Chapter 1

　　"I have big news baby" my mum literally screamed as she entered the house. I was just having dinner alone again as usual, I can't even remember the last time I ate dinner with her. "Remember Richard Dickson right?" my mum asked as she sat down opposite me

　　"Yes, you mentioned dating him" I tried not to sound boring, my fork scooping some pasta.

　　"We're getting married… he proposed!" she dropped the bomb happily, showing me the big diamond Ring… luxury

　　"What?" my fork froze halfway to my mouth.

　　She has had several relationships since she lost my Dad but those relationships never lasted let alone leading to the altar.

　　"Yes baby, I was shocked too when he proposed, he said he doesn't want to delay again we should tie the knot"

　　"I'm happy for you Mom" I managed to come out of my shock, genuinely I want her to be happy, I want her to have a stable relationship and if this Richard I had seen once or twice is making her happy…then it's fine.

　　"That means a lot to me, I know I might not say or act like it but you know you're the most important person in my life Ana" her warm hands found mine across the table.

　　"Yeah …. yeah" I replied, taking my hands away stylishly grabbing my glass of water, I have never had that close relationship with her that doesn't mean I hate her though.

　　Silence for a quick few minutes, awkward, her smile turns a little sheepish.

　　"There's one more thing"

　　I almost choked on my water, of course there is always one more thing.

　　"What is it?" my head snapped up

　　"We're moving in with Richard this weekend" her voice came out calm.

　　The calm before the storm.

　　"Moving what? This weekend!" I tried not to sound sour, keeping my voice calm wasn't quite working at this point.

　　"Sweetheart I know it's sudden but his house is much bigger and luxurious, you'll have your own room…."

　　"I have my own room here" I cut her off

　　"I know baby, this one is bigger and beautiful and you know it will help financially too, you get all the designers you want, the luxury life Ana, you'll love it"

　　My mind raced, trying to process everything, the marriage, the new house, a step father, a new life she has apparently mapped out without even considering my opinions.

　　Not that it matters. It never mattered

　　"Okay" my voice came out hollow "fine"

　　"Thank you for your understanding sweetheart, I promise this is going to be good for us. For both of us".

　　I had already lost the small appetite I had. "I'll be in my room, I haven't worked on my assignments" I got up and left even before she could respond.

　　I entered my room, minimal decor, not so fancy, this new life that I'm about to live I'm not ready for it. I lay in bed, I have mastered the art of pretending everything is okay, masking my feelings and emotions with sass.

　　I stretched and picked my journal, I was journalling before I went down for dinner, going through what I had written earlier my mind raced back to today in school, the annoying dickhead who finds it fun taunting me.

　　Dylan fucking Dickhead!

　　His name is actually Dylan Dickson but I call him Dickhead cause he's one. Just thinking his name made my jaw clench. I'd spent the entire afternoon in AP Calculus wanting to strangle him. He'd beaten me again on the last test. By two points. Two. It should've been impossible. The guy spent more time with his dick inside random girls than he did studying, and yet somehow he was brilliant. Effortlessly, maddeningly brilliant. And he knew it.

　　"Something wrong, Queens?" he'd drawled after class, that infuriating smirk pulling at his lips as he leaned against the doorway, blocking my exit. "You look a little… tense."

　　I'd shoved past him, shoulder checking him hard enough to make a point. "Fuck off, Dickhead."

　　His laugh had followed me down the hall, low and dark and way too satisfied.

　　God, I hated him.

　　I hated his arrogance. I hated the way he looked at me sometimes, like he could see right through my sharp words and perfect grades to the girl underneath who craves dangerous things. I hated that he was tall and built and stupidly, criminally, sinfully devastating hot. Name it

　　And I hated that I noticed.

　　Because noticing Dylan Dickson was dangerous.

　　He was everything I'd sworn to avoid. A playboy who never fucks the same girl twice. The kind of guy my mum would've fallen for in a heartbeat. A walking red flag in ripped jeans and singlets.

　　I refused to be that stupid. I dropped my journal suddenly not wanting to write again. That scumbag is messing with my head.

　　My mind went back to the conversation earlier, I'm going to have a step father now, a man I barely know, I looked around my room missing the warmth and privacy already.

　　"Weekend" I muttered, feeling empty inside.

　　"Sweetheart are you done with the boxes, Richard is here" my mum's voice stretched to the far end of my room. It's Saturday morning and we're moving to our new house today.

　　"Yeah, give me a minute" I replied rather boringly, I find none of this interesting. I have been packing since Friday night, I haven't even told my besties about moving in with my mother's fiancé.

　　I came down carrying a box of my personal journals, wearing shorts and a tank top, my hair in a loose ponytail, lazy but beautiful. Well yeah that's Moana Queens for you.

　　"Hey pretty let me help you with that" Richard offered to help, he had come to help us pack.

　　What an intentional man!

　　"Thanks Mr Dickson…. If you don't mind my luggage is upstairs and I can't lift it" I replied, my voice flat but polite

　　"You should call him Dad, he's going to be your step father…" my mum chipped in

　　"What!" I stared at her with wide eyes.

　　"Common Rosa, she's just getting used to everything, and it so sudden you shouldn't rush her, besides you can just call me Richard" Richard said quickly to save the awkward tension.

　　In less than an hour we were done packing, Richard was driving, occasionally commenting on things my mum was saying that didn't even make sense to me.

　　None of these things make sense!

　　We arrived at the mansion, I came down from the truck, staring at the big white house in front of us… very big I admitted

　　"It's beautiful right?" my mum asked, smiling, it seems she's the only one who wouldn't stop smiling sheepishly.

　　"Yeah it is" my voice came out low, breathing in the air, okay this part of the country feels different, money obviously, juicy money.

　　"Okay let's unpack, Dylan is at the games, he got practice, he'll be back in a few hours time" Richard said standing between us, placing a light peck on my mum's cheeks

　　"Dylan? Who's that?" I asked because that name sounds too familiar for my liking and I hate what that name does to my body.

　　"Oh I forgot to mention it, Richard has a son around your age I'm sure you two will get along well, he's also a brainiac" my mum said, her eyes giving me the I'm-sorry look.

　　I tried to digest another new information again, Richard has a son, around my age and his name is Dylan

　　Wait what, I tried not to think too much, it can't be that dickhead… Dylan Dickson.. no fucking way.