I was shedding a layer of myself off. I had come to accept that being an introvert is simply who I was.

“I honestly pray I don't run to Liam on the bus. I might be forced to cut off his dick” Ashley fumed and I let out a chuckle. Liam was Ashley's ex boyfriend. They had broken up three weeks ago after Liam cheated on her with a blondie.

“Thought we agreed on never talking about him again. You said you moved on already” I nudged her playfully but she scowled at me.

“Of course,I did already but that doesn’t mean I don’t want him to suffer a little. How do I make him pay?”

And that was a wrong question to ask me.I've never been in a relationship, so I don't know the first thing about it. It's weird, because Ashley's influence has rubbed off on me in so many ways, but when it comes to love, I'm a total blank slate. I guess that's one area where I don't follow her lead.

As if the universe was trying to spare me from having to answer,a loud murmur erupted from the crowd. The noise grew louder, drawing the attention of everyone in the hallway. Ashley and I exchanged puzzled glances.

"What's going on?" She asked,her curiosity piqued.

I strained to see over the heads of the students who were gathering around the entrance. The buzz of conversation became more intense and it was clear something significant was happening

"Woah he is back" Someone exclaimed

"I can't believe it.. he's been gone for two weeks"

Another chirped in

Students squealed with excitement, murmuring among themselves

What's going on?

Ashley pulled me through the crowd. We pushed through the throng of students, trying to catch a glimpse of what was causing the commotion. As we neared the front of building,a gasp escaped Ashley's lips

"Oh my God.." she breathed. And then I saw him..

Tall.

Emerald green eyes

Perfectly messy blonde hair

There he was—Ryan Jenkins, the school’s most popular playboy. A star basketball player and the most famous guy in our grade. He’d been away for two weeks, and rumors had swirled about a big family issue. Some even speculated about him flying out

“He’s back!” Ashley squealed, tugging on my arm.

I almost scoffed at her enthusiasm. Sure, he was attractive, but did everyone really need to fawn over him like this? I didn’t understand why people admired him so much, given his reputation as a playboy. Wanting a guy is one thing, but pining after someone who clearly enjoys breaking hearts seemed foolish to me.

Ryan’s eyes scanned the crowd, as if searching for something. When they locked with mine, I felt a jolt of surprise. His gaze was intense, almost piercing, and I could feel my cheeks flush. There was a fleeting, unreadable expression in his eyes before he quickly turned his attention elsewhere. I let out a breath I had no idea I was holding.

“Whoa, I’ll pretend I didn’t just see him staring at you,” Ashley said, squeezing my shoulder violently

I was taken aback. “N-No, what do you mean? He didn’t. It must have been a coincidence. Why would he look at me? I’m like the last person he’d notice in this entire school.”

Ashley muttered something under her breath—words I didn’t quite catch, but I could tell she wasn’t letting it go.

Ryan strode towards our direction,his two friends following closely behind. As he walked, he brushed a few stray strands of hair from his forehead and tucked them behind his ear, revealing his full, striking face. I had to admit, my previous thoughts about his cuteness being overhyped were total bullshit. There were handsome men, and then there was Ryan Jenkins.

He soon exited the hallway, and the chatter began to die down.

Finally.

“Can we go now?” I asked Ashley, who was still gazing longingly at the exit of the hallway where Ryan had disappeared

“Ashley!” I snapped my fingers in front of her face, and she flinched slightly

“Sorry, what?” she muttered, shaking off her daze.

“He didn’t even notice you. That should be enough to tell you that the bus already left, and we’ll have to wait for another one,” I blurted

“I just got heartbroken. Now I can’t even admire other guys. That’s so unfair,” she pouted.

“You’re unbelievable,” I said, dragging her toward the bus stop.

Fortunately, the bus wasn’t full yet, and we managed to get on. We found seats and settled in, the conversation between us falling into a strained silence.

“I saw the way he looked at you earlier,” Ashley said suddenly, breaking the silence.

“Wait, what? We’re still on that?” I arched my eyebrow

“I think he might like you,” she said in a hushed tone,her eyes wide with excitement

I stifled a laugh. “You’re kidding me, right? Just because a guy looked at me doesn’t mean he likes me. He probably didn’t even notice he looked at me.

“See, you admitted he looked at you,” Ashley said loudly, drawing curious glances from other students on the bus.

“Seriously, Ash, keep your voice down. I don’t want to end up on Evelyn’s shitlist” I hissed.

Evelyn was the captain of the cheer squad and according to rumors, she was Ryan’s girlfriend. I’d dismissed it as gossip, but given their frequent closeness, it seemed plausible.

“She isn’t even his girlfriend, it's obvious. Just look at the way Ryan acts around her. Like she's sucking life out of him. Bitch is so forcing herself on him,” Ashley said, irritation clear in her voice.

“Well, enough about that. Are you interested in hanging out for a while before we head home?” she asked, giving me that innocent look she knew I couldn’t resist.

“I can’t today. Mom told me to come straight home after school. She said she has something important to tell me,” I replied.

“Oh” She mouthed but I could tell she was displeased.

“Another time, then?”

I nodded, giving her a small, apologetic smile. The rest of the bus ride dragged on in silence

I knew something was off the moment I stepped into the house. A strange car was parked in the driveway. At first, I shrugged it off, assuming Mom might have a visitor. But as I walked through the front door, a strong, unfamiliar fragrance greeted me, mingling with the smell of freshly baked cookies.

“Mom?” I called out. I glanced around and noticed the living room was tidier than usual, with fresh flowers in a vase on the coffee table.

I heard indistinct chatter coming from the living room—Mom’s voice and a man’s. They were talking about something, but the words were unclear. My heart started to race as I approached the living room. Once I got to the living room,the scene before me stole my breath away. Mom was with a strange man, and they weren’t just talking. They were kissing.

Mom noticed me immediately and pulled away from him, her face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and surprise.

“You’re here, sweetie,” She said awkwardly.

My mind spun with confusion. What was happening? Mom was kissing a man. My gaze shifted to the stranger. He appeared to be in his late forties, with graying hair neatly combed back and a distinguished look about him.

My mind reeled with questions as I turned to mom

“What’s happening?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Mom stood up and walked toward me.

“I said I had something important to tell you this morning,” she began, her voice trembling slightly. She glanced quickly at the man, who gave her a brief smile. I saw Mom’s cheeks flush with a deeper color. My stomach curled in disgust.

What was going on? Who was this man?

“Violet…” Mom continued, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’ve been meaning to tell you this for a while now.” She took a deep breath. “I’m getting married, Violet. And this man right here is going to be your stepfather.”